[mythtv-users] Getting 1080p from comcast cable boxes (Was VUDU)

[Brad Templeton]

On Tue, Feb 24, 2009 at 07:18:35PM -0800, Robert McNamara wrote:
> On Tue, Feb 24, 2009 at 7:13 PM, Robert McNamara
> <robert.mcnamara at gmail.com> wrote:
> > I went and found a reference for you about your mplayer output, by the by:
> >
> > http://lists.mplayerhq.hu/pipermail/mencoder-users/2007-May/006031.html
> >
> > More or less, this is a semi-misinterpretation of the telecine flags
> > (which exist to allow inverse telecine to occur/mark the frames which
> > can be discarded).  It's also a virtual-guarantee that the content is
> > interlaced, but if you can provide a sample I can conclude for sure.
> >
> > Robert
> >
> 
> D'oh, I meant to also mention that you should read the two messages
> following that one, it'll pretty much explain it all.  (But I can say
> with 99.99% certainty that it seals the deal on it being 1080i).
> 

Mythtv is also making the same mistake it seems, which is what got me
on this path.  Well, first I noticed that the AMC-HD files were smaller
that I would expect, and then I asked Myth to show the scan and it declared
them as progressive.  Turns out this is just happening at random, sometimes
for short bursts, sometimes long, causing myth to report it to me.
Examination of individual frames does indeed show it is interlaced content.

Oh well, it's a shame.  Here I was getting my hopes up that they were actually
doing something sane, saving bandwidth and sending us what we would really
prefer to get (24fps 1080p with no sign of evil telecine) rather than
the evil curse of interlace.

Note that it comes and goes.  Some recordings stay stable, always reporting
interlace, some do the dance back and forth between interlace and false reports
of 24fps progressive.   Seeing the 24fps seemed particularly interesting, I
would have thought it might confuse interlaced and progressive both at 30fps.

In about 20 minutes a snippet, if you still care will be
at www.templetons.com/etc/amchd.mpg