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

[Robert McNamara]

On Tue, Feb 24, 2009 at 7:35 PM, Brad Templeton
<brad+myth at templetons.com> wrote:
> 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.
>

Yeah, they share most of the same libraries (both
libavcodec/format/etc. derived).  It is a shame.  For what it's worth,
I *do* think the time will come when 1080p is the norm, and it's nice
that cable providers are less bound by standards.  I think that in a
short few years we'll see a TON more, but it's going to rely on the
content providers to go over to it-- I think it should be an easy
sell, it's actually *less* work as the source material is usually in a
24p format to begin with.  Now we just need to get them to devote
adequate bandwidth to each HD channel :).

In semi-related news, the newest ATSC spec allows for h.264, although
I am skeptical of it ever being used since *so* many devices which
accept ATSC inputs only have MPEG-2 decode hardware.  BUT, the good
news is your current ATSC tuner cards could receiver it with no
problem.  19 Mbit 1080p24 h.264 for all your channels sounds like good
times. :)

> 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.

Totally agreed.  It'll come :).


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

If you say you've already inspected the individual flags on the frames
I take your word for it.  Up to you if you'd like me to do it.

Take care,

Robert