Discovery Starts MPEG-4 Migration For Five HD Services

[texasguy37 ACE - Champion]

Perhaps an improved HD picture on some Discovery channels in the coming months!  Here is a excerpt from the article found in the link below:

Discovery Communications has initiated a project to convert its five MPEG-2 HD channels -- Discovery, TLC, Animal Planet, Science and Planet Green -- to the more efficient MPEG-4 format in two waves, to save satellite transponder space.

The programmer is distributing Motorola Mobility's DSR-6401 (single channel) and DSR-6402 (two channels) integrated receiver/decoders for the transition. The IRDs provide automatic transcoding from MPEG-4 to MPEG-2, which is the predominant format used in cable set-top boxes.

"We've gotten to a place with our capacity where we're interested in increasing the efficiency of our [satellite] transponders," said Glenn Oakley, executive vice president of Discovery's Media Technology, Production and Operations group.

Other programmers have undertaken initiatives to migrate HD channels to MPEG-4 include ESPN, which moved its HD services to the format in June 2011. MPEG-4 uses approximately half the bandwidth as the older MPEG-2 standard.

Starting Monday, April 9, Discovery launched MPEG-4 HD feeds of Animal Planet and Science, while keeping the MPEG-2 versions on the existing transponder. As of July 1, the programmer will stop distributing the two MPEG-2 HDs.

In the second phase starting Sept. 1, Discovery plans to light up MPEG-4 feeds of Discovery HD, TLD HD and Planet Green HD (which will be rebranded "Destination America" on May 28). Those legacy MPEG-2 HDs will be retired Dec. 31.

Discovery already distributes five other HD networks in MPEG-4: ID, Hub, OWN, 3net and BBC America. Following the final cutover at the end of 2012, two of the company's six satellite transponders will be fully MPEG-4.

http://www.multichannel.com/article/483025-Discovery_Starts_MPEG_4_Migration_For_Five_HD_Services.ph...

[oufanindallas]

Cool info, but how will that help us?

[texasguy37 ACE - Champion]

You may see a better HD picture when watching one of those Discovery channels.

[oufanindallas]

---

texasguy37 wrote:

You may see a better HD picture when watching one of those Discovery channels.

---

Ah, I thought they already had one of the better HD pictures.  Guess I'll see when it's finished with the conversion. 

[bugmenot121]

LOL at the part where it says BBC America in HD!

[mibrnsurg ACE - Geek]

---

oufanindallas wrote:

---

texasguy37 wrote:

You may see a better HD picture when watching one of those Discovery channels.

---

Ah, I thought they already had one of the better HD pictures.  Guess I'll see when it's finished with the conversion. 

---

Actually it's more of how many channels they can cram onto 1 satellite, then getting a better quality signal.

There seemed to be no PQ change (probably exactly what they wanted) when ESPN HDs went thru the same thing previously.

Chris

---

Please NO SD stretch-o-vision or 480 SD HD Channels
1-800-288-2020, After he gets acct info, press # a bunch of times, get a menu from Mr. Voice recognition
Your Results May Vary, In My Humble Opinion
I Call It Like I See It, Simply a U-verse user, nothing more

[jhy1978]

Actually the HD quality will go DOWN, mpeg2 are larger and better quality then mpeg4 and they are doing it to free bandwidth on satellites has nothing to do with IPTV. The quality will actually be noticebly worse like the other channels now.

[mibrnsurg ACE - Geek]

---

jhy1978 wrote:

Actually the HD quality will go DOWN, mpeg2 are larger and better quality then mpeg4 and they are doing it to free bandwidth on satellites has nothing to do with IPTV. The quality will actually be noticebly worse like the other channels now.

---

No, afraid not, properly done MPEG4 is undetectable against an MPEG2 (has been suggested it may even be slightly better).  Remember it's not w/the compression on Uverse's MPEG4 H.264 implementation.

Chris

---

Please NO SD stretch-o-vision or 480 SD HD Channels
Help? 1-800-288-2020, After he gets acct info, press # a bunch of times, get a menu from Mr. Voice recognition
Your Results May Vary, In My Humble Opinion
I Call It Like I See It, Simply a U-verse user, nothing more