Comcast Compressing HDTV Signals to Fit Three Shows into Two Shows' Bandwidth

**Cr@xH3aDMcg33** · 03-31-2008, 02:58 PM

Comcast Compressing HDTV Signals to Fit Three Shows into Two Shows' Bandwidth

Comcast has begun compressing HDTV shows in order to deliver more HD channels to you while using the same amount of bandwidth. They didn't use to do this before, but now, when compared to Verizon FiOS, the channels are grainy and blocky and full of artifacts—a result of shoving three channels into a space where only two previously occupied. A guy at AVSForum measured how the new bitrate stacks up against Verizon.

DVice has a side-by-side of the FiOS vs. Comcast comparison as well, and things look pretty damn ugly.
The forum poster says that the compression isn't too horrible with still images, but gets really bad when stuff moves around.

The greatest differences are seen with movement. With slow movement on Comcast, the first thing you notice is added noise and a softer image, as fine detail is filtered from the picture signal. The greater the rate of movement, the more detail you lose and the more noise you see. With intense movement, you see more blocking and skipped frames. In VideoRedo, I noticed that a number of frames in the FiOS signal simply did not exist in the Comcast signal during motion intensive scenes. This may be responsible for the stutter and excessive motion blur seen with some video sequences on Comcast. To Comcast's credit, I saw little to no difference on movie channels such as HBO, Cinemax, and Starz. I did see some blurring and reduced detail during fast movement on Starz, but the recordings from Cinemax and HBO were virtually identical, even on action movies such as 300 and Gladiator. When there was blocking on the Comcast feed of Cinemax, that blocking was also on the FiOS feed.

**StevesSTi** · 03-31-2008, 02:59 PM

They're killing FLEA! Those bastids!

**Cr@xH3aDMcg33** · 03-31-2008, 03:00 PM

lol and the drummer looks like Richard Geer for some reason.

**BoostinChick** · 03-31-2008, 03:02 PM

Have you seen the new Comcast commercials? To where these people are glowing and walk up to someone raving about Verizon? Then the person is like "I have Comcast and it's fiber optics too...and faster" or something?

**Cr@xH3aDMcg33** · 03-31-2008, 03:05 PM

No. Cause that is a bullshit statement.

Plus, I would go with Verizon cause of the great customer Service. NO Bull.

**Broken5hift** · 03-31-2008, 03:05 PM

so FIOS is better?

**BoostinChick** · 03-31-2008, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Broken5hift

so FIOS is better?

That's what I always thought until I saw those commercials. Thanks for clarifying Cr@x.

**Cr@xH3aDMcg33** · 03-31-2008, 03:07 PM

It's fiber optics to the home and in theory is supposed to give the ability of 1Gbps of bandwidth or more. making it faster than Copper.

**Cr@xH3aDMcg33** · 03-31-2008, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoostinChick

That's what I always thought until I saw those commercials. Thanks for clarifying Cr@x.

Whne you get deeper into Cisco you will learn that Copper has a limit that is surpassed by Fiber. fo now Copper lines can compete, because Verizon is throttling back the throughput but in the future, fiber will be faster.

Now an installer is going to be like BS. But just cause the trunk link is Fiber, It's still limited to copper to the node (home).

**BoostinChick** · 03-31-2008, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cr@xH3aDMcg33

Whne you get deeper into Cisco you will learn that Copper has a limit that is surpassed by Fiber. fo now Copper lines can compete, because Verizon is throttling back the throughput but in the future, fiber will be faster.

Now an installer is going to be like BS. But just cause the trunk link is Fiber, It's still limited to copper to the node (home).

Well I knew that about copper vs. fiber. I was more confused because Comcast was stating that they now have a "fiber optic" network and it's faster/better. So I was like zuh?!? If you see the commercial you will know what I am talking about.

03-31-2008, 02:58 PM	#1 (permalink)
Cr@xH3aDMcg33 SOT Administrator Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Miami Posts: 25,146 gXboxLive Leaderboard: 38^th	Comcast Compressing HDTV Signals to Fit Three Shows into Two Shows' Bandwidth Comcast Compressing HDTV Signals to Fit Three Shows into Two Shows' Bandwidth Comcast has begun compressing HDTV shows in order to deliver more HD channels to you while using the same amount of bandwidth. They didn't use to do this before, but now, when compared to Verizon FiOS, the channels are grainy and blocky and full of artifacts—a result of shoving three channels into a space where only two previously occupied. A guy at AVSForum measured how the new bitrate stacks up against Verizon. DVice has a side-by-side of the FiOS vs. Comcast comparison as well, and things look pretty damn ugly. The forum poster says that the compression isn't too horrible with still images, but gets really bad when stuff moves around. The greatest differences are seen with movement. With slow movement on Comcast, the first thing you notice is added noise and a softer image, as fine detail is filtered from the picture signal. The greater the rate of movement, the more detail you lose and the more noise you see. With intense movement, you see more blocking and skipped frames. In VideoRedo, I noticed that a number of frames in the FiOS signal simply did not exist in the Comcast signal during motion intensive scenes. This may be responsible for the stutter and excessive motion blur seen with some video sequences on Comcast. To Comcast's credit, I saw little to no difference on movie channels such as HBO, Cinemax, and Starz. I did see some blurring and reduced detail during fast movement on Starz, but the recordings from Cinemax and HBO were virtually identical, even on action movies such as 300 and Gladiator. When there was blocking on the Comcast feed of Cinemax, that blocking was also on the FiOS feed. __________________ PUT THE FUCKING LOTION IN THE BASKET!!!!!!!!!!!

03-31-2008, 02:59 PM	#2 (permalink)
StevesSTi SOT Post Whore Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Boynton Beach, FL Posts: 3,319	They're killing FLEA! Those bastids! __________________ Formerly StevesSRT Previous car: '03 Stage 2 SRT-4 Previous car: '05 WRX STi Previous car: Legend Lime '06 Mustang GT Previous car: #1501/2000 Torred Charger R/T Daytona Previous car: Who gives a fuck Current Car: 08 Rallye Red Civic Si Sedan Current motorcycle: Ninja 650R

03-31-2008, 03:00 PM	#3 (permalink)
Cr@xH3aDMcg33 SOT Administrator Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Miami Posts: 25,146 gXboxLive Leaderboard: 38^th	lol and the drummer looks like Richard Geer for some reason. __________________ PUT THE FUCKING LOTION IN THE BASKET!!!!!!!!!!!

03-31-2008, 03:05 PM	#5 (permalink)
Cr@xH3aDMcg33 SOT Administrator Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Miami Posts: 25,146 gXboxLive Leaderboard: 38^th	No. Cause that is a bullshit statement. Plus, I would go with Verizon cause of the great customer Service. NO Bull. __________________ PUT THE FUCKING LOTION IN THE BASKET!!!!!!!!!!!

03-31-2008, 03:05 PM	#6 (permalink)
Broken5hift SOT Administrator Join Date: May 2006 Location: 345T C045t Posts: 26,282 gXboxLive Leaderboard: 27^th	so FIOS is better? __________________ SOT - .... I dunno, i wasnt really paying attention....

03-31-2008, 03:07 PM	#8 (permalink)
Cr@xH3aDMcg33 SOT Administrator Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Miami Posts: 25,146 gXboxLive Leaderboard: 38^th	It's fiber optics to the home and in theory is supposed to give the ability of 1Gbps of bandwidth or more. making it faster than Copper. __________________ PUT THE FUCKING LOTION IN THE BASKET!!!!!!!!!!!

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