522 Quality of recording

[new_to_hdtv]

Does the 522 record/playback with the same picture quality as if you were watching live or does is use some type of compression when it stores it on the hard drive?

 

[syphix]

AFAIK, there is no MPEG encoder chip inside the 522...it's simply saving the data it gets from the satellite, and playing it back (using an decoder..which EVERY sat box has).

But then again, I'm only on day 2 of my 522 experience (and things are still working!), so I could be wrong...

 

[SimpleSimon]

syphix: You got it right. No MPEG encoder in any E* box - just no need for it.

E* DVRs (ALL models) simply save the satellite (or OTA DTV) data stream to the disk. Therefore, the PQ is 100% identical to watching "live".

 

[maximum]

I think the data in the signal is already compressed so there is no need to compress again when it writes to the HD.