MPEG 4 versus MPEG2?

[iks]

I recently upgraded from a Thompson DTC-100 HD DirectV receiver to an H20. The picture now looks garish but dim. When I turn down brightness and sharpness to get rid of what looks like noise the picture just gets darker and starts to exhibit color banding (patchy color). Since the picture was pristine before with the DTC-100 I am wondiering whether my HD CRT is failing OR the H20 is to blame. Not sure if any of the HD channels I am getting are now MPEG-4 and used to be MOEG-2??? Any ideas before I do something rash...like get the TV calibrated?

Thanks, iks

 

[Jimbo]

I recently upgraded from a Thompson DTC-100 HD DirectV receiver to an H20. The picture now looks garish but dim. When I turn down brightness and sharpness to get rid of what looks like noise the picture just gets darker and starts to exhibit color banding (patchy color). Since the picture was pristine before with the DTC-100 I am wondiering whether my HD CRT is failing OR the H20 is to blame. Not sure if any of the HD channels I am getting are now MPEG-4 and used to be MOEG-2??? Any ideas before I do something rash...like get the TV calibrated?

Thanks, iks

Do you have any OTA channels to try ? this may help you.

Jimbo

 

[iks]

Good point. Yes I do and they have the same look. Must be my tv or its settings.

Thanks, Iks

 

[Ronnie-]

What kind of connections are you using and what were you using before?
All of your Channels now, with the possible exception of locals are still MPEG2

 

[iks]

I checked the connections by removing a recently installed component video switch (my old Sampo HD monitor has only one set of progressive component inputs which I have to share with a Blu-Ray) and it made no difference. One other possibility is that the DTC-100 had an RGB output but since both component and RGB are analog I don't think that matters much. Once I get a new flat-panel I will be using HDMI. The Sampo does not have HDMI.

I did turn up contrast and that lightened up the picture a lot. I think someone (my 16-year old and his PS3) mucked with the controls. It's slowly improving now.

Now I am curiious: should a picky viewer notice the difference between MPEG-4, MPEG-2 and OTA? I think OTA looks the best.

Thanks, iks

 

[FlyingJ]

I checked the connections by removing a recently installed component video switch (my old Sampo HD monitor has only one set of progressive component inputs which I have to share with a Blu-Ray) and it made no difference. One other possibility is that the DTC-100 had an RGB output but since both component and RGB are analog I don't think that matters much. Once I get a new flat-panel I will be using HDMI. The Sampo does not have HDMI.

I did turn up contrast and that lightened up the picture a lot. I think someone (my 16-year old and his PS3) mucked with the controls. It's slowly improving now.

Now I am curiious: should a picky viewer notice the difference between MPEG-4, MPEG-2 and OTA? I think OTA looks the best.

Thanks, iks

Sure, OTA should be the best but it has been reported by many insluding Scott that the MPEG4 pic looks just as good. Either way, they should both be an improvement over the MPEG2, if you received the same results with the OTA, probably a CRT issue.

 

[JP1995]

I just had a slimline dish and hr-20 instaleld to upgrade from my old hr10-250..... the hd locals from d* look better than the OTA HD channels I was using before...maybe its just my eyes but it was obviously sharper looking to both me and my wife.

 

[Ronnie-]

I just had a slimline dish and hr-20 instaleld to upgrade from my old hr10-250..... the hd locals from d* look better than the OTA HD channels I was using before...maybe its just my eyes but it was obviously sharper looking to both me and my wife.

Thats the new MPEG 4 channels for you. VERY VERY good from what i hear, and the new national channels are to be the same

 

[JP1995]

Long live MPEG 4 then...... I don't even remember what the news clip was about....just have those clear images burned into my head! I'm just using a Toshiba 65 inch DLP... You guys with a plasma will not be able to breath when you get MPeg 4 channels.

 

[iks]

Will DirecTV switch previously offere HD content from MPEG2 to MPEG4 (like HDnet and locals)? Since upgradnig to the H20 receiver which is designed for MPEG4 the current non-HD channels look horrible and the current HD channels look not as crisp as before.

 

[Lord Darth Vader]

Eventually, yes, the MPEG-2 HD channels will be transitioned to MPEG-4.

 

[iks]

That's good to know but does anyone know whether the H20, being touted for MPEG4 is able to deliver a top-flight MPEG2 picture? I have managed to tweak settings enough so that the picture is OK, but not great. Even my HD-challenged wife has said that the HiDEf picture is not as good "since you put that 5-whatever thing on the roof" and we replaced the DTC-100 with the H20. I have the H20 on Native and all settings checked except 480i. It does switch between shows in 720 and 1080i and 480p. as it is supposed to.

Thanks, iks