Quote:
|
Originally Posted by spiderplant
Only if you use the same compression technology (e.g. MPEG-2). New technologies are on their way which will get higher quality from the same bitrate (eg. MPEG-4 and WMV9).
|
And Microsoft are actively push STB builders to include WMV9 in STBs.
The problem is that for any new compression system to take off, Broadcasters would need to replace their encoding systems, and, seeing as they tend to encode the same signal for multiple platforms, the STBs on those platforms would need to support it. So, to carry on providing those channels, NTL would have to upgrade all STBs (which would cost millions, and probably generate very little financial return), SKY & Freeview would have millions of users who would have to be persuaded to buy new STBs.
Still, I do think that when specifying HDTV box Specs, they should use WMV9/MP4. Same with broadcasters when they specify encoder boxes.