Popular Mechanics gets wise to HD compression
Around Engadget, we're all too familiar with the evil bit starving ways of some content providers and local affiliates in the name of the bottom line. But it's always good to see the more mainstream press get wise as Popular Mechanics has a good article on the why and why not, our HD signal is over compressed. The most interesting new piece of information is something we've heard of in the past, but it's good to get additional details, which is HBO's requirements in regards to what a provider can do with its signal. We assumed the requirements would specify a minimum bit rate, but in reality it is a limitation of what other content can be carried on the same QAM channel. So that means no sports, animated content, or any other bit hungry content for that matter. Ultimately, all this talk just makes us enjoy our Blu-ray Discs that much more.
