[opendtv] Why can't POSTAGE STAMPS be Eliminated???

Why must Letterboxed programs (e.g. Widescreen 720x480 DVDs) be transmitted as 
a 360x480 "Postage Stamp" within the SD 640x480 4:3  box?
Why can't they be transmitted in either 720x480 (currently in SCTE specs) or as 
"SD-Lite" 704x480 (currently in both SCTE and ATSC specs)?

Surely the Encoding equipment is capable of handling this resolution 
setting.....

An HD-STB/DVR (whether built to ATSC or SCTE specs) should be capable of 
accepting this format without modification, filling up the screen on a 16:9 
HDTV.....and "shrink-to-fit" for Video/S-Video output, just as they already do 
for HD.

Shouldn't a cable SD-STB also be capable of accepting widescreen 
formats---after all it's one of the 480 formats in the SCTE specs???
If not, wouldn't it be a viable software-only upgrade???

=============================================
ATSC Candidate Standard CS-TSG-674 proposes revising Table A3 in ATSC A/53 
Annex A to (finally) include the 720x480
widescreen SD resolution, indicating that it has been in use for several years 
with any reported complaints.

So there may not even be a need to down-rez ATSC to "SD-Lite" 704x480.


                
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