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

Regular MPEG-2 decoder chips, cores, and software handle 720x480 11/10 =
Sample Aspect Ratio "pixels" for 4:3 as well as the 16:9 anamorphic (75% =
squeezed) version, and other non "NTSC" sample sizes ("half D1", etc.) =
commonly used for cable, satellite, DVD-V, etc.; all of which are =
included in the MPEG spec.

It probably isn't cost effective to build special "retarded" MPEG-2 =
decoder chips with broken functionality in memory of Table 3. =20

But you never know.  Some manufacturers may have gone to great trouble =
to rig their sets to blow up on legal MPEG image formats they considered =
subversive.

Kilroy Hughes

-----Original Message-----
From: opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] =
On Behalf Of Richard Hollandsworth
Sent: Thursday, May 18, 2006 6:28 PM
To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [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???

=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
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.


        =09
---------------------------------
Ring'em or ping'em. Make  PC-to-phone calls as low as 1=A2/min with =
Yahoo! Messenger with Voice.

=20
=20
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