DVB - T tuners, MPEG2 vs MPEG4

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steve2222

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#15515 27-Aug-2007 08:27

There has been a lot said in other threads stating there is no value in bringing a device from overseas to NZ with a DVB-T tuner in it as there is a 99% chance it will be MPEG2 and will not work in NZ (come March 08) as we will use MPEG4.

Presumably though this is just a software/firmware type issue and if a manufacturer is currently supplying TV's to NZ with MPEG2 inbuilt DVB-T tuner they could make software/firmware available to the NZ importer if customers want to take the device back and have it upgraded.

Or am I missing something.

cyril7

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#83926 27-Aug-2007 08:44

The mpeg2 decoders that are implimented in the typcial STB's is pretty much hardwired in silicon. All do use some level of firmware decoding (the IBM chipsets in particular) however all the firmware does is control a set of hardware tools, all of which are mpeg2 focused.

The bottom line is that none of the mpeg2 SOC (system on a chip) designs used in mpeg2 STB's has either the ability or the power to implement mpeg4. Chip manufacturers have developed completely new (and significatnly more complex and expensive) chipsets to implement mpeg4, these chips naturally also do mpeg2.

Cyril

Niel

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#83932 27-Aug-2007 10:34

The PC based receivers (lower and mid cost PCI cards, and USB sticks) should be fine as long as the software vendor will release updated software. Agree, the set top boxes get a dedicated decoder chip and a supervisor processor so that the STB designers do not have to get their products approved but only registered as using the (already approved) chipset.

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steve2222

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#83935 27-Aug-2007 10:49

what about TV's that are being imported with in built DVB-T tuners in them (MPEG2). Are these more likely to be configured as Cyril says for the STB or more like the PC cards?

cyril7

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#83937 27-Aug-2007 11:19

The TV's with inbuilt DVB-T tuners simply have the guts of a STB built in.

Cyril

allstarnz

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#83965 27-Aug-2007 14:24

i have two DVB-T cards (Hauppauge HVR3000 and HVR1300), it seems with something such as GB-PVR the software should be able to decode the MP4 DVB-T stream.