DVB-T Trials

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › DVB-T Trials

execute22

66 posts

Master Geek

#14019 11-Jun-2007 17:56

Hi,

As I understand the original MPEG2 trials finished end of last year? But surely they will do more trials with MPEG4 soon? Anyone got any info or know where to get it? I've a aquired a DVB-T pci card and I want to have a play

Fossie

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#74318 11-Jun-2007 18:40

Does it have a hardware encoder?

execute22

66 posts

Master Geek

#74331 11-Jun-2007 21:34

ha ha, no fraid not :-( I use a PVR-150 for that. DVB-T+Analog MPEG2 H/W enc hybrid card, thats what you're talking about ay?
They seem to be in hot demmand, I think Lifeview have one, at least in PCI-e anyway, in NZ? not that I know of. Kirjava, you wanna pipe up about now?

Fossie

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#74333 11-Jun-2007 21:44

Lack of a hardware encoder is a good thing. Theres no trial going on right now, but when there is one it will be mpeg-4.

execute22

66 posts

Master Geek

#74336 11-Jun-2007 22:34

No h/w good thing?

hmm we must talking about different things?
I didn't think DVB would ever use an encoder since it's already MPEG 2/4 data?
What I'm wondering is- as far as the PCI card is concerned so shouldn't matter weather it's MPEG2 or MPEG4. it's just a data stream right; it's up to the PC to do the decoding with the appropriate codec?

I've got one of these:
http://www.fusionhdtv.co.kr/eng/Products/DVBTPlus.aspx

allstarnz

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#74348 12-Jun-2007 10:07

Fossie: Lack of a hardware encoder is a good thing.

Oh really, I hope not. I have an HVR1350, which is DVB-T with an MPEG2 decoder :o

sbiddle

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Biddle Corp

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#74351 12-Jun-2007 10:18

It's something I'd like a clear answer on as well and have been unable to find out despite it being discussed online in many home theatre and htpc forums. With so few people having access to MPEG4 DVB-T transmissions it seems to be a commonly asked question as to whether existing DVB-T cards will work with new software or whether new ahrdware is also required.

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allstarnz

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#74368 12-Jun-2007 11:34

actually I do kind of have an answer, got from someone I know of in the UK...

they are using a using DVB Viewer, [TBC] PCI DVB card, combined with CoreAVC Video decoder for h264. This has been used to view the BBC terrestrial HD feed no problems it seems.

I'm not 100% certain on the card used, but i'm confirming

so there is still hope

:edit: it's another card that's used, just confirming what exactly it is.

rhysb

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#74638 14-Jun-2007 11:43

I have dual HVR-4000's which I believe do DVB-T H.264/mpeg4. I guess we'll see once they start a new series of tests.

Rhys

AceVPD

137 posts

Master Geek

#74639 14-Jun-2007 11:45

Anyone know if Vista Media Centre does or will support MPeg4, either now or in the future?

HTPC: 3G P4, 2GB RAM, Nvidia 8500GT, HVR 2200 (for FreeviewHD), 2x Hauppauge PVR-150 (1 for analog TV + 1 for AV input), Windows 7
Display: 42" Panasonic Plasma
Blu Ray/Games: PS3

mixja

23 posts

Geek

#74640 14-Jun-2007 11:52

Media Center supports local third party H.264/AVC decoders such as CoreAVC - it doesn't support it natively or to media center extenders although I'd suggest this will come soon given the recent H.264/AVC support added to the XBox 360 for UPnP AV streaming.

Most of the newer DVB-T cards should support MPEG-4 H.264/AVC given European broadcasters are doing alot of MPEG-4 H.264/AVC now...

allstarnz

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#74654 14-Jun-2007 12:33

Just to confirm, the card used by the person in the UK is a Hauppauge WinTV 88x DVB-T Hybrid Tuner/Demod

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AceVPD

137 posts

Master Geek

#74656 14-Jun-2007 12:47

mixja: Media Center supports local third party H.264/AVC decoders such as CoreAVC - it doesn't support it natively or to media center extenders although I'd suggest this will come soon given the recent H.264/AVC support added to the XBox 360 for UPnP AV streaming.

Most of the newer DVB-T cards should support MPEG-4 H.264/AVC given European broadcasters are doing alot of MPEG-4 H.264/AVC now...

Will Mpeg4 work with the EPG, Live TV & Recorded TV? I have read that to use a SAT card you need to do some reg hacks

HTPC: 3G P4, 2GB RAM, Nvidia 8500GT, HVR 2200 (for FreeviewHD), 2x Hauppauge PVR-150 (1 for analog TV + 1 for AV input), Windows 7
Display: 42" Panasonic Plasma
Blu Ray/Games: PS3

openmedia

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#74672 14-Jun-2007 14:18

In theory yes. In practise wait and see what technology they decide to use here.

There are currently no active DVB-T tests to play with

Generally known online as OpenMedia, now working for Red Hat APAC as a Technology Evangelist and Portfolio Architect. Still playing with MythTV and digital media on the side.

mixja

23 posts

Geek

#74676 14-Jun-2007 15:07

Just to clear up confusion that often exists around terminology (Freeview are as much to blame as anybody). High resolution anybody?

Typically broadcast content is transmitted in an MPEG TS (transport stream) format. This is just the transport mechanism and it holds video and audio streams.

The video today is encoded in MPEG-2 format, when DVB-T comes out, it will likely be encoded in H.264/AVC format. MPEG-4 Part 10 is the US standard that defines the AVC encoding mechanism (H.264 is the equivalent European ITU-T standard). The video will still be transmitted in an MPEG TS format, the encoding mechanism will just be different (and better assuming the same bitrate) for DVB-T.

With regards to the EPG, Freeview have stated they are using MHEG-5 for this so any tuner that supports MHEG-5 should in theory receive and parse the EPG, regardless of the video encoding mechanism (of course your tuner needs to support the video encoding mechanism to view channels).

execute22

66 posts

Master Geek

#74685 14-Jun-2007 16:09

mixja: (of course your tuner needs to support the video encoding mechanism to view channels).

?? Doesn't the card just to support MPEG-TS and not the encoding mechanism? I mean the card doesn't decode the MPEG2 or MPEG4 video; thats up to the software codec or maybe a hardware codec if you're lucky enough to have a high end grahpics card.

Or are we talking about STBs? I mean if it's a STB then I can understand that an old one that was meant to view an MPEG2 stream coming in via MPEG-TS would not be able to view a MPEG4 stream coming via MPEG-TS. But if we're just talking about PC based PCI cards then it shouldn't matter, right?

Or am I missing something?