MPEG4 Transition - What does it mean for BEV subscribers?

  • Thread starter Thread starter I_Want_My_HDTV
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I agree 100%. Good luck to EV in retaining those subscribers. OTOH, people who have money invested in EV receivers, even those not on contract, have a little more to lose. However, if EV falls any more behind, if EV's horrendously bad HD simsubs continue, if EV continues to allow rampant FTA theft, if EV's price hikes continue at the current pace... options will be evaluated despite the huge hardware dollar loss.
 
Really, let's see them decode an MPEG4 stream then. Or are you referring to that supposed expansion card? Why doesn't Starchoice pre-install it then? Or are they content with 10 additional HD channels? Given their past history that should last them a couple years though.

-Mike
 
ditto dj
you released the same info, did you not, just paraphrasing (i dont like to point things like that out...)
why they wouldnt have provided some of this info to hugh, to try and help wash the egg off of their face?
i believe the info to be correct, but who knows with bell
this has become quite a big controversy in the world of tv, and for all the wrong reasons
mpeg will be BETTER for the customer, more channels, more HD, but they way bell is approaching the subject, is like a big dumb dinosaur, who may find itself extinct
 
I was very surprised to compare just how many Bell HD's are in 720p when the identical service on Dish is often in 1080i.

HDNet especially and the Voom stuff. Or HiFidelity as it's branded in Canada.
I wonder how long it will be before they try and slip HD-Lite into the equation like our Southern Friends are doing?

I pretty sure just ABC and FOX are 720p with the rest 1080i by and large, but the overwhelming majority shoes up in the downres'd resolution.
A slight of hand to deliver MORE HD to those hungry for it.

So you'd rather have 10 hamburgers for dinner than a nice steak eh?

WTF good is 150 HD channels if the signals are only marginally better than EDTV.
I recently compared some U.S. Network stations broadcast in 1080i to their 720i version, yes 720i, not 720p.
If DN is getting away with it, it's a fair bet the CompressVu will try the same.
After what we've seen from them lately, then had intimated they think all their customers are stupid and if you go along with that, they they must have been right afterall.
 
I agree that Rogers has an advantage but it is because of their investment in technology. Separate cable systems has little to do with it since they still must deliver the same number of channels to compete with EV. The just happen to be different channels due to the local nature of cable.

EV is short on bandwidth but most of the reasons are EV's fault. EV has another satellite slot available at 72.5. No satellite until 2009? Oops, bad planning EV. Rogers developed 256QAM which packs several times more data into the same bandwidth as EV's encoding. It has been used in the field for years. *C is rolling out 8PSK and MPEG4 this year. What's that, EV is not rolling out 8PSK and MPEG4 until 2009 due to lack of receivers? Sorry, more bad planning on the part of EV. That's due to EV's stubborn reliance on a hardware vendor that can't deliver hardware on time. EV could also roll out VOD using DSL but doesn't have the technology to deliver HD with that either.

BTW, it is possible to deliver separate signals to different areas using satellite. Dish and E* are rolling it out now. However, it doesn't make sense for EV since most of their HD signals are national and will likely remain so for some time. Combining MC and TMN services would make sense but I don't see Shaw getting in bed witk Bell any time in the future.
 
Me, and the the hoards of other posters here nevous as hell to the point of switching providers due to fear of the unknown costs, unknown technologies (is Bell right or is Hugh right?) will only purchasers or renters be affected, will new content be MPEG4 or all existing content switched?

When will Bell communicate a roadmap?
After a posible sale?
After possible privatization?
Once all the massive inventory of potentially obsolete receivers is foisted upon the unsuspected dealers and naive public?

I'm sorry my most worth adversary, but it's your provider of choice that has created the FUD by not coming clean on the issue.


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Just me huh?
 
where are you pulling your information from about bell down-converting resolutions?
 
Because then people would be asking why they didn't start last Summer, or last Spring, or last winter... It has to start some time and the Summer is a logical starting point. I'm sure the planning for this thing started a long time ago.

-Mike
 
i know, it was proposed to BEV to bring it here last year...haven't heard anything on that front though...it's too bad, that would be an industry leading feature in canada.
 
ExpressVu - Retail Bulletin #18 Published: April 30, 2007

Ontario/Quebec/West/North/Atlantic Canada
Effective date April 30, 2007

Offer description

Highlights

The purpose of this communication is to clarify some information contained in a recent article titled “New ExpressVu HD receivers expected by July” which was published by Digital Home on April 4th, 2007.

Details

The Digital Home article discussed ExpressVu’s plans to launch new MPEG-4 HD receivers. Similar stories subsequently appeared in other online publications.

1. The Article stated that “ExpressVu will be replacing its current line-up of high definition receivers with new MPEG4 models in July” As part of normal course of business, ExpressVu continuously evaluates its hardware options and how its hardware lineup will evolve. While, at one point, July was being considered as a possible date for introduction of MPEG-4 receivers, ExpressVu currently has no plans to introduce new receivers until sometime in Q4. Once a decision is made on the exact date, a communication including details on inventory transition plans will be provided to all channels on a timely basis.

ExpressVu is planning on adding two new MPEG-4 HD receivers in Q4. MPEG-4
is the next, more efficient, generation of video and audio compression. Using
MPEG4 technology will allow Bell ExpressVu to add more channels while maintaining picture and audio quality. The new receivers will work seamlessly with the current MPEG-2 compression technology. ExpressVu does not anticipate moving to MPEG-4 compression until sometime in 2009.

Most of the features between our current 6100/9200 HD receivers and the new MPEG-4 versions are exactly the same. The few additional features of note are:

�� New HD receiver:
o Enhanced EPG
o HDMI output
o USB 2.0 Port (for potential future use)
o Ethernet Port (for potential future use)

�� New HD PVR receiver:
o 5 hour increase in HD recording capacity
o S-Video output for TV1
o Ethernet Port (for potential future use)


2. The Article also advised that customers looking to buy an ExpressVu receiver should “wait until the new receivers arrive in store”, suggesting in
subsequent articles that the existing receivers will quickly become obsolete
and customers will have to upgrade later on their own.

�� There is no reason for customers to wait for the new MPEG-4 receivers
before buying an HD receiver from ExpressVu. As mentioned above, the
feature differences are not significant and ExpressVu does not have plans
to switch to the MPEG-4 platform any time in the near future, so the current
models are far from becoming obsolete.

�� ExpressVu remains committed to being the Canadian leader in HD
programming and hardware. Recent enhancements to the 9200 receiver
demonstrates that ExpressVu is committed to this model and intends to
continue to remain Canada’s leader in HD and enhancing its industryleading
products to offer more value to customers. As a recap, here are some of the recent enhancements that have been made to the 9200 HD PVR.

�� Name Based Recording – This enhancement allows customers to have
their receiver automatically search the program guide and record programs
based on the name of actor, word of interest, all episodes or their favorite
shows

�� Picture in Picture split screen – This feature allows customers to watch 2
channels side by side using half of the TV screen for each channel

�� Edit feature – Customers now have the ability to Edit the name of a
recorded program in their list of recorded events The 9200 is the best HD PVR in the market and offers more features than any similar product. It offers the most recording capacity, the unique ability to watch/record separate programming on 2 TVs and access to advanced interactive services.


ExpressVu requires support from our Retail channel to ensure that customers are clear that ExpressVu offers top of the line HD receivers: the 6100 and 9200.

Customers should not be discouraged from renting or purchasing either of these receivers in anticipation of new receivers in the future.

ExpressVu is committed to delivering the best HD experience to all its customers.

As demonstrated in the past, even with the launch of new hardware, ExpressVu continued to make enhanced features available to its entire receiver lineup.

ExpressVu will continue to ensure that all its customers have access to
technological advances in the future.
 
Deleted posts here and will continue to do so until folks stick to the topic.

We all know that you need a new MPEG4 receiver to receive an MPEG4 signal but at the beginning of the thread I asked

What I am curious about and the purpose of this thread is what does the "Transition to MPEG-4 for HD and special programming" really mean and what impact will it have on customers.

I'm not interested if fanboys but intelligent discussion of what the milestones and phases will be in the transition and what decisions will Bell have to make?
 
Thanks for that. A clear official statement that Bell ExpressVu has no intention to implement MPEG4 for HD for at least 2 years (or, to split hairs, 20 months). Therefore, unless they suddenly announce plans for 8PSK (which will require lead times of the better part of a year to accommodate various commercial partners), there will be no relief from current HD capacity restraints in 2007 or 2008.

This is the clearest reason yet that Bell ExpressVu is unable to launch genuinely popular channels like TCM, AMC, MMore HD, Showcase HD, National Geographic HD, The Score HD or additional PPV HD to counter the growing HD Movies On Demand offerings from cable operators like Rogers.

Will CBC West be the last HD channel Bell ExpressVu has room to launch till MPEG4?

HD isn't everything that TV is about to be sure: then again, 1 million Canadian households now pay for HD service and, surely, by end of 2008, that figure will rise to 2 or three times that. That is a lot of customers to abandon on the current course the Ship ExpressVu appears to be on.
 
Well to answer your question the best I can, with bell's current set-up they are able to air up to 65 full time HD channels. Which is alot more than cable providers will be able to air for the forseeable future. Many cable companies actually use Bells signal and rebroadcast. Bell will always have the most HD period. As for the 720p vs 1080i comments; bell doesn't tamper with the signal that the networks provide. Therefore if a network airs 720p its 720p etc. 720p is actually more appealing in most cases (especially sports) since you are actually seeing more lines of resolution per frame than you would see with 1080i. The result a much smoother looking picture. As for new HD channels expect additions to the HD line-up in fall (since most canadians spend time outdoors while they can in the summer). Hope this helps
 
As mentioned by several posters before...

Most likely scenario in my mind is...
- All *NEW* HD content will likely be MPEG4. A whole satellite doesn't need to be MPEG4, not even a whole transponder.
- They may transition current HD to MPEG4 as well. Personally, I would either do a free replacement of these receivers or significantly subsidized. I'm assuming that HD subs are currently an overwhelming minority of the total subscriber base, but the HD subs are the high-value ones with the higher bills and higher margins
- SD content will remain MPEG2 until at least the same time that Nimiq 5 is put in service. My reasoning is that Nimiq 5 is going to require an outdoor equipment upgrade or a repoint of all dishes in eastern canada, replacement receivers could be rolled out as part of this (again, most likely for a fee)

Again, this all assumes that BEV stays the current course and aren't folded or merged into some other provider etc.

I think for customers like myself who has an SD only subscription and no ethnic channels there will be zero impact for several years to come.
 
No, downloading a movie over the Internet is "On Demand" service. MPEG-4 will make is far more practical for Internet providers.

-Mike
 
If six more HD would make you happy, then great.
But since they don't own the real estate (3 TP's mentioned) and we have no evidence they are in talks to do so, then I stand by my "pooched" until proven otherwise.

If/when that happens, you will find that as I've done before, I'll be back to acknowledge my boldness in error.

The experts are easily spotted by there generally larger post count, intimate knowledge of the industry, players and technology and sufficient longevity to have enough historical perspective to have an asute view of the future by being able to accurate assess the situation.
 
I can't say all , because I know that ARR is using fta receiver only for fta tv , I just don't understand how come he knows so much about signal theft and why he gets so excited when talking about pirated tv.
 
me thinks Nimiq1 should double check the code of conduct, and read that little part at the bottom of every echo that clearly states the information contained in that release is confidential...briefly releasing the info (as i did) is fine, copying and pasting the entire memo is not...big brother is always watching, and i would recommend you be more careful what you are doing...bell security takes these things VERY seriously.
 
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