Archived from groups: alt.video.ptv.tivo (More info?)
> I'm not Sean, but. . .why *wouldn't* cable co DVRs have better picture
> quality than TiVo? Isn't it obvious that recording the original digital
> bitstream directly vs. all the encoding / compression that TiVo does would
> produce a better picture? Or are some of the DVRs doing some re-encoding,
> as well (admitting my ignorance here).
John, I don't think Lenroc is saying that it's not possible that the
comcast dvr couldn't have somewhat better video quality. It's certainly
possible. But it *isn't* a documented fact until someone produces that
document, which no one here has ever seen. It's also unlikely to be
seen, since picture quality is at least partly a subjective quantity.
I wouldn't be surprised if newer generation cable co. DVR's had
marginally better picture quality then current model Tivo's. Hardware
costs continually come down and engineering design is always improving.
The next generation Tivo will have at least as good video quality when
it hopefully arrives.
I don't know that the cable DVR's actually record the native digital
bitstream. We know the Directivo does that, but it's not possible to
extrapolate from there. Technically it would be possible, I suppose. A
cablecard equipped Tivo could do the same thing. But you *can't* assume
that it does.
But comparing hardware capabilities is only part of the story. User
interface is important and as much as some people pooh-pooh it, for many
folks a bad UI is a deal breaker. We have one poster who says he
prefers the cable DVR UI, however we've had innumerable posters who say
it's inferior, and many who say that at least one member of the family
refuses to even use it.
>
> FWIW, I have both and the Comcast DVR runs rings around the TiVo picture
> quality (even in SD but especially in HD, obviously). That said, the TiVo
> has 160MB (i.e., bottomless pit, at least for me) vs. whatever my DVR has
> available (effectively, 10 hours of HD content).
Not really fair comparing HD, if you're going to do that you need to
compare it to the HD Directivo. However, you've pointed out another
benefit of the tivo, the ability to upgrade, hack, and tinker with it.
Randy S.
> I'm not Sean, but. . .why *wouldn't* cable co DVRs have better picture
> quality than TiVo? Isn't it obvious that recording the original digital
> bitstream directly vs. all the encoding / compression that TiVo does would
> produce a better picture? Or are some of the DVRs doing some re-encoding,
> as well (admitting my ignorance here).
John, I don't think Lenroc is saying that it's not possible that the
comcast dvr couldn't have somewhat better video quality. It's certainly
possible. But it *isn't* a documented fact until someone produces that
document, which no one here has ever seen. It's also unlikely to be
seen, since picture quality is at least partly a subjective quantity.
I wouldn't be surprised if newer generation cable co. DVR's had
marginally better picture quality then current model Tivo's. Hardware
costs continually come down and engineering design is always improving.
The next generation Tivo will have at least as good video quality when
it hopefully arrives.
I don't know that the cable DVR's actually record the native digital
bitstream. We know the Directivo does that, but it's not possible to
extrapolate from there. Technically it would be possible, I suppose. A
cablecard equipped Tivo could do the same thing. But you *can't* assume
that it does.
But comparing hardware capabilities is only part of the story. User
interface is important and as much as some people pooh-pooh it, for many
folks a bad UI is a deal breaker. We have one poster who says he
prefers the cable DVR UI, however we've had innumerable posters who say
it's inferior, and many who say that at least one member of the family
refuses to even use it.
>
> FWIW, I have both and the Comcast DVR runs rings around the TiVo picture
> quality (even in SD but especially in HD, obviously). That said, the TiVo
> has 160MB (i.e., bottomless pit, at least for me) vs. whatever my DVR has
> available (effectively, 10 hours of HD content).
Not really fair comparing HD, if you're going to do that you need to
compare it to the HD Directivo. However, you've pointed out another
benefit of the tivo, the ability to upgrade, hack, and tinker with it.
Randy S.
Facebook
Twitter