Hi guys, >I don't think any of the HDTV channels is going to be > in MPEG2. As it seems, everyone agrees on MPEG4 / > H.264 over DVB-S2. Time to get new hardware :-( Well, its not just going to be a matter of buying new DVB hardware, I'm afraid. AFAIK, STMicroelectronics is the >only< company making the (De)Mod (=Tuner) at the moment. Zarlink is working on one, but it's not in production as of now. Knc1 is the only maker of DVB-S PC hardware. This card does NOT have a HDMI output (and it's a budget card). This means any HDCP coded and protected programs will not be outputed to a TV. HDCP will most likely NEVER reach a software controlled stage. It will always be hardcoded into the hardware. The knc1 card is due out end of January 2006. Price unknown. And as to transcoding the dig?tal stream into RGBHV, I personally don't think this will ever happen with internal PC hardware. The crowd of people having an 8" or 9" CRT projection unit is too small as to let manufacturers whip up an internal transcoder. More expensive digitals are HD-compliant, but not really HD-Ready (not meaning what the sign "HD-Ready" tries to imply!) Furthermore programs like Premiere will be using another method of checking, making watching such shows via VDR next to impossible. Not that I care, since DVDs are easily catching up (production times) to Premiere. Of course, you'll also need a new CAM and a new CI to go with the higher rates of H.264. I also doubt that we will be able to cut these shows via VDR (although I'm sure Klaus has something up his sleeves ;o)) since it is no longer mpeg2. We are also at the mercy of the DVB-S2 producers to lay open a code that will allow the implementation of a DVB-S2 card under Linux. It'll be a long way before VDR meets HDTV in H.264. Since BW costs money, you can be sure that, aside from the demo loops now on Astra, all shows will be encoded in H.264 ;o( Since there are NO full featured cards available at the moment, there is presently NO way you can watch H.264 encoded shows via old PII-200 Mhz hardware. I never really understood manufacturers why they speed up the process of transmitting data in a new and higher encoded way, yet fail to provide the receiving hardware. Pretty stupid in my opinion :o)) regards, Reinhard
