--- Brad Templeton <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> While it is possible, in theory, to write a re-encoder that takes
> advantage
> of compression hints learned from the original encoding, that sounds
> like
> a lot of work for a rare task just to save some CPU, and CPU is cheap
> in such instances anyway.

Thank you for the thoughtful reply, Brad.  The CPU power in this case
is not insubstantial.  It took over 7 hours of processing to transcode
the two hour movie down to a 720x480 DVD.  That was on a 3000MHz AMD-64
Windoze machine running Nero Video Express.  If I had an adequate
solution on my mythbox, i.e. one that could be used effectively with
only console I/O, I could have used my P4 HT processor for a bit
quicker transcoding.  But I doubt the difference would have even been
2:1, so it would still be horrifically slow.  (The console I/O
requirement comes from the fact that the mythbox uses the HDTV as its
primary monitor so I have to use ssh to do anything outside of Myth.)

> 
> We're also rapidly moving to a time when we won't want traditional
> DVDs.
> They are small and low-res, and mp2 isn't nearly as good as mp4. 
> Plus,
> since all of us have computers connected to our TVs, and soon more
> and
> more people will, going to the player's restricted format becomes
> less
> appealing.

I guess I just have more primitive friends!  Not one of my friends has
a myth box, nor even a computer hooked to a TV.  Some have computers at
home, but none would want to watch a show (particularly one that
emphasizes the soundtrack) on their PC.  Everybody has DVD players.  Do
I see the market changing?  Yes, but very VERY slowly.  Remember the
YEARS it has taken to get DVDs accepted to the point that VCRs are
considered obsolete.  It will be five years or longer before HD-DVD
players are commonplace.

It's a sad fact, but it's faster and easier to record things on my Tivo
and transfer to videotape than it is to make a DVD of a MythTv
broadcast.  Or I could just tape it on the "obsolete" VCR for even
faster access.  It's somewhat a letdown.


__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com 
_______________________________________________
mythtv-users mailing list
[email protected]
http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users

Reply via email to