GNG News Guy
04-02-2008, 06:42 PM
http://i.dslr.net/urls/60/2660.gif (http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Comcast-Defends-Low-Quality-HD-Signal-93233)
Last week we spotted a thread (http://www.thegng.org/shownews/92969) over at the AVS forums that compared Comcast HD image quality to FiOSTV HD image quality. Given Comcast is now cramming three HD channels into each 38.8Mbps QAM to try and compete with DirecTV and FiOS in terms of channel count, the actual image quality has taken a hit. The quality comparison has since made the rounds to the NY Times blog (http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/03/31/comcasts-blurry-high-definition-picture/?ref=technology) and elsewhere, and the fact that Comcast HD makes Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith look like a mooninite (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&hs=x8p&q=mooninite&btnG=Search) has now been amply documented.
The Consumerist (http://consumerist.com/375341/comcast-spews-bs-when-you-complain-about-hd-degradation) explores how Comcast has been addressing consumer reaction to this sudden realization. They post an exchange with a Comcast support representative that's epically unuseful ("I am sorry but we are not degrading services"), as well as the response from a higher-level Comcast exec:Thank you for the feedback to Brian Roberts. As you are aware, we are constantly striving to provide improved services to our Customers, including a wide variety of HD content. In an effort to do this, we have recently started using a new system to deliver some HD channels. While this system works well with clean 1080i signals, we're making some adjustments to improve how it handles other types of HD signals so we can bring you the best HD picture. We apologize this has not created the HD experience that we intended, but we will work towards getting it right.
So for those of you annoyed by Comcast HD pixelation on some channels, please stand by...
read comment(s) (http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Comcast-Defends-Low-Quality-HD-Signal-93233)
Last week we spotted a thread (http://www.thegng.org/shownews/92969) over at the AVS forums that compared Comcast HD image quality to FiOSTV HD image quality. Given Comcast is now cramming three HD channels into each 38.8Mbps QAM to try and compete with DirecTV and FiOS in terms of channel count, the actual image quality has taken a hit. The quality comparison has since made the rounds to the NY Times blog (http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/03/31/comcasts-blurry-high-definition-picture/?ref=technology) and elsewhere, and the fact that Comcast HD makes Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith look like a mooninite (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&hs=x8p&q=mooninite&btnG=Search) has now been amply documented.
The Consumerist (http://consumerist.com/375341/comcast-spews-bs-when-you-complain-about-hd-degradation) explores how Comcast has been addressing consumer reaction to this sudden realization. They post an exchange with a Comcast support representative that's epically unuseful ("I am sorry but we are not degrading services"), as well as the response from a higher-level Comcast exec:Thank you for the feedback to Brian Roberts. As you are aware, we are constantly striving to provide improved services to our Customers, including a wide variety of HD content. In an effort to do this, we have recently started using a new system to deliver some HD channels. While this system works well with clean 1080i signals, we're making some adjustments to improve how it handles other types of HD signals so we can bring you the best HD picture. We apologize this has not created the HD experience that we intended, but we will work towards getting it right.
So for those of you annoyed by Comcast HD pixelation on some channels, please stand by...
read comment(s) (http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Comcast-Defends-Low-Quality-HD-Signal-93233)