and the output looked great on all three targets: ipod, large LCD computer display, and large screen flat-panel TV
2007-12-11 34512, 2007
dholmes
Anyways, I will fully concede that a 45-minute show in H.264 in 1GB is not "HD" quality to the degree you'd find on a Blu-Ray or HD-DVD disc, or even broadcast perhaps
2007-12-11 34522, 2007
yllona
so for "professional" quality -- by the HD DVDs
2007-12-11 34533, 2007
brianfreud
:)
2007-12-11 34534, 2007
dholmes
I do, however, think that it is extremely good quality, and substantially better than 480i DVDs
2007-12-11 34545, 2007
yllona
but like i said, i'm not *that much* iinto TV
2007-12-11 34505, 2007
brianfreud
dholmes, agreed - my point was only that it would have to be downsampled from "real" HD, but agreed, it would still look good :)
2007-12-11 34517, 2007
dholmes
I think that 1GB for an internet download of such a show is very reasonable, and would pay $2 for it without the DRM
2007-12-11 34536, 2007
dholmes
...is MBChatLogger off? I was expecting a response there =D
2007-12-11 34547, 2007
yllona
dholmes: yes, like i said very good quality at a great price. and the quality is consistent, and there's responsive customer support
2007-12-11 34518, 2007
MBChatLogger
Down with DRM!
2007-12-11 34518, 2007
brianfreud
you used DRM at the end of a sentence... I think chatlogger looks for it within the sentence onl
2007-12-11 34533, 2007
MBChatLogger
I hate the evil empire
2007-12-11 34533, 2007
brianfreud
Microsoft
2007-12-11 34537, 2007
brianfreud
DRM
2007-12-11 34545, 2007
brianfreud
I hate DRM
2007-12-11 34546, 2007
MBChatLogger
Down with DRM!
2007-12-11 34546, 2007
brianfreud
I hate DRM a lot
2007-12-11 34557, 2007
yllona
okay, enough
2007-12-11 34532, 2007
dholmes
But is that actually what's offered on iTunes? I'm looking and I still haven't seen a source that says unambiguously what resolutions and bitrates Apple sells for HD shows
2007-12-11 34509, 2007
yllona
dholmes: i was looking at the actual file info, from aprevious download
2007-12-11 34525, 2007
dholmes
But that was a 480i show, no?
2007-12-11 34534, 2007
yllona
yes.
2007-12-11 34506, 2007
yllona
i'll look at one of the HD NASA shows, one sec
2007-12-11 34552, 2007
yllona
NASA delivers HD and "full HD" -- full HD files are *enormous*
2007-12-11 34520, 2007
dholmes
Uh oh
2007-12-11 34548, 2007
dholmes
Looks like NBC declined to renew their contract with Apple and won't be selling shows on iTunes after December anyways
2007-12-11 34550, 2007
Kerensky97 has left the channel
2007-12-11 34530, 2007
yllona
here's the latest HD hubblecast from NASA: duration - 5 min 45 sec, size - 184.2 MB, bit rate - 192 kbps, total bit rate - 4484 kbps, video dimension - 1280 x 720
2007-12-11 34519, 2007
yllona
dholmes: apple and NBC discussion are on going. the existing contract has expried, yes.
2007-12-11 34552, 2007
dholmes
That's equivalent to about 1.45 GB for a 45-minute show - that's pretty good
2007-12-11 34544, 2007
yllona
i've deleted all the "full HD" it's just too big to store, but you can download them via itunes or hubblecast directly
2007-12-11 34555, 2007
dholmes
Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if NBC caves in sooner or later - it sounds like they wanted to do some other service that they themselves play a part in, but I can't imagine anyone thinks that'll succeed
2007-12-11 34536, 2007
yllona
so itunes is capable of HD and "full HD" -- i just don't think it's pratical for TV. movies maybe
2007-12-11 34516, 2007
dholmes
I'm skeptical that many people could tell the difference anyways
2007-12-11 34530, 2007
yllona
i agree
2007-12-11 34531, 2007
dholmes
Very few people own 1080p monitors or TVs
2007-12-11 34551, 2007
dholmes
And even those who do own TVs, it has to be a pretty good TV for most people to even notice
The NBC contract thing does nothing to make me feel more comfortable about DRM though - in the event that they did bail and switch to a competitor, it would be pretty appalling to have to switch between different players to play old and new episodes
2007-12-11 34521, 2007
dholmes
They all give lip-service to interoperability, but I think they're full of shit about that
2007-12-11 34501, 2007
yllona
dholmes: the NBC service is called Hulu and doesn't work with macs (yet).
2007-12-11 34509, 2007
dholmes
Figures ;)
2007-12-11 34533, 2007
dholmes
Even if they do try to do that exclusively, I'm sure it'll fail, but all the same
2007-12-11 34534, 2007
MBChatLogger
Down with DRM!
2007-12-11 34534, 2007
brianfreud
the best is whoever it was - the NFL I think - where none of the shows people paid for now work, but the NFL claims it's not their problem that the DRM they used has now stopped working
2007-12-11 34554, 2007
dholmes
Was that on Google Video?
2007-12-11 34522, 2007
dholmes
I remember Google was in some hot water when they shut down their pay service, but I seem to recall they backed down and offered some sort of reasonable refund
2007-12-11 34539, 2007
yllona
but i tried it at a friends house. it was better than i thought (technically), tho the video quality and ease of use was poor compared to itunes. and it still has adverts. so i'll stick with itunes
2007-12-11 34501, 2007
brianfreud
no, this was a "pay for a game, download and be able to watch it later" service either the baseball or football folks had/have
2007-12-11 34507, 2007
dholmes
Yeah, pretty much all the non-iTunes music/video stores are awful
2007-12-11 34510, 2007
brianfreud
except no games over 6 months old now work
2007-12-11 34522, 2007
dholmes
But did they offer that directly?
2007-12-11 34524, 2007
brianfreud
yes
2007-12-11 34525, 2007
yllona
tho hulu is supposed to start downloads soo, but again with some sore of pre/post advert
2007-12-11 34529, 2007
dholmes
Huh
2007-12-11 34520, 2007
MBChatLogger
Down with DRM!
2007-12-11 34520, 2007
brianfreud
they switched to a different DRM scheme, now all the old DRM games no longer work, yet the people who have the old games can't now play them - the player requires authorization *each* time you try to play the game's video file
2007-12-11 34558, 2007
MBChatLogger
Down with DRM!
2007-12-11 34558, 2007
dholmes
PlaysForSure is the one that really spells out DRM for me - the fact that people bought songs from a Microsoft-blessed store that's supposed to work on everything and is even CALLED "PlaysForSure", but doesn't play on Microsoft's own Zune
2007-12-11 34519, 2007
MBChatLogger
Down with DRM!
2007-12-11 34519, 2007
dholmes
I can't imagine anybody sane would trust Microsoft's DRM after that
2007-12-11 34530, 2007
dholmes
Man, MBChatLogger is going nuts with this discussion =D
nikki would support getting rid of the d-word stuff just so the chatlogger doesn't get a sore throat :P
2007-12-11 34515, 2007
dholmes
Well, it's not normally such a problem ;)
2007-12-11 34510, 2007
dholmes
I'd like to think the music/TV/movie studios will get a clue, but it seems more likely to me that they'll just continue to fail to embrace the future in a sane way, drive more people to piracy, and wither and die
why xyz musician has to sell a gazillion CDs and be mega rich, I really don't know... the world seemed to do fine without that 100 years ago... I'd love to return to a more singer-songwriter/smaller, more talented artists rise to the top type of world
2007-12-11 34549, 2007
nikki
the world did fine without many things 100 years ago ;)
2007-12-11 34540, 2007
BrianG
you can always just listen to and support artists you like.
2007-12-11 34547, 2007
brianfreud
yes, but Britney Spears would seem to be one of those where perhaps our lives really were better 100 years ago (/me hides from any Britney fans)
2007-12-11 34504, 2007
dholmes
Don't worry, I'm not sure they exist
2007-12-11 34517, 2007
dholmes
Amusingly enough, apparently her music isn't even selling these days
2007-12-11 34532, 2007
yllona
brianfreud: there were britney types 100 years ago, many of them. elizbeth nesbitt comes to mind
2007-12-11 34535, 2007
BrianG
a lot of bands, it's not even about the music, it's about the merch
2007-12-11 34557, 2007
BrianG
sad to say. but i see it all the time.
2007-12-11 34508, 2007
dholmes
Ah crap
2007-12-11 34515, 2007
dholmes
Jonathan Coulton was in town and I missed him :(
2007-12-11 34550, 2007
yllona
BrianG: because merch pays more (direct) than music sales
