Comcast Begins Converting 1080i Channels to 720p to "deliver superior video."

[dubious]

Comcast customers across multiple markets first began noticing channels that were previously 1080i changing to 720p about a month ago. Now comcast has commented on the situation through a support representative on the xfinity forums.

source: http://forums.xfinity.com/t5/Xfinity...ls/m-p/2783449

Originally Posted by ComcastTeds "official employee

Apologies for the delay in responding. I was out of the office last week on vaction and just returned today.

In regards to 720p delivery, some of your HD channels have transitioned from 1080i to 720p60. As part of our ongoing work to improve and modernize the way we deliver HD channels, we are transitioning all of our HD streams to “progressive” format. We are making this change in conjunction with the transition to MPEG-4. This means that some channels that were delivered in 1080i will now be delivered in 720p60.

The progressive format offers a number of advantages, and is an important component of the transition to IP video delivery.

In addition, the transition to progressive format allows us to offer a uniform HD experience across all devices, apps and screens, ensuring a consistently excellent experience.

The interlaced format reduces the effective resolution of 1080i significantly. Most video delivery is moving toward progressive formats. Many leading HD channels already deliver video in 720p60, and the progressive format renders motion more effectively.

Based on extensive testing and research, we’re confident the combination of MPEG-4 encoding and the progressive format will allow us to deliver superior video performance to our customers.

I'm at a loss for words... but as a Comcast customers I've grown used to this kind of stupidity. All I can offer is this gif...

[Kor-ray]

LOL what?

[spectre08]

I'm gonna blow your mind here

720p60 IS better than 1080i24

vertical resolution isn't the be-all, end-all of image quality.

shocking. I know

[Elbie]

What about 4k!?

*sarcasm

[dubious]

Originally Posted by spectre08

I'm gonna blow your mind here

720p60 IS better than 1080i24

vertical resolution isn't the be-all, end-all of image quality.

shocking. I know

For ESPN maybe, where 60 unique FPS are being put on the screen. There is no benefit to converting 24FPS content to 60FPS at a lower resolution.

There's also two types of 720p, those broadcast at the source and these particularly eyesore conversions done by Comcast. I have no complaints with ABC and Fox's native 720p feeds which often do look better than Comcast's 1080i chocked bitrate deliveries of many other channels they offer. The 720p direct from the source can be correctly encoded to make the best use of the progressive chroma and benefits of compression of being a progressive format. Simply doing in the Comcast chain relies on a series of deinterlacers and the end results is less than ideal 720p. If there wasn't a clear downgrade in my picture quality I doubt I would have would have been one of the few to notice.

[COLD_COBRA_]

Oh Dear God Yess!! Finally! Just in time for 2017 guys

[Casval]

Originally Posted by Elbie

What about 4k!?

*sarcasm

When they think about 4K they probably have that image in mind :

[Show spoiler]

[dubious]

Well... they've done it, as of this morning it appears now all Comcast HD service in the Atlanta market is now 720p, not a 1080i channel left in sight. Surely to god, people will notice, how can they not?

[jacobsever]

And this is why I don't have cable. Internet only subscription. Then use streaming services.

[dubious]

http://forums.xfinity.com/t5/Non-X1-.../false#M184525

This seems to be the current thread to lodge your complaints as the one sourced in my original post is locked on the support forums.

[IndyMLVC]

I. Am. Floored.

I want to register just to tell them how dumb they are. If I had comcast, I'd cancel my subscription. Full stop. Not a question.

[Keenan]

I'm disgusted with Comcast, and their excuse that it improves quality is just plain BS. Comcast doesn't care about people who value picture quality anymore, it's all about how much they can cram into that pipe so people with cell phones and tablets have lots of choices.

Time to dump Comcast TV and fire up the DirecTV account.

[AngelGraves13]

Progressive video is better than interlaced video...

So they're not wrong. They could have done 1080/24p though...

[Keenan]

Originally Posted by AngelGraves13

Progressive video is better than interlaced video...

So they're not wrong. They could have done 1080/24p though...

Yes, if the point was to improve quality they could have just switched those channels to 1080p but the reason they're doing this doesn't have anything to do with quality, it's all about squeezing down the payload to compress more channels into smaller spaces to open up room for their faster internet speeds and eventually move to IP TV delivery, no more linear channels like we have now.

And yes, progressive is better than interlaced for many things such as sports, but who uses an interlaced display anymore? 1080i are always displayed as 1080p nowadays and no matter how you slice it taking a 1080i source displayed at 1080p versus a 720 source you are going to lose picture data down-rezzing that 1080i channel, it's math.

Don't let Comcast fool you, it's not about quality, it's about convenience, the ability to put more channels into smaller sections of bandwidth so the cell phone/tablet crowd has more choices and Comcast has room to bring faster Internet and to transition to an IPTV platform; they're not doing it for quality.

Consider this, the picture quality leader, DirecTV, is at the forefront of bringing 4K TV to the masses, meanwhile, Comcast is going backward to 720p.

[HR Pufnstuf]

Originally Posted by dubious

Well... they've done it, as of this morning it appears now all Comcast HD service in the Atlanta market is now 720p, not a 1080i channel left in sight. Surely to god, people will notice, how can they not?

Can you tell any difference in quality on any Comcast HD channels? If so, which channels?

HR Pufnstuf

[Naiera]

Originally Posted by Keenan

And yes, progressive is better than interlaced for many things such as sports, but who uses an interlaced display anymore? 1080i are always displayed as 1080p nowadays and no matter how you slice it taking a 1080i source displayed at 1080p versus a 720 source you are going to lose picture data down-rezzing that 1080i channel, it's math.

Your TV is very likely crap at de-interlacing.

720p is, in practice, better than 1080i for television broadcasts for a variety of reasons.

[dubious]

Originally Posted by HR Pufnstuf

Can you tell any difference in quality on any Comcast HD channels? If so, which channels?

HR Pufnstuf

The channels that are being converted in Comcast's pipeline from 1080i to 720p can sometimes look heavily DNR'd or show color ringing and dithering, especially during times of transition from scene change, fast motion, or commercial break. When you're not getting the dramatic side-effects, the comparison is still a bit noticeably softer image with less resolution, much like comparing any other 720p to 1080p streaming service.

You have to keep in mind, these channels transitions are being performed by Comcast and not at the source, so the end result is less than ideal since their 720p channels are sourced from 1080i feeds. ABC and Fox that provide native 720p feeds still look far superior by comparison.

I have a 60" LG plasma so it may handle de-interlacing far better than some other TVs, but a 1080i output signal looks preferable to 720p for film content.

[Keenan]

Originally Posted by Naiera

Your TV is very likely crap at de-interlacing.

720p is, in practice, better than 1080i for television broadcasts for a variety of reasons.

My TV doesn't de-interlace anything. My Samsung PN64F8500 64" plasma is fed from an Oppo 103D which is doing all the video processing on the native resolution feed signal from a TiVo Roamio Pro.

Possibly your TV is doing a terrible job and that might be why you're not seeing a difference? Just a thought.

And I'd love to hear about those variety of reasons.

[Keenan]

Originally Posted by dubious

The channels that are being converted in Comcast's pipeline from 1080i to 720p can sometimes look heavily DNR'd or show color ringing and dithering, especially during times of transition from scene change, fast motion, or commercial break. When you're not getting the dramatic side-effects, the comparison is still a bit noticeably softer image with less resolution, much like comparing any other 720p to 1080p streaming service.

You have to keep in mind, these channels transitions are being performed by Comcast and not at the source, so the end result is less than ideal since their 720p channels are sourced from 1080i feeds. ABC and Fox that provide native 720p feeds still look far superior by comparison.

I have a 60" LG plasma so it may handle de-interlacing far better than some other TVs, but a 1080i output signal looks preferable to 720p for film content.

I agree, the most easily observed effect of the down-rezzing is a slight softness, a less crystal clear and razor-edged sharpness.

[PrestigeWorldwide]

Originally Posted by jacobsever

And this is why I don't have cable. Internet only subscription. Then use streaming services.

Yep, when I cut cable a few years ago and went to streaming services, I noticed the picture quality was better on Vudu & Itunes than cable TV. No plans to go back.

This move doesn't surprise at all about Comcrap. I have their Xfinity internet only because there isn't a better option in my area. They kept offering me plans for cable TV @ $20 per month combo pack with internet speed that is half my current service. Then they later offered free cable TV for a year with my current speed - since they are so desperate to get that cable box in your house so they can jack up the price when the contract expires. This latest move is just another anti-consumer, let's cram everyone on Comcrap tv service for as little cost as possible, quality be damned.