kevinc said:
Does anybody know when/if TWC plans to deploy h264/MPEG4 video on the SDV or all protected channels? As my htpc build with windows Media Center relies on Intel's integrated graphics that are not compatible with the format I'd like some warning so that I can take appropriate action beforehand. (I want to leave it as late as possible to give myself all options, including replacing motherboard/processor with a later generation Intel integrated that does support if that becomes available or just finding the lowest power fanless compatible video card available at that time if necessary.)
AFAIK, TWC does not have MPEG-4 enabled yet, but they did have ESPN 3D in MPEG-4, but if TWC really did go MPEG-4, they might want to get rid of the older boxes that boxes that only do MPEG-2. TWC still has a bunch of MPEG-2 STB's, and replacing them all with MPEG-4 boxes would be expensive. I believe the newer Intel iGPU's, seem to work ok with MPEG-4, but I think if the merger goes through, then it is Comcast's decision. Comcast has done MPEG-4 in one market (Augusta, Georgia), but they too are mainly MPEG-2 with a ton of MPEG-2 only equipment. I do know their X1 is MPEG-4 compliant, and the newer TWC Boxes are also MPEG-4 compliant as well.