22 What Compression Schemes are used with BUDs?
Description
This article is from the TeleVision Receive Only Satellite-TV FAQ, by TVRO Hobbyists drlev@hotmail.com with numerous contributions by others.
22 What Compression Schemes are used with BUDs?
Digital compression allows for more than one video and/or audio
channel per satellite transponder.
1. DigiCipher II - DigiCipher II (DC2) is a digital encoding and
encryption format developed by General Instruments (now part of
Motorola) that is used for many American digital TVRO
transmissions. In order to view DC2 channels, a special receiver
called 4DTV is required. DC2 is a proprietary standard based upon
MPEG-2. DC2 technology can be licensed to other companies, but no
other companies have requested a license. Only Motorola manufactures
4DTV receivers. Those made for consumer BUD use cost around $400-$800
suggested retail, but are typically available at discounts that at
times can be quite deep.
2. DVB/MPEG-2 - MPEG-2 is a general encoding scheme used for many
differing digital technologies; DVB, which stands for Digital Video
Broadcasting, is the satellite television-specific variety of the
MPEG-2 standard. This is not so much a competing digital standard as
it is an OPEN standard. This standard is used in most of the world
outside of the U.S. for digital TVRO broadcasts. Many international
and non-traditional programming is found using DVB/MPEG-2. Many
U.S. DVB feeds are free to air and are receivable with a DVB/MPEG-2
FTA digital satellite receiver. Channels using this standard may or
may not choose to stay free-to-air indefinitely; once a network
disappears, it may or may not be gone forever to consumer TVRO
viewers.
For more complete information about DVB/MPEG-2, see the MPEG-2/DVB (Satellite)
FAQ written by the Delphi DVB Hobbyists. It is located at:
http://dvbwave.com/faq
And Rod Hewitt's "North American MPEG-2 Information" at:
http://www.coolstf.com/mpeg/index.html
Continue to:
My Books
