Comments on: Comcast “High Definition” Isn’t http://irace.net/index.php/2008/08/19/comcast-high-definition-isnt/ ...a second decade of cheese sandwiches. Sat, 19 May 2012 05:45:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1.3 By: spblat http://irace.net/index.php/2008/08/19/comcast-high-definition-isnt/#comment-8750 spblat Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:42:36 +0000 http://irace.net/index.php/2008/08/19/comcast-high-definition-isnt/#comment-8750 Here are the conversations I had with Comcast support: <a href="http://irace.net/comcast1.html" rel="nofollow">One</a> (yesterday), and <a href="http://irace.net/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/comcast2.html" rel="nofollow">two</a> (today). Here are the conversations I had with Comcast support: One (yesterday), and two (today).

]]> By: Chet. Masterson http://irace.net/index.php/2008/08/19/comcast-high-definition-isnt/#comment-8752 Chet. Masterson Tue, 19 Aug 2008 18:54:09 +0000 http://irace.net/index.php/2008/08/19/comcast-high-definition-isnt/#comment-8752 Bad work Will. You present yourself as an expert on video compression, but don't you realize that the NBC channel (as well as your other local networks) aren't touched by any compression? They're direct feeds with only ad insertion from your local comcast market. The crap you're seeing from NBC for olympic coverage is the same crap that Direct TV, dish Network, Fios, and over the air viewers are seeing. Please do your research before you start blaming people. Also, stickto your day job. Bad work Will. You present yourself as an expert on video compression, but don’t you realize that the NBC channel (as well as your other local networks) aren’t touched by any compression?

They’re direct feeds with only ad insertion from your local comcast market. The crap you’re seeing from NBC for olympic coverage is the same crap that Direct TV, dish Network, Fios, and over the air viewers are seeing.

Please do your research before you start blaming people.

Also, stickto your day job.

]]> By: spblat http://irace.net/index.php/2008/08/19/comcast-high-definition-isnt/#comment-8753 spblat Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:12:57 +0000 http://irace.net/index.php/2008/08/19/comcast-high-definition-isnt/#comment-8753 Dick Ebersol Chairman, NBC Universal Sports & Olympics 30 Rockefeller Plaza New York NY 10112 August 19, 2008 Dear Mr. Ebersol, I enclose an article I wrote today concerning HDTV picture quality because it seems to me that you and your team have a vested interest in ensuring that the best possible television signal reaches your viewers. I would like to know whether NBC approves of the image degredation caused by excessive signal compression that cable and satellite providers increasingly use; and I would like to know whether NBC is willing to take a leadership position with these providers in order to set and enforce acceptable bitrate standards. Frankly, I presume that your leverage with Comcast exceeds mine, and I want you to use this leverage to the benefit of your viewers and advertisers. Best wishes, and congratulations on your impressive coverage of the 2008 Olympic Games. Sincerely, Will Irace Dick Ebersol
Chairman, NBC Universal Sports & Olympics
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York NY 10112

August 19, 2008

Dear Mr. Ebersol,
I enclose an article I wrote today concerning HDTV picture quality because it seems to me that you and your team have a vested interest in ensuring that the best possible television signal reaches your viewers.

I would like to know whether NBC approves of the image degredation caused by excessive signal compression that cable and satellite providers increasingly use; and I would like to know whether NBC is willing to take a leadership position with these providers in order to set and enforce acceptable bitrate standards. Frankly, I presume that your leverage with Comcast exceeds mine, and I want you to use this leverage to the benefit of your viewers and advertisers.

Best wishes, and congratulations on your impressive coverage of the 2008 Olympic Games.

Sincerely,
Will Irace

]]> By: spblat http://irace.net/index.php/2008/08/19/comcast-high-definition-isnt/#comment-8754 spblat Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:14:01 +0000 http://irace.net/index.php/2008/08/19/comcast-high-definition-isnt/#comment-8754 John Slusher, VP, Global Sports Marketing Nike World Headquarters One Bowerman Drive Beaverton, OR 97005 August 19, 2008 Dear Mr. Slusher, I enclose an article I wrote today concerning HDTV picture quality because it seems to me that you and your team have a vested interest in ensuring that the best possible television advertising signal reaches your viewers. I would like to know whether Nike approves of the image degredation caused by excessive signal compression that cable and satellite providers increasingly use; and I would like to know whether Nike is willing to take a leadership position with these providers in order to set and enforce acceptable bitrate standards. Frankly, I presume that your leverage with Comcast exceeds mine, and I want you to use this leverage to the benefit of your customers and shareholders. Sincerely, Will Irace John Slusher, VP, Global Sports Marketing
Nike World Headquarters
One Bowerman Drive
Beaverton, OR 97005

August 19, 2008

Dear Mr. Slusher,

I enclose an article I wrote today concerning HDTV picture quality because it seems to me that you and your team have a vested interest in ensuring that the best possible television advertising signal reaches your viewers.

I would like to know whether Nike approves of the image degredation caused by excessive signal compression that cable and satellite providers increasingly use; and I would like to know whether Nike is willing to take a leadership position with these providers in order to set and enforce acceptable bitrate standards. Frankly, I presume that your leverage with Comcast exceeds mine, and I want you to use this leverage to the benefit of your customers and shareholders.

Sincerely,
Will Irace

]]> By: spblat http://irace.net/index.php/2008/08/19/comcast-high-definition-isnt/#comment-8755 spblat Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:14:26 +0000 http://irace.net/index.php/2008/08/19/comcast-high-definition-isnt/#comment-8755 Stephen B. Burke, CEO Comcast Corporate Headquarters 1500 Market Street Philadelphia, PA 19102-2148 August 19, 2008 Dear Mr. Burke, The Comcast HDTV service I purchase from you falls well short of the quality claims articulated in your marketing materials. My purpose in writing is to notify you of these shortcomings and inquire after your plans to correct them. I enclose an article I wrote today concerning Comcast HDTV picture quality. I have been in touch with Comcast customer support on three occasions concerning this issue, and have received inconsistent and conflicting information. What is your position regarding the quality issues introduced by excessive data compression? Do you acknowledge that I am not getting the level of picture quality I’m paying for? What improvements in this area (if any) can I expect from Comcast in the near term? Are you willing to take a position of leadership in the content delivery industry to set and abide by acceptable HD quality and/or bitrate standards? Thank you in advance for your response, and for taking action on this matter. Sincerely, Will Irace Stephen B. Burke, CEO
Comcast Corporate Headquarters
1500 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19102-2148

August 19, 2008

Dear Mr. Burke,

The Comcast HDTV service I purchase from you falls well short of the quality claims articulated in your marketing materials. My purpose in writing is to notify you of these shortcomings and inquire after your plans to correct them.

I enclose an article I wrote today concerning Comcast HDTV picture quality. I have been in touch with Comcast customer support on three occasions concerning this issue, and have received inconsistent and conflicting information. What is your position regarding the quality issues introduced by excessive data compression? Do you acknowledge that I am not getting the level of picture quality I’m paying for? What improvements in this area (if any) can I expect from Comcast in the near term? Are you willing to take a position of leadership in the content delivery industry to set and abide by acceptable HD quality and/or bitrate standards?

Thank you in advance for your response, and for taking action on this matter.

Sincerely,
Will Irace

]]> By: spblat http://irace.net/index.php/2008/08/19/comcast-high-definition-isnt/#comment-8757 spblat Tue, 19 Aug 2008 20:16:47 +0000 http://irace.net/index.php/2008/08/19/comcast-high-definition-isnt/#comment-8757 @Chet. Masterson - Thanks for the comment, I guess. I made no claims with respect to FIOS, Satellite or OTA, I'm only saying that the quality is unacceptable. I provided links to my research, and while Comcast makes a good suspect, I suppose the possibility exists that NBC is to blame. Are you telling me that you believe NBC's source feed looks like that before it gets to the cable providers or local affiliates? Keep in mind that if it looks this bad OTA it would prove only that your local affiliate is sending a poor signal, not that the main NBC feed is faulty. Why be so hostile? @Chet. Masterson - Thanks for the comment, I guess. I made no claims with respect to FIOS, Satellite or OTA, I’m only saying that the quality is unacceptable. I provided links to my research, and while Comcast makes a good suspect, I suppose the possibility exists that NBC is to blame. Are you telling me that you believe NBC’s source feed looks like that before it gets to the cable providers or local affiliates? Keep in mind that if it looks this bad OTA it would prove only that your local affiliate is sending a poor signal, not that the main NBC feed is faulty. Why be so hostile?

]]> By: Matt http://irace.net/index.php/2008/08/19/comcast-high-definition-isnt/#comment-9227 Matt Sun, 07 Sep 2008 01:30:28 +0000 http://irace.net/index.php/2008/08/19/comcast-high-definition-isnt/#comment-9227 Whenever I cannot get the local Comcast office to address issues, I contact Frank Eliason (Frank_Eliason@cable.comcast.com / We_Can_Help@cable.comcast.com) - his team is about the only thing that is "Comtastic" whereas everything else is Craptastic. I want my U-Verse! Whenever I cannot get the local Comcast office to address issues, I contact Frank Eliason (Frank_Eliason@cable.comcast.com / We_Can_Help@cable.comcast.com) - his team is about the only thing that is “Comtastic” whereas everything else is Craptastic. I want my U-Verse!

]]> By: Morac http://irace.net/index.php/2008/08/19/comcast-high-definition-isnt/#comment-9236 Morac Sun, 07 Sep 2008 14:58:32 +0000 http://irace.net/index.php/2008/08/19/comcast-high-definition-isnt/#comment-9236 I don't disagree that picture quality is off lately on Comcast, but you used images from NBC to make your point. Comcast doesn't re-compress broadcast channels. NBC's OTA broadcast channels had the same compression artifacts that show up in your pictures above so at least in the case of the Olympics on NBC, the problems are with NBC not Comcast. If the screen shots are off of Universal HD or one of the other cable channels, the problems could be either with Comcast or NBC. See http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=14467148#post14467148 I don’t disagree that picture quality is off lately on Comcast, but you used images from NBC to make your point. Comcast doesn’t re-compress broadcast channels.

NBC’s OTA broadcast channels had the same compression artifacts that show up in your pictures above so at least in the case of the Olympics on NBC, the problems are with NBC not Comcast.

If the screen shots are off of Universal HD or one of the other cable channels, the problems could be either with Comcast or NBC.

See http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=14467148#post14467148

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