Comcast has recently begun employing a new compression technique in order to squeeze more high definition channels over its cable wires. The result has been less detail, more blurring during movement, and even some pixilation. Most people won’t really notice, but many videophiles have noticed and have complained about the picture degradation. A Comcast spokesperson said, “Compression is a reality: We use it and other providers use it. Our goal is not to have any kind of noticeable impact on picture quality.”
While I’m sure Comcast hopes there is not impact on picture quality, in a bitrate comparison between a Verizon FiOS and a Comcast broadcast of the same program, the Verizon signal was recorded at 17.73 Mbps, but the Comcast signal recorded only 13.21 Mbps, a 34% reduction in size.
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