Sattelite broadcast resolution?

[davidian]

Hey. I've learned that VHS has a resolution of ~320x240. What about sattelite broadcast, it has to have a greater resolution than that, or?

[Anonymous65]

The more exact resolution for VHS is 320x480. Using vertical reduction during capture (2:1), you get 320x240. The 240 value is made up by 2x240 fields (one frame). Since D1 resolution is 704x480, half of that is 352x240, the VCD standard. So, if you can, use 352 instead of 320 when capturing for VCD.

I don't know about DirecTV, but I have read DISH network use 480x480 for their channels. Full bandwith digital DVB satellite broadcasting is 720x480 in NTSC. If you watch Star Trek Enterprise on the UPN digital station feed, you will get the full resolution...

[thxkid]

VHS - 240 Lines
Dishnet - Claim 500 lines, more like 450
and anything over 500 lines is useless unless you have a HDTV so you can get 700, 800 or 1024 or higher lines.
watching UPN you will only see the 740 lines if you have a HDTV other than that on broadcast you will get 325 lines max, thats why you digital cable and Sat dishes look a heck of a lot better than standard broadcast or standard cable.
here's a break down of the most common sources

VHS - 240
Beta - 250
Superbeta - 300
8mm - 250
Hi8mm - 400
SVHS - 400
Laser Disc. - 425
Sat or digital cable - 450-500
DVD - 500
ED Beta - 500
3/4 in. broadcast - 350
1 in. broadcast - 400-700
DV or digital 8 - 400-450

[davidian]

Yeah I know, I capture 352x576 (PAL) when capturing from VHS. I was just thinking about starting capturing directly from the broadcast. So .. what resolution is optimal when capturing?

Highest? 720x576?

[Anonymous65]

Also, remember that "lines of horizonal resolution" is not the same a number of horizontal pixels...
Full NTSC broadcast (4.2MHz video) has a resolution of more than 400 lines, which is "equal" to 640 horizontal pixels. More than broadcast video at 500 lines of resolution is "equal" to 720 pixels (DVD quality).

[davidian]

Thanks skittelsen, I think that comment was very important for this context!

[SatStorm]

European Satellite resolutions:
Most of the FTA transmissions are 480 X 576.
Most of the encoded transmissions are 522X576
Some channels use 720 X 576
Also, there are a few channels, with 352 X 576 resolution.
There is a promo channel on Hotbird satellite, with resolution 352 X 288 and bitrate 0.700kb/s ! Looks like bad homemade VCD...
I'll say that most common for satellite transmissions are 522X576

Some Examples:
MTV Central (Germany) on Astra 19.2E use 522X576
RTL on Hotbird 13E use 480X576
Alpha Promo on Hotbird 13E use 352X576
TMF Vlanderen on Eutelsat W2, 16E use 720X576

All those channels are FTA and excellent for experements.

[davidian]

Aha. How can you know all that?

I suppose to be sure, it might be best to capture 720x576 then?

[SatStorm]

You don't capture with analogue cards the satellite streams...
You capture direct the stream
You can do this with a Nokia 9200/9600/9500/d-box 1 satellite receiver (www.no-access.de http://www.dominance.net/overflow) or with a hauppauge win tv dvb/s card...
Ready, sweet, dvd compatible, mpeg 2 files in real time. Just de-mux them and re-mux them as DVD or SVCD and you have XSVCD or DVD in seconds...

If you grabb with analogue cards, you never gonna get more than 475 hor lines...

[webeye]

Satstorm
I get a 404?

[TwistedPair]

Hey Satstorm,
How about the satellites using Nagravision encryption? I am subscribed to ExpressVu and would love to be able to grab the direct feed.

[SatStorm]

You need a nagravision Cam.
Then, you are able to use your card to any receiver with C.I. slot. Using Nokia 9600 receiver or hauppauge win tv dvb/s card with the CI extention card, you can also grab direct the mpeg stream to your PC
In Europe Nagravision Cams for Sat receivers are very common. I don't know if you have those to US...