ver. 5--.MPG Files?

[Goodspike]

I've tried to search to find this, but is there some reason HD recordings (with a Fusion card if that matters) are now .MPG instead of .TS?

[gplasky]

I think Sage always had the HD files with a .mpg extension.

Gerry

[malore]

The switch occured ealier than version 5. I noticed it when I installed 4.1.12, but I couldn't spot in any of the release notes exactly when it happened.

[wazkaren]

I think it was added back in the 4.1.4 beta. From the 4.1.4 beta release notes:

1. Changed default DTV recording type to be program stream. It can be changed back to transport stream with the property: mmc/encode_digital_tv_as_program_stream=false


Greg

[Goodspike]

Originally Posted by wazkaren

I think it was added back in the 4.1.4 beta. From the 4.1.4 beta release notes:

1. Changed default DTV recording type to be program stream. It can be changed back to transport stream with the property: mmc/encode_digital_tv_as_program_stream=false

Thanks. Is there any difference in the file itself, or is it just the extension used?

[Goodspike]

Originally Posted by gplasky

I think Sage always had the HD files with a .mpg extension.

Gerry

Nope, just started when I upgraded from the prior final release.

[wazkaren]

Originally Posted by Goodspike

Thanks. Is there any difference in the file itself, or is it just the extension used?

I don't know what the technical differences are but the two formats are different. The .ts files don't work in the other apps I use (like ULead VideoStudio or TheaterTek) but the .mpg files do.

Greg

[elaw]

Although I don't know all the technical details either, I think I can help a bit...

A .mpg a/k/a "program stream" file contains video and audio data for one program. I think there can be multiple audio streams (for example two languages) but they're all the same program.

A .ts file contains *multiple* programs - more than one video stream, and 1 or more audio streams to go with each. Essentially a .ts file can be thought of as multiple .mpg files multiplexed together.

When a digital TV station broadcasts multiple shows simultaneously (like when you have channels "5.1" and "5.2"), what they're sending is the same as what's in a .ts file.

From the player's perspective, the important requirement for playing .ts files is that it have a "transport stream splitter" to split out the programs and only display the one you're interested in. Many players do not have this capability.

[Goodspike]

Originally Posted by elaw

When a digital TV station broadcasts multiple shows simultaneously (like when you have channels "5.1" and "5.2"), what they're sending is the same as what's in a .ts file.

From the player's perspective, the important requirement for playing .ts files is that it have a "transport stream splitter" to split out the programs and only display the one you're interested in. Many players do not have this capability.

Interesting. I wonder if this would make recording and playing back a MPG file easier?

Or stated differently, I wonder what the reason is that Sage changed the format.

[elaw]

I'm guessing file size is the big factor. In the example I gave above, if you used a .ts file to record a show on channel "5.1", the file would also contain what's being shown on "5.2"... not a very good use of disk space!

Also from a user's perspective, the .mpg format is better because many more players support it.