Most of them could gain in PQ if they did. Even though OTA PQ seems to be the standard to judge by right now it still can macro block when the action gets fast or random-like such as splashing water, a stirred frying pan, or an explosion or flash.

I think one reason for this is the multi-casting (sometimes 2 sub-channels) that almost every station does right now. But 8-VSB (or whatever it's called) using MPEG2 is just barely adaquate to squeeze a single HD show into the narrow bandwidth the FCC allows a broadcast station to use. It's seems like MPEG4's superior compression could make for better OTA PQ even with multi-casting.

But alas, It'll probably never happen. :(

Very, very unlikely.

It's taken ten years to (try to) go MPEG-2.

I don't think we can live through another "transition".

However, in the spirit of USDTV, I guess we could all go MPEG-4 (or whatever) on a "non-free to air" channel. The FCC Rules only specify a minimum of one SDTV-quality channel for free. Maybe something like, "do HDTV as MPEG-4, but with a TIVO-Killer flag, or similar" ;) .

I know that the FCC requires the main channel be broadcast in MPEG2. Would it be legal for a broadcaster to broadcast additional subchannels using MPEG4? Also I wonder if my Dish 622 satellite/OTA STB that is MPEG2 and MPEG4 capable for satellite would correctly decode MPEG4 OTA subchannels.

Rick R

would such a change render all current ATSC tuners obsolete?