NBC Sports Network data rates on Comcast?

A couple of info points:

- Not all Comcast systems are set up the same. In most areas, local HD is passed without additional compression, aka a QAM two pack, while in other areas local HD is QAM three packed like most national HD on Comcast systems.

- Some national HD channels, like ESPN & TNT, have also been QAM two packed, on some systems. On other systems they are three packed.

The bottom line is that it's hard to say why NBCSN looks better for you than in the past. It's quite possible on your system they have increased the bandwidth compared to what it got in the past, but not necessarily at the expense of other competitive HD channels.

As for the 'tin hat' theory, my guess is after the rigorous regulatory process Comcast had to endure from the Justice Department and the FCC to acquire NBCU, it would be foolhardy of them to try anything fishy at this point.

YMMV.

There are ways to get an idea what the bandwidth is. If you're using a Comcast supplied box, you can go into the service menu and see how many channels are on the same QAM. If you have a CableCARD device, like a TiVo, you can track how much space is used for HD recordings.

Speaking of NBC Universal Channels, it's being reported that NBCU Comcast is now delivering HD channels with extra compression so 3 channels can fit in one QAM space and it is effecting the quality of the channels.

"kes601: Got another update. NBC Universal is over-compressing the USA / SyFy / Bravo feed they are sending Vz (now being sent so all 3 can fit into one QAM). They have been notified but have responded that no other provider has complained. So, Vz has to convince them that it is an issue and keep work on getting it fixed."
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r269...aming-Bitrates

On FiOS, it's 8-19Mb/s VBR, average is 16.33. On Comcast in the SFBA, it shares a channel with CSNBA HD and a local access SD channel, so it's relatively unmolested and delivered at 13-20Mb/s VBR, average is 15.6. The PQ has really improved since they backed down on the ridiculous amount of both softening and sharpening that was done in the old days.

That's old news for providers that use Comcast Media Center; they have been doing that for years.

Be lucky Comcast only squeezes 3 HD channels into a QAM, Cablevision has been putting 4 HD channels into a QAM for years. Although now they're slowly moving to an all digital footprint, hopefully that'll free up some room to space out the HD channels.

what is the directv rate?

Yes, but in the past, the channels were delivered at a higher rate (~16Mb/s) and then compressed down by CMC and other providers, leaving Verizon and D* with a relatively less crappy feed (though still not anything amazing since USA and Syfy always used really bad/old encoders). These days, the feed comes out at like 7-10Mb/s, meaning everyone gets freaking awful PQ, and CMC ends up recompressing the channels to a higher rate than they came in at. At some point, CMC gave up on rate shaping/requantizing/cherrypicking and now do a full decode/reencode. At least they now use better encoders that don't generate several-thousand-post-long threads here complaining about it.

Don't know, their signals are too proprietary and locked down.

Looks pretty bad on DirecTV.