PDTV: Difference between revisions
Included common release sizes (noted in "Forms of pirated file releases") Inserted my own commentary as to why those (seemingly random) resolutions were potentially advantagous choices wrt scaling. |
Tweaked wording for scaling argument perhaps behind the choice of pixel dimensions |
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''PDTV'' encompasses a broad array of capture methods and sources, but generally it involves the capture of [[Standard-definition television|SD]] or non-[[High-definition television|HD]] digital television broadcasts without any [[Analog-to-digital converter|analog-to-digital conversion]], instead relying on directly [[ripping]] MPEG [[Streaming media|streams]]. PDTV sources can be captured by a variety of [[TV tuner card|digital TV tuner cards]] with an available digital feed such as [[QAM tuner|ClearQAM]] unencrypted cable, [[Digital Terrestrial Television]], [[DVB|Digital Video Broadcast]] or other satellite sources. Just as with [[Freeview]] (DVB-T) in the United Kingdom, [[DTV Transition|broadcast television]] in the United States has no barriers to PDTV capture. Hardware such as the [[HDHomeRun]] when connected to an [[ATSC]] (Antenna) or unecrypted [[QAM tuner|ClearQAM]] cable feed allows lossless digital capture of MPEG-2 streams (Pure Digital Television), without monthly fees or other restrictions normally implemented by a [[Set-top box]]. Although different from the [[Analog_hole]], Pure Digital Television capture imposes no technological restriction on what is done with the stream; playback, [[Mashup_(video)|Mash-Ups]] and even recompression/pirated distribution are possible without the permission of the rights holder. |
''PDTV'' encompasses a broad array of capture methods and sources, but generally it involves the capture of [[Standard-definition television|SD]] or non-[[High-definition television|HD]] digital television broadcasts without any [[Analog-to-digital converter|analog-to-digital conversion]], instead relying on directly [[ripping]] MPEG [[Streaming media|streams]]. PDTV sources can be captured by a variety of [[TV tuner card|digital TV tuner cards]] with an available digital feed such as [[QAM tuner|ClearQAM]] unencrypted cable, [[Digital Terrestrial Television]], [[DVB|Digital Video Broadcast]] or other satellite sources. Just as with [[Freeview]] (DVB-T) in the United Kingdom, [[DTV Transition|broadcast television]] in the United States has no barriers to PDTV capture. Hardware such as the [[HDHomeRun]] when connected to an [[ATSC]] (Antenna) or unecrypted [[QAM tuner|ClearQAM]] cable feed allows lossless digital capture of MPEG-2 streams (Pure Digital Television), without monthly fees or other restrictions normally implemented by a [[Set-top box]]. Although different from the [[Analog_hole]], Pure Digital Television capture imposes no technological restriction on what is done with the stream; playback, [[Mashup_(video)|Mash-Ups]] and even recompression/pirated distribution are possible without the permission of the rights holder. |
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PDTV sourced P2P releases are often re-encoded to 512x384 for fullscreen (4:3) content |
PDTV sourced P2P releases are often re-encoded to 512x384 for fullscreen (4:3) content<ref>512x384 is one quarter of the common display resolution 1024x768 ([[XGA]]) allowing for fast scaling to full screen.</ref>. or 640x352 for widescreen (16:9).<ref>Width of 640 pixels similarly allows trivial scaling to [[1080p]],[[720p]], [[WUXGA]],[[SXGA]] and [[WXGA]] displays (1920x1080, 1280x720, 1920x1200, 1280x1024 and 1280x800 respectively). |
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<ref>512x384 is one quarter of the common display resolution 1024x768 ([[XGA]]) allowing for fast 1:2 scaling. The widescreen width of 640 allows 1:1, 1:2, 1:3 scaling for common many display resolutions. 640x480 [[VGA]], 1280x1024 [[SXGA]], 1280x800 [[WXGA]] and 1920x1200 [[WUXGA]] (1080p) are trivial to scale to.</ref>. |
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{{Forms of pirated film releases}} |
{{Forms of pirated film releases}} |
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Revision as of 23:38, 23 August 2008
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PDTV is an abbreviation short for Pure Digital Television. Often seen as part of the filename of TV shows shared through P2P systems on the Internet. In this case, PDTV refers not to container, bitrate or dimensions of the video, but the digital nature of the capture source. Alternately European rippers often use the label DVBRip or DVB-rip to specify a purely digital rip of a DVB broadcast.
PDTV encompasses a broad array of capture methods and sources, but generally it involves the capture of SD or non-HD digital television broadcasts without any analog-to-digital conversion, instead relying on directly ripping MPEG streams. PDTV sources can be captured by a variety of digital TV tuner cards with an available digital feed such as ClearQAM unencrypted cable, Digital Terrestrial Television, Digital Video Broadcast or other satellite sources. Just as with Freeview (DVB-T) in the United Kingdom, broadcast television in the United States has no barriers to PDTV capture. Hardware such as the HDHomeRun when connected to an ATSC (Antenna) or unecrypted ClearQAM cable feed allows lossless digital capture of MPEG-2 streams (Pure Digital Television), without monthly fees or other restrictions normally implemented by a Set-top box. Although different from the Analog_hole, Pure Digital Television capture imposes no technological restriction on what is done with the stream; playback, Mash-Ups and even recompression/pirated distribution are possible without the permission of the rights holder.
PDTV sourced P2P releases are often re-encoded to 512x384 for fullscreen (4:3) content[1]. or 640x352 for widescreen (16:9).<ref>Width of 640 pixels similarly allows trivial scaling to 1080p,720p, WUXGA,SXGA and WXGA displays (1920x1080, 1280x720, 1920x1200, 1280x1024 and 1280x800 respectively).
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