Does standard codec MPEG-2 still have a future?

[guada 2]

It won't be pleasing to everybody, but I put nevertheless this question.

One could wonder that will become this option in a few years?
And you what you think about it?
Which is the current interest to develop a format which will disappear one day?
what do you say developpers?

NOTE:I speak only about standard MPEG-2.

[Revgen]

MPEG2 will still be around for awhile. Even though it doesn't look as good as MPEG4 or AVC at low bitrates.

It's a more mature codec so video editing proffesionals are used to it and understand it better. The fact that a free program like HCenc can rival the quality of a $2000 codec like CCE is a testament to it's maturity. Hard drives are getting larger and larger and therefore mpeg2 becomes less of a pain to work with storage-wise. And with the future of High Definition DVD up in the air with the HD-DVD and Blu-Ray fight going on, I don't believe that MPEG2 is going away anytime in the near future.

[LocalH]

MPEG-2 will be around for a while, you don't have to worry about that. All digital terrestrial TV in the US is MPEG-2. MPEG-2 is also widely used on DVDs, which will have a foreseeable future, even if studios withdraw from DVD when the "next-gen" formats begin maturing (assuming the public doesn't eschew them, which I don't foresee) - recordable DVD is cheaper than it's ever been, and it's only going to get cheaper over time as most technology does. It's to the point where I advocate not getting CD burners when you can buy an internal DVD DL burner for $100 - retail, no less, never mind mail-order discounts and Pricewatch. But, I digress. MPEG-2 is going to be around for a while, you can guarantee that.

[Mug Funky]

also, HDV is long-GOP MPEG-2, which means the prosumer market will be working with mpeg-2 for quite a while longer, and this also provides incentive for NLE makers to add increased support for frame-accurate mpeg-2 editing.

terrestrial DVB in australia is mpeg-2 as it is in many countries.

satellite is predominantly mpeg-2.

also, one of the betacam formats (i forget which one) is high-rate mpeg-2. it's quite a new format and will be around for a while.

on top of that, DVD recorders are currently hitting critical mass, capture cards are supporting mpeg-2 more than ever, and DVD still has many many years left in it (seriously, HD DVD is overkill for almost everything. considering how fashionable it is to release back-catalogue which is often poor quality).

i think mpeg-2 is still experiencing massive growth, to be honest. it may seem odd though considering the new formats being developed.

[dragongodz]

and DVD still has many many years left in it
and if i remember correctly hd-dvd players are meant to support dvd playback aswell etc when they eventually come. there is a lot of life left in mpeg2 for sure.

Which is the current interest to develop a format which will disappear one day?
why did people bother to develop xvid or even divx ? it can be said that practically any format will eventually be replaced by something else. that doesnt mean people should stop using or programmers developing or else nothing would ever be done.

[guada2]

I don't know if one can think that standard format MPEG-2 is really useful nowadays.
It is true that one uses again (since the present turntables restrain the other codecs that works to similar bitrates).
it is as the tape recorder of cassette video( It is not even dead).
But I doubt these capacities current since it is perfectible:MPEG-2 HD.
You will tell me that is valid for the others codecs . But these codecs is more and more commercial. I don't praise their merit.
But, i have a question relevant: Who fixes the rules:Tenors or the Market?

[freelock7]

Surely H264 codec will perform the HD picture in a near future alike Mpeg2 some years ago.
The great advantage of this codec is compressibility. It will be needed for broadcasting and HDDVD movies.
In term of quality, i believe that Mpeg2 is enough around 5000kbs-you can put on a dual layer DVD more than 4 hours of video! Its limit comes from the standard definition:720x576!
So, there would be a revival if mpeg2 could support high definition too on the future HDDVD players. But who will need that? and for what?

[guada 2]

freelock7

With such a bitrate, don't you think that the MPEG-2 codec misses punch compared to Nero AVC.

But what I don't manage to understand, it is why the H264 codecs or HDDVD didn't find an exit for avoited the compressibility of the MPEG-2.

For example:
I would have wished that the H264 codec with bitrates of 8000 kbps with a VOB structure (or others) have the same compressibility as MPEG-2 codec with its VOB structure, while preserving the quality of the H264 to this bitrate, therefore superior than the MPEG-2.

[freelock7]

-gada2
H.264 uses the latest innovations in video compression technology to provide incredible video quality from the smallest amount of video data. This means you see crisp, clear video in much smaller files, saving you bandwidth and storage costs over previous generations of video codecs. H.264 delivers the same quality as MPEG-2 at a third to half the data rate and up to four times the frame size of MPEG-4 Part 2 at the same data rate. (Apple doc.)
In these conditions, MPEG4 seems to be the future, yes.
H264 codec can be tested here:
http://www.mainconcept.com/index_flash.shtml
An easy way to compare with a lot of settings (Mpeg2 standard or HDDVD). :)

[LocalH]

Also, many digital satellite providers have plans to move to MPEG-4. I know for a fact that DirecTV in the US is doing so, especially with the whole local-to-local situation with HD stations, they just plain need the extra bandwidth that MPEG-4 will provide.

[guada 2]

Hey, Freelock :)

In a sense you are not wrong, why should not I benefit more standard Mpeg-2?
In a future near, I would be already old, in retirement of encoding and unhooked of DOOM9.org
Who knows my son will take the relief. :D

Stop the joke ( Just a parenthesis)

Bye.

[freelock7]

Don't worry: no doubt Mpeg2 will perform its compatibility on the new HDDVD players (not sure on blue ray). I hope to see it soon (not only my children)! :)

[guada 2]

Say me, do you think that the support 32 bits will be even useful to the perpective of development of the HDDVD?

[freelock7]

oops!...any idea!

[guada 2]

Why the 64 bits is preferable to the 32 bits for future DVD technologies? Whereas the basic softwares doesn't exploit the potential of the 64 bits again.

It is commercial (news spaces necessary to conquer) or new technology (avoided to answer the least requirements).

Thank you to clarify.