09/04/2010 01:15:42 AM EST

Why does the encoding quality suck?

posted by Avenger

I just want to know why the podcasts are of such poor quality.

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Did TYT look like this from day 1 and never evolved?

VIDEO

Actual file info:

Windows Media Audio 9.2
16 kbps, 22 kHz, mono (A/V) 1-pass CBR

The videos are encoded at what Wikipedia describes as 16 kbit/s – videophone quality (minimum necessary for a consumer-acceptable "talking head" picture using various video compression schemes). Yes, you read correctly, the MINIMUM. Even at double size (300% is not available sadly), the video sits squarely in the middle of a giant black overlay since it doesn't fit my display (1920x1080), not even close.

AUDIO

And the MP3s. Are you kidding me? These are the file specs:

MPEG-2 layer 3
40 kbps, approx. 27504 frames
22050 Hz Stereo

Wiki says : 32 kbit/s is – MW (AM) quality. Some regional stations here with 100x less members have minimum 96kpbs stereo quality. Some even stream in AAC high quality that makes it feel I'm sitting right next to them. These guys are nowhere near as popular as TYT. I have NEVER seen anything encoded below 96kbps unless it actually IS AM radio.

I'm not even going to delve into the crappy static noise induced by skype-ins in the background that the production team has to disable when Cenk isn't talking.

I expect more from my subscription. I -would- pay more for better quality content. I feel better even if nothing changes in the next 10 years just from writing this.

 Edit: Why does the minimum setting on youtube look 100x better than the paying files available? Why not dump everything on youtube and have the subscribers have THOSE files?

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Why does the encoding quality suck? | 20 comments (20 topical, 0 hidden)
I always boil it down to (none / 2)
TYT says they have a million bazillion man paying army

when they decide to put some of that money back into the website and podcasts... I might consider paying

as it is  I just watch the tiny video  live when I can

less cenk in London  more web 2.0  


by Chinese Democracy on 09/04/2010 01:38:58 AM EST

Yes (none / 3)
100% Agreed, Avenger. Get with the times TYT.

by Dease on 09/04/2010 01:42:10 AM EST

Don't worry (none / 1)
Cenk's gonna get a fat contract with MSNBC and he'll have plenty of money to put back into the website then!

by qsoundrich on 09/04/2010 01:52:11 AM EST

Cenk (none / 0)
kicked ass filling in for Ratigan this week

I looked forward to every show


by Chinese Democracy on 09/04/2010 10:32:14 AM EST

[ Parent ]
Problem is (none / 1)
they need someone who is more technologically literate than a cult kid touting a mac. When Cenk said, "now we have a mac" I knew they were heading in a wrong direction.

TYT needs a render-farm that links a bunch of cpu's together to process the workload alot more efficiently and in a much more timely manner. They can start with 3 blades just for proof of concept and expand from there as needed. Its not more expensive than a mac, in fact I would bet it is a cheaper solution than a mac and 4 times faster (at least).

by Smokin on 09/04/2010 10:55:21 AM EST

How To (none / 0)
How to build a render farm

by Smokin on 09/04/2010 10:57:29 AM EST

[ Parent ]
Leo Laporte (none / 0)
seems to stay on the bleeding edge and he doesnt have a render farm

not saying a render farm isnt the coolest... just saying maybe TYT doesnt need to go that far to render great video


by Chinese Democracy on 09/04/2010 08:35:35 PM EST

[ Parent ]
render farms.... (none / 0)
Parallel rendering, cluster computing, it's all been around for a long while now and a viable solution for many amateur 3d artist and small production enterprises for at least a decade. Render farming is about as cutting edge or latest and greatest as a casset tape. Some people could take advantage of this tool, some people dont.

by Smokin on 09/05/2010 12:32:20 AM EST

[ Parent ]
right (none / 0)
read that too

Leo Laporte

gets out a 24 hr  stream that looks like this http://live.twit.tv/

and makes I think the no 1 podcast  without using a render farm

He just uses macs and software as far as I can tell


by Chinese Democracy on 09/05/2010 09:56:28 AM EST

[ Parent ]
Well (none / 0)
If anyone thinks a mac will help generate better quality, they don't know what they are talking about. All a mac is, is a computer with a mac logo on it, what matters is the parts that are being used inside the thing which are all made by companies who's business is 95% PC. You pay a premium for those parts when you have that mac logo, not for performance.

"Mac software" is typically software made by a company who sell 95% of the same "mac software" to PC users and are therefore have more support for PC users. Making that software compatible with a Mac OS is not changing the software that works on a PC in any significant way.

TYT cuts clips, adds their tyt logo in the front and end and maybe a cheesy commercial for netflix in there. Dozens of clips a week and when you snip and cut clips you need to then render or process all that crap so you have separate files ready to upload. If TYT add a high quality version and a low quality version they doulble their workload and trip or quadruple their processing time to parse all that shit.  That very different from what this guy is doing.

by Smokin on 09/05/2010 11:38:47 AM EST

[ Parent ]
macs and software (none / 0)
doesnt mean  "mac software"

As far as what a mac is

I think I got that figured out ..I switched to mac from pc years ago

so we can move on from that lesson :)

there is tons of info on the net about  render farms  .. pros  cons and alternatives..  when to use when not to  

Ive been reading some of it for fun
and Im sure Dave can find the same info


by Chinese Democracy on 09/05/2010 02:19:23 PM EST

[ Parent ]
you apparently dont know (none / 0)
Many mac cult believe that mac software is superior, despite the fact that they were written for PC/windows platform. So back to computer basics 101, there is such a thing as mac software, its just the assumptions and conclusions people make about them that are typically suspect.

Macs are the FOX of the tech world and mac users are the tea baggers of the interweb. They believe the shit that mac and mac sights tell them despite facts and evidence. Only a small tiny percentage of mac users are actually reasonable which is why a good rule of thumb is to disbelieve what any mac user says and look up info on their own.

by Smokin on 09/05/2010 05:50:41 PM EST

[ Parent ]
explanation (none / 1)
Sure maybe a render farm would help, and this week the audio quality might have been lower (I have to check it out), AND I understand the complaint, BUT people who complain about the low quality have to understand that there are trade offs. If you want higher quality, then please expect long delays in having the video and audio ready to on demand consumption.  Also, don't be selfish. You may have a fast computer with high speed internet, but not everybody does; we want to supply content that doesn't tie up too many computers.

When we are late in posting a day's video, I get a virtual flood of email complaints.  In contrast, there is only a trickle of complaints about the quality.  If we did higher quality video, there would be a revolution about he delays it would cause. Of course we can try both, but the logistics of that become very complicated quickly. In any case, we are working on improving our offerings.

Finally, you should value the content on TYT above else. If you want high quality video and flashy graphics, please watch FoxNews Channel.

David

by yturks on 09/04/2010 06:07:36 PM EST

Im not complaining (none / 1)
I'm cool with low quality, I really don't need to see Cenk's face in hi definition. Small little 2"x3" screen works just fine for me! Only reason for chiming in on a render farm is that is a great solution to solve many logistical problems(processing, not upload). Typically people render a high quality and low quality solution to accommodate both fast connection speeds and slow connection speeds.

The impression I got was TYT was hoping to get a really good computer that can process stuff faster, which isnt the greatest bang for the buck you can get when you look at a render farm. A low budget render farm dedicated to processing videos would run circles around the best computer on the market today.

Its a matter of working smarter , not harder.

by Smokin on 09/04/2010 07:04:04 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Thanks for the great work (none / 0)
But David: enough with the hypersensitivity.

by adeane on 09/04/2010 10:40:19 PM EST

[ Parent ]
i don't think it's hypersensitive (none / 0)
I'm not taking it personally adeane, so it's ok. I just want people to understand what they are complaining about.

David

by yturks on 09/04/2010 11:12:35 PM EST

[ Parent ]
OK, OK already (none / 0)
We are sorry Dave! No offense intended, you are the GREATEST! :strokes Dave's ego, stroke, stroke, stroke:

by Smokin on 09/05/2010 12:35:10 AM EST

[ Parent ]
Good, so I'll reiterate and rephrase (none / 0)
I do sometimes wonder why the low video res on your site.  My 8-year-old Dell Inspiron 8500 laptop can handle moderately high res.  So are you making sure our computers can take it... or would it require all new, and pricey, machinery on your end?  (or both)

Thanks always,
Alan

by adeane on 09/05/2010 12:00:55 PM EST

[ Parent ]
your pc is 8? (none / 0)
thats like 100 in dog yrs


by Chinese Democracy on 09/05/2010 02:21:15 PM EST

[ Parent ]
It sure looks so (none / 1)
David, I believe you need a P.R guy there in your team. That was no way to talk to your members, "Watch Fox News". No,no,no, This is feedback.You're providing a service and we are purchasing that service. As your customers, we have the right to give you our feedback. You should explain your position just as how a Boss in some mainstream company will. With reason,mutual respect and diplomacy. Don't get worked up. Your primary customers happen to be humans. You wanna grow big, think big. We happen to have a lot respect for you and the others. No point spoiling that. Thank you.

by Randaa on 09/06/2010 01:13:59 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Why does the encoding quality suck? | 20 comments (20 topical, 0 hidden)
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