[wejones]

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4:2:2 is the standard format used within broadcasters. It means that for every 4 Y (luminance) samples in a line there are 2 Cr (R-Y chroma difference) and 2 Cb (B-Y chroma difference) samples. This means that the chrominance has the same vertical resolution as the luminance and half the horizontal resolution.

4:2:0 is the standard format used for the final leg of broadcasting to the home (DVB, ATSC, ISDB all use it) and for Blu-ray, DVD etc. It means that for every 4 Y samples there are 2 Cr samples on one line, and 2 Cb samples on the next line (i.e. you only get Cr or Cb samples on alternate lines). This means that the chrominance has half the horizontal AND half the vertical resolution of the luminance.

Consumer hardware used to be 4:2:0 only - however I noticed that my WDTV live is fine with 4:2:2 MPEG2 stuff recorded from satellite (though not 4:2:2 H264 stuff).
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Thanks for the more accurate description. You're right, that all the stuff aimed at the home viewers in the US is 4.2.0. The US network stuff I used to see on satellite used to be all 4.2.0, except NBC used to have backhauls that were 4.2.2. About 3 years ago CBS started sending out all their HD feeds to the stations in 4.2.2. I think that ABC and NBC still send out 4.2.0 stuff to the stations, as does PBS. I'm not sure about FOX, as they are usually encrypted. So I guess that within the networks, they all use 4.2.2 , but some send 4.2.2 to affiliates, and others send 4.2.0?
There are a couple consumer FTA sat receivers that play 4.2.2. I have an Azbox which does. I don't think any subscription type receiver would. VLC plays MPEG2 4.2.2 fine.
I can't remember where I saw mention of 4.2.2 H264 stuff on sat. I've never run into it myself, but I've seen posts about it in a forum, and was hoping I could search for it and try to record some to try.
Thanks.