 the picture changes, the MPEG-2 encoder changes only that area and leaves the rest of the picture unchanged. On the next frame in the video, only that section of the picture is changed. MPEG-2 does have some problems, but it is a good compression scheme, and it is already an industry standard for digital video for DVDs and some satellite tele- vision services. One problem with MPEG-2 is that it is a lossy compression method. This means that a higher compression rate results in a poorer picture. There's some loss in picture quality between a digital video camera and what you see on your TV. However, MPEG-2 quality is still a lot better than the average NTSC or PAL image. By applying MPEG-2 encoding to NTSC, we can reduce the bandwidth required. Another important video compression technique is Windows Media 9 (WM9). The WM9 series codec standard, implemented by Microsoft as Windows Media Video (WMV) 9 Advanced Profile, is based on the VC-1 video codec specification currently being standardized by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engi- neers (SMPTE; www.smpte.org) and provides for high-quality video for streaming and downloading. By making use of improved techniques, VC-1 decodes high- definition video twice as fast as the H.264 standard while offering two to three times better compression than MPEG-2. WM9 is supported by a wide variety of players and devices. It supports a wide range of bit rates, including high-definition at one-half to one-third the bit rate of MPEG-2, as well as low-bit-rate Internet video delivered over a dialup modem. (More detailed information is available at www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/9series/codecs/video.aspx.) Even if we achieve the faster data rates that MPEG-2 offers, how many of us have 20Mbps pipes coming into our homes? A 1.5Mbps connection over DSL or cable modem cannot come close to carrying a 20Mbps DTV signal. Therefore, broadband access alternatives will shift over time. We will need more fiber, we will need that fiber closer to the home, and we will need