MPEG-4 vs. MPEG-2: What's the difference?

So, I recently picked up a Dell USB DVB-T receiver. It’s supposed to pick up MPEG-4 digital signals and record them in MPEG-2. I hooked it up to my PC, which runs Windows 7 32-bit, installed the software from the included CD, rebooted, and started scanning for channels. After grinding away for about 15 minutes, it didn't find a single thing. I know the standard TV signal here uses the MPEG-2 format, but I figured an MPEG-4 capable device would be backward compatible with the old stuff—the guy at the store didn't bother mentioning it. Honestly, this was the only dongle they had that included FM radio, so that's why I pulled the trigger on it.
I've been digging through Google, but I haven't found anything useful.

Does anyone here actually own this card and know what's going on? Does an MPEG-4 receiver actually catch MPEG-2 signals? Any help would be much appreciated.

I think you might have missed the mark there...

Are you saying I should just head back to the store to swap it out since I bought it this week? Don't I have an 8-day window for that?

If they hadn't axed those two experimental HD channels, you might actually have something worth watching. Honestly, I'd just list it on Craigslist for someone who spends their time trying to pick up signals from Canadian networks. 🙄

First time I'm hearing that an MPEG4 receiver won't pick up an MPEG-2

If you were just using that tiny little antenna that comes with the USB receiver, I guess it’s no wonder you aren't picking up anything. You might want to try hooking up a decent antenna first, maybe a standard UHF log periodic one. As for the technical side, I don't recall ever hearing or reading that an MPEG-2 receiver wouldn't recognize an MPEG-2 signal.

A bit late to the party here, but thanks to Brenda White54 for the tip.

I gave it a shot recently using just a basic indoor antenna, and it picks up everything—MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 included. That little flimsy antenna they sent me was definitely underwhelming.