[opendtv] Re: 8VSB Still Not Working
- From: Kon Wilms <kon@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 06 Jan 2005 08:46:24 -0800
On Thu, 2005-01-06 at 09:56 -0500, John Shutt wrote:
> Welcome back, Mr. Long!
>
> We had the same pitch at our station last summer. We even connected a
> certain guide builder manufacturer's data carousel to our station's
> multiplex, and the manufacturer brought along a few laptops with USB
> connected ATSC data receiver bricks with Silver Sensor antennae.
>
> The theory was the first responders to a HAZMAT spill could whip out their
> trusty laptop, find AC somewhere for the data brick, plunk down the Silver
> Sensor on the hood of the fire truck, and wait for dispatch to download the
> proper .pdf file on how to handle the particular spill to the carousel
> server, which would data carousel itself to the laptop.
>
> This setup was demonstrated to several people in State Government. Now,
> realize that the manufacturer was just trying to sell their "large urban
> office building" named data carousel product, not an actual working
> end-to-end First Responder solution. However, when it was pointed out that
> the documents necessary for HAZMAT fit neatly on a single DVD-ROM that could
> be carried with the laptop, the demo was over.
Well, I just couldn't remain quiet after two comments on the same
topic. :)
I spent 4 years working on a product to do real emergency data delivery
using standards-based formats for datacast alerting. Which meant making
a custom carousel (I threw away an existing carousel because of latency
issues for small payloads and opted to make one from scratch) adaptable
to more than just 8VSB (i.e. ability to direct to SMS instead of IP
carousel), custom headend, and custom client specifically for this
area.
The type of example you mention was *never* the intended use (same for
Stephen's example). Instead it was aimed at distribution to digital
signage, dispatch centers, schools, hospitals, and non-mobile areas
where 8VSB reception was at least 'feasible' and mass warning
distribution via blanketed 8VSB made more sense - vs. using simple
packet radio or mesh networks. Areas where a cost-benefit analysis at
least came out positive.
These clowns hack-jobbed a duplicate solution by way of sending HTML
files over a regular data carousel. Standards? Interoperability with
other warning systems? We don't need any! I would chuckle every NAB to
see what rip-off iteration they had come up with. Unfortunately some are
doomed to imitate badly where others innovate - even though they had
taken the opportunity at every NAB to come over and feverishly scribble
down notes.
Using a receiver brick and windows PC for this scenario is a joke - one
needs a rugged appliance. You can't wait for windows to boot up or crash
while you're trying to receive data in these scenarios. You also need
more than a carousel to make a warning delivery system.
Since then I've become more annoyed with seeing these types of hack-job
solutions. Efforts like this, which are done in a desperate attempt to
gain market share, only serve to muddy up the arena for anyone putting
in real time and effort.
Cheers
Kon
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