[opendtv] Re: ATSC STB availability?
- From: Tom Barry <trbarry@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 07 Mar 2005 22:49:39 -0500
Well, I live a couple blocks from a WalMart and bought a USDTV box last
year to check it out. I returned it because the reception was no better
(and no worse) than a couple HDPC cards I already had and because it
hung on channel scan on a couple channels. The second problem was
already known and fixable with a free USB stick if I wanted to contact
tech support and install it.
But neither I, nor probably most wallyworld denizens, wanted to deal
with that.
- Tom
John Willkie wrote:
> Wouldn't the first and MOST likely reason the sets were returned is that
> they were pieces of s**t, unable to reject high signal levels and
> insufficient selectivity, and -- shudder -- having serious problems with
> adjacent channel NTSC and probably ATSC rejection?
>
> I suspect that few Walmart shoppers have as their top of mind issue the
> quality of what they purchase. The typical WalMart shopper (the girlfriend
> of one of my brothers just loves "WallyWorld") won't be happy with offered
> ATSC boxes there, I figure, for a few more years. This does not appear to
> be a receiver problem, but a "driving prices down" issue. We're WAY too
> early in the receiver learning curve to be in that mode
>
> John Willkie
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Stephen W. Long" <longsw@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 5:07 PM
> Subject: [opendtv] Re: ATSC STB availability?
>
>
>
>>The USDTV box is no longer being sold by the WalMart nearest my house.
>
> The
>
>>electronics manager said the units kept being returned (the last one on
>
> the
>
>>shelf had been purchased and returned three times). The manager said they
>>would not stock the item any more. He thought this was a corporate wide
>>decision.
>>
>>One might speculate about why the units were returned. I asked the
>
> manager
>
>>why he thought the units were returned. He said he thought it was because
>>of confusion about HDTV. He said people bought the unit expecting to get
>>HDTV on their existing SDTV sets. He did not know about reception
>>reliability, did not offer any information.
>>
>>When my wife and I were on my extended trip (3 months) touring the USA in
>>our RV last year, we stopped at many WalMarts, parked overnight in several
>>of their parking lots. WalMart is not my favorate store, but I have
>>learned to respect their business abilities and I can now see the
>>attraction in it by so many people - the prices are lower than most any
>>other store, and I made the observation that you can really see a
>>significant portion of the so called middle America in the isles. This is
>>where many people, particularly in small towns and rural area, do much of
>>their shopping. WalMart is an important store in much of this country. I
>>think it is telling that WalMart does not appear to be selling a
>>stand-alone ATSC set-top box. My sample size is one store, but the manger
>>said he thought it was a corporate decision. Has anyone on this list
>>attempted to recently purchase (or at least check out) the availability of
>>USDTV boxes at their local WalMart? If we confirm that WalMart is not
>>selling ATSC boxes, what does that say about the roll out of ATSC to the
>>vast bulk of America?
>>
>>At 07:22 PM 3/7/2005 -0500, you wrote:
>>
>>>It may have changed but the last I heard you could still get one of the
>>>USDTV non-subscription boxes (under whatever name) at Walmart in cities
>>>USDTV does not service.
>>>
>>>- Tom
>>>
>>>Dale Kelly wrote:
>>>
>>>>Does anyone know if ATSC STB receivers, of any make or model, are
>>
>>currently available to consumers? I assume that USDTV, DirecTV and other
>>"bundled" receivers might still be available but am not certain of even
>
> that.
>
>>>>I believe we (opendtv) recently determined that nothing is available
>>
>>utilizing 5G technology, except perhaps for Bob's new project, but is
>>anyone aware of anything using even a 4G technology?
>>
>>>>
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