[opendtv] Re: Bob likes COFDM

Hi Frank.,

Happy Easter bunnies! And see in-line...


Kind Regards,

Dermot Nolan

------------

RE:     [opendtv] Re: Bob likes COFDM

 =

Dermot wrote:
>Frank,
>
>However most people in the US are not currently affected as 85% are on
>cable/satellite, NTSC continues, and when the baloon goes up to reveal
>indoor OTA DTV doesn't work there will be such an outcry that, well folk=
s,
>NTSC will continue.

I disagree. There will be no outcry because very few people will bother t=
o try, and thus not notice how unreliable indoor ATSC reception is. By th=
e time NTSC is shut off, the 85% cable+sat figure will have grown to near=
ly 95%. Of the remaining single-digit percentage, many will be people who=
 simply have little interest in TV, whether digital or analog. Those othe=
rs who fall in the economic hardship category will be taken care of by Un=
cle Sam at a modest cost -- very modest, relative to the spectrum auction=
 proceeds. =


DN INSERT: Jay's comments were quite apposite. The loss of the emergency =
broadcast service will be an issue for FEMA, DoD etc and indeed in coasta=
l areas of other countries threatened by tsunami. All that needs to happe=
n is for a disaster without any TV service (simple) being available and t=
here will be an outcry. There are going to be significant consumer conven=
ience losses: one day its there, next day its gone..

>The only people to lose their shirts will be CE and silicon vendors prep=
ared
>to spend millions of dollars on bleeding edge 8VSB technology: and how m=
any CEOs,
>CFOs and investors will sanction that spend if there are no perceived ma=
rkets?
>None: which is what we are seeing right now. The vendor community is wal=
king away..

I think the vendor community walked away several years ago. But I still c=
ontend that there is a market for "letter of the law" junk 8-VSB receiver=
s. The CE mfrs must put SOMETHING in those DTV sets to satisfy the mandat=
e. Since almost nobody will use those receivers, the operative phrase is =
"the cheaper, the better." Suppose, for example, there was a performance =
issue with closed caption decoders, such that a robust decoder added a no=
ticeable dollar figure to the price of a TV set. How many consumers would=
 voluntarily spend more for a closed caption decoder that "really works w=
ell?" How many would opt for the "junk" quality decoder that was only so-=
so, but added $0 to the TV and was only included to satisfy some federal =
law?

DN insert: Of course. This is just going through the motions: don't actua=
lly *WANT* to incur the cost to make it work. CEA of course talk about AT=
SC enabled sets: the more interesting real world figure would be ATSC *CO=
NNECTED* sets to antennas.. A very small number.
>Now a 'completely new and unproven digital modulation technology': wasn'=
t
>that what they said about COFDM in the period 1993-1998?. They are not
>laughing now..

You're absolutely right. Now I'll remove my tongue from my cheek regardin=
g the idea that "it may take a few more generations to get it right." I t=
hought you'd pick up on my sarcasm there. =

DN insert: Alas, yes. COFDM does not really have a viable competitor now.=
 n=3D infinity for the 8VSB decoder that works. Its only the fantasists o=
n this list who think its going to come good: economics has killed off an=
y interest in fixing 8VSB. There comes a time when you have to a)either t=
hrow in the towel and adopt the other system b) reinvent the wheel or c) =
ditch OTA TV altogether (unless you retain NTSC). Economics, like death, =
is final.


>What a tragic mess US DTV has become!

DN insert: I was referring solely to terrestrial digital television in th=
e US, not the other systems, which as elsewhere in the world are doing ve=
ry nicely.

On the contrary, it's moving along quite nicely. The quantity of HDTV pro=
gramming continues to grow, as do the number of HD displays in consumers'=
 homes. Satellite is 100% digital, with more HD capacity on the horizon. =
Cable has fully embraced HDTV and is moving rapidly to 100% digital simul=
cast of analog channels, in preparation for the eventual shut-off of its =
NTSC tier. IPTV from the telcos is coming soon, and even wireless DTV on =
hand-held devices.

American consumers will soon have a plethora of wired & wireless DTV deli=
very choices -- all using distribution networks that work. In that presen=
t and future digital entertainment world, 8VSB is but a minor footnote of=
 passing historical interest. And ATSC will be most remembered for giving=
 us a few "standards" that will withstand the test of time -- like 16:9, =
1080i and 720p, DD 5.1 -- and for at least a few more years, MPEG2.
DN insert: Leaving the one *free* distribution network that does not work=
 to wither on the vine and die! The 'other' system had implemented 16x9 b=
efore ATSC and 5.1 is Dolby IPR. As for MPEG2 that was a global standard =
whose retirement home is beckoning on the horizon..

Dermot
-- Frank

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