[opendtv] Re: Bob, where are the tunerless monitors?

  • From: "johnwillkie" <johnwillkie@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2007 09:27:46 -0700

I did forget the wall wart, but they cost about $0.25 in volume.  I'm not
sure that the dongle doesn't have an MPEG-2 demux nor AC-3.  I assume they
covered the IP cost of both, so you're talking about one or two ICs.

I already included NTSC and S-video output, and I was not aware that HDMI
was required on analog-only outputs.  Is this in the NAB RFP or NTIA's
requirements, or the law? 

Did the NTIA mandate EPG?  I thought they forbiade it.  I said nothing about
cheapening the dongle's parts.

John Willkie

-----Mensaje original-----
De: opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] En
nombre de John Shutt
Enviado el: Friday, July 13, 2007 4:58 AM
Para: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Asunto: [opendtv] Re: Bob, where are the tunerless monitors?


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "johnwillkie" <johnwillkie@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>


> That may happen, but usually "where there's money to pay for something" a
> market develops.
>
> I paid $89 within a week or two of release to buy a DiamondVision USB 
> 8-VSB
> dongle.  (Which I haven't been able to use because I can't find the
> installation disk and d/l from their web site seems to give me a bad
> application file.)
>
> Take out the retailer's take (let's say 20%), and you have a $73 dollar
> device.  Then, factor I the learning curve, and it is a $36 device within 
> a
> year.  Then, add back in a plastic case, take out the USB connection, and
> swap out the video/audio inputs for outputs, and you have a STB.  Sell it
> online for the voucher amount, with shipping included.  Make it real big
> compared to the dongle; say the size of a pack of cigs. (The Diamond comes
> with a remote control and a 6" antenna.)

In order to change your dongle to an STB, you need to also add a power 
supply and cord, (or a wall wart to avoid UL lab testing,) MPEG decoding 
with HD capability and up/down/cross conversion,  HDMI interface, NTSC 
baseband and S-Video interface, Dolby Digital Audio interface, onboard Dolby

AC3 decoding, baseband stereo audio output, NTSC RF modulator, 
microprocessor and memory for EPG creation and user interface.  Then you 
would have an STB.

Oh, you can eliminate the HDMI interface and Optical audio output, and 
cripple the HD up/down/cross conversion to only down conversion in order to 
qualify for the Gov't coupon program.

John 

 
 
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