[opendtv] Re: [Brazilian] Government threatens digital TV manufacturers
- From: "John Willkie" <johnwillkie@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 13 Oct 2007 14:44:58 -0700
I just visited my "neighborhood" Steren store (www.steren.com.mx)
They offered an item, with the model number 208-900, an "HDTV" tuner with
NTSC and component output. The specs seem to indicate that the only video
output is 480i.
The price in U.S. dollars at the current exchange rate (the peso seems to be
getting weaker against the dollar): $208.61
The price is a bit cheaper at their U.S. store:
http://www.sterenshopusa.com/ where (no link available) lists it at
$176.15, $138.15 if you buy three or more.
They make nothing: they are a distributor who is able to brand their generic
goods. The shipping case for this box is smaller than a standard STB.
Mi amigo Arturo asked me in English (in part why he's me amigo) if I wanted
to open the box, but I don't have a TV set, I already have three or four DTV
tuners, and I wasn't going to pay more than 2000 pesos for an unneeded
device.
However, I have seen it in stores, and I have provided price points and a
model number.
Steren's sole U.S. store right now (more are on the way, per Arturo) is at
the Northeast corner of Broadway and Palomar Street, in Chula Vista, CA
92011. Their U.S. trade name is "Steren Shop."
I'm planning on "crossing over" to "el Norte" in the next few days, and the
Steren shop is in a direct line between my current location and the
destination when I cross over.
I'll see if this unit is actually available in a retail store.
The price point is just about right to include the voucher program, after
they make a few 10's of thousands of units.
Note: the dollar is getting weaker, which drives up the cost of goods
purchased from overseas. (that doesn't account for the higher price for
this item in Mexico.)
John Willkie
-----Mensaje original-----
De: opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] En
nombre de Albert Manfredi
Enviado el: Saturday, October 13, 2007 2:26 PM
Para: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Asunto: [opendtv] Re: [Brazilian] Government threatens digital TV
manufacturers
Mark Schubin wrote:
> I do not doubt that SBTVD STBs are not in stores, but I've
> been waiting since 1998 for an ATSC STB as inexpensive as
> the DVB STBs that ARE in stores.
Okay, but there's no questioning how much cheaper the ATSC HD STBs have been
getting, and last I checked, the ATSC ones are not much different in price
from the DVB-T HD STBs. The fact is, ATSC SD STBs are so far nonexistent,
and ATSC STBs in general don't sell in large quantities, especially now that
we have the "tuner mandate." They used to sell better in the early days of
DTV, I'm told by retailers.
I haven't looked recently at DVB-T HD STB prices, but they used to be higher
than ATSC prices for a long time. You can now buy the new Samsung ATSC STB
at a $10 discount at Circuit City, for $169. I don't think you'll find much
lower than that for DVB-T HD boxes?
When *and if* the coupon boxes become a true "commodity item," I've no doubt
the prices will drop every bit as low as anywhere else. Certainly, the
built-in receivers seem to have reached that point already.
Bert
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