[opendtv] Re: DTG News: DTT could carry four HD channels: Ofcom

  • From: Tom Barry <trbarry@xxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Fri, 06 Jul 2007 12:36:38 -0400



Craig Birkmaier wrote:
> There is another very real possibility for improved services for
> Freeview. The current image quality is already a big step up from PAL.
> What i would expect in the next few years is that most of the SD
> services will upgrade to something like 1024 x 576P using H.264
> compression. This will deliver image quality in the same spectrum space
> that will be difficult to differentiate from the HD channels.

Yes. I don't think that 576p could quite match well mastered hidef discs for the folks with big screen home theaters. But with proper scaling and decent bit rate I'd bet for most users it could compete with most all broadcast, cable, or sat HD we currently see in the USA today.

What they have to do is announce some magical new patented scaling algorithm (most anything would do) in their STB's that outputs HD resolutions to the new HD fixed pixel displays everyone will have, just so folks won't play the numbers game. Then it's just a matter of comparing similar pictures.

- Tom




At 12:37 PM -0700 7/5/07, johnwillkie wrote:

Wow. Four HDTV channels in a 42-mhz multiplex (or is it 48?). I'm really impressed with this 'technical' achievement. It's of course, what can be done in a 12 mhz multiplex in ATSC. Today.


That's four HD channels along with more than 30 SD channels in the clear. It's not about technical achievements, its about delivering a competitive service to cable and DBS.

Also, I note that the BBC has four TV channels, and that ITV has one (also government owned, but they're now talking about spinning that off), and that the BBC has announced that all of it's terrestrial channels will go HDTV.


Where do you come up with this stuff John?

ITV is the U.K.s largest and oldest commercial broadcaster in the U.K. They have one analog channel, but are partners in Freeview where they now program SIX channels.


So, this means that the BBC alone can eat at the terrestrial HDTV trough.


The BBC will not get all of the HD channels on Freeview. But I admit that it will be an issue among the partners in the service.


Somehow, I think it's not enouch.

And, this has nothing to do with modulation: it's how the government believes the service can be sliced up.


No, the government already allocated spectrum for Freeview. it is a question of how the operators of Freeview decide to use that spectrum. Obviously, they would like more spectrum to offer more services. But it is less likely that they will step up to the plate and pay for that additional spectrum in competitive bidding with industries that also covet that spectrum.

The real role of government here is to allocate scarce resources in the public interest. There is ample evidence that the TV broadcasters have enough spectrum to operate a compelling service. Giving them more spectrum means that some other services would not be possible.

Consider the white space debate here in the U.S. - Broadcasters are not really all that concerned about the potential for interference - most of their customers don't use the FTA service anyway. But they DO CARE about that spectrum being used to deliver massive numbers of bits to consumers at prices that will make it possible to download TV programs that will compete with them.

There is another very real possibility for improved services for Freeview. The current image quality is already a big step up from PAL. What i would expect in the next few years is that most of the SD services will upgrade to something like 1024 x 576P using H.264 compression. This will deliver image quality in the same spectrum space that will be difficult to differentiate from the HD channels.


In most ATSC countries, these decisions are made by individual broadcasters based on current market conditions. Not made in advance by a government agency.


This is also true for most DVD countries. Commercial broadcasting is alive and well in Europe.

Regards
Craig


John Willkie



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