[opendtv] DTV DVB boxes in Australia

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Bert wrote that settops are not available in the US like in
Countries that went DVB COFDM.


Bert wrote:
So now explain to me how COFDM would solve this problem. I'm told that =
if we

had gone to COFDM in 1999, there would be a ton of STBs out there for =
the=20
taking. What you describe tells me that on the contrary, COFDM would =
have=20
had to be "adjusted" for the US market, to make sure it worked no better =

than 8-VSB. Funny, we would have been told, that COFDM at 6 MHz doesn't =
do=20
so well. Or some other song and dance.<



Well here in Australia there are a ton of different set-top boxes all of
which work
and are cheap.
There are boxes from $69 Australian (about US$40) and even DVD SD COFDM
combo boxes being sold in supermarkets for A$129 (about US$80) that do
6,7 and8Mhx COFDM as well as all DVD regions. They have a good GUI and
work with minimal indoor antennas.

There are many USB dongles and PCMCIA card tuners as well.
One of these that I purchased recently does Analogue PAL,NTSC and SECAM,
COFDM DVB 6, 7 and 8Mhz SD, HD and FM radio.
It comes with both a twinlead dipole and a small magnetic whip antenna =
and
works=20
beautifully. The software auto searches and has a good GUI. It even has =
a
remote=20
control.

True HD set-tops start at A$199 (about US$140) and have component YUV =
and
RGB
outputs as well as a downconverted SD "Monitoring" output and a DB15 for =

computer RGB monitors.

In Sydney there are the government ABC and SBS running both HD and =
multicast
SD
and the 7, 9, and 10 networks running both HD and SD simultaneously as
required
by legislation.
There are both datacasting and DVB-H trials on air running multicast
programmes.

I think that it seems the availability of receivers is much greater here
than in the US
and if the public couldn't buy a box at the local supermarket or car =
radio
store, take it
home and plug it into their existing analogue TV and have it work =
straight
off without
problems there wouldn't be the reason for Kmart type shops to carry =
them.

The power levels used for COFDM in Australia are much less than used for
ATSC
in the US and we have just the same problems as to population in vast =
rural
areas=20
that have to be covered. Whichever type of COFDM the Brazillians use =
they
have
made the right choice.

The cost of plasma screens reducing rapidly has pushed HD along and now =
one
can get a 42 inch plasma for under A$$2000 (about US$1400) many people =
are
going the "Home Theatre" HD route at modest cost.

If we had gone ATSC I am sure that we would be in the same sorry state =
that
exists now in the US.




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