[opendtv] Re: Frames Per Second of 720P

I'm not sure that M/H will be pay services or a free services, per se.  I
agree that cell phone providers are a key constituency.

I can't talk about the bit budget, or the number of services, that would be
included in that budget, for a number of reasons.

Wow.  Just had a minor earthquake here.  And, I survived.

But, I think -- not speaking for cell carriers -- that having a wider
selection of video, including LOCAL news and EMERGENCY programming (ever try
to watch tv from an evacuation center?)  would aid the cell phone companies
in their marketing of video services.  And, they -- particularly Sprint --
wouldn't use up as much of their own network.

However, that "remains to be seen."   

I don't think that M/H will be the greatest thing since sliced bread.  I do
think that it's an interesting thing in the toolkit, and that not all
broadcasters will employ it.

John Willkie

-----Mensaje original-----
De: opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] En
nombre de John Shutt
Enviado el: Tuesday, July 29, 2008 11:34 AM
Para: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Asunto: [opendtv] Re: Frames Per Second of 720P

Verizon V-Cast is $3 per day or $10 per month, your choice.

My choice is of course free.  But as you have pointed out time and again in 
past years to Bob Miller, how many new eyeballs do M/H video add to a 
broadcaster's cume, and how many ad dollars does that add up to?

If Qualcomm and Verizon/AT&T cannot make a subscription service profitable, 
what chance do a nationwide patchwork quilt of local broadcasters partnered 
with second tier mobile providers have?

If there aren't enough more measurable eyeballs, then what chance does a 
free service have?

Can't have it both ways.

My prediction is that at best broadcasters will install the minimum ATSC M/H

gear at the transmitter, and provide a straight simulcast of their primary 
channels.  No muss, no fuss, minimal expense, and basically written off as a

cost of doing business.  This would satisfy portable video devices, 
in-vehicle devices, and laptops, and theoretically also satisfy (if perhaps 
less so) cell phone users.

However, if it is a free service, what incentive do cell phone providers 
have in including the tuner in handsets?  Do they provide AM/FM tuners now? 
No.  Why did they start putting in cameras?  Because of consumer demand? 
NO, because of data transmission fees when you send a picture to someone 
else.  If there is no subscription, there is no service in a cell phone.

John

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


> Double-digit per month churn rates means that within a year, there are no
> phones in use, just a few people who haven't given up on the limited and
> expensive service.
>
> $326 million in sunk costs, $55 million per year in expenses and zero
> revenues (even I didn't predict such a low level of revenues) means it's
> unsustainable unless something is done.
>
> Compare $15-$20 per month to FREE, and much content, including local news.



 
 
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