[opendtv] Re: Fw: Re: Post on alt.tv.tech.hdtv of interest today
- From: Eory Frank-p22212 <Frank.Eory@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "'opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx'" <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 18:37:17 -0700
Bert wrote:
>John Shutt wrote:
>> What you are assuming, but have yet to prove, is that
>> the complexity, quality, and cost of a COFDM tuner and
>> a "proper" ATSC tuner are the same.
>>
>> Other than your gut feeling that it should be, what is
>> your basis for this assumption?
Both single & double conversion tuners have seen a free-fall in price over the
last couple years. Both can be made to be proper or not-so-proper, but either
way they're really cheap.
>I could easily turn that question around, of course.
>1. As we learned on this list, earlier COFDM boxes had
>dual conversion tuners. And no one seemed to complain
>about their cost. These are the front ends that eliminate
>the intermodulation distortion problem, although cheaper alternatives may also
>work well enough in practice.
Dual conversion vs. single conversion doesn't materially affect the box cost
today. Anyway, I don't believe that all early COFDM boxes used double
conversion tuners.
>2. As we found out recently, STMicroelectronics
>introduced a fancy equalizer in its newest COFDM tuners,
>which increased their echo tolerance. This at the same
>time they announced their new ATSC tuner. And even with
>this equalizer, the COFDM tuner is priced at $4.50.
Do you mean "tuner," "demod/FEC chip" or both combined? AFAIK, STM doesn't make
tuners. $4.50 sounds about right for a COFDM demod/FEC chip with a "fancy
equalizer." It would be even cheaper if this function were integrated with the
backend A/V decoder + CPU chip - but even the COFDM market doesn't justify that
investment (yet).
>So, in an effort to deflect further expressions of FUD,
>it seems clear that a high quality tuner can be produced
>at a reasonable price.
Absolutely true. Three bucks or so, sometimes less...
>Furthermore, before engaging in even more FUD, seems to
>me that it would be good to determine:
>
>1. What is the differerence between the LG prototype and
>the ho-hum box that used that same LG chip?
Good luck trying to EVER find that out!
>2. At what price point can the LG prototype be produced,
>and what is the comparison with the price point of the
>ho-hum box?
You don't get it Bert. It's not as simple as determining the unit cost in
mega-volumes. It's the fact that there is no demand for mega-volumes, so the
unit cost is heavily burdened with NRE. It makes little difference whether it's
a Cold Fusion box or a ho-hum box - both are prohibitively expensive when there
is so little demand. Most CE and semiconductor companies have better things to
do with their money & manpower than to invest in developing products that have
so little probability of real ROI.
-- Frank
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