[opendtv] Re: How should I respond?
- From: Bob Miller <bob@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 21 Nov 2005 21:46:55 -0500
Craig Birkmaier wrote:
>A rare opportunity has presented itself to cross pollinate our
>discussions with a question from a reader of Broadcast Engineering. I
>will not identify this reader, however, I will say that the person is
>a retired broadcast engineer. here is the question:
>
>
>
>
>>What is the Fifth Generation chip that makes HDTV
>>reception better than previous receivers?
>>Was thinking of buying a tuner now, for watching what is on HDTV
>>broadcasts, using my old JVC 31" analog TV, and later buying an HDTV
>>Monitor to use with my new fifth generation tuner.
>>
>>
>
>
>I responded to my editor with the following analysis, asking for the
>opportunity to see if the OpenDTV community could come up with a good
>response:
>
>-----------------
>
>This has been a hot topic on the OpenDTV list. I am going to try to
>see if we can come up with a consensus response.
>
>There are two key issues here:
>
>1. the equalizer chips that the retired engineer is referring to.
>These are the chips that are referenced by generation #.
>
>2. The tuner front ends that feed the EQ chips. There has been much
>controversy here, and this portion of an ATSC receiver may be more
>important to overall performance than the EQ chip.
>
>Samsung built a prototype box (nickname: Cold Fusion) which used
>their 5th generation EQ chip. This is the box that worked at Mark
>Schubin's apartment, which was pointed to as proof that the reception
>problems have been solved. The problem is that no commercial product
>has come close to matching the performance of that prototype.
>
>For several years, Sinclair, NAB, MSTV and others have expressed the
>importance of a proper front end, with respect to reception issues.
>The recent work done by the NAB and MSTV to develop an acceptable STB
>included some beefed up specs for the front ends. It is interesting
>to listen to the chatter about the various receivers that are
>available and how well they work. Several 4th generation receivers
>seem to do a decent job, without the more complex EQ chips.
>
>And then there is the decision by Samsung NOT to offer stand-alone
>STBs with their 5th generation chips. They are using the chip in
>their integrated TV receivers, but it has been reported that these
>integrated sets do not match the performance of the Cold Fusion
>prototype.
>
>Several other companies are preparing to offer products with the 5th
>gen Samsung chip, including USDTV. I am not certain if there are any
>stand alone receivers using 5th gen chips on the market today.
>
>So I will try to get some additional facts on all of this before I respond.
>
>---------------------
>
>So what should "we" say?
>
>Regards
>Craig
>
>
The only thing I know is that LG 5th gen chips are used by BBTI and
DVICO in their PCI solutions. I have not tried an LG integrated DTV that
uses the 5th gen tuner.
I know what the BBTI And DVICO are. They are not as good as the
prototype we tested where the 5th gen chip was on the motherboard of the
STB not incorporated in the can like the LG Innotech tuners are. I
suspect that the LG integrated DTV sets use the same LG Innotech 5th gen
tuner used by BBTI and DVICO but do not know.
Mark has to comment on the Samsung 5th gen receiver I know nothing about it.
The DVICO and BBTI products are very good and I would recommend that
someone buy them. Mark says the Samsung 5th gen is better.
Bob Miller.
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