[opendtv] Re: Mobile DTV test

At 10:20 AM -0400 4/15/04, Manfredi, Albert E wrote:
>Yes but ...
>
>In some cases, a separate server as you describe might make sense.
>But it makes no sense for sets you drag along to a picnic, the
>beach, or camp site, or in homes that only use one or even two
>such small sets and want no big deal setup. It's silly to install
>a bulky home server if all you own is a couple of 13" portables.

This may well be true. But it does not represent a significant 
segment of the market today.

And as I noted yesterday, the closest thing to a "portable DTV 
receiver" offered to date are some very expensive LCD panels. Even 
here it is interesting to note that a WiFi link is viewed as being 
more useful than an ATSC tuner for portable LCD screens...I wonder 
why?

>
>So, IMO, you can't design DTT sets to *only* appeal to the gadget
>freaks, because that would be the kiss of death.

Correct. As has been stated here MANY times, the marketplace will 
provide MANY solutions...maybe even a portable DTV receiver someday.

I think it is a misconception to say that networked appliances will 
appeal only to gadget freaks. They are growing in appeal and in 
sales. The ral issue is making the technology transparent and easy to 
use...two things that are not strong points for ATSC receivers.

>
>For example, the whole point of the new DVB-H standard is to make
>portable appliances capable of operating independently, anywhere.
>For that, they must incorporate whatever OTA tuners they need,
>rather than expect to be tethered to some short-range home server.
>(They also depend on a relatively low 10 Mb/s channel, but that's
>another discussion.)

The capabilities will vary based on the markets that the device are 
intended to serve. If we actually HAD a DTV system that was friendly 
to portable receivers we might see some in the marketplace. The 
benefits of a portable LCD device that gets it's content from an 
in-home network are obvious; that is why there are products in this 
segment coming to market today.  The fact that such a screen might 
not work outside the home is not a big deal. I can't remember the 
last time I carried one of our TVs outside of the home...Actually I 
did put a TV out on the deck last year to listen to a game while I 
was working outside - fortunately the cable outlet was close to the 
door and I have a long piece of coax...

By the way, 10 Mbps is plenty of throughput for a portable display.

Regards
Craig
 
 
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