[opendtv] Re: Mobile DTV test

Bob Miller wrote:

>And why do you say a few offerings per market?

Because OTA is the big 4 networks, the smaller networks like WB, UPN and PAX, 
the Spanish networks, a few independent local stations and some other stuff 
that's in the noise (shopping channels, fire-and-brimstone channels, etc.). It 
pales in comparison to the cable or satellite content offerings. The ability to 
watch a mere handful of OTA offerings is NOT why people buy expensive HDTV 
sets. 

> They have 30 or so 
>channels in Berlin and the UK and that has been enough. In the US we 
>could have more per market. Even with 30 channels in the UK something 
>like 80% of the viewing is of just six of those channels.

We COULD have more OTA program 'channels' per market, but we don't. We COULD 
have a much higher density of TV transmitters, like the UK, but we don't. We 
COULD even (theoretically) have COFDM, but we don't -- and it doesn't matter 
that we don't.

The closest thing we have here for comparison to Freeview is USDTV -- which 
isn't free, isn't available everywhere, nor is it the technology mandated for 
inclusion in future U.S. TV sets.

I personally don't believe in DTV tuner mandates of any kind, but it's rather 
ironic that the FCC mandated DTV tuners for the least important (in terms of 
number of viewers) DTV distribution mechanism. They would have done better to 
mandate digital cable or satellite tuners. 

-- Frank

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Eory Frank-p22212 
> Sent: Monday, April 19, 2004 11:55 AM
> To: 'opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx'
> Subject: [opendtv] Re: Mobile DTV test
> 
> 
> Bob Miller wrote:
> > Now the CEA 
> > doesn't even 
> > want to support mandatory 8-VSB receivers because they perceive the 
> > opposite now, 8-VSB receivers in HDTV sets will actually 
> IMPEDE sales.
> >
>  
> Whether they want to or not, most if not all of their member 
> companies have said they will meet the FCC deadlines.
> 
> > That is the most ironic part of the transition. The CEA that first 
> > adamantly and ignorantly fought for 8-VSB because they 
> > perceived that it 
> > would mean strong sales and now they believe the opposite.
> > 
> 
> Regardless of what CEA and its members believe, the important 
> thing is what do the retailers believe? If they believe that 
> integraded HDTV sets that cost several hundred $ more than 
> the equivalent HDTV display will result in increased sales, 
> they should already be placing the orders for those 
> integrated HDTV sets with screen sizes > 36". July 1 isn't 
> very far off. If they believe that they will continue to sell 
> far fewer integrated HDTV sets -- as has been their history 
> since day one of the DTV transition -- then they will 
> continue to order those things that consumers actually buy.
> 
> The mandate will fail simply because consumers will not be 
> forced to spend substantial amounts of money on something 
> they perceive has little value.
> 
> > If COFDM had been taken seriously back in 1995 on or even if 
> > it had been 
> > allowed in 2000 or January 2001 we would be a lot farther 
> > along in the 
> > DTV transition in the US and much farther along with HDTV in 
> > the US and 
> > worldwide.
> 
> Nonsense. Modulation has nothing to do with the problem here. 
> A robust modulation scheme is a necessary but not sufficient 
> condition for OTA DTV success. Even with COFDM, the 
> difference in demand for integrated HDTV sets vs. HDTV 
> monitors would be no different than it is with 8-VSB.
> 
> When the cost of the integrated receiver/decoder is 
> negligible, U.S. consumers will accept them (and not use 
> them) without a second thought -- just as they accept the 
> V-chip mandate without a second thought. Most are unaware of 
> the V-chip, never use it, and thankfully, didn't pay extra for it.
> 
> You can't solve the content issue -- a few OTA offerings per 
> market vs. the zillion channel universe of cable & satellite 
> -- simply by changing to a more robust transmission system.
> 
> -- Frank Eory
> 
 
 
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