[opendtv] Re: New DIRECTV satellite to help deliver '150 HD channels'

Craig Birkmaier wrote:

> This is CLEARLY a NICHE strategy for DirecTV. They are
> trying to appeal to the most lucrative market demographics,
> which just happen to be the homes where there are big screen
> TVs, with income levels that typically support many
> additional programming tiers, especially sports.

When the majority of new TVs sold are HDTVs, Craig, your definition of
"niche" becomes ridiculously strained. And when a DBS company offers 150
HDTV channels, it says to me that virtually ALL of their content is
being simulcast in HD. Which, again, really strains any definition of
"niche."

> There is a land rush to HDTV among content creators, as
> there should be. It now costs little if any more to create
> widescreen HD content than traditional interlaced SD content.

The cost difference was always tiny, Craig. Even at the beginning of the
transition. We were told by those who know, back in 2000, that it cost 2
percent more to produce an HD show than SD.

Of course there should be a rush to HD. As far as I'm concerned, it
could safely have started 10 years ago. But okay, HDTV prices were still
too high for the average consumer back then.

Bert
 
 
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