[opendtv] Re: News: No Motive for HDTV Rollouts

At 7:25 PM -0400 6/27/04, Manfredi, Albert E wrote:
>So it doesn't MATTER which specific shows will be recorded
>to what specific quality level. What matters is that
>every TV station or TV network that cares to stay in
>business will have to move beyond the limits of NTSC or
>even SDTV. The transmitters will be full HDTV, and the
>source material will be whatever it is.

Could you please explain what a full HDTV transmitter is?

Last time I checked, transmission was still analog, and near as I can 
tell, it always will be. The fact that that an analog carrier is now 
being used to deliver bits instead of analog waveforms is ALL that 
has changed. the FACT that bits can represent ANYTHING, is what 
decouples the source content from the transmission channel. So yes, 
any digital broadcaster will technically be cable of delivering HD 
content in the future; but this does not mean that all content will 
be delivered in HD quality.

>  > And AM radio has experienced a rebirth...based on content,
>>  not fidelity.
>
>In the search for space for loud-mouth talk shows, sure,
>extra spectrum is available in the AM band. Content is always
>king.

There are plenty of AM music stations as well, especially in your 
neighborhood. To be certain, there is a question of spectrum 
availability. And there is a question of economics as well. The 
reality is that AM radio is thriving because there is a huge 
installed base of receivers and it is good enough to support the 
applications for which it is being used.

>
>But, for example, as soon as WTOP (all news) went to FM simulcast,
>how many people who could receive the FM stuck with the AM?

The talker in this this market is on FM too. Obviously I consider 
this to be an advantage, but it is the content that i am seeking, not 
the radio band that carries the content I want.

The reality remains unchanged. In the world of audio there are many 
quality levels. The reality that the overall level of quality has 
improved over the decades does not detract from the reality that 
applications will migrate to the quality level they need and can 
support economically.

>
>Certainly not me.
>
>HDTV is the cost of doing business. It translates to revenues in
>the sense that networks or stations that don't go to HDTV will
>over time LOSE revenue.

Again, this is an overly broad statement without any documentary support.

Please project the point in time when any TV station will be losing 
revenues because they are not delivering all of their content in HD. 
For that matter, please project when commercial stations will lose 
money if they don't turn off their NTSC transmitters in favor of 
their DTV transmitters.

As for the networks, HD is an emerging reality for SOME of their 
content. All of the networks have become huge entertainment 
conglomerates, with the primary business being content production, 
not content distribution. As i indicated in the previous message, 
most of this content has been acquired at what we consider to be HD 
quality levels for several decades.

Regards
Craig
 
 
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