[opendtv] Re: News: Stevens Vows Cable-Indecency Crackdown
- From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "OpenDTV (E-mail)" <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 2 Mar 2005 10:48:39 -0500
Kon Wilms wrote:
> A modem (or ethernet via Tivo, say) backchannel does
> not make DBS two-way - there is no session loop,
> everything is batched and processed OOB. You *can*
> put a backchannel on an OTA feed (actually, we make
> boxes that do exactly this). No rocket science there,
> its just a modem. Or ethernet jack.
> Which is a completely different service, and *no* DTV
> ITV or other non-DirectWay STB apps use DirectWay for
> their backchannel. What's more, DirectWay can't just
> magically scale for all of the millions of DBS users
> and requires different hardware, so it's a moot point.
> Right, 'cause they have conditional access, which is
> a business model that OTA doesn't use. But that's not
> to say it can't be done (A/70A). So, once again a moot
> point.
Kon, it's gratifying to see some interjection of common
sense among the vast wasteland of misinformation and
half-truths.
> You know what ATSC really needs? A STB platform that
> implements all the relevant ATSC standards, has modular
> hardware, provides for 3rd party development, and is
> built upon an open platform (say, Linux). All your
> in-store EPG-only 'tune to channel x' ATSC STBs are
> just a pile of junk -- and that right there is why OTA
> will die, i.e. 'failure to innovate'
That assumes, though, that cable, DBS, and Freeview
survive primarily because of any such occasional
innovations they add. But I'll bet you that the
accountants will tell you otherwise.
If OTA dies, it will be for much more obvious reasons,
such as neglect of program material by the broadcasters
themselves. For example, the proliferation of
infomercials. Outside of prime time, it's very
difficult to find anything interesting on OTA nets.
(Saturday before prime time there are a couple of
exceptions in this market.)
There seems to be crystal clear indication of
broadcaster neglect of their product. If OTA fails,
it will be well deserved, and it will have little to
do with not offering enough new tricks, and certainly
nothing to do with the fact that they don't make
people pregnant with their proprietary STBs. If
anything, that last point is to their advantage.
Bert
----------------------------------------------------------------------
You can UNSUBSCRIBE from the OpenDTV list in two ways:
- Using the UNSUBSCRIBE command in your user configuration settings at
FreeLists.org
- By sending a message to: opendtv-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word
unsubscribe in the subject line.
Other related posts:
