[opendtv] Re: No ATSC LCD TV Sets in Consumer Reports

  • From: Richard Hollandsworth <holl_ands@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Thu, 23 Feb 2006 13:34:39 -0800 (PST)

1. On pg13 in the Mar2006 Consumer Report article (loosely paraphrased here), 
they explained that "HD READY"  sets (i.e. "monitors") require an  external 
tuner and that "INTEGRATED" HDTVs have a built-in digital tuner to receive free 
broadcast DTV stations via an antenna.
They also explained that some integrated sets also have QAM tuners that can 
receive unscrambled digital cable signals, such as the local HD channels, 
without a cable box.
DIGITAL CABLE READY (DCR) sets are described as being the next step up, 
providing both of the above signals (e.g. OTA and unencrypted QAM) plus the 
ability to tune in HD (oops, also SD) and premium channels without using a 
cable box by inserting a one-way CableCard, which they explain does not support 
the interactive program guide, video-on-demand or pay-per-view ordering.  
[Gotta give then credit for clearly explaining the options and unlike most 
articles, did not leave out the unencrypted QAM option for receiving local HD 
stations via Basic Cable.]
2. Although their side-bar lists a Sharp 45-in, a JVC 40-in and a Sony 40-in 
LCD, they state that the larger sizes are still in test and do not provide very 
many details on how they are equipped.
 Except for five 37-in LCD's (three being DCR), the main thrust of the 
comparison test is in the 32-in and smaller sizes.  The smaller sizes may be 
used strictly as an HDTV, but they are also frequently being used in a 
dual-role as a monitor for a PC.....or with a HTPC, which would includes it's 
own ATSC tuner.  So there may be more of an interest by CR (and buyers) in a 
monitor configuration.

3. In their summary tables, they clearly mark the DCR sets with a "2" and 
Integrated (i.e. ATSC only) with a "1".  Unfortunately for you, out of the 46 
LCD sets tested, they only show 8 DCR sets and didn't bother to include any 
Integrated LCD sets.  With different models being available, perhaps they 
selected the lower cost monitors because they were trying to stay within a 
budget....

4. You should check out the much more complete list found in the CEA's HDTV 
Guide:
http://www.ce.org/PDF/hdtvguidewinter06.pdf
You'll find numerous integrated and/or DCR offerings, from perhaps a dozen 
different manufacturers.

5. PS: The USGovt "Tuner Mandate" only requires that if a manufacturer is going 
to include a tuner in a qualifying set, that tuner must receive ATSC.  And as 
Mark explained below,  if a set is labeled as "DCR" then by a manufacturer's 
agreement, it will also contain an ATSC tuner.

But, if a manufacturer decides to also make lower cost "HD READY" monitors, 
there is no legal requirement for them to include either ATSC or DCR 
capabillities.....
The confusion comes in when they are also called "HDTVs".

                       <holl_ands>

==============================================
"Stephen W. Long" <longsw@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: OK, I will accept that if the 
ratings includes digital cable then it will
also do OTA ATSC.  But the ratings have a SEPARATE notation for the OTA
receivers, so how is a consumer supposed to know that digital cable =
digital OTA?.  Also, less than 40% of the sets had the digital cable option
which means that 60% of these "TVs" are fancy 16:9 computer monitors, not
TV sets.

My point to the post is that it appears that CE manufacturers are trying to
kill OTA by ignoring it - they are not including OTA reception in their
product lines (I do not consider 40% to be a passing grade).  Since there
are "no" OTA receivers available for purchase (I have yet to see one in any
store that is not part of DirecTV satellite reception), then OTA is dead
dead dead.

Stephen

At 09:58 PM 2/22/2006 -0800, you wrote:
>All sets with digital cable tuners are supposed to (and do, in every 
>case I've seen) have DTT reception as well.  They probably simply don't 
>bother mentioning it.
>
>TTFN,
>Mark
>
>
>Stephen W. Long wrote:
>
>>I am in the market for a new 32" LCD TV for my RV and was reading Consumer
>>Reports March 2006 Best Flat Screens reports.  There is not a single LCD
>>set that has a digital tuner.  Several sets have digital cable tuners and
>>have provisions for CableCards.
>>
>>Most of these sets still have analog (NTSC) tuners.
>>
>>One or two of the plasma sets have digital tuners.  Five out of 20 CRT sets
>>have digital tuners.
>>
>>>From this sample set, it would appear that CE manufacturers have given up
>>on digital over the air receivers.  Out of over 100+ sets reviewed fewer
>>than 10 have ATSC receivers.
>>
>>How do the manufacturers get away with this?  I thought tuners were
>>mandated?  You can not call these sets monitors when they have digital
>>cable tuners in them.
>>
>>So I interpret these results to mean that CE manufacturers have given up on
>>over the air reception.  What do they know that the 8VSB bigots on this
>>list do not know?
>>

                        
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