[opendtv] Re: (No Date: Tue, 28 Sep 2004 10:30:37 -0400

  • From: Bob Miller <bob@xxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Sat, 02 Oct 2004 09:39:30 -0400

Tom Barry wrote:

>Craig Birkmaier wrote:
>
> > I suspect that the manufacturers are just going to see how far they
> > can push this, until the FCC decides to enforce the regulations.
> > Perhaps by Christmas, as Mark Aitken suggests, we will see more
> > models with tuners as the next generation chips begin to be available.
> >
> > Watching and waiting...
> >
>
>I suspect that a very large consideration by the manufacturers in this 
>decision is the expected rate of customer returns, and that depends upon 
>whether the receivers can be expected to work satisfactorily for the 
>average buyer.
>
>With previous generations of chips you might expect buyers to be 
>disappointed if they tried to them use only a set top antenna. 
>Supposedly with the new Zenith gen 5 chips this will not be the case, 
>but we don't really know yet.  And we also do not know how much 
>Zenith/LG will be charging for those chips.  Is it more?
>
>I think the answers to the above might determine what percentage of sets 
>are just monitors next year, though the push to add cable card support 
>should also increase the ATSC receiver percentage.
>
>BTW, if HDTV's start appearing that really do work with set top 
>antennas, I wonder if that will increase the return rate of those that 
>don't since there then will be something to compare.  It could create 
>some de facto receiver quality standards.
>
>- Tom
>  
>
Personally that is what I think will happen. There will be 5th gen 
receivers and all the rest will be classified as inferior. All pre 5th 
gen receivers will be devalued to ten cents on the dollar and sold on 
EBAY to people in Dallas and other flat land cities where they might 
still find a home.

The "de facto receiver quality standards" as in all other products is a 
factor of word of mouth. With the Internet word of mouth is almost 
instantaneous. When real customers start comparing 5th gen with their 
fourth gen etc it won't take long. Who will be the early adopters of 5th 
gen receivers after all? Those who have problems with any current 
receiver and those with the worst problems first.

Bob Miller
 
 
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