[opendtv] Receiver costs too expensive in the Brazilian DTV system: reasonfor Uruguay's choice
- From: Dermot Nolan <dermot@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "opendtv [opendtv]" <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 8 Sep 2007 13:41:17 +0200 (CEST)
The following IBC article makes it clear the Brazilian implementation of ISDB-T
is essentially a new system requiring its own middleware, own decoders (the
current Japanese system is MPEG2), own CA system, own API, etc etc etc. The
article points out that receiver costs and royalties are likely to be too high
and Brazil now looks very isolated in its choice of DTV system as its lobbying
has probably failed with the System N countries in South America. A not
unsurprising development: 'Its the economics yet again...'
Kind Regards,
Dermot Nolan
IBC Daily e-news September 08 2007
A Latin American first for DVB
Despite hefty lobbying efforts from Brazil with its adapted Japanese DTV system
and from the other DTV and MTV standards bodies, Uruguay has decided to adopt
DVB-T and DVB-H for its fixed and mobile digital terrestrial TV broadcasting,
writes George Jarrett.
President Tabaré Vázquez and the Minister of Industry, Jorge Lepra, announced
the decree just prior to IBC, with undersecretary Martín Ponce de León stating
that the DVB standards will allow Uruguay to, "actively participate in the
process of technological development through investments, and through the
development of software and content."
According to Peter MacAvock, executive director of the DVB Project, Uruguay's
decision comes ahead of anticipated DTV moves by Argentina, Chile, Venezuala,
Columbia Peru, and possibly Paraguay.
"The Uruguayans were not interested in the Brazilian system, perhaps for the
issue of receiver costs," he said. "Opting to go for H.264 and creating their
own middleware essentially renders the Brazilian technology a new system. But
it is a logical stage on in terms of MPEG-4.
"The significance of Uruguay's decision is that Uruguay, Paraguay and Argentina
are all 50Hz countries operating PAL N," he added. "All of those counties
(above) have or are about to stage trials. Each of them is anxious to get
trials on air to compare the different systems, and come back at us with,
'Okay. We are looking'.
"By opting for DVB-T and DVB-H, Uruguay becomes part of DVB's global market. It
can take advantage of the wide variety of professional and consumer offerings
at the lowest possible prices for making its transition from analogue to
digital TV."
Uruguay's Comisión Nacional de Televisión Digital Terrestre Abierta conducted a
12-month evaluation of the DVB and its US and Japanese alternatives. Amongst
the criteria it considered were the provision for both fixed and mobile TV and
HDTV services, interactivity, spectrum efficiency, and the development of
national technologies.
Putting Uruguay's decision in deeper perspective, URSEC (Unidad Reguladora de
Servicios de Comunicaciones) president Leon Lev said: "The timely adoption of
(DVB-T and DVB-H) is an initial step to facilitate the development of DTV by
allowing all involved players to understand the regulatory framework which will
be the basis for the transition to digital TV in Uruguay."
1.481
Other related posts:
