[opendtv] Storage

A key element of our 1999 plan to do ubiquitous DTV broadcasting with
DVB-T on two 700 MHz channels was that data storage cost would drop to
virtually zero cost over the following 10 years. More broadly that we
had to design a new broadcast business plan that incorporated where
technology was going not where it was. This includes chip processing
power and improvements in codec efficiency etc. We had a unique
insight as to where codec efficiency was going because of our
connection to Duck or ON2.

With virtually zero cost storage and far better codecs the ability to
deliver content via two 6 MHz channels, we reasoned, was magnified
many fold. Potentially 10-15 times by compression alone and another
multiple of 5-10 by being able to deliver 24/7 content that could be
viewed anytime in the future, not delivering the same content over and
over as currently practiced on cable and satellite and allowing the
viewer to decide what they did not want to record rather than what
they wanted to record like with TIVO.

Two OTA channels could challenge cable and satellite. More OTA
channels could obliterate cable, satellite, satellite radio and
current OTA broadcasters or radically change their business plans.

This article suggest that the storage part of our business plan is almost here.

"A thumb drive using our memory could store a terabyte of
information," says Michael Kozicki, director of ASU's Center for
Applied Nanoionics, which developed the technology. "All the current
limitations in portable electronic storage could go away. You could
record video of every event in your life and store it."

http://www.wired.com/gadgets/miscellaneous/news/2007/10/ion_memory

With the rapid advance in technology we are witnessing it makes less
and less sense for the US to stay the course with our garbage 8-VSB
modulation and I predict once again that we won't.

Currently known OTA technology for both one way DTV and two way data
will eliminate the need for copper and cable and even most fiber in
the last mile. With their high maintenance cost and controlled by
monopolies new OTA technologies when deployed will offer relief from
monopoly power and more choice at much lower prices.

Bob Miller
 
 
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