[opendtv] Re: The Transition Up North

  • From: Albert Manfredi <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2010 18:38:12 -0400

Craig Birkmaier wrote:
 
>> Why don't Canadian stores just sell the decent and cheap
>> STBs that were subsidized here? Even without subsidies,
>> they went for $50 to $60 or so. There must be some left
>> over, no?
>
> What makes you think they don't?
 
I was wondering, because the article (or the previous one) had made the point 
that they don't have the coupon program there, implying (or maybe I just 
misinterpreted) that many people would have their TVs go dark. Even without 
coupon program, those govt cheese STBs now ought to be a steal these days.
 
> Makes one wonder what would have happened in the U.S. if the
> government simply stood back and let the marketplace work this
> out. As you often point out, the cost for an ATSC tuner is no
> longer a significant factor when buying a big screen TV.
 
> P.S. While looking for ATSC tuners in Canada I noticed that all of
> the retailers sell cable/DBS STBs. Apparently Canada has had more
> success in opening up the market for these boxes, although it looks
> like the market is dominated by the same manufacturers who make
> boxes for the U.S. cable market.
 
My take on this has long been what your P.S note alludes to as well.
 
I have no doubt what would have happened if the tuner mandate had not occurred, 
Craig. None at all. That's why I get so irked when people complain about the 
tuner mandate, instead of complaining about the inevitable alternative.
 
Here is what happens everywhere EXCEPT in the US. With or without a tuner 
mandate, every other DTV country has migrated to integrated sets. But more 
importantly than that, every other country has a wide choice of unwalled 
products for consumers. As you point out, EVEN Canada. And to boot, the same 
manufacturers as here (and by the way, also the same as in Europe). That should 
give a clue. Remember all those excuses a few years ago about how ATSC tuners 
were "too expensive" and that's why products weren't available? Remember how I 
always rejected that excuse?
 
What would have happened here? It's simple. No clearQAM or OTA-capable sets, no 
clearQAM or OTA-capable recording devices, and *clearly* no hint of CableCard 
or anything approaching that concept. Of course, no generic cable/DBS STBs 
either. We have none of those anyway. Everyone would have been forced into 
walled gardens, using exclusively non-standard, proprietary rental hardware. 
(You have said in the past, "the MVPDs prefer it that way.")
 
I have a really hard time looking at the Powell FCC as the bad guy, and the 
special interests at work here in the US as the good guys. I doubt even you 
would advocate that ISPs should force people to rent their non-standard PCs as 
the only way to access the Internet, right?
 
Why do special interests have such an easy time of it here? Why do the pundits 
so often seem oblivious of this, even arguing that standardized TVs and 
recording devices should not exist, because people use the special interest's 
non-standard money sink hardware instead? Why do consumers cave in so readily? 
Honestly, I don't understand.
 
Bert
                                           
 
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