[opendtv] Why Freeview succeeded
- From: dmenolan <dmenolan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: Open DTV list <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 18 Mar 2005 04:47:52 -0500
The reasons why Freeview has succeeded are:
a) It is free
b) The receivers are extremely affordable
c) The receivers are often given away with high ticket CE purchases
d) The modulation system works. It works in severe multipath conditions. =
End of story.
e) The content line-up is very attractive if you only have 5 analogue TV =
channels, one of which has quite ropey reception in many areas
f) the main services are all widescreen and this is the quickest way to g=
et anamorphic widescreen
g) The picture quality is very good (i isn't HDTV, its component EDTV, bu=
t for most UK homes it looks good)
h) There are many digital radio stations carried via Freeview: this has p=
roved to be one of its USPs as you can have DTV and digital radio all in =
one for $50
i) The reception issues with any DTV system (cliffs, antennas, margins, c=
ables) are now very widely understood at retail level. After seven years =
this is not surprising
j) A large number of cable and DBS homes are using Freeview on second and=
third TV sets ( why pay additional subs all around the house): about 25%=
of the base
k) You can receive it mobile if you have a diversity receiver in your car=
, SUV, etc. This is only just starting
l) It is marketed very slickly by the BBC and has shot from nowhere to be=
a household brand
m) Unlike the US the broadcasters have cooperated to put the platform tog=
ether: a clear example of the group survival instinct in play.
n) It has a full EPG service with full localisation for each TV market. T=
his is the glue for a PVR industry which is just taking off.
0) COFDM chips are now peanuts because of the volumes and, unlike the sys=
tem which dare not speak its name, it works.
pP CE vendors now have the confidence to integrate it in TVs, LCDs, plase=
tc. Sony + Panasonic announced that all their bigger ranges will be digi=
tal by year end: that will increase the penetration further.
q) By the end of the year Freeview will be in around 35% of all homes, ov=
ertaking DBS which has 30% penetration.
r) It has now reached a virtual economic cycle.
The things that are wrong with Freeview are:
a) It is still only available to 75% of homes
b) Its transmitters operate at max 20kW whereas the big sticks should be =
run at around 100kW (cf Berlin...)
c) There has been no use of SFN technologies: broadcasting is quite local=
here.
d) They have not really expanded the network since it was first put in in=
1998-2000: this is about to change.
e) Unlike Berlin etc it does not have widespread indoor antenna coverage =
because of the low powers. That would reallt tilt the economics of distri=
bution in favour of DTV bigtime
f) It has insufficient capacity to compete with DBS on a pay footing whic=
h is why ITVDigital died.
But many lessons have been learned about how to roll out DTV successfulll=
y. In France you will see the next step in DTV: a system which combines M=
PEG2 SDTV Freeview, MPEG4HDTV, and a dedicated DVB-H network. That will b=
e a very interesting departure later this year...
Kind Regards,
Dermot Nolan
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