[opendtv] Re: Why aren't there more converter boxes?

Ben Webber wrote:

> Quite apart from the political and regulatory
> uncertainties, conspiracies, etc, that remain in the
> digital transition process, no CE manufacturer in its
> right mind is going to ship more than a trickle of
> stand-alone ATSC STBs until it knows for sure whether
> they qualify (in terms of allowable features, power
> consumption, etc) for the subsidy.

Perhaps, although to qualify for the subsidy, the STB might have to be
SD-only and NTSC-output-only. Not exactly what the entire STB market
would want. For example, the new Samsung STB would probably not qualify,
yet it is what anyone with a decent TV set or monitor would need.

> Also, the sales volume of qualified converters can
> reasonably be expected to remain very low until
> consumers actually get their grubby little paws on the
> coupons. IIRC, applications for these $40 coupons (or
> whatever the amount is) are not even scheduled to become
> available to the public until after January 1, 2008.

I agree there. That will be the bulk of the market. But a good market
does exist for better STBs.

Bert
 
 
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