[opendtv] Re: "we'll forever be stuck with by going ATSC"
- From: "Barry Wilkins" <Barry.Wilkins@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 13 Jan 2005 13:02:45 +1300
Bert wrote:
"I have a slightly different version of this dynamic.
The average Joe will be attracted by the falling
prices of "flat panel TVs."
They will then notice that their source material,
especially analog broadcasts, just don't do these
new TVs justice."
Yes, that will be so. New display technologies and competition already
are having a dramatic effect.
But I see that the consumer just will not get any dramatic benefit from
for example HD DVD versus SD DVD on anything of 36'' or below legacy
scanning based "TVs". They may notice a difference on small LCDs but the
reality is the value of HD will not be realized without a large screen,
i.e. 42" and above.
Already even without HD input I get a very cinema like experience with a
42" plasma viewed at a distance of 3M. This gives me a slightly smaller
field of view than I would get at an actual cinema sitting mid way back.
I am absolutely sure the image quality (perceived) is at least as good
as I have experienced in local cinemas.
I observe that there is a good deal of variability in the precision of
focus adjustment adhered to in (local) cinemas and the sound
systems/quality do not typically impress me. Therefore it is easy, in my
own lounge, to have a far more satisfactory experience overall than in a
local cinema.
No extraneous noise from other people, privacy, being able to stop the
show at will etc, etc, compensates very well for the lack of an enormous
screen.
The only time I notice a distraction from the cinema experience on DVD
is when artefacts occur and this depending on the quality of source
material.
So what about HD and broadcasting? If it is free like terrestrial
broadcasting here, it would not impress me in the least. The pressure is
on to constantly interject the desired material with commercials which
are always set at a blaringly loud average sound level (compared to the
desired material) that just results in infuriation and no recognition of
the actual item trying to be marketed.
If on the other hand HD broadcast is via subscription I may take notice
but only if it were a reasonable price and the material shown had any
added value that exceeded that which could be obtained on HD DVD.
Obviously for sport minded people this is a must and I am aware that
this would constitute a large portion of the ATSC adherents in the USA.
=20
The local subscription DBS channels here have the effrontery to charge
subscriptions + shove in ever more advertising of products and previews.
This is a sneaky way of reducing their costs and giving the customer
less value for money. I have not experienced cable here but I imagine it
would be much the same as the DBS experience.
Always there is a price to pay! At least with DVD and HD DVD you know
what you're getting and you will be prepared to pay for it.
The reason I said all this is I want better quality and no commercial
garbage. I'm willing to bet that the majority of people would want the
same thing even if many of them do not realize that it can be obtained
and the relative difference it makes (yet.)
Regards
Barry =20
=20
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