[opendtv] 20041011 Mark's Monday Memo
- From: "Mark Schubin" <tvmark@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "Multiple Addresses Suppressed" <tvmark@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 11 Oct 2004 22:56:01 -0400
- Follow-ups:
- ***The Technology Retreat*** - A few tidbits since last week:
Sinclair is joining the networks on the broadcasters panel on the 26th.
The all-Hollywood-studios Digital Cinema Initiatives will explain many of
its recent decisions (including X'Y'Z' color space instead of RGB, 12 bits
instead of 10, and JPEG2000). Interested in Apple's work on XML? How
about Adobe's real-time HD? Want to learn more about the latest display
technologies? How about human perception of HD? BE THERE! January 26-28
(with AAF and ATSC events on the 25th), Marriott Rancho Las Palmas Resort
(Palm Springs area):
<http://www.hpaonline.com>
- The FCC "education" initiative - In addition to the problems I noted
last week regarding the Federal Communications Commission's effort, some
consumer advocates are viewing it as a promotion campaign for expensive
television sets:
<http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-dtv8oct08,1,5124387.story>
<http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/11/technology/11fcc.html>
One of the FCC problems relates to the meaning of the word "tuner."
Today's New York Times Business section "Drilling Down" column runs into
the problem of what the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) means by
"digital televisions." Thus, Mark Glassman wrote, "Digital television sets
display images at a higher resolution than standard analog sets and allow
for additional digital content to be transmitted at the same time." I
don't believe "and" is justified by CEA's definition, which allows EITHER a
DTT-capable receiver OR a display capable of at least 480p (or both):
<http://www.nytimes.com/ref/business/media/041011MOSTWANTED.html>
- The Senate DTT legislation - It's actually all amendments to the
intelligence-reform bill (which was passed on Friday). The overall bill is
S.2845:
<http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d108:SN02845:>
Senator McCain's original "SAVE LIVES" bill was amendment S.AMDT 3766
to the bill:
<http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d108:SP03766:>
Senator Burns' amendment to McCain's is S.AMDT 3773:
<http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d108:SP03773:>
Both amendments were passed on September 29th, but, as best I can
tell, there's nothing similar in the House intelligence-reform bill, so
whether anything survives the conference process remains to be seen.
Again, as best I can tell, here is what made it through the two
amendments:
- Channels 63-64 and 68-69 are to be vacated for public-safety
use by 2008, and channels 62, 65, and 67 may also be vacated if the FCC
deems it necessary to protect the public-safety communications on the other
four channels, BUT they don't need to vacate the channels if the
public-safety officials in the market don't request the move or "to avoid
consumer disruption" if the public safety communications are okay without
the TV stations vacating or TV and public-safety work out an agreement.
- $1 billion will be available for digital-to-analog converters,
installation costs for cable or satellite, or other devices [antennas?] not
in excess of the cost of the digital-to-analog converters. First priority
is the poor relying exclusively on off-air reception; second priority is
others relying exclusively on off-air reception.
- Labels are required to warn purchasers of analog-only
TV-reception equipment, and no TV receivers will be able to be shipped
across state lines without the labels.
Want the latest on what's going on in Washington? Come hear attorney
Jim Burger at ***The Technology Retreat***:
<http://www.hpaonline.com>
- Broadcast flag - A group of consumer and fair-use advocates and
libraries (including the American Library Association, Consumers Union, the
Consumer Federation of America, and Public Knowledge) have filed suit in
the District of Columbia Court of Appeals saying the FCC was not authorized
to issue its order. The FCC must reportedly respond by November 3, but
oral arguments aren't scheduled until February:
<http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA468967.html?display=Breaking+New
s&referral=SUPP>
What does the Motion Picture Association think about digital rights
management? Ask their chief technology officer, Brad Hunt, at ***The
Technology Retreat***:
<http://www.hpaonline.com>
- July 1 -
- I saw no ads for non-H/DTV 36-inch TVs this week, but I didn't
see the LA or Minneapolis ads, and I didn't pick up a copy of Metro or AM
New York.
- This week I've listed 52 advertised TVs 36-inch or larger. Of
those, 19 (37%) have integrated DTT-reception capability. Take the figures
with a grain of salt, given the limited retailers listed this week.
- See also the ads section for inexpensive non-integrated sets
that are HD and/or widescreen.
- TV sets that would require DTT-reception circuitry starting 2005:
- ESA ET427E 27-inch TV @ Circuit City $179.99
- Devices that would require DTT-reception circuitry in 2007:
- Magnavox 13MT143S 13-inch TV @ Circuit City $79.99
- Toshiba 13A23/4 13-inch TV @ Best Buy $79.99
- Toshiba 19A24 19-inch TV @ Best Buy $119.99
- Sylvania DVC845E DVD/VCR combo @ Best Buy $79.99 after rebate
- Zenith XBV442 DVD/VCR combo @ Circuit City $98.99
- Zenith XBR413 VCR/DVD-recorder @ Best Buy $299.99 after rebate
- GoVideo R6740 DVD+R/RW recorder @ J&R $199.99
- Panasonic DMR-E55S DVD-R/RAM recorder @ CompUSA $299.99
- Zenith XBR413 VCR/DVD-recorder @ Best Buy $299.99 after rebate
- Devices that would require dual DTT-reception circuitry in 2007:
- Toshiba MV13P2 13-inch TV/VCR combo @ Best Buy $119.99
- Devices not covered by the mandate but using analog TV broadcasts:
- Sony DNF400PS AM/FM/TV/weather CD portable @ Best Buy $79.99
- Sony ICF-579V AM/FM/TV/weather shower radio @ J&R $49.99
- Sony ICF-CD73V AM/FM/TV/weather shower radio @ J&R $79.99
- Sony MZ-NHF800 AM/FM/TV/weather MiniDisc recorder portable @ J&R
- May 1 - Neither the FCC nor the National Association of Broadcasters
(NAB) has updated its lists. The FCC has not yet released its September
figures.
- Thursday's FCC meeting has no H/DTV issues on its agenda:
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-252981A1.pdf>
- The September/October issue of the NAB's "Destination Digital TV" has
come out:
<http://www.nab.org/Newsroom/Issues/digitaltv/DDTV/0904.pdf>
- On Monday, Gary Sgrignoli will conduct a seminar on 8-VSB modulation at
KAET-TV/ Arizona State University. Details, including a registration form,
may be found here (see also the "Upcoming Dates" section):
<http://www.atsc.org/seminars.html>.
- An informal, unscientific poll on the AV Science Forum about how viewers
get their [broadcast] network HD programming showed (this evening, when I
last checked it) the biggest group -- but not a majority -- using off-air
reception (42%). Another 24% combine off-air with satellite (LA and NY
stations only), 17% get them via cable, 11% combine cable with off-air
(because not all cable systems carry all stations in their area), and the
rest are satellite only. The figures change from day to day:
<http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/poll.php?s=5ea41346652051ec0a5b6f4279c243f7&;
action=showresults&pollid=2335>
- International H/DTV news:
- Among other recommendations, a consumer experts group appointed by
the UK Department of Culture, Media and Sport says analog TV should not be
shut down until at least 70% of households get digital TV on their main TV
sets. There's a link to the complete report at the bottom of the press
release:
<http://www.culture.gov.uk/global/press_notices/archive_2004/dcms124_04.htm>
The organization responsible for the change from analog, SwitchCo,
could start operating this fall, and, according to outgoing BBC strategy
director Carolyn Fairbairn, would best "operate in the principle of
subsidiarity, which is, if something is best done by a retailer, or a
manufacturer, or a broadcaster, or a consumer association, or Ofcom [the UK
regulatory agency], it should happen at that level":
<http://www.dtg.org.uk/news/uknews/-fairbairn_dnews.htm>
- Toshiba's MTV-S10 is a hand-held receiver/display for DTT in Japan:
<http://www.i4u.com/article2231.html>
- Netherlands cable operator KPN plans to offer a wireless cable-like
service (25 TV channels and 17 radio) via DVB-T starting October 18.
Prices will range from 7.95 to 13.95 Euro per month, depending on whether
subscribers have other KPN services. Service will begin in the Ranstad
area (including Amsterdam, the Hague, Rotterdam, and Utrecht) with service
extended to most of the rest of the country by 2006:
<http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/October2004/8440.htm>
- According to a report to France's Minister of Industry from the
General Council on Information Technology, DTT in that country should be
delayed to September 2005 to allow for maturity of advanced compression
technologies:
<http://www.advanced-television.com/pages/pagesb/newsdaily.html#hubert>
- An HD concert by Jean-Michel Jarre reportedly got positive reactions
in France despite a number of technical glitches:
<//www.freelists.org/archives/opendtv/10-2004/msg00166.html>
- Twentieth Century Fox has joined the board of the Blu-ray Disc
Association but is also reportedly still considering HD DVD:
<http://www.twice.com/article/CA458225?display=Breaking+News>
What do the studios really think about this stuff? Come to ***The
Technology Retreat*** and find out:
<http://www.hpaonline.com>
- CEA is providing a guide to connecting equipment. It looks like it'll be
pretty good, but only the beta version is currently available:
<http://www.ce.org/connections_application/>
- Based on figures from CEA, sales to U.S. dealers of non-H/DTV television
sets for the first 38 weeks of 2004 were down 4.9% from the same period in
2003. My ten-week running average was down 3.6%.
Sales of so-called "Digital Televisions" for the 38th week were 71,212
units and for the first 38 weeks 2,752,793.
"Digital Televisions" (most of which are HDTV displays without
DTT-reception capability) accounted for about 14.8% of the TVs (not
counting plasma or direct-view LCD) sold to U.S. dealers through the 38th
week this year. It may be worth noting here what that means. About 85% of
the non-plasma, non-direct-view-LCD TVs sold through the 38th week this
year were still plain non-H/DTV direct-view TVs with picture tubes.
To qualify to CEA as a "Digital Television," a display need only be
capable of dealing with at least 480p; it need not be capable of either
receiving digital signals or displaying them. Devices actually capable of
receiving DTT signals are still a small fraction of those numbers.
- Ads for set-top DTT receivers: I'm aware of only the Samsung at Best Buy.
- The ads - In these days of consumer education, Circuit City said the
Hitachi 50VS810 had "HD Built-In" but that it was a "monitor." Wheeee!
- Best Buy (appropriate disclaimers):
- JVC AV30W475 30-inch widescreen CRT TV $579.99 BS
- Maxent MX-42VM10 42-inch 16:9 plasma TV $1999.99
- Mitsubishi WD-52525 52-inch 16:9 integrated projection DTV $3799.99 BS
- Mitsubishi WS55315 55-inch 16:9 projection TV $1899.99 BS
- Panasonic PT-60LC14 60-inch LCD projection TV $3699.99 BS
- Panasonic TH-37PD25U/P 37-inch integrated 16:9 plasma DTV $2499.99 BS
- Philips 17PF8946 17-inch widescreen LCD TV $799.99 BS
- Philips 42PF9966 42-inch 16:9 plasma TV $4499.99 BS
- Sharp LC37G4U 37-inch widescreen LCD direct-view TV $5499.99 BS
- Sony KDF42WE655 42-inch widescreen integr. LCD proj. DTV $2799.99 BS
- Sony KDF50WE655 50-inch widescreen integr. LCD proj. DTV $3299.99 BS
- Sony KV32FS120 32-inch 4:3 direct-view CRT TV $599.99 BS
- Sony KV34HS420 34-inch 16:9 direct-view CRT TV $1599.99 BS
- Sony KV36FS120 36-inch 4:3 direct-view CRT TV $899.99 BS
- Toshiba 24AF44 24-inch 4:3 direct-view CRT TV $299.99
- Toshiba 26HL84 26-inch widescreen LCD TV $2299.99 BS
- Toshiba 30HF84 30-inch 16:9 direct-view flat CRT TV $899.99 BS
- Toshiba 42HP84 42-inch 16:9 plasma TV $4499.99 BS
- Toshiba 46H84 46-inch 16:9 projection TV $1399.99 BS
- Toshiba 51H84 51-inch 16:9 projection TV $1699.99 BS
- Toshiba 51H94 51-inch 16:9 CRT integrated proj. DTV $2199.99 BS
- Toshiba 57H84 57-inch 16:9 CRT projection TV $1899.99 BS
- Toshiba 57H94 57-inch 16:9 CRT integrated proj. DTV $2399.99 BS
- Westinghouse W32701 27-inch 16:9 direct-view LCD TV $1299.99 BS
- Westinghouse W33001 30-inch 16:9 direct-view LCD TV $1799.99 BS
BS - price "before savings"
- Circuit City (insufficient disclaimers):
- Akai PT4299HD 42-inch 16:9 projection TV $999.99
- ESA PDP4294LV 42-inch 16:9 plasma TV $2299.99
- Hitachi 42HDT51 42-inch 16:9 plasma TV w/$500 GC $5999.99
- Hitachi 50V500 50-inch 16:9 LCD projection TV w/$300 GC $3099.99
- Hitachi 50VS810 50-inch 16:9 LCD integr. proj. DTV w/$400 GC $3999.99
- Hitachi 51F510 51-inch 16:9 CRT projection TV w/$100 GC $1699.99
- Magnavox 20MF200V 20-inch 4:3 LCD TV w/$50 GC $699.99
- Panasonic CT34WX54 34-inch 16:9 direct-view CRT TV w/$100 GC $1399.99
- Panasonic PT43LC14 43-inch LCD projection TV w/$200 GC $2499.99
- Panasonic TC17LA2 17-inch 4:3 LCD TV w/$50 GC $799.99
- Panasonic TC20LA2 20-inch 4:3 LCD TV w/$50 GC $899.99
- Panasonic TC32LX20 32-inch widescreen LCD TV w/$300 GC $3499.99
- Panasonic TH37PD25U 37-inch integr. 16:9 plasma DTV w/$200 GC $2499.99
- Panasonic TH42PD25U 42-inch 16:9 integr. plasma DTV w/$300 GC $2999.99
- Panasonic TH42PX25U 42-inch 16:9 integr. plasma DTV w/$500 GC $5499.99
- Panasonic TH50PX25U 50-inch 16:9 integr. plasma DTV w/$500 GC $7499.99
- RCA D52W20 52-inch 16:9 projection TV w/$100 GC $1499.99
- Samsung HLP4663W 46-inch 16:9 DLP projection TV w/$300 GC $3199.99
- Samsung HLP5085W 50-inch 16:9 DLP projection TV w/$400 GC $4199.99
- Samsung HPP5071 50-inch 16:9 plasma TV w/$500 GC $7499.99
- Samsung LTP227W 22-inch widescreen LCD TV w/$100 GC $1499.99
- Samsung LTP266W 26-inch widescreen LCD TV w/$200 GC $1999.99
- Samsung LTP2045 20-inch 4:3 direct-view LCD TV w/$50 GC $899.99
- Samsung SIRTS360 DirecTV receiver/decoder $299.99
- Samsung SPP4251 42-inch 16:9 plasma TV w/$200 GC $2699.99
- Samsung TXP3064W 30-inch 16:9 direct-view CRT TV w/$50 GC $799.99
- Sharp LC13S1UB 13-inch 4:3 LCD direct-view TV $449.99
- Sharp LC15S1UB 15-inch 4:3 LCD direct-view TV $549.99
- Sharp LC20B6US 20-inch 4:3 LCD direct-view TV w/$100 GC $1099.99
- Sharp LC20S1UB 20-inch 4:3 LCD direct-view TV w/$50 GC $899.99
- Sharp LC26GA4U 26-inch widescreen LCD TV w/$200 GC $2199.99
- Sharp LC32G4U 32-inch LCD direct-view TV w/$300 GC $3299.99
- Sharp LC37GD4U 37-inch widescreen integrated LCD DTV w/$500 GC
$5499.99
- Sony KDE50XS955 50-inch 16:9 integrated plasma DTV w/$500 GC $6999.99
- Sony KE-42M1 42-inch 16:9 plasma TV w/$300 GC $3499.99
- Sony KF50WE610 50-inch 16:9 LCD projection TV w/$300 GC $3299.99
- Sony KP46WT520 46-inch 16:9 projection TV w/$100 GC $1499.99
- Sony KV32HS420 32-inch 4:3 direct-view CRT TV w/$100 GC $999.99
GC - price includes gift card of value shown
- CompUSA (appropriate disclaimer):
- Daewoo DTS 42 42-inch 16:9 integrated plasma DTV $1999.99 DVR
- Panasonic PT-47X54 47-inch 16:9 projection TV $1399.99 DVR
- Panasonic PT-53X54 53-inch 16:9 CRT projection TV $1599.99 DVR
- Panasonic TH-42PD25U/P 42-inch 16:9 integrated plasma DTV $2999.99 DVR
- Panasonic TH-42PX25U/P 42-inch 16:9 integrated plasma DTV $5499.99 DVR
- Panasonic TH-50PX25U/P 50-inch 16:9 integrated plasma DTV $6999.99 DVR
- Samsung HLP4663W 46-inch 16:9 DLP projection TV $3199.99 DVR
- ViewSonic N2700W 27-inch widescreen LCD direct-view TV $1599.99 AR
AR - price after mail-in rebate
DVR - price includes DVD recorder
- Dell (no disclaimer):
- Dell W1700 17-inch widescreen LCD TV $699
- Dell W2600 26-inch widescreen LCD TV $1999
- Harvey (New York Times, no disclaimer):
- Fujitsu 42-inch plasma TV
- J&R (New York Times, no disclaimer):
- Hitachi 55HDT51 55-inch 16:9 plasma TV
- Humax L3040 30-inch 5:3 LCD TV $1499.99
- JVC HD-61Z575 61-inch widescreen D-ILA projection TV
- JVC LT26WX84 26-inch widescreen direct-view LCD TV $1879.99
- Panasonic CT30WX54 30-inch 16:9 direct-view CRT TV
- Panasonic PT-50DL54 50-inch 16:9 DLP projection TV
- Panasonic TC-17LA1 17-inch 4:3 LCD TV
- Panasonic TC-26LX20 26-inch widescreen LCD TV
- Panasonic TH50PX25U 50-inch 16:9 integrated plasma DTV
- Samsung HL-P5685W 56-inch 16:9 DLP projection TV
- Sony KDF-42WE655 42-inch widescreen integr. LCD projection DTV
$2799.99
- Toshiba 42HP83P 42-inch 16:9 plasma TV $3499.99
- Staples (no disclaimer):
- Syntax 20-inch 4:3 LCD TV $499.98
- DVD news: According to CEA, sales of DVD players to U.S. dealers for the
first 38 weeks of 2004 were up 3.9% from the same period in 2003. My
ten-week running average was up 13.3%. VCR sales were down 62.3% for the
first 38 weeks.
- PVR news: Just the thing for people who can't find the time to view what
they've recorded, Sony's Vaio Type X, unveiled at the CEATEC event and
scheduled to go on sale in Japan November 20 for about $4700, has six
tuners and a terabyte of storage. In other words, it'll record a week's
worth of six channels at once:
<http://finance.lycos.com/qc/news/story.aspx?story=44108738>
- iSuppli offers average LCD pricing through July:
<http://www.elecdesign.com/Files/29/8787/Table_01.html>
- According to a report in the Washington Post, House bill 4077 would makje
it illegal to delete commercials but okay to delete nude scenes:
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A18697-2004Oct8>
- Upcoming Dates (DTV and non-DTV):
- October 13-15, Hotel Washington, Washington, D.C., IEEE Broadcast
Symposium <http://www.ieee.org/organizations/society/bt/symposium.html>.
- *October 18, KAET, Phoenix, SBE Gary Sgrignoli 8-VSB seminar
<http://www.kaet.asu.edu/kaet/events.html>.
- October 18-19, Pasadena Convention Center, California, Global
Society for Asset Management G-SAM 2004
<http://www.g-sam.org/gsam2004/index.asp>.
- October 18-20, Fairmont Hotel, San Francisco, CEA Industry Forum
<http://www.ce.org/events/event_info/default.asp?eventID=IF04>.
- October 19-20, Hudson Hotel, New York, 12th ETA Summit
<http://www.etaexpo.com/>.
- *October 20, VCA Fusion, 370 Seventh Avenue, New York, SMPTE NY
Section meeting on 24p post <http://www.smpteny.org/smpteny/>.
- October 20-23, Pasadena Convention Center, California, SMPTE
Technical Conference and Exhibition
<http://www.smpte.org/conferences/146tech.cfm>.
- October 25-28, Orlando World Center Marriott, ShowEast
<http://www.showeast.com/filmgroup/showeast/index.jsp>.
- *October 26-29, Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Cable and
Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia
<http://www.casbaaconvention.com/>.
- November 2, Laemmle's Monica, Digital Studio Conference
<http://www.ihollywoodforum.com/>.
- November 4, Los Angeles Center Studios, HD Expo
<http://www.hdexpo.net/>.
- November 4-7, Westin St. Francis Hotel, San Francisco, Home
Entertainment 2004 West <http://www.homeentertainment-expo.com/>.
- November 15-18, Long Beach Convention Center, California, Electronic
House Expo <http://www.ehx2004.com/>.
- November 17-19, Makuhari Messe (Tokyo area), InterBEE
<http://bee.jesa.or.jp>.
- December 7, Radisson Barcello Hotel, Washington, D.C., ATSC ACAP
seminar <http://www.atsc.org/seminars/2004_ACAP/acap_04.htm>.
- January 3-6, Las Vegas, IEEE Consumer Communications and Networking
Conference <http://www.ieee-ccnc.org/>.
- January 6-9, Las Vegas, Consumer Electronics Show
<http://www.cesweb.org/>.
- January 8-12, Las Vegas Convention Center, International Conference
on Consumer Electronics <http://www.icce.org/>.
- *January 11-13, Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort, California,
SCTE Emerging Technologies Conference <http://et.scte.org/>.
- ***January 26-28, Rancho Las Palmas Marriott, California, ***The
Technology Retreat*** <http://www.hpaonline.com>.
* - new or revised listing
TTFN,
Mark
PS Permission is granted to forward this or any other Monday Memo. The
next three memos will almost certainly be late.
Confused about something in the memo? Please first check out the second
post-script to the January 5 memo here:
<http://www.digitaltelevision.com/mondaymemo/mlist/frm02052.html>
----------------------------------------------------------------------
You can UNSUBSCRIBE from the OpenDTV list in two ways:
- Using the UNSUBSCRIBE command in your user configuration settings at
FreeLists.org
- By sending a message to: opendtv-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word
unsubscribe in the subject line.
Other related posts:
