[opendtv] 20050203 Those Thursday Things (Mark's Monday Memo)
- From: "Mark Schubin" <tvmark@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "Multiple Addresses Suppressed" <tvmark@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 3 Feb 2005 23:58:58 -0500
Here are some very efficient (low-administrative-cost) tsunami relief
organizations (all have four-star ratings from CharityNavigator.org):
<http://www.americares.org/>
<http://www.redcross.org/donate/donate.html>
<http://www.directrelief.org/index.html>
<http://www.hopeww.org/>
<http://www.mercycorps.org/splash/>
- Follow-ups:
- InfoCOMM 2005 - I had the wrong URL for the June event. Here's the
correct one, also now in the dates section:
<http://infocomm05.expoexchange.com/>
- ***The Technology Retreat***, January 26-28 (with a number of
earlier pre-retreat events), at the Marriott Rancho Las Palmas Resort,
Rancho Mirage, California - It was GREAT! Even though we closed
registration a couple of weeks before the event, it still grew
substantially over 2004. Here are just a few quick tidbits:
- Charles Poynton's camera seminar (attended by some of the world
greats of camera design, who were able to answer questions) pointed out
that small, high-pixel-count imaging chips are rapidly approaching
diffraction limits on resolution. He also pointed out the impossibility,
in a color-filtered imager, of designing an optical low-pass filter that
will be optimum for both the full-color groups and the individual
photo-sites.
- Dolby's Walt Husak noted that the all-Hollywood DCI standard
calls for 250 Mbps maximum data rate. At a more nominal 125 Mbps, 4K adds
only about 1% more post-compression data than 2K. Michael Marcellin of the
University of Arizona noted that it might be more like 5-10% at 250 Mbps.
The JPEG2000 system allows the same stream to serve 4K or 2K (or even
lower-resolution) projectors. Husak also noted that decorrelation of the
color channels, alone, offers a 2:1 improvement.
- There appeared to be general agreement on the compression panel
(nine expert participants and three expert moderators!) that AVC and VC-1
were comparable, with VC-1 perhaps offering a small short-term advantage
and AVC a small long-term one. There was also general agreement that both
would improve more rapidly than did MPEG-2.
- There was an interesting discussion about how patent pools work
and whether administrators of those pools can be totally fair when they
represent multiple, competing algorithms. FYI, just before the retreat,
MPEG LA announced 12 companies claiming VC-1 essential patents:
<http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/01/24/ms_codec_patents/>
- Adam Goldberg, of Sharp Laboratories of America, expressed the
view that it would be better to finish the transition to digital (i.e., to
MPEG-2) before starting the transition from one type of digital to another.
But others on the panel noted that the cost of adding both AVC and VC-1 to
a chip (instead of just one) was quite low and that it was important to
start building up penetration of advanced compression if there is ever to
be a transition to those codecs by broadcasters.
- The Technology Year in Review noted yet another videotape
format introduced (HDV 1080i) and indicated general agreement on around 10%
penetration of U.S. households by HD displays but only about a third of
those with actual HD sources of any kind (DTT, HD cable, or HD satellite).
- On the broadcasters panel, ABC's Mike Strein discussed their HD
coverage of the Inauguration, Fox's Jim DeFilippis noted their MPEG-2
splicing, and NBC's Glenn Reitmeier noted NBC's multicasting. Then PBS's
Jerry Butler welcomed ABC to the HD Inauguration club (PBS did the one in
2000), Fox to the MPEG-2 splicing club (PBS did it years ago with
Agilevision), and NBC to the multicasting club (see later for an
announcement about PBS multicasting).
- Jon Cady, chief of staff to Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) chair Michael Powell, said the commission shouldn't be involved in
copyright (which it is through the "broadcast flag"). MPAA CTO Brad Hunt
then explained the 14 approved broadcast flag systems, categorizing them in
a way that made sense to me for the first time.
- There were a bunch of interesting demos, from Cinea's protected
DVD players for Academy Award "screeners" to Evertz's and Telecast's new
on-set fiber systems, but I think everyone's favorite had to be that of
Scalable Display Technologies (SDT). There are many reasons for using
multiple video projectors: increased brightness, increased resolution,
unusual aspect ratios, etc. And there are many systems for allowing
multiple projectors to be used in those ways, with painstaking alignment
and edge blending. The SDT guys just haphazardly aimed four cheap
projectors at a wall, aimed a cheap webcam at the same wall, ran a few test
signals into the projectors, and in ten seconds had a perfectly aligned and
color balanced single image! Wow!
- Canon's Larry Thorpe shockingly revealed that the company has
come up with a way of intentionally introducing an aberration that seems to
make cinematographers like their lenses more. He said the way they do it
allows both a high modulation transfer and the desired non-edgy look.
- Panavision's John Galt brought a Genesis digital-cinematography
camera and explained the vertical color stripes and horizontal oversampling
used in its imaging chip.
- Sony's Andrew Stucker offered prices for their 4K LCoS
projector ($63k for 5k lumen output, $93k for 10k) and explained the safety
concerns that have kept the GLV off the market.
- Pacific Interface's Laurin Herr explained the concerns of those
in Japan who put in 1.3K digital-cinema projectors anticipating a swift
transition; they don't want to make a second mistake. He and Mike
Christmann of Flying Eye in Germany felt there was global support for a
single digital-cinema standard, but it was not clear that DCI's would be it.
- Chris Carey and Howard Lukk of Disney proposed an "MXF interop"
interim digital-cinema standard and plan to use it themselves this year (it
was almost used on "The Incredibles").
- Peter Putman's Consumer Electronics Show overview was better
than being there, because he not only showed all the new technologies but
also explained them.
- The softball championship at Fenway Park ended in appropriate
order: Production was first, followed by Post, followed by Distribution.
- Ed Grogan of the Department of Defense and Nick Beser of Johns
Hopkins University gave an interesting overview of both what they do in
intelligence forensics and what they'd like manufacturers to do (such as
adding electronic fingerprints to all cameras and video processing systems).
- Keri DeWitt of Teresis and Steve Buchsbaum of Lightning Media
described web-based logging, among other things, and John McKay, who may
have come farthest to the retreat (from Wellington, New Zealand, though
there were also a few participants from Australia) and who worked on the
sound editing of "Lord of the Rings," described Virtual Katy, named for a
production assistant, which figures out what's been done in picture editing
and supplies the appropriate sound-editing notes automatically.
- Mindego's Paul Collins showed amazing DVD user-interface
graphics made possible by the GFX standard.
- Patrick Gregston described the paradox of making content more
secure by having it distributed widely.
- Belden's Steve Lampen offered another mind boggling
presentation on cable characteristics, this time noting that minimum
temporal skew may be associated with maximum crosstalk. Previously, he had
described problems caused by cable ties. This year, Evertz's Eric
Fankhauser, in an awesome tutorial on fiber-optic technology, noted that
cable ties can also cause microbending in fibers.
- Quiz winners explained the NTSC compression ratio, named the
person who got the basic television-scanning patent in 1885, explained why
film is shot at 24 fps, gave the meaning of UHP, and matched names to
firsts (try Quiz #4 yourself:
1. Alexander Bain A. Appearance on a video screen
2. William Griffiths B. Compatible color
3. Kolin Hager C. Image transmission by scan lines
4. Joseph Nadan D. Patent for videotape recorder
5. Constantin Perskyi E. Picture tube
6. Denis Redmond F. Regularly scheduled TV broadcasts
7. Boris Rosing G. 16:9 aspect ratio
8. Boris Rtcheouloff H. Sued for recording video
9. William Taynton I. "Television"
10. Georges Valensi J. Video toaster)
Quiz #5 listed 14 firsts (such as the SDI concept and the first
regularly scheduled HD broadcast) and asked participants to identify the
people on the main program of the retreat who had done them. The winner
got 12 of the 14 correct and won the grand prize, a cuddly teddy bear
that's actually a TV remote control.
I've barely scratched the surface here. Presentations are being
slowly posted to the HPA web site. Those of you who were there know the
secret access code.
Thanks to all for a great event!
- Power consumption of DTT set-top boxes -
- According to an opinion piece by Emily Bell in The Guardian
(UK), "the power needed for the digital set-top boxes could require the
entire output of the UK's wind farms and would cancel out 5% of the
nation's Kyoto emission reductions. Watching Freeview is killing the
planet":
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/online/news/0,12597,1397561,00.html>
- The California Energy Commission has reportedly restricted the
energy consumption of DTT set-top boxes to eight watts in active mode (one
watt in standby) as of January 1, 2007. Integrated DTVs are restricted
only to three watts in standby mode as of January 1, 2006:
<http://www.cedmagazine.com/ced/2005/0205/02cc.htm>
The new regulations may be found on page 126 of this document:
<http://www.energy.ca.gov/appliances/documents/2004-09-14_EXPRESS_TERMS.PDF>
Current DTT STBs seem well over this limit, and broadcast-flag
circuitry is likely to add even more to the power consumption.
- DTT multicasting and cable -
- The cable industry and public TV have come to an agreement on
carriage of up to four multicasts per station. Ratification is required
within 60 days by stations representing 80% of U.S. TV households and by
cable operators representing 80% of U.S. cable subscribers, and the deal
would go into effect six months later:
<http://www.ncta.com/press/press.cfm?PRid=573&showArticles=ok>
- The first item on the agenda of next Thursday's FCC meeting is
DTT cable-carriage requirements:
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-256544A1.pdf>
It will be FCC chair Michael Powell's last such meeting, and he
reportedly wants to get mandatory multicast carriage killed. But
Broadcasting & Cable reports today that it's not necessarily a done deal.
The full stories require a paid subscription:
<http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA501362.html?display=Breaking+New
s>
<http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA501355.html?display=Breaking+New
s>
Belo opposes the vote:
<http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050127/dath053_1.html>
So do the affiliates of ABC, CBS, and NBC:
<http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=7204>
And the National Religious Broadcasters Association (the full story
requires a paid subscription):
<http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA501254.html?display=Breaking+News>
In a related story, Comcast reported yesterday that it has "deployed"
more than a million HD set-top boxes in subscriber homes, more than 800,000
of them in 2004:
<http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050202/phw018_1.html>
- MPEG LA AVC licensing - They plan to cover the Fidelity Range
Extensions (discussed at ***The Technology Retreat***) at no extra cost to
licensees:
<http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/index.jsp?epi-content=GENERIC
&newsId=20050127006028&ndmHsc=v2*A1106841600000*B1107051905000*C110692800000
0*DgroupByDate*J1*N1000001&newsLang=en&beanID=1802668732&viewID=news_view>
- Fujitsu and plasma - They ARE pulling out of the business:
<http://www.eet.com/sys/news/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=42VXLLE0HK0T4QSNDB
CSKH0CJUMEKJVN?articleID=59300415>
- July 1 -
- The OTHER July 1 deadline - The FCC is reportedly considering a
plan that would keep the ban on digital cable set-top boxes integrating
navigation and conditional access after July 1, 2006 but exempting low-cost
models. The full story requires a paid subscription:
<http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA498996.html?display=Breaking+News>
- I wasn't around to collect the New York free tabloids this
week, so the figures may be skewed a bit.
- This week I've listed 156 advertised TVs 36-inch or larger. Of
those, 53 (34%) have integrated DTT-reception capability.
- 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 2004:
- Magnavox MS3652S 36-inch TV @ Circuit City $399.99
- Sony KV36FS120 36-inch TV @ Best Buy $854.99
- TV sets that would require DTT-reception circuitry starting 2005:
- ESA EF427E 27-inch TV @ Circuit City $199.99 AR
- Magnavox 27MS3404 27-inch TV @ Circuit City $199.99
- Philips 27PT543S 27-inch TV @ Best Buy $199.99
- Sylvania 27-inch TV @ Kmart $167
AR - price after mail-in rebate
- Devices that would require DTT-reception circuitry in 2007:
- Advent 14-inch flat-screen TV @ Kmart $99
- ESA ET419E 19-inch TV @ Circuit City $79.99
- Toshiba 19A24 19-inch TV @ Best Buy $119.99
- Toshiba 19A24 19-inch TV @ Sears $119.99
- Philips 20-inch flat-screen TV @ Kmart $159
- ESA E4000 DVD/VCR combo @ Circuit City $74.99
- Mystery brand DVD/VCR combo @ Fry's $29.99 AR
- Sylvania VCR @ Kmart $39
- Sylvania DVD/VCR combo @ Kmart $87
- Emerson EWR10D4 DVD-R/RW recorder @ Wal*Mart $159.87
- GoVideo R6740 DVD+R/RW recorder @ J&R $179.99
- Memorex MVDR2100 DVD+R/RW recorder @ Target $199.99
- Mystery brand DVD-R/RAM recorder @ CompUSA $249.99
- Mystery brand VCR/DVD-R/RW recorder @ Fry's $249
- Panasonic DMRE55S DVD recorder @ Circuit City $249.99 BS
- Pioneer DVR-225 DVD-R/RW recorder @ Best Buy $249.99
- Sylvania DVD-R/RW recorder @ Kmart $189
- Gateway 816GM computer pkg. w/TV tuner @ Circuit City $1089.99 AR
- WinBook PowerSpec MCE410 computer @ WinBook $999 AR
AR - price after mail-in rebate(s)
BS - price "before savings"
- Devices that would require dual DTT-reception circuitry in 2007:
- Sylvania SRC2213W 13-inch TV/VCR combo @ Sears $99.99
- Devices not covered by the mandate but using analog TV broadcasts:
- Sony D-FJ200 AM/FM/TV/weather CD portable @ J&R $64.99
- Sony D-NF400 AM/FM/TV/weather CD portable @ J&R $69.99
- Sony ICF-CD555TV 7-inch under-cabinet TV @ J&R $349.99
- May 1 -
- The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) now lists 1356
U.S. DTT stations is 211 markets:
<http://www.nab.org/Newsroom/issues/digitaltv/DTVStations.asp>
- Doug Lung's RF Report says that, as of January 30, the FCC CDBS
database lists 655 licensed U.S. DTT stations:
<http://www.tvtechnology.com/dlrf/one.php?id=740>
- Decisionmark reportedly says there are 1428 U.S. DTT stations,
of which only 816 are HD capable:
<http://www.nyemmys.org/newmedia/Articles/013005email.htm>
- HD enthusiasts are reporting that DirecTV is no longer carrying any HD
channel with 1920 active pixels per line but is using 1280 instead:
<http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=222019>
- Some children's television obligations of U.S. DTT broadcasters have been
put off until next year:
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-05-22A1.pdf>
- BuyingHDTV has conducted a study of what HD channels are carried where.
ESPN and HBO are the most carried (100% carriage in the top-25 markets).
In those markets, Boston had the most channels (15.7), St. Louis the least
(8):
<http://www.cedmagazine.com/cedailydirect/2005/0105/cedaily050125.htm#4>
- International H/DTV news:
- The UK may subsidize DTT receiving boxes:
<http://www.thebusinessonline.com/modules/news/view.php?id=32522&s=3&;>
- Guernsey islanders are worried about losing service if analog is
shut down and not replaced with digital:
<http://www.thisisguernsey.com/code/showarchive.pl?ArticleID=012486&year=200
5&category=news>
- Digital Broadcasting Australia's February update of DTT set-top
receivers lists 63 models from 25 brands, starting at A$149 (US$115). Of
those, 16 from 13 brands are HD capable, starting at A$499 (US$384):
<http://www.dba.org.au/index.asp?sectionID=18>
- Like me, Taiwan's Consumers' Foundation doesn't like TVs being sold
as "digital" when they're no more digital than non-digital models:
<http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz/archives/2005/02/02/2003221978>
- I never saw Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) figures for weeks
49-51, but, thanks to monthly figures, I've been able to complete 2004.
Based on figures from CEA, sales to U.S. dealers of non-H/DTV television
sets for 2004 were down 6.5% from 2003. My ten-week running average was
down 12.9%.
Sales to U.S. dealers of so-called "Digital Televisions" for the year
were 4,484,156 units.
"Digital Televisions" (most of which are HDTV displays without
DTT-reception capability) accounted for about 16% of the TVs (not counting
plasma or direct-view LCD) sold to U.S. dealers in 2004. It may be worth
noting here what that means. About 84% of the non-plasma,
non-direct-view-LCD TVs sold to U.S. dealers in 2004 were still plain
non-H/DTV direct-view TVs with picture tubes. Based on CEA figures for
total "DTV" sales for 2004 (including plasma and LCD), the total proportion
was 23.4%, which means more than three out of four TVs sold to U.S. dealers
in 2004 were still plain non-H/DTV direct-view TVs with picture tubes:
<http://www.ce.org/press_room/press_release_detail.asp?id=10681>
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.
I'm not permitted to release data for the first two weeks of 2005
until Monday.
- According to NPD, 17-inch LCD average retail prices dropped from $413 in
October to $368 in November, 20-inch from $799 to $724, and 42-inch plasma
from $2456 to $2315:
<http://www.npdtechworld.com/techServlet?nextpage=pr_body_it.html&content_id
=2082>
- Ads for set-top DTT receivers: I'm aware of only the DirecTV and LG at
Best Buy.
- Ad confusions - Video & Audio Center noted that the LG RU42PX11 and Sony
KE42TS2 have a "built-in tuner." They happen not to have DTT reception
circuitry.
- The ads - Best Buy advertised a Jensen TV931 "HDTV Indoor Antenna."
Dell's prices, even in the same publication, vary wildly from ad to ad.
- Best Buy (HD disclaimers only):
- Advent HT2751A 27-inch 4:3 direct-view CRT TV $379.99
- DirecTV H10 ATSC/DirecTV receiver/decoder $299.99
- DirecTV HR10-250 DirecTV/ATSC/TiVo w/$30 RC $999.99
- LG DU-37LZ30 37-inch integrated direct-view LCD DTV $3799.99
- LG LST-3510A ATSC receiver/DVD player w/$10 RC $399.99
- LG RU-23LZ21 23-inch widescreen direct-view LCD TV $1424.99
- Mitsubishi WD-52525 52-inch 16:9 integrated projection DTV $2849.99
- Mitsubishi WD-62525 62-inch 16:9 integrated projection DTV $3799.99
- Mitsubishi WS-65315 65-inch 16:9 projection TV $2184.99
- Panasonic PT-50LC14 50-inch LCD projection TV $2659.99
- Panasonic PT-60LC14 60-inch LCD projection TV $3324.99
- Panasonic TC-17LA2 17-inch 4:3 LCD TV $759.99
- Panasonic TC-22LH30 22-inch 16:9 LCD TV $1709.99
- Panasonic TC-26LX20 26-inch widescreen LCD TV $1899.99
- Panasonic TH-37PD25U/P 37-inch integrated 16:9 plasma DTV $2374.99
- Panasonic TH-42PX25U/P 42-inch 16:9 integrated plasma DTV $5224.99
- Philips 26PF9966 26-inch widescreen LCD TV $1614.99
- Pioneer PDP-4341HD 43-inch 16:9 integr. PDP DTV w/$115 RC $3499.99 AR
- RCA HD61THW263 61-inch 16:9 integrated DLP projection DTV $6649.99
- Samsung HL-P5063W 50-inch 16:9 DLP projection TV $2659.99
- Samsung HLP5085W 50-inch 16:9 DLP projection TV $3514.99
- Sony KDE42XS955 42-inch 16:9 integrated plasma DTV $5224.99
- Sony KDF42WE655 42-inch wide integr. LCD proj. DTV $2374.99
- Sony KV30HS420 30-inch 16:9 direct-view CRT TV $949.99
- Sony KV34HS420 34-inch 16:9 direct-view CRT TV $1519.99
- Toshiba 42HP84 42-inch 16:9 plasma TV $3799.99
- Toshiba 46H84 46-inch 16:9 projection TV $1329.99
- Toshiba 51H84 51-inch 16:9 projection TV $1614.99
- Toshiba 57H84 57-inch 16:9 CRT projection TV $1804.99
- Westinghouse W33001 30-inch widescreen direct-view LCD TV $1399.99
- Zenith E44W46LCD 44-inch widescreen LCD projection TV
- Zenith M52W56LCD 52-inch widescreen LCD projection TV w/$75 RC
$2299.99
AR - price after mail-in rebate
PDP - plasma display panel
RC - price includes "reward certificates" of the amount shown
- Circuit City (HD labels only):
- Akai PT4299HD 42-inch 16:9 projection TV $847.99
- Apex AVL2776 27-inch widescreen LCD TV $999.99
- ESA PDP4294LV 42-inch 16:9 plasma TV $1899.99
- Hitachi 50VS810 50-inch 16:9 integrated LCD projection DTV $3399.99
- Hitachi 51F510 51-inch 16:9 CRT projection TV $1599.99
- LG DU42PX12X 42-inch 16:9 integrated plasma DTV $3199.99
- LG RU23LZ21 23-inch widescreen direct-view LCD TV $1399.99
- LG RU44SZ63D 44-inch 16:9 projection TV $2299.99
- Magnavox 17MF200V 20-inch widescreen LCD TV $499.99
- Magnavox 20MF200V 20-inch 4:3 LCD TV $664.99
- Panasonic TC32LX20 32-inch widescreen LCD TV $2699.99
- Panasonic TH42PD25U 42-inch 16:9 integrated plasma DTV $2699.99
- Panasonic TH42PX25U 42-inch 16:9 integrated plasma DTV $4999.99
- Philips 60PP9363H 60-inch 16:9 projection TV $1297.99
- RCA D52W20 52-inch 16:9 projection TV $1399.99
- Samsung HLP4663W 46-inch 16:9 DLP projection TV $2299.99
- Samsung HLP5085W 50-inch 16:9 DLP projection TV $3399.99
- Samsung HPP5071 50-inch 16:9 plasma TV $5999.99
- Samsung LTP227W 22-inch widescreen direct-view LCD TV $1199.99
- Samsung LTP266W 26-inch widescreen direct-view LCD TV $1799.99
- Samsung SPP4251 42-inch 16:9 plasma TV $2499.99
- Samsung TXP3064W 30-inch 16:9 direct-view CRT TV $759.99
- Sharp LC26GA5U 26-inch widescreen LCD TV $1799.99 AR
- Sony KDF42WE655 42-inch wide integr. LCD proj. DTV $2299.99
- Sony KDF50WE655 50-inch wide integr. LCD proj. DTV $2699.99
- Sony KDF55WF655 55-inch wide integr. LCD proj. DTV $2999.99
- Sony KDF60XS955 60-inch 16:9 integr. LCD proj. DTV $3699.99
- Sony KDF70XBR950 70-inch 16:9 integr. LCD proj. DTV $6999.99
- Sony KE42M1 42-inch 16:9 plasma TV $3199.99
- Sony KLV21SG2 21-inch widescreen LCD TV $1399.99
- Sony KLV23M1 23-inch widescreen direct-view LCD TV $1499.99
- Sony KLV26HG2 26-inch widescreen direct-view LCD TV $2099.99
- Sony KP46WT520 46-inch 16:9 projection TV $1399.99
- Sony KP51WS520 51-inch 16:9 projection TV $1599.99
- Sony KV30HS420 30-inch 16:9 direct-view CRT TV $899.99
- Sony KV32HS420 32-inch 4:3 direct-view CRT TV $899.99
- Sony KV34HS420 34-inch 16:9 direct-view CRT TV $1499.99
- Sony KV36HS420 36-inch 4:3 direct-view CRT TV $1399.99
- Zenith L20V36 20-inch 4:3 LCD TV $759.99
AR - price after mail-in rebate
- CompUSA (appropriate disclaimer):
- Akai 42-inch 16:9 plasma TV w/$150 GC $1799.99 AR
- HP F2304 23-inch LCD monitor $1999.99 AR
- Panasonic PT-50DL54 50-inch 16:9 DLP projection TV w/$300 GC $3299.99
- Samsung HLP4663W 46-inch 16:9 DLP projection TV w/$200 GC $2499.99
- Samsung LTP326WX 32-inch widescreen LCD TV w/$250 GC $2999.99
- Sony KDF42WE655 42-inch wide integr. LCD proj. DTV w/$200 GC $2499.99
- Sony KE42M1/P 42-inch 16:9 plasma TV w/$300 GC $3499.99
AR - price after mail-in rebate
GC - price includes gift card of the amount shown
- Dell (Los Angeles Times, no disclaimer):
- Dell 19-inch widescreen LCD TV $849
- Dell 26-inch widescreen LCD TV $1499
- Dell 30-inch widescreen LCD TV $1799
- Dell 42-inch 16:9 integrated plasma DTV $2999
- Dell (New York Times, no disclaimer):
- Dell 3300MP projector $1280
- Dell W2600 26-inch widescreen LCD TV $1499
- Dell (USA Today, no disclaimer):
- Dell W2600 26-inch widescreen LCD TV $1499
- Epson (no disclaimer necessary):
- Epson 47-inch integrated projection DTV/printer w/CD-R/RW $2699 AR
- Epson 57-inch integrated projection DTV/printer w/CD-R/RW $3199 AR
AR - price after mail-in rebate
- Fry's (Los Angeles Times, no disclaimer):
- Mitsubishi WD-52327 52-inch 16:9 projection TV $2399
- Mitsubishi 62-inch widescreen DLP projection TV $3599
- Mystery brand 42-inch 16:9 plasma TV $2199
- Samsung LTN-1545 15-inch 4:3 direct-view LCD TV $479
- Samsung SP-P4251 42-inch 16:9 plasma TV $2499
- Good Guys (Los Angeles Times, appropriate disclaimer):
- JVC HD52Z575 52-inch widescreen D-ILA projection TV $2499
- Mitsubishi WT 42315 42-inch 16:9 CRT projection TV $999
- Sony KE42TS2 42-inch 16:9 plasma TV w/$200 RG $3499
RG - price includes gift card of amount shown restricted to audio
- Gracious Home (New York Times, no disclaimer necessary):
- Sharp 26GD 26-inch widescreen integrated LCD DTV $2499.99 AR
- Sharp 32GD 32-inch widescreen integrated LCD DTV $3599.99 AR
AR - price after mail-in rebate
- Great Indoors (Los Angeles Times, no disclaimer):
- Panasonic TH-42PX25U/P 42-inch 16:9 integrated plasma DTV $5499
- Panasonic TH-50PX25U/P 50-inch 16:9 integrated plasma DTV $6999
- Samsung HLN4674W 46-inch 16:9 DLP projection TV $3799
- Samsung HLN5674W 56-inch 16:9 DLP projection TV $3999
- Sharp LC15S1US 15-inch 4:3 LCD direct-view TV $549 MB
- Sharp LC26GA5U 26-inch widescreen LCD TV $1999 MB
- Sharp LC32GA5U 32-inch widescreen LCD TV $2699 MB
- Sony KDF-55WF655 55-inch wide integr. LCD proj. DTV $3299
- Sony KDF-60WF655 60-inch wide integr. LCD proj. DTV $3699
- Sony KE-42XS955 42-inch 16:9 plasma TV $5499 MB
- Sony KE-50XS955 50-inch 16:9 plasma TV $6999 MB
MB - price includes mounting bracket
- Howard's (Los Angeles Times, no disclaimer):
- Panasonic PT43LC14 43-inch LCD projection TV $2299
- Panasonic PT47WX34 47-inch 16:9 projection TV $1199
- Panasonic PT47X54 47-inch 16:9 projection TV $1399
- Panasonic TH37PD25UP 37-inch integrated 16:9 plasma DTV $2499
- Philips 42PF9936 42-inch 16:9 plasma TV $2399
- Philips 42PF9966 42-inch 16:9 plasma TV $3999
- Sony KDF42WE655 42-inch wide integr. LCD proj. DTV $2499
- Sony KDF50WE655 50-inch wide integr. LCD proj. DTV $2999
- Sony KE32TS2 32-inch 16:9 plasma TV $2499
- Sony KE42M1 42-inch 16:9 plasma TV $2999
- Sony KP46WT520 46-inch 16:9 projection TV $1399
- Sony KV32FS120 32-inch 4:3 direct-view CRT TV $599
- Toshiba 42HP84 42-inch 16:9 plasma TV $3999
- Toshiba 46H84 46-inch 16:9 projection TV $1299
- Toshiba 46HM84 46-inch 16:9 DLP projection TV $2599
- Toshiba 51H84 51-inch 16:9 projection TV $1599
- Toshiba 57H84 57-inch 16:9 CRT projection TV $1799
- HP (HD disclaimer):
- HP pl4245n 42-inch 16:9 plasma TV $3999.99
- J&R (New York Times, no disclaimer):
- Akai LCT2660 26-inch widescreen LCD TV $899.99
- Akai PDV42S10 42-inch 16:9 plasma TV $1699.99
- Humax L3040 30-inch 5:3 LCD TV $1499.99
- JVC LT-32X575 32-inch widescreen direct-view LCD TV $2499.99
- JVC PD-42WX84 42-inch 16:9 plasma TV $2999.99
- Optoma EzPro 751 projector $1699.00
- Panasonic PT-50DL54 50-inch 16:9 DLP projection TV w/$100 GC $2499.99
- Panasonic TH-42PX25U/P 42-inch 16:9 integrated plasma DTV $3999.99
- Philips 15PF9945 15-inch 4:3 LCD TV $449.99
- Philips 30PF9946D 30-inch widescreen direct-view LCD TV $1799.99
- Philips 42PF9996 42-inch 16:9 LCD TV w/$100 GC $5999.99
- Philips 50PF9966 50-inch 16:9 plasma TV $5499.99
- Samsung HL-P5085W 50-inch 16:9 DLP projection TV $2999.99
- Samsung HL-P6163W 61-inch 16:9 DLP projection TV w/$100 GC $2999.99
- Samsung SPP4251 42-inch 16:9 plasma TV $2299.99
- Sharp LC-13S1U-S 13-inch 4:3 LCD direct-view TV $399.99
- Sony KDF-42WE655 42-inch wide integr. LCD proj. DTV $2199.99
- Sony KDF-60WF655 60-inch wide integr. LCD proj. DTV w/$100 GC $2999.99
- Sony KV-36FS120 36-inch 4:3 direct-view CRT TV $799.99
- Toshiba 32HL84 32-inch widescreen LCD TV w/$100 GC $2499.99
- Toshiba 34HF84 34-inch 16:9 direct-view CRT TV $1199.99
- Toshiba 62HM84 62-inch 16:9 DLP projection TV w/$100 GC $2899.99
- Westinghouse W32001 20-inch 4:3 direct-view LCD TV $529.99
- Westinghouse W32701 27-inch 16:9 direct-view LCD TV $1099.99
- Westinghouse W33001 30-inch 16:9 direct-view LCD TV $1499.99
GC - price includes gift card of the amount shown
- J&R (USA Today, no disclaimer):
- ViewSonic PJ501 projector $649.99 AR
AR - price after mail-in rebate
- Ken Crane's (Los Angeles Times, no disclaimer):
- LG DU-42LZ30 42-inch integrated direct-view LCD DTV $5998
- LG DU-42PX12 42-inch 16:9 plasma TV $3498
- LG RU-17LZ22 17-inch widescreen direct-view LCD TV $798
- LG RU-42PX11 42-inch 16:9 plasma TV $2498
- Mitsubishi PD-6130 60-inch 16:9 plasma TV
- Panasonic TH-37PD25UP 37-inch integrated 16:9 plasma DTV $2498
- Panasonic TH-42PD25UP 42-inch 16:9 integrated plasma DTV $2998
- Sony KDF-42WE655 42-inch wide integr. LCD proj. DTV $2498
- Kmart (San Diego Union-Tribune, no disclaimer):
- Advent 27-inch 4:3 flat-screen TV $399
- Advent 30-inch wide flat-screen TV $499
- RCA 40-inch widescreen projection TV $949 DV
DV - price includes DVD home theater system
- Leigh Adams (Los Angeles Times, no disclaimer):
- Mitsubishi WD-52327 52-inch 16:9 projection TV $2799
- Mitsubishi WD-52725 52-inch 16:9 integrated projection DTV
- Mitsubishi WS-55313 55-inch 16:9 projection TV $1699
- Macy*s (New York Times, no disclaimer):
- Mintek DTV233 23-inch widescreen DVD/LCD combo $999.99
- Mitsubishi (New York Times, HD labels only):
- Mitsubishi LT-2240 20-inch widescreen direct-view LCD TV
- Mitsubishi LT-3050 30-inch widescreen direct-view LCD TV
- Mitsubishi PD-5050 50-inch 16:9 plasma TV $5999
- Mitsubishi WD-52327 52-inch 16:9 projection TV $2799
- Mitsubishi WD-52525 52-inch 16:9 integrated projection DTV $3199
- Mitsubishi WD-62525 62-inch 16:9 integrated projection DTV $3999
- Mitsubishi WS-48315 48-inch 16:9 projection TV $1599
- Mitsubishi WS-55315 55-inch 16:9 projection TV $1799
- Mitsubishi WS-65315 65-inch 16:9 projection TV $2299
- Sears (Minneapolis Star Tribune, no disclaimer):
- JVC HD52Z575 52-inch widescreen D-ILA projection TV $3134.99
- Mitsubishi WD52525 52-inch 16:9 integrated projection DTV $3324.99
- Mitsubishi WD62525 62-inch 16:9 integrated projection DTV $4084.99
- Mitsubishi WS55315 55-inch 16:9 projection TV $1699.99
- Mitsubishi WS65315 65-inch 16:9 projection TV $2144.99
- Panasonic TH42PX25U 42-inch 16:9 integrated plasma DTV $5224.99
- Samsung HL[P]4663W 46-inch 16:9 DLP projection TV $2374.99
- Samsung HLP5063W 50-inch 16:9 DLP projection TV $2659.99
- Samsung SPP4231 42-inch 16:9 plasma TV $2374.99
- Samsung 50-inch 16:9 plasma TV $5699.99
- Sony KDF5[0]WE655 50-inch wide integr. LCD proj. DTV $2849.99
- Sony KDF55WF655 55-inch wide integr. LCD proj. DTV $3134.99
- Sony KP46WT520 46-inch 16:9 projection TV $1424.99
- Sony KP51WS520 51-inch 16:9 projection TV $1614.99
- Ultimate Electronics (Minneapolis Star Tribune, HD IDs only):
- Magnavox 42MF7000 42-inch 16:9 plasma TV $1998.95
- Mitsubishi WD52525 52-inch 16:9 integrated projection DTV $2879.95
- Mitsubishi WD62725 62-inch 16:9 integrated projection DTV $3779.95
- Mitsubishi WS55315 55-inch 16:9 projection TV $1619.95
- Mitsubishi WS55515 55-inch 16:9 integrated projection DTV $1799.95
- Mitsubishi WS65515 65-inch 16:9 integrated projection DTV $2249.95
- Panasonic CT27HL14 27-inch 4:3 direct-view CRT TV $499.95
- Panasonic CT34WX54 34-inch 16:9 direct-view CRT TV $1259.95
- Panasonic PT47WX34 47-inch 16:9 projection TV $998.95
- Panasonic PT50LC14 50-inch LCD projection TV $2249.95
- Panasonic TH37PD25 37-inch integrated 16:9 plasma DTV $2249.95
- Panasonic TH42PX25 42-inch 16:9 integrated plasma DTV $4949.95
- Philips 20PF8946 20-inch widescreen LCD TV $1198.95
- Philips 30PF9946D 30-inch widescreen direct-view LCD TV $1998.95
- Philips 42PF9976 42-inch 16:9 plasma TV $4499.95
- Samsung HLP5063W 50-inch 16:9 DLP projection TV $2519.95
- Samsung HLP5674W 56-inch 16:9 DLP projection TV $3419.95
- Samsung HLP6163 61-inch 16:9 DLP projection TV $3339.95
- Samsung SPP4251 42-inch 16:9 plasma TV $2429.95
- Sony KDF50WE655 50-inch wide integr. LCD proj. DTV $2699.95
- Sony KP46WT520 46-inch 16:9 projection TV $1349.95
- Zenith P42W46XH 42-inch 16:9 plasma TV $2299.95
- Value Electronics (New York Times, no disclaimer necessary):
- RCA HD61THW263 61-inch 16:9 integrated DLP projection DTV $6999
- Video & Audio Center (Los Angeles Times, no disclaimer):
- LG RU42PX11 42-inch 16:9 plasma TV $2498 $2497.97
- LG RU52SZ61D 52-inch 16:9 DLP projection TV $2797.97
- Mitsubishi WD52327 52-inch 16:9 projection TV
- Mitsubishi WD62327 62-inch 16:9 projection TV $3797.97
- Sharp LC26GA4U 26-inch widescreen LCD TV $1997
- Sony KDF70XBR950 70-inch 16:9 integr. LCD proj. DTV
- Sony KE42TS2 42-inch 16:9 plasma TV $3497.97
- Sony KF42WE610 42-inch 16:9 LCD projection TV
- Sony KF50WE610 50-inch 16:9 LCD projection TV $2597.97
- Sony KF60WE610 60-inch 16:9 LCD projection TV
- Sony KP46WT510 46-inch 16:9 projection TV $1297.97
- WinBook (USA Today, no disclaimer):
- WinBook 30-inch 5:3 LCD TV $999 AR
AR - price after mail-in rebate
- DVD news:
- According to CEA, sales of DVD players to U.S. dealers for 2004 were
down 9.1% from 2003. My ten-week running average was down 32.1%. VCR
sales were down 64.7%.
I'm not permitted to release data for the first two weeks of 2005
until Monday.
- Video rentals reportedly accounted for half of the "movie
transactions" in 2004, with theatrical box office, video sales, and
pay-per-view/video-on-demand, in that order, accounting for the rest,
according to Adams Media Research. The transition from VHS to DVD
dominating rental appears to have occurred in 2003:
<http://www.adamsmediaresearch.com/Video%20Rental%202004.htm>
- Two Chinese DVD-player manufacturers have sued the 3C Patent Group
in the U.S. saying it has caused unfair competition:
<http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-01/20/content_410667.htm>
If they win, how much lower can DVD-player prices go?
- Here's a story on the Mini-DVD format:
<http://www.twice.com/article/CA498639.html?verticalid=820&industry=Video&in
dustryid=23099&pubdate=01/24/2005>
- MGM has settled a lawsuit regarding improper "widescreen" labeling
of DVDs. The first two URLs are for two very different stories. The third
is for the settlement agreement:
<http://videoeta.com/news/1834>
<http://www.thedigitalbits.com/articles/mgmsuit/mgmsuit.html>
<http://www.mgmdvdsettlement.com/>
- Satellite news:
- EchoStar has 11 million U.S. subscribers:
<http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_vi
ew&newsId=20050131005225&newsLang=en>
- DirecTV has almost 14 million:
<http://yahoo.reuters.com/financeQuoteCompanyNewsArticle.jhtml?duid=mtfh4034
3_2005-01-27_20-54-25_n27638857_newsml>
But DirecTV Group CEO Chase Carey predicted fewer new subscribers in
the future:
<http://www.tvweek.com/article.cms?articleId=27126>
- The FCC has issued a report on the costs of switching from cable to
satellite:
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-256317A1.pdf>
- PVR news: According to a survey by Ipsos-Insight, 77% of Americans are
aware of them, up from 70% last year, but purchase intentions have remained
constant at 8% likely or very likely in the next 12 months. The full story
requires a paid subscription:
<http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA499013.html?display=Breaking+News>
- The IEEE Broadcast Technology Society will be doing a tutorial at the NAB
convention on audio & video over wireless broadband:
<http://www.nabshow.com/sessiondetail.asp?id=1202872>
- The New York Times had a front-page story in Sunday's Arts & Leisure
section called "Steal This Show":
<http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/30/arts/television/30manl.html>
- Upcoming Dates (DTV and non-DTV):
- February 17-19, Resort at Squaw Creek, Lake Tahoe, California, CEA
Summit <http://www.ce.org/events/event_info/default.asp?eventID=WS05>.
- February 21-22, New York and London, Collaborative Conferencing
Summit <http://sites.securemc.com/folder4073/>.
- February 25, 1750 K Street NW, Washington, D.C., ATSC Forum
<http://www.atsc.org/technicalmeetings.html>.
- March 7-11, Hyatt Regency San Antonio, Texas, CEA Winter Technology
& Standards Forum
<http://www.ce.org/events/event_info/default.asp?eventID=WTS05>.
- March 23, KQED, San Francisco, VSB seminar
<http://www.lns.com/sbe/archive/sbenov04.html>.
- March 28-31, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, SURA/VIDe
2005 <http://www.vide.net/conferences/spr2005/>.
- April 3-5, Moscone Center, San Francisco, NCTA: The National Show
<http://www.thenationalshow.com/ncta2005/ncta2005/public/enter.aspx>.
- April 14-16, MGM Grand, Las Vegas, PBS Technology Conference
<https://secure.connect.pbs.org/conferences/technology/2005/>.
- April 16-21, Las Vegas Convention Center, NAB 2005
<http://www.nabshow.com/default.asp>.
- May 22-27, Hynes Convention Center, Boston, SID International
Symposium 2005 <http://www.sid.org/conf/sid2005/sid2005.html>.
- May 28-31, CCIB, Barcelona, 118th AES Convention
<http://www.aes.org/events/118/>.
- May 30-June 3, Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, Calgary,
SAIT/WABE Broadcast Training Seminar <wayne.watson@xxxxxxx>
<http://www.wabe.ca/>.
- June 4-10, Las Vegas Convention Center, Infocomm 2005
<http://infocomm05.expoexchange.com/>.
- June 14-16, Macau, IEEE International Symposium on Consumer
Electronics <http://www.ieee.org.hk/>
- June 28-30, Javits Convention Center, New York, Entertainment
Technology Alliance Summit <http://www.etaexpo.com/register.html>.
* - new or revised listing
TTFN,
Mark
PS Permission is granted to forward this or any other Monday Memo. Next
week's memo might be late.
Have a question about the memo? Before contacting me, please try the FAQs
and glossary in the second postscript to the January 10 memo:
<http://www.digitaltelevision.com/mondaymemo/mlist/frm02163.html>
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