On 12/13/06, flyback1 <flyback1@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Albert Manfredi wrote:
Do you think that just because some people like to smoke, everyone
should
be forced to put up with their addiction? Why not try to sell that
notion to
the UK, France, Italy, or Australia? Forget Freeview, guys. Cable
gives you
more choice.
Bert
In the 1940s and early 50s there were just three BBC radio services
in the
UK: Home, Light and Third. There was also just one television
service. ONE!
The BBC!
It wasn't till 1955 when ITV began broadcasting that there was any
competition for the BBC Television Service.
How many radio and tv stations were there in 1950 in NEW YORK CITY,
much
less the state or the whole country? More than in all the UK.
So the US is addicted to radio and television. Should everyone in
the world
be forced to put up with their addiction?
I was just making the point that unless I subscribe to either cable or
satellite, I will never be able to watch HD NET, ESPNHD, HBOHD
or any other HBO program for that matter.
Most cable and satellite programming will never be seen OTA.
Just local programs which are mostly available in their markets of
origin
over cable and satellite. It's a one way street.
So why bother with expensive towers, transmiters, huge electric
bills and
outrageously expensive engineers and managers to run it all?
Cable and satellite are much more efficient and the pictures are
certainly
better.
Cable and satellite have a lot of bandwidth so they make use of it to
offer more content to niche markets that few watch. But when you leave
the channel contraints behind and start broadcasting content 24/7 to
massive storage devices and offer your service at a much lower price
you can match cable or satellite IMO.
That is within the constraints of using channels 2-51. If your
broadcast service on those channels was backed up by an even deeper
selection of niche content offered over a sister broadband service
using a customers existing broadband connection, then the total
package could be an order of magnitude lower in cost that cable or
satellite.
