[opendtv] Re: Are HD Broadcasts Required by Feb. of 2009
- From: "johnwillkie" <johnwillkie@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2007 11:35:45 -0700
Problem? What problem?
All of U.S. primetime (all networks) is HDTV. Latenight, ditto. Early AM,
ditto. 60 minutes, ditto. Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune, most soap operas,
ditto. Networks seem to be "deficient" as to HDTV with news and soap
operas.
Advertisers are starting to pay extra for HDTV spots.
Filling up that 24 hours with HDTV content is a bit of an issue, because
much content was -- shudder -- created before there was widespread
availability of HDTV production and acquisition gear. If there are
infomercials shot in HDTV, I've only heard of one, a "kitty litter
management system." I'm not sure that was ever distributed in HDTV.
I think it's a good thing that SDTV DTV sets tune in HDTV broadcasts. And,
there is not only no mandate as to which format, a broadcaster can define
their own format, within MPEG-2 constraints, and have a reasonably good
expectation that it will render on late-model TV sets.
And, ALL the content on the cable/satellite HD channels was captured in
HDTV? I think you might be confusing apples and oranges. By the way, TV
stations don't have consumers; cable firms do. To be a consumer of
something, you have to pay for it. A confused consumer is the last hope of
cable TV companies.
John Willkie
-----Mensaje original-----
De: opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] En
nombre de Don Moore
Enviado el: Friday, July 13, 2007 9:42 AM
Para: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Asunto: [opendtv] Re: Are HD Broadcasts Required by Feb. of 2009
dan.grimes@xxxxxxxx wrote:
> A local Fox affiliate employee said they are working hard to upgrade
> their news to HD because it is required with the analog turn-off in Feb.
> 2009. Is that true now? I thought broadcasters were required to
> broadcast ATSC, but nothing about what definition (in fact, Table 2
> isn't even official, correct?) I think he is mistaken but I didn't want
> to confront him on it because so much is changing so fast, perhaps I
> missed something somewhere.
That's the problem....
Broadcasters must transmitter digitally; but there is no mandate as to which
format. If they wanted to retain 480i, they could.
There's very little HD (1080i or 720p) content available to the broadcasters
to fill their share of the 24 hour void. Networks are increasing their HD
content; but eliminating
revenue share to the point where some affiliates are paying for content
instead of receiving compensation as they did in the "old days".
The "digital" TV is where the consumer confusion begins. Digital TV is not
High Definition; yet thousands of HD sets are being used to watch digital
standard definition content
and the consumers are happy. If we educate them too much, they would
discover that the broadcasters are not offering 24/7 HD content - BUT cable
and satellite are offering a few
dozen 24/7 HD content channels.
A confused consumer is may be the broadcasters last hope.
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