[opendtv] Re: CBA and Microprose team up on NTIA DTV Boxes
- From: "John Shutt" <shuttj@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 23 May 2008 10:52:29 -0400
----- Original Message -----
From: "Craig Birkmaier" <craig@xxxxxxxxx>
Ther is a belief among some manufacturers that the legislation creating
the DTV coupon program specifically prohibits the inclusion of an NTSC
tuner. I do not read it that way, but the NTIA bought into the propaganda
from a few manufacturers that the NTSC tuner would increase the cost of
the box, so the NTIA prohibited it in their specs. In reality it may cost
more to not include the NTSC tuner, as off-the-shelf chips could have been
used...the NRE on a new chip design is considerable.
From the NTIA:
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/dtvcoupon/DTVmanufacturers.pdf
In the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005, Congress
defines the term
digital-to-analog converter box as a:
"Stand-alone device that does not contain features or functions except those
necessary to enable a
consumer to convert any channel broadcast in the digital television service
into a format that the
consumer can display on television receivers designed to receive and display
signals only in the
analog television service, but may also include a remote control device."
An NTSC tuner would be a feature or function that is not necessary to enable
a consumer to convert any channel broadcast in the digital television
service into a format that the consumer can display on a television receiver
designed to receive and display signals only in the analog television
service.
I'm not saying I agree that NTSC tuners should have been excluded, I'm just
saying that it was more than just hype from equipment manufacturers that led
the NTIA to exclude analog tuners in CECBs.
I suspect that "See Ya" (nod to Mario) got that language put into the law to
make sure that the CECBs didn't cut in to sales of new flat screen TVs. For
example, most ATSC tuner chips also included, at no extra cost, ClearQAM
tuner capability.
So if an NTSC and ClearQAM tuner were included, a CECB could have been an
ideal means for cable viewers to convert to digital basic cable, and still
have OTA backup service if cable went out. Throw in a CableCard slot, and
the CECB could have been a very useful and desirable box. (Well, more
desirable than they already are.)
I expect to see many of these CECBs to be reintroduced with NTSC and
ClearQAM tuners that will tune both OTA and cable frequencies, and with HDMI
outputs right after the coupon program expires.
John
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