[opendtv] Re: Could FCC Plan Hurt HDTV Efforts?
- From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2007 18:04:17 -0400
Richard Hollandsworth wrote:
> Presumably there is a law prohibiting "material degradation"
> of the digital signal. Clearly, deriving an analog signal from
> a local HD broadcast would violate this law.
Since the FCC has always acknowledged that STBs with analog outputs
would be available to allow continued use of older analog sets, they
have in fact accepted that, in certain circumstances, "material
degradation" is allowable. The only question is whether this "material
degradation" is allowable at the head end, creating a simulcast through
the entire network, or whether it can only be allowed on the customer
premises, in the guise of an STB. To me, that's a silly quibble. Either
should be allowed.
Seems clear that the "material degradation" rule was only meant to
prevent cable systems from reducing a broadcaster's HDTV signal to SD in
the digital tier, not in any form of analog tier (through the net or in
an STB at the end) that by definition cannot be HDTV.
> Forcing maybe 15 percent of TTHHs to use an OTA Tuner is bad
> enough.... But if they don't "clarify" the law, it's gonna
> really annoy the other 40-60 percent of TTHHs who currently
> watch analog cable channels on one or more of their TVs....
It would be extremely disingenuous for the cable industry to argue
against the use of STBs for analog conversion. Because then they would
have to explain how come they are so dead set against promoting use of
CableCard receivers. Presumably, all those customers who now stick with
the cable analog tier only to avoid having to use an STB will soon want
to go to digital and HD, and will still oppose the forced use of an STB.
Do cable systems seem to care about these guys?
> There seem to be significant differences between Swami's
> report and what was in MULTICHANNEL:
>http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6433097.html?display=Breaking+New
s
I don't get this quote:
"'This plan appears to conclude that the digital-TV transition can be
solved by disenfranchising millions of customers by forcing them to rent
a set-top box they may not want, and it will in fact cost more because
the [FCC] has refused to repeal its $600 million-per-year set-top-box
tax that begins in July,' NCTA vice president of communications Brian
Dietz said."
The Martin plan says nothing about forcing people to rent an STB they
don't want. If these analog households stay OTA, they would BUY an STB
for a few bucks. Not rent. And if they go to a cable system instead of
the DTT route, where does Martin insist that cable systems drop their
analog tier? I missed that part. If anything, it's the other way around.
Bert
----------------------------------------------------------------------
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:
