[opendtv] Re: How did Plug and Play (cable) come to include ATSC?
- From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "OpenDTV (E-mail)" <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 17 Nov 2004 13:15:48 -0500
Mark Aitken wrote:
> Then, we have this take on the current situation.
> Also, while I'm at it...One question NO ONE WILL
> ANSWER...
>
> If it is so important to move the digital transition
> forward, why is it that analog products are allowed
> to be sold?
Why won't anyone answer?
First off, while analog sets are allowed to be sold,
digital receivers are also being mandated. And while
folks will continue to buy what's cheapest that fits
their immediate needs, it's not like the digital
tuner mandate doesn't exist. It's still there.
The price delta will undoubtedly drop steadily in
integrated sets as the stand-alone STB price has
been dropping over the years.
Secondly, the digital transition only matters to the
govt as it relates to OTA spectrum. That's why they
thought best to stay out of the digital cable tuner
decision. Having the digital cable tuner offered in
concert with the ATSC tuner will help ease the pain
of the ATSC tuner, but in principle, the two
transitions are different events. So analog tuners
are still relevant to cable users who subscribe to
analog service and don't want to use an STB. No one
in govt is trying to reclaim analog spectrum in
cable systems. That is up to individual businesses.
Third, the UHF mandate is one example of not relying
on "let the market decide," and there are tons of
other similar examples that worked just fine as
well.
The article you posted,
http://www.tvtechnology.com/dailynews/one.php?id=3D2475
(remove the "2D" or "3D" after the equals sign)
only uses as its argument today's 1st gen
integrated set price delta as the reason why
people ignore the transition. That's hardly
surprising. People usually make buying decisions
based only on their personal short-term gain. If
the people, through their govt, establish long-term
goals that are generally viewed as being valid, it
is the govt's responsibility to achieve these
long-term goals.
Freeing up the RF spectrum is not a goal most
people will oppose. Just like reducing the emission
of greenhouse gases is not a goal people will
oppose. But the buying decisions of today don't
necessarily reflect a person's stated long term
interests. Obviously, in view of the second
example of a generally accepted goal.
Bert
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