[opendtv] Re: Huh?

  • From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Wed, 22 Mar 2006 11:15:04 -0500

Bob Miller wrote:

> Few people bought portable PAL receivers, millions
> will buy portable COFDM receivers. In Europe free
> DVB-T will give  DVB-H subscription services a very
> big headache IMO.

I think you are too intent on propaganda, so you miss the basics.

First of all, these portables are still quite expensive. DVB-T or no,
they still cost from about $250 to well over $300. They aren't any
$29.99 blue-light specials.

And secondly, the low power of many Euro DTT transmitters means that in
practice people need to use outdoor antennas to receive good signals. Or
maybe window placement of antennas, or directional indoor antennas, etc.

In other words, the advantages of COFDM for indoor reception of DVB-T
broadcasts are somewhat trumped by the lack of signal strength. Close in
to the transmitters, it might work easily. Further away, not so easily.
In Berlin, the one example documented by the mabb was the 170 KW
two-tower SFN for Chanel 44. It works out to ~12 or 14 miles from
pattern center, for indoor reception. Beyond that requires outdoor
antenna.

Compare this with the LG 5th gen receiver, which manages to pull in
8-VSB stations from 50 miles away, or more, with a Silver Sensor,
indoors, without any big hassle.

In other countries, e.g. UK, Italy, and France, you won't find 170 KW
transmissions for DTT. So indoor reception is even more handicapped than
it is for Channel 44 in Berlin.

So, as always, there are no single perfect answers, Bob.

> There will be portable receivers in the US but they
> will be COFDM based and anyone with the temerity to
> build an 8-VSB one will have it compared to the COFDM
> ones to their disadvantage.

It's exactly the same as in Europe. The COFDM units here will probably
be DVB-H for subscription services to handhelds, just like there, and
the mobile/portable ATSC will be for more plentiful and free TV, just
like the portable/mobile DVB-T across the pond.

There are other factors which overshadow the modulation differences,
especially as 8-VSB receivers improve. I'll remind you that the Samsung
Gemini measures quite a bit better than the LG 5th gen, and it's
probably nothing more than tuner differences that prevented it from
doing better in Mark's apartment.

Bert
 
 
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