[opendtv] Re: Mobile DTV test
- From: Craig Birkmaier <craig@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2004 09:56:13 -0400
At 4:02 PM -0400 4/13/04, Manfredi, Albert E wrote:
>This of course is a valid question, and the answer *ought*
>to be "just like NTSC." These sets will not cost "hundreds of
>dollars" eventually, nor will they be new, eventually.
Unfortunately the reality is that the system is NOT just like NTSC. I
have used NTSC portable sets in many locations, and I have seen them
used by many people in their homes. Picture quality on a tiny
screen is not a big deal when you are preparing breakfast in the
kitchen. In MANY cases the pictures on these sets are barely
viewable; this is not a big problem, as the audio is what is really
important when you are busy doing other things.
I see NO evidence that these sets will cost less than hundreds of
dollars at ANY time in the future that is relevant to this
discussion. The critical time will be when NTSC is turned off. If,
as you advocate, the FCC succeeds in turning of NTSC in 2007, by
counting multi-channel homes, there WILL NOT be cheap sets to replace
those in the kitchen. And the first generation HD capable sets that
will "not be new" by that time are not likely candidates for the
kitchen. The truth is that not ONE small portable set with integrated
ATSC receiver has been built, or shipped to a customer to date.
>As to reception, I fully expect that DTV will be received with
>equal or better success than NTSC. Cliff is an example of where
>this happens today, albeit not from the market closest to his
>place.
You are truly naive.
> > Bert...you tend to look at this stuff with historic blinders.
>
>Au contraire. I take the long term view, not the snapshot of the
>next year or three.
Then your statement is even more disconcerting.
>
>> Do you really expect people to invest in DTV receivers for OLD TV=20
>> sets that are only used infrequently?
>
>Again, I take the longer term view. People will not quit buying
>the smaller set for kitchen or patio, or the odd bedroom. People
>will not throw away that TV set that they consider "primo" today.
I agree that there will continue to be a market for smaller sets. But
this market is already being transformed, by those who take the long
view - without TV blinders.
We are moving into a new digital world where digital media content
will be shared among a range of devices. These include: the TVs and
computers used in our homes, our personal digital communications
platforms (cell phones, PDAs etc); our vehicle audio, video and
communications/information systems; portable media players; portable
computers, etc.
To believe that someone in the long view is going to spend hundreds
of dollars on an integrated DTV receiver for the kitchen is nothing
less than short sighted. The information appliance for the kitchen
will not be so limited. It will be a device that allows the sharing
of media and information via the in-home network. It will maintain a
variety of database services that are appropriate for the kitchen;
recipes, inventories, shopping lists, electronic coupons; web access,
etc.
Information appliances for bedrooms and dens are already being
transformed. It is absurd to think that they will be limited to the
functionality of a portable ATSC receiver.
It looks like your long view is derived by looking in a mirror at the past.
Regards
Craig
----------------------------------------------------------------------
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:
