Craig Birkmaier wrote: > But we do not have DVB in the U.S. We cannot simply change a > few parameters of the modulation system to support MPH services. > For that we need to change the modulation standard, which means > that only NEW receivers will be able to use these bits. In truth, no different from DVB-H. So while I agree that DVB-T's COFDM "as is" is certainly more flexible than 8T-VSB, they have done to COFDM the same sort of thing that A-VSB and MPH (and at least 10 more proposals) have done to 8T-VSB. They have extended the physical layer in a backwards-compatible way. >> But AVC *could* be introduced just as "easily" as it is being >> in France and in the UK. > > Now how do I upgrade that integrated ATSC receiver that the > government forced me to buy? > > Oh yeah, just add a new STB... Exactly the same as Europeans with integrated DVB-T receivers will have to do. Except that here, since we already have HDTV, the urgency to introduce AVC does not exist. Besides, with integrated receivers adding a noise-level amount to price, who cares? Much like NTSC tuners now. Who cares if eventually it might not be used? Don't forget, for example, that by the end of 2008, no analog TV sets can be distributed to retailers in Italy. Some might interpret this to say that only monitors will be sold, but that's clearly not the case. As integrated DVB-T TVs already exist. You are assuming that DTT in Europe must mean a separate STB, but it's already not true today. > Those in Europe who have purchased wide-screen TVs (many > of which are HD capable), will simply need to buy an > affordable receiver for the new services. After a reasonable > period of time they will likely get rid of MPEG-2. > > Meanwhile those who invested in HDTV here in the U.S. may > see most of the bandwidth used for MPH services, with a > resulting decline in the attractiveness of the legacy ATSC > service. Again, in principle, the same could happen in Europe with DVB-H. If you think that mobile service will trump all other DTT, here and in Europe, no difference. For regular TV, we would all have to tie into an umbillical system, using either that system's STB or something like CableCard. > The important difference is that broadcasters in the U.S. are > using the spectrum to protect a legacy that has little to do > with DTV broadcasting ... Broadcasters in Europe are using > the spectrum to compete... DVB-T, as it is **in fact** being used in all of Europe, is to fixed home receivers. If anything, less than what ATSC can do here (no HDTV there, and very low power transmitters requiring outdoor antennas more regularly). The difference here is that we have a much more aggressive pay-TV industry, and a conflict of interest for broadcasters, caused by must-carry and retransmission consent. You keep suggesting some sort of difference that does not exist, Craig. Those countries in Europe that want to offer mobile service are talking in terms of DVB-H. Their DVB-T transmitters are way too low power, for one thing, to provide a credible mobile service. Even if it might work in certain small areas. I understand your desire to grab the TV spectrum for mobile service. It would affect European DTT exactly the same as US DTT. They would go to DVB-H, we could do likewise, or go to one of the new VSB variants. 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.