[opendtv] Re: News: DTV Converter Prices Plummet
- From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 27 Aug 2009 16:08:12 -0400
John Shutt wrote:
> You may well be right, and the expanded digital basic in the
> clear is temporary.
>
> Look at FAQ #32 below:
>
http://comcast.com/digitalnow/FAQs.aspx?map=all_faq_map
>
> Although for the life of me I don't understand why they would
> scramble the expanded basic digital tier and render recorders
> and televisions with Clear QAM tuners useless.
>
> Requiring some sort of STB or DTA adaptor for every single set
> eliminates any advantage cable had over U-verse or DBS.
>
> (Well I can think of one reason: People who subscribe to
> Lifeline Basic that also have Clear QAM tuner equipped
> televisions. However, that problem exists today with analog
> cable tuner equipped televisions, and the cable company simply
> uses a low pass filter at the pole for those Limited Basic
> subscribers.)
As far as I can tell, the DTA is just like an OTA plain-jane STB, but
with additional conditional access scheme built in. And since they are
being provided by many vendors, I would expect that the CECB vendors
could modify their boxes for QAM (which may already be available but
disabled) and the appropriate scrambling technique?
Why scramble when they could use clearQAM and benefit from all that
hardware already in place?
Greed, what else? It's what keeps the economy going.
These DTAs provided by many vendors are, as far as the article
suggested, only STBs. Will they allow PVRs to become built in, for
example? No sign of that. They won't allow use of the EPG, or VOD. So
they will be the quick and easy way to get everyone on digital while at
the same time keeping away even basic stuff like time shift recording,
which they could do before easily enough, unless they pay extra for it.
I don't THINK that the cable companies get a kickback for each DTA sold,
but that could potentially be another incentive.
Bert
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