[opendtv] Re: News: LTE Tempts With Advanced Services
- From: Craig Birkmaier <craig@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sat, 9 Jun 2012 09:10:55 -0400
At 3:23 PM -0500 6/7/12, Manfredi, Albert E wrote:
Why do you think they can't continue watching these shows? They can.
However, over expensive and 2-way LTE, suddenly there's no absolute
need to watch on a schedule.
Sorry Bert, but you still do not get it.
People DO like to watch "live" TV, whether it is really live (like a
sporting event or American Idol), or just happens to be broadcast
when they feel like watching (aka Prime Time). YES, they can access
pre-produced programs via multiple infrastructures and do this at ANY
time. But millions of people still watch TV shows when they run in
the antiquated Time & Channel universe.
And guess what?
This WOULD NOT CHANGE if broadcasters move to a new LTE broadcast
infrastructure. They would still broadcast many programs - at higher
quality levels - to satisfy the current demand for "live" programming.
You seem to forget that the congloms still tightly control FIRST
ACCESS to their most valuable programming, especially sports. You
cannot watch this stuff in ANY other way when it is first broadcast,
irregardless of the infrastructure used for distribution. It is not
likely that this will change any time soon. What needs to change is
the number of people watching these programs, which has been in
steady decline for decades.
The ability to reach viewers on mobile devices will INCREASE the
potential (and real) audience size. I already use my smart phone to
access live streams, or more typically "game tracker" info, when I am
away from home and a sporting event I am interested in is taking
place.
I would definitely use an LTE broadcast service IF it existed. But I
would NOT buy a stand alone ATSC-MHP receiver or any other mobile
device that ONLY worked with TV broadcasts.
If broadcasters want to switch over to LTE, presumably at the
expense of ATSC broadcast spectrum, then the advertisers would
follow them over to LTE. But the mandate to broadcast live or else
will be gone. It's not technically mandatory anymore.
That's ridiculous! Live programming is the mainstay of what still
exists in the broadcast business. And when I say live here, I include
pre-produced shows that are being aired for the first time.
Convince the advertisers that those same 29 million people will
watch a unicast stream instead of a broadcast, and convince them
to pay the same ad rates, and you'll have something.
This could work except for a few minor issues:
1. This programming - by design - is NOT available via unicast
networks. You won't see Apple TV delivering live streams that compete
with the MVPDs or OTA broadcasts.
2. It's the ads that people are trying to avoid.
I'm not the one pushing for LTE, however I have no reason to assume
that this more expensive infrastructure CAN'T provide the program to
those same people.
Exactly! Moving to an LTE broadcast infrastructure does no
disenfranchise existing ATSC viewers, other than requiring a new
receiver, which will be cheap. In fact, there is likely to be intense
competition to build such receivers in future products that will
connect to the big screen via HDMI.
And I think you are exaggerating about the LTE infrastructure being
more expensive. Big Sticks are not cheap to build, nor are they cheap
to operate. Yes, switching the LTE broadcast is a new capital
investment, but it would provide broadcasters access to a major new
market - mobile. And they would be able to leverage the huge
investments already made in cellular infrastructure.
And don;t forget, that the big sticks can still be used for higher
powered LTE broadcasts in rural areas.
2. If you really think that retaining an EFFICIENT broadcast
infrastructure is desirable, then don't go to LTE. Let the handheld
devices depend on existing wireless Internet networks, and let the
broadcasters continue to provide the efficient broadcast
infrastructure.
You mean the efficient ATSC infrastructure that hardly ANYONE is using?
This is a certain prescription for the rapid extinction of
broadcasters. Not that the congloms would care that much. They would
simply cut out the broadcast middlemen and cut deals with the MVPDs
and telcos.
Regards
Craig
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