[opendtv] Re: News: NAB Seeks Converter-Box Proposals
- From: "John Willkie" <JohnWillkie@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 16 Jun 2005 22:55:09 -0700
just another NAB/MSTV stab at 'maintaining the NTSC franchise', no?
John Willkie
----- Original Message -----
From: "Craig Birkmaier" <craig@xxxxxxxxx>
To: "OpenDTV Mail List" <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, June 16, 2005 3:15 AM
Subject: [opendtv] News: NAB Seeks Converter-Box Proposals
>
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA608668.html?display=Breaking+News&referral=SUPP
>
> NAB Seeks Converter-Box Proposals
>
> By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 6/15/2005 3:03:00 PM
>
> The National Association of Broadcasters and broadcast spectrum group
> Maximum Service Television Wednesday said they will take an active
> role in developing a low-cost analog-to-digital converter boxes.
>
> NAB and the Consumer Electronics Industry have been in a war of words
> over the switch to digital. CEA has pushed a hard date, while NAB has
> argued that could disenfranchise viewers. At one point the two groups
> were planning to work together to promote the digital switch, but had
> a falling out and have been at loggerheads since.
>
> Wednesday's announcement continued that war, implying that CEA
> members would need some guidance from broadcasters to insure they
> could produce low-cost devices that also worked well.
>
> "In recent months there have been a number of manufacturers claiming
> they could build a low cost box. Low cost is critical, but not the
> only factor. These converter boxes must be consumer-friendly and most
> importantly they must work well," said NAB/MSTV.
>
> CEA certainly saw it as a slap. "It's ridiculous," said Michael
> Petricone, VP, technology policy, for CEA. "They are making up an
> issue where no issue exists. All kinds of manufacturers say they are
> going to produce the boxes. It is just another in NAB's tactics of
> confusion and delay."
>
> The switch to digital is considered by many to be political poison
> for the industry and Washington without a guarantee that come
> whatever deadline is set--it now looks like 2009--for the return of
> analog spectrum, anyone still relying on over-the-air reception to an
> analog set will have either a low-cost or no-cost (as in subsidized)
> analog-to-digital converter box that allows those sets to keep
> working.
>
> Several manufacturers say they are ready to produce the boxes in high
> volume and at low cost--estimates have gone as low as $40-$50
> dollars, but they are waiting for Washington to guarantee that volume
> in the form of a hard-date for the switch or a subsidized box program
> for the millions of low-income families, many minorities, that rely
> on analog-only.
>
> NAB will be asking for quotes from consumer electronics manufacturers
> on the box. They want a prototype by the end of the year to serve as
> a blueprint for the boxes going forward.
>
>
>
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