[opendtv] Re: News: Reps. Barton, Stearns Offer Alternative DTV Bill

  • From: Craig Birkmaier <craig@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2009 09:24:50 -0500

At 12:11 PM -0500 2/4/09, Manfredi, Albert E wrote:

Thing is, Craig, you can repeat the same sentence year after year, but
it doesn't make it any more correct than the first time.

The ATSC did develop a standard that can transmit 30-40 high quality
channels in every market. It is the broadcasters, what with retrans
consent, and the American consumer happy to be suckered into any "pay
nothing now, just pay as you go" scheme that comes along, that prevents
the ATSC standard from being fully exploited.
Sorry Bert, but you are wrong. If HD is included in the mix the number of SD channels (or their quality) is significantly reduced. You are well aware of this based on all of your posts regarding the issues that the UK is facing relative to adding HD to the Freeview mix.
Even in ideal markets, USDTV could only manage about 20 channels of relatively poor pay service in addition to the broadcast channels.
The only way to attain the spectral efficiency necessary to deliver the number of channels I am talking abut would be to move to a national service like the UK (which ain't gonna happen), or to move to a transmission infrastructure with improved spectral efficiency (i.e. lower power that does not radiate into adjacent markets). 

The ATSC standard does not support this.



In that piece about Disney you just posted, for example, it is obvious
that some broadcast channels are perfectly viable. There is nothing
preventing Disney from including ESPN and Disney Channel in its ATSC
multiplexes, other than the way they can reap in bigger profits if they
get people hooked on MVPDs. This has nothing to do with the ATSC
standard at all.
You are correct that the media conglomerates are killing broadcast TV. ATSC was part of the big plan to bring an end to free OTA TV. 


Even with the main network stations making no attempt at efficient use
of their ATSC channels, I can already receive 30 channels now, and
that's with the antenna in the fireplace, for heavens sake. With analog
shutoff, and some infusion of enthusiasm in OTA, that number could
easily be raised to 40 or more, certainly in the bigger markets.
Your situation is both unique and illustrative of why you are wrong. You are receiving duplicated broadcasts from two markets that are so close together that they cannot prevent you from receiving both from their high powered big sticks. Now if the content were unique on all 30 channels you MIGHT be correct. Instead, you have proven why broadcasters cannot compete with cable and DBS using the ATSC standard. 

Regards
Craig


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