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

  • From: Albert Manfredi <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Sat, 7 Feb 2009 17:56:49 -0500

Tom Barry wrote:
 
> Also consider almost everything on sub-channels is these
> days 4:3 480i, WORSE quality than you can easily
> download on the Internet. I have never spent 5
> consecutive minutes on any sub-channel. I have also never
> found even one show on the MyTV network to watch and in
> Gainesville never even watch the CW channel since it is a
> 480i sub-channel.
 
First of all, I think we can agree that my disagreement with Craig was about 
INFRASTRUCTURE, and not the content of subchannels. In terms of infrastructure, 
we have here a lot more OTA capacity than most European countries can afford, 
certainly in the major markets. And if we had fewer rules such as the national 
cap, that capacity could be put to even better use.
 
It's a bit like trying to treat a patient who has a broken leg for something 
unrelated, like a nose bleed. Harping on infrastructure as a reason why OTA is 
not more successful is mostly a waste of time.
 
So aside from that, yes, there are some subchannels that I use. The only thing 
to consider is content. On our independent Ch 30, I watch almost exclusively 
30-5, almost never 30-1. 30-5 is the 24 hours Russia Today news service. I used 
to watch 30-3 a lot as well, which was France 24 news service. (Too bad they 
replaced that with something totally uninteresting to me.) On our ABC 
affiliate, I often watch 7-3 when they air old shows that are fun and that I 
missed back when. But of course, it goes without saying that better content 
would attract me and others to the subchannels more often.
 
And there's no excuse for the broadcasters to air the subchannels as 4:3, 
unless that's what the content was shot in. Also consider that some stations, 
such as WMPT (PBS in Annapolis), air their HD programs on a subchannel, not on 
their -1 channel. For what that's worth.
 
> Many people don't care yet but as folks get used to
> progressive fixed pixel HD sets I think we will find
> that 480i sub-channels are going to be viewed as low
> budget losers going forward.
 
Yes, but that's entirely up to station management. There is nothing that forces 
the 480i subchannels to be poor, and by the way, 576i and 4:3 are used also in 
the European freeview schemes that Craig always touts. So lets be consistent 
here.
 
Certainly, I agree that as more and more people are buying HDTV sets, with 
screen dimensions much bigger than they had in the past, better quality will be 
required in the subchannels. And no doubt, if station managers deliberately 
devalue their subchannels with infomercials and other such garbage, they will 
drive people to other sources of TV content. The Internet being one obvious 
example.

Bert
 
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