[opendtv] Ofcom details new market research for DDR
- From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 6 Jul 2007 17:42:08 -0400
Craig Birkmaier wrote:
> There is another very real possibility for improved services for
> Freeview. The current image quality is already a big step up from
> PAL. What i would expect in the next few years is that most of the
> SD services will upgrade to something like 1024 x 576P using H.264
> compression. This will deliver image quality in the same spectrum
> space that will be difficult to differentiate from the HD channels.
But that doesn't solve the problem.
The problem is how to offer HDTV, or at least much improved TV (call it
what you like, since it's pointless to get stuck on "HD" per se) without
having everyone shift to H.264 today. UK broadcasters have already
offered Ofcom a plan in which extra spectrum would only be used for HDTV
during a transitional period, then turned back in for other uses after
H.264 was available to the majority.
So this isn't a discussion about HDTV vs. EDTV. It's instead how to keep
on transmitting 30-odd Freeview programs, while transitioning to higher
quality images.
People keep telling Ofcom that higher quality TV over Freeview is what
they want.
Bert
------------------------------------
http://www.dtg.org.uk/news/news.php?id=2542
Ofcom details new market research for DDR
Ofcom has provided details of new market research it will conduct
following discussions with stakeholders in May over its digital dividend
review (DDR). Ofcom delayed making a final policy decision on the
outcome of its DDR consultation after receiving 750 responses, and said
more research would be carried out this summer after which a further
consultation would take place.
An alliance of public service broadcasters, consumer electronics
manufacturers and retailers has been lobbying Ofcom and the Government
to reserve some spectrum for high-definition channels on the UK's
digital terrestrial platform, Freeview. Earlier this week a Westminster
Media Forum seminar on HD heard from Freeview general manager Ilse
Howling that three quarters of consumers with HD-ready TVs expected HD
on Freeview, and said they valued HD more than they would value
additional television channels.
Ofcom said its quantitative and qualitative research would update its
earlier research conducted last year, and "explore preferences among
hard-to-reach population subgroups not included before". The
quantitative research would be nationally representative and include
questions from the previous research to enable comparisons. "Potential
services that could use the digital dividend will be described using
'showcards'. The content of the showcards used in last year's research
will be reviewed in the light of comments received from stakeholders,"
said Ofcom.
Qualitative research will be conducted with large discussion groups in
different locations across the UK. The groups will be shown
demonstrations of all of the new technologies covered by the DDR
research. "Following discussion of potential sources of private and
social value, the groups will rate and rank services from both
perspective. The research will also seek to establish views on a range
of future scenarios for penetration and use of different technologies,"
said Ofcom.
Lovelace Consulting 06.07.2007
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