[opendtv] Re: Software updates for DTV sets
- From: Richard Hollandsworth <holl_ands@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 15:21:01 -0700 (PDT)
In Jan 2006, San Diego's KPBS-DT started broadcasting DTV software updates:
//www.freelists.org/archives/opendtv/01-2006/msg00042.html
Last month at NAB2006, I stopped by the DTV Hotspot and talked to the
UpdateLogic rep (formerly Broadcast Data Corp).
He said that there were now four PBS DTV stations currently transmitting
software updates (Boston, San Diego, Indianapolis, +??).
COX-SD is currently transmitting updates via KPBS-DT QAM carrier and TWC-SD
will soon follow.
However, currently this only supports development efforts at the various DTV
manufacture locations (like San Diego & TiJuana).
Sales of DTV's with on-air software update capability is perhaps a year away.
Obviously this will become even more important with the release of ACAP and
OCAP--however the rep said that these were not pre-requisites.
A Mar 2006 Press Release said that they had initiated tests on the UpdateTV
system and listed contracted manufacturers:
http://www.broadcastdatacorp.com/about/pdf/2006.03.28.UpdateLogic.UpdateTV.Launch.pdf
Users include Hitachi, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Samsung, Sharp, Sony....and cable
companies: Comcast, Cox Comm, Insight Comm, Time-Warner:
The more I think about it, the more questions come to mind:
1. The latest press release says that this is supposed to occur without any
knowledge or intervention by the user.
So will the set manufacturers's assume that everyone can receive and actually
watch their local PBS station when the "upcoming download announcement" is
periodically broadcast (Q: how often?).
Or will the set automatically come on in the middle of the night to look for
the announcement and then come on at the scheduled time to tune to the digital
PBS station and receive the download.
2. So what happens if the rugrats are watching MUSTARD PANCAKES--will it wait
until the next schedued download period???)
And since the ATSC A/90 and A/97 specs don't indicate any FEC other than MPEG2,
how many times will a download need to occur before it is succcessful???
Maybe the manufacturers will include additional FEC...or double/triple repeats
in each download???
3. How long will it take for the carousel to cycle through every software
update (days? weeks? months?) for every affected DTV for every DTV
manufacturer? Esp. when there are coincident releases, such as for each ACAP
and OCAP version update.
4. Since the downloads are encrypted, will a CableCard (both one-way and
two-way?) be required to decrypt the download---or will it work without a
CableCard decryptor, just like ATSC???
5. Aren't most of these new upgradeable DTV's going to remain unconnected to
either On-Air Antennas or Cable since they employ
either SAT Receivers or externally connected DTR's and HTPC's?
With all this automation "taking care of the problem", will manufacturers
notify users that an update is required???
[I'm not even sure they notify you now, even if you register.]
It also means owners of Monitors requring software updates must rely on other
means, such as a service tech.
6. With software update being standard on cable, SAT and PC systems for many
years now, why did it take so freeking long for this to be implemented for
DTVs??? A/97 date is Nov 2004 and A/90 is Jul 2000 (defines the "data
carousel").
7. Although I understand the desire of ATSC to do it the "ATSC-WAY", why didn't
the set manufacturers simply implement either a phone line modem and/or an
Ethernet connection for updates--after all most of the circuitry is already
there for CableCard.
[Yeah, I know I worry too much....]
holl_ands
==========================================
Kon Wilms <kon@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: Since you posted an ad, I'll reply in kind.
This looks like a nice try.
I notice no use of software-based FEC, or opportunistic data insertion.
A fixed-rate carousel? That is so 1995.
Some of us already have software update systems in place and running that do
more than this.
For those of us that have been doing this datacasting thing for a long time,
its amusing to see companies coming along every few years with a few old ideas,
throwing around the notion that they have a solution that no-one else has.
Cheers
Kon
On Wed, 2006-05-24 at 15:02 -0400, Manfredi, Albert E wrote:
> This is essentially an ad, however it does repeat the strange notion
> that somehow ATSC "doesn't do" software updates, at least not without
> their solution.
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