[opendtv] Re: Start a New Pool about How Bad the Transition Will Be

  • From: Tom Barry <trbarry@xxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Sat, 30 Jun 2007 19:12:48 -0400

I've only owned 9 but have had similar results. However I wonder how many of us gradually became discouraged and stopped about the 3rd generation, once QAM cable tuner cards became available. I did that and haven't bought another for 2-3 years.


I'd be interested in testimonials from anyone on this list of how reliable they thing any of the USB or Ethernet 5th gen gadgets are since I'm probably going that route when I build my next HTPC.

Usually anymore I just laugh when LG announces yet another generation. But I would still be interested in hearing success or failure stories of real use.

Right now I'm specifically interested in that Ethernet connected HD Home Run if anybody can compare it. Of course with that one I can still use it with QAM cable if OTA still has breakups.

- Tom


flyback1 wrote:
In case you haven't noticed, it's already not been 'fun'.

For a very long time, since even before the first MNF in HDTV on September 13, 1999, I have tried to receive OTA signals without breakups, freezes, audio dropouts, etc. but ATSC is just not reliable.

I have owned ELEVEN OTA HDTV STBs in this 9 year time frame, and while the latest, a Samsung is slightly better, none tested to date produce reliable reception. This is with 7 different indoor and outdoor antennas, some with mast mounted preamps, some direct to the receiver, in two different locations 26 miles apart in the Philadelphia market and NO combination of antennas and equipment has to date produced satisfactory reliable reception, ever at any time. We have been sold a bill of goods by the gov't. and the manufacturers, aided and abetted by the cable, dbs satellite and fiber companies in whose interest it is for ATSC TO FAIL COMPLETELY.

No one in any responsible industry position cares whether consumers can watch FREE OTA TV. Their goal is to sell as much new equipment as possible, and even more when that which is already in the hands of the consumers proves unreliable, and when ATSC is finally declared unworkable and void, be there with their hands out to collect all the subscription fees for connection to cable, dbs satellite and fiber which has finally won the war by killing free television.

Only in America can this happen.

johnwillkie wrote:

I think the first day post analog will not be fun anywhere in the U.S.

John Willkie

P.S.  So, you were almost fired for poking your head into non-military
matters.  Last time I checked, the military could only have something to do
with TV AFTER a national emergency, on the direct orders of the President.
(It's in the Communications Act, and FCC regulations.)
What made you think that you had something relevant to the matter, other
than as a citizen?  I suspect that you weren't "almost fired" for voicing
objections (long after the fact, long after the horse had left the building)
as a citizen, but were using your position to add 'oomph' to them.


-----Mensaje original-----
De: opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] En
nombre de Stephen W. Long
Enviado el: Friday, June 29, 2007 2:43 PM
Para: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Asunto: [opendtv] Start a New Pool about How Bad the Transition Will Be

I propose a new pool.  Does anyone want to guess just how bad the day AFTER
the transition will be?  Will anyone even notice (one end of the spectrum),
to the other end - politicians talking on the radio (TV not working after
all), about the travesty of all those seniors and poor Americans that no
longer have TV.

During all of the fracas that ensued after I was nearly fired for daring to
say the Emperor (8VSB) has no clothes, some folks more cynical than me said
that the whole point of adoption of 8VSB was to allow OTA to die so that all
of that valuable spectrum could be sold off.  If everyone is on cable or
satellite or phone company (FIos), and nobody even notices that analog is
gone, then maybe we SHOULD just shut it all down and be done with it.

My offer of several years ago still stands - if in the aftermath of the
transition, when all hell has broken loose and everyone then in charge gets
fired for such a major screw up, and a call is made for someone to create an
American TV standard that works, then as the humble civil servant I am, I
will volunteer to head a new standards committee that will write a new
standard that works for the American people, not the vested interests that
own IPR in TV technology.

My dog in the fight remains the same as always - what TV broadcast
technology will deliver bits to Americans when the Nation is having a really
bad day?  In the cities where most of us live (not the vast grass prairies
where few live anymore), is 8VSB the best choice for severe dynamic echo
environments?  No, No, No.  I have hidden in my basement watching a local
analog TV station to watch a tornado pass on the radar a mile from my house.
I can not do this with 8VSB - no coverage in my basement, I can't get decent
8VSB coverage with the antenna on my roof 30 feet in the air!!!  I can
receive NTSC in my basement with rabbit ears on my battery TV.  Funny, I
don't see any portable 8VSB receivers in the stores.  Why is that?  Do the
manufactures know something that all of the RF engineers on this list don't
seem to know?

All I can say is, the day after is going to be funny/sad in the extreme.
Maybe I will be given the opportunity to say I told you so, but that does
not help the Nation - my only reason for caring anyway.

Stephen

-----Original Message-----
From: opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Tom Barry
Sent: Thursday, June 28, 2007 10:40 PM
To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [opendtv] Re: Demand for free DTV rising in Australia


As I see it we basically just have to debate this issue for about 20
more months, while staving off any attempts to delay the cutoff.   Then
there will be lots of real world tests and commentary.

In the meantime maybe we could start a pool about what the percentage
usage of OTA will be one year after the cutoff.  Anybody want to go
first?  Maybe Craig would volunteer a 6-pack of home brew as a prize to
the winner.  ;-)

- Tom

Dale Kelly wrote:
Honestly, it seems to me that all of the improvements in 8-VSB receivers
fall on deaf ears. So to get off the dime, I see no other recourse than
revisiting some of the sites of tests that were not controversial from
the COFDM side.
Not true, this all started with me saying that 8VSB had improved to the
point that we should simply get on with it.


-----Original Message-----
From: opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Manfredi, Albert E
Sent: Thursday, June 28, 2007 4:48 PM
To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [opendtv] Re: Demand for free DTV rising in Australia


Dale Kelly


That is also correct. I was personally involved with Sinclair
and we jointly presented arguments before the full MSTV
committee regarding the DVTM2000(T) front end issue.
All the more reason to use the 1999 Sinclair tests, where this was not
an issue.

Honestly, it seems to me that all of the improvements in 8-VSB receivers
fall on deaf ears. So to get off the dime, I see no other recourse than
revisiting some of the sites of tests that were not controversial from
the COFDM side.

I see no down sides. The worst that could happen is that 8-VSB still
comes out extremely bad, and that would create no change whatever to the
status quo.

Bert

Tom Barry                  trbarry@xxxxxxxxxxx






--
Tom Barry                  trbarry@xxxxxxxxxxx  



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