[opendtv] Still Fine Tuning
- From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 4 Jun 2010 18:47:35 -0500
"'We are getting a lot of anecdotal information about people cutting the cable
and getting their TV with a combination of OTA TV and the Internet by using
online services such as Hulu and Netflix,' said Wharton. He cited a survey
finding that one in eight pay-TV customers expect to cut or reduce services due
to the availability of OTA and web-based viewing options."
So, what's the truth here? Has DTT viewership dropped, or is it increasing?
Unfortunately, the answers always seem to depend on what axe the guy answering
is grinding.
I have found that our local ABC7, VHF, continues to be problematic
occasionally. I think it must be that my signal margin is minimal. But instead,
CBS9, also VHF, is solid, even though CBS9 is only transmitting 12.6 KW ERP.
Not to worry. As luck would have it, Baltimore's ABC2, now on UHF Ch 38, took
over what used to be Baltimore's CBS13 transition transmitter. So they moved
down from Ch 52 to Ch 38, and up from 602 KW to 1 MW, and are now coming in
just fine, thank you very much. Even if my receive antenna (farm) is sitting on
the floor of the fireplace, on the ground floor.
Conversely, needless to say, Balt CBS13 back on VHF, at either 9.8 or 4.5 KW,
has been invisible to me to this past year.
So my questions are, how does the FCC balance all these calls for moving back
to UHF against their desire to shove all DTT onto VHF? And also, of course,
what is the truth about DTT viewership??
One week from Saturday is the all-digital birthday. Happy birthday!
Bert
-------------------------------------
http://www.tvtechnology.com/article/101544
Still Fine Tuning
by Ian MacSpadden, 06.04.2010
WASHINGTON
As the DTV transition from analog to digital broadcasting marks its one-year
anniversary this week, don't expect to see celebration of any type by viewers
or broadcasters. Following a decade of preparation and millions of dollars,
broadcasters and viewers alike are still working out the issues 12 months after
the government-mandated switch.
This is because little has been done to educate viewers on how to best utilize
over-the-air (OTA) television since the conversion took place in June 2009.
While most viewers know that DTV is available, many do not know what channels
are available in their market, or that when properly received, their OTA signal
could actually be better than the quality of the signal received via cable.
Viewers also may not realize that fixing seemingly poor reception may be as
easy as replacing their antenna.
Dennis Wharton, executive vice president of media relations for NAB says that
only a small minority of viewers still do not have the signal they received
during the days of analog broadcasting.
"Transmission and reception decisions were made by computer modeling and issues
have arisen that were not anticipated," he said. This is apparently one reason
why many stations have petitioned the FCC to change their channel allocation as
well as increase transmission power to better serve their viewers.
Though manufacturers have been very busy selling DTV over the last year,
neither they nor industry trade groups such as the NAB, have spent much time or
money on continuing education. Wharton says the association focused its
educational efforts leading up to the transition from analog to digital.
Wharton explained that much of NAB's role has been asumed by individual
broadcasters whom the association feels are best equipped to keep viewers
informed and up to date. "Whether a new newscast, HD conversion, or channel
transition, local broadcasters are the best at promoting these," he said.
But advocates for consumer education believe post-transition education has been
lacking, and that broadcasters are losing out on many potential over-the-air
consumers. "No matter what you do at the transmitter site, the viewers can
easily undo it by using a lousy antenna or bad placement," said Gary Sgrignoli,
a DTV transmission consultant with Meintel, Sgrignoli & Wallace.
TRANSITION PREPARATION
Prior to the transition, government, broadcast, and manufacturing groups spent
time and money to educate consumers about what to expect come June 12, 2009.
Efforts ranged from national commercial spots explaining the digital
transition, to government funding being spent on local education. The problem
is that these efforts did not last long following the switch and few
services-if any-are now available for those who are still having reception
issues.
According to a source at the FCC, the commission gave contracts to local groups
to provide walk-in educational centers and even in-home assistance programs
prior to the change-over. Much of this was done in lower income communities or
those that relied more heavily on OTA broadcasting. But the last of the FCC
contracts expired August 31, 2009, and according to the FCC no new funding has
since been provided for DTV reception or educational programs.
The only source for consumers to turn to in fact is the FCC's own sponsored
website, DTV.GOV, which alerts consumers at the top of its banner that "FCC
sponsored local assistance efforts have been discontinued. Please call
1-888-CALLFCC for DTV assistance."
Sgrignoli's firm has spent a lot of time in the field consulting with stations
to determine solutions for viewer reception issues. He finds that when a DTV
station's signals are received properly, the feedback from viewers has been
very positive.
"During our field tests we found many viewers liked the picture quality and
especially the programming selection available on the sub-channels," he said.
Because of minimal compression, most OTA signals look better on a consumer's
set than their cable or satellite counterparts. Sgrignoli also discovered that
while many people were using cable or satellite on their main TV, their second
and third televisions relied on an antenna.
NAB also has found that more people are migrating toward free OTA reception for
their media needs, whether due to the economy or quality of signal issues.
"We are getting a lot of anecdotal information about people cutting the cable
and getting their TV with a combination of OTA TV and the Internet by using
online services such as Hulu and Netflix," said Wharton. He cited a survey
finding that one in eight pay-TV customers expect to cut or reduce services due
to the availability of OTA and web-based viewing options.
IMPROVING RECEPTION
Due to terrain and/or obstruction issues, some viewers are still not able to
get reception even in large markets. "Like with the census, it is impossible to
reach everyone," Wharton said.
In an attempt to increase the reception within their markets, many stations
have turned to the FCC for a channel re-allocation or a permit to increase the
power of their transmitter. The FCC confirms that they already have issued
permits to 25 stations to move their transmission signals from the VHF band to
the UHF. Some of these were done before the official transition, while others
took place afterwards because the stations couldn't overcome reception issues.
The FCC permitted WLS in Chicago to experiment with doubling its power just
seven days after the transition, and then a month later the station was granted
authority to install a fill-in translator in an effort to reach its viewers.
Finally, WLS requested a change from VHF to UHF at the end of July 2009. The
FCC eventually granted the request, though not all stations having such issues
are as lucky.
Because the FCC has to address the complexity of the effects of a channel
change on other broadcasters in the same market, the process can be slow and
difficult. The NAB assists member stations, but says the stations often must
hire lawyers and engineers to get them past the initial inquiry stages with the
FCC.
Efforts to get consumers to use the proper equipment and setup for their homes
are also important to solving reception issues. Wharton said that there are
many new antennas available for purchase that do a great job, but making the
right selection depends on knowing whether your television market is
predominantly UHF or VHF.
Sgrignoli hosted a session at the 2010 PBS TechCon detailing the many OTA
reception issues his company has seen. He is adamant that consumers need to be
better informed about how to best receive OTA digital signals with the proper
antenna. When it comes to antenna usage, he has several recommendations for
consumers:
* An outdoor antenna is better than an attic antenna, which is better than an
indoor antenna.
* Passive antennas with low-loss cable are better than amplified ones. Only use
an amplified outdoor antenna with a long cable run and avoid using an amplifier
for indoor use.
* Indoor antennas should be placed as high as possible, in fact the higher the
better, and preferably facing a window or station's transmitter. Never place
the antenna on top of other electronic devices.
Channel changes, increases in power, and new antennas only address the matter
of getting the OTA signal to the viewer. But will viewers want to receive it?
Some in the industry feel that cable and satellite provide them with acceptable
levels of coverage, so fighting for the remaining OTA customers is not a
priority. Sgrignoli believes that some broadcasters may see other stations in
their markets as competitors, but the fact is that cable, satellite, and the
Internet are the ones luring eyeballs away from their content.
NAB sees Mobile DTV as part of broadcasters' future. In May, the industry
launched consumer trials in Washington, D.C., and the association is leading
the effort to oppose an FCC proposal to reduce broadcasters' portion of the
spectrum as part of the commission's National Broadband Plan which would limit
the industry's ability to offer OTA services nationwide. Will the fix be a
renewed push for consumer education, the successful launch of new uses of the
OTA signal, or something as simple as buying a new antenna?
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