[opendtv] Re: Toward digital TV
- From: Bob Miller <bob@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 19 Dec 2005 21:30:40 -0500
Forgot to include this article on receivers in OZ
http://www.dba.org.au/newsletter/IB-AugSep05-full.asp#PRODUCT8
Bob Miller wrote:
>Albert Manfredi wrote:
>
>
>
>>Bob Miller wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>>You keep saying that but it is just as obvious to me that
>>>modulation is the issue. The real question is if we had
>>>DVB-T in the US why wouldn't we be doing as well as
>>>other countries like the UK, Japan and France to name
>>>a few?
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>Maybe because those countries have a higher percentage
>>of OTA households, so the manufacturers figure on a
>>greater demand.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>The US has 280 million of which 42 million or 15% are OTA only by some
>accounts. That is a far bigger market than OZ for example where there
>are only 19 million inhabitants altogether many of which are on cable or
>satellite I presume. So why is LG selling a COFDM receiver there? And
>BTW I thought that LG had stopped selling any STB, 4th gen or otherwise
>in the US, where did you hear otherwise?
>
>Back to the subject. There are 103 different STB COFDM receiver models
>actively being sold in OZ with 11 more in the PCI and USB area. There
>are 26 different manufacturers for just the STB's of which LG is one.
>
>So I suggest your idea that is manufacturers seeing a higher percentage
>of OTA households as bogus to the Nth.
>
>Look at LG alone. In the US they have a vastly bigger market. They own
>the IP and have few competitors. In OZ they have lots of competition
>which is actively selling, they don't own any IP rights to COFDM and yet
>there they are.
>
>
>
>>Maybe because in those countries, cable and DBS services
>>don't give kickbacks to manufacturers for providing
>>hardware for subscription services only, creating a
>>disincentive for FOTA hardware. (Assuming this is
>>true, which of course I don't know, but it has been
>>aledged by two broadcasters here.)
>>
>>
>>
>>
>If there is a store selling for Murdock's SKY in the UK you can bet they
>are making something from Murdock. And yet you will find most stores
>actively selling Freeview because they can make money on it easy. Easy
>sale with profit at $50 and up. And they are selling Freeview 12 to 1
>against SKY.
>
>
>
>>Maybe because in those countries, the DTT multiplex is
>>made much more attractive that the analog OTA
>>choices, suggesting that broadcasters are really serious
>>about deploying a better OTA service than before.
>>Whereas here, so far, the DTT and NTSC choices
>>are pretty much the same. Which leads manufacturers
>>to think there will be scant demand.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>You are right there but it is a chicken or egg situation. If US
>broadcasters were really focused on OTA we would not be even having this
>conversation because 8-VSB would have died in its sleep in 1997. But at
>any point if COFDM had been allowed "more attractive choices" would have
>been offered by broadcasters much like in the UK and other countries.
>
>
>
>>Mobility per se is not even the issue. The DTT plants
>>are primarily designed for fixed service, be it portable
>>or not. Even the DVB-H streams seem like they will
>>not be using the same 8 MHz bands as DTT.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>Mobility and portability are the main issues as will be seen over the
>next five years. DVB-H is only a short term fix for the battery problem.
>Long term regular TV will win out and be available on a wide variety of
>devices of all sizes mobile. In that world satellite radio, satellite TV
>all fade to black as cable and FiOS fight it out for the living room and
>fixed broadband and mobile digital everything (TV, RADIO, INTERNET, AND
>CELL) becomes the gorilla. Longer term I believe that wireless
>ubiquitous everything also kills fiber and cable. Wireless is just going
>to be the cheapest way to deliver everything. The plant will just cost
>so little to maintain compared to cable and fiber. This will only come
>after much further spectrum shuffling and a lot more smart radio technology.
>
>
>
>>I repeat: technical inadequacy might have been a
>>valid excuse in the past. Technical inadequacy
>>CANNOT be a valid excuse this season, when LG
>>(for one) sells an apparently adequate solution with
>>DirecTV boxes, but continues to sell an obsolete
>>design, which existed last year, with FOTA DTT-only
>>boxes.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>I thought I was saying that 18 months ago but it has not come to pass. I
>don't know the problem but the light I now see at the end of the 8-VSB
>tunnel is faint and is 2 years or more away. And it rest on technology
>that has not been really proven.
>
>Even if it is it will have been 10 wasted years with 8-VSB.
>
>Bob Miller
>
>
>
>>Bert
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>>
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>
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