[opendtv] Re: Twang's Tuesday Tribune (Mark's Monday Memo)

  • From: "Kon" <kon@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Thu, 29 Apr 2004 10:18:26 -0700

>without a reliable infrastructure. Data broadcasting is a completely 
valid concept; Geocast, iBlast, et al have not been able to get the 
business off the ground for a few simple reasons:

>1. The DTV transmission infrastructure is inadequate to support a 
commercial data broadcast service. And even if all stations were 
broadcasting at full licensed power, the percentage of sites where 
reliable service CANNOT be established is too high for a viable 
commercial launch.

Good point but one little problem - Geocast was satellite-based. As were
others such as Cyberstar, Astro, ...

>2. Without a reliable infrastructure there is little incentive to 
develop the receivers necessary to launch such a service. You don't 
have to believe me...just ask Dewey.

That's true. Reception is the usual killer. And a percentage of the first
trial group usually has a problem with reception. But the killer has always
been lack of a business plan.

What do you sell on the datacasting service?

Website caching? Nope, got that on Cable/DSL.
Movies? Nope, got blockbuster down the road, or cable/sat. tv.
Games? Nope, got Gamespot on the Cable/DSL modem.
News? Nope, got the paper at the doorstep for $1 - why do I want a $300
newspaper receiver? If not, I use my Cable/DSL modem.
Distance Education? Nope, colleges are already using Cable/DSL.

You might say that there are lots of scenarios here that will work in a
different variation, but the difference is that I've lived all these
scenarios first hand and seen companies fail at attempting to deliver this
content, whereas you are just pipe dreaming about it.

The only type of datacasting that works is non-consumer oriented i.e.
professional or government services. Consumers are just too fickle to please
in this day and age.

Cheers
Kon



 
 
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