[opendtv] Re: Canada's Minimalist Approach to the DTV Transition
- From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 4 Apr 2011 18:25:02 -0500
Craig Birkmaier wrote:
>> Not according to the article. Most Canadians are totally unaware of any such
>> transition, and according to the article, a good 30 percent of them still use
>> OTA for at least a secondary set in the house. Although less than 10 percent
>> use OTA as their only method.
>
> The stats are similar to the U.S.
Maybe the stats are similar, however analog shutoff is scheduled for 31 August
2011, and apparently (according to the article) no one knows about it. Not sure
how anyone can argue that this is perfectly fine.
> You are completely WRONG about this Bert. I believe there is a good role for
> TV broadcasting. But that role is as a wireless service, to deliver TV to
> unthethered devices. Unfortunatley the ATSC standard was designed for fixed
> receivers, and works best (if at all) with an outdoor antenna.
Service to mobile receivers is possible now. But more importantly, the
viability of that, from a consumer interest point of view, is still TBD.
Whereas, if we are to believe the anecdotal reports, some people are finding
the ATSC fixed service, along with Internet OTT sites, to be attractive enough
to "cut the cord." So I am not nearly as positive as you seem to be, that fixed
service is pointless. (Parenthetically, I've long advocated that OTA TV would
be more successful with nothing more complicated than "more choice of
programs." Better use of multicasting, iow.)
Furthermore, ALL OTA TV systems do better with outdoor antennas. I may have to
remind you of the analog shutoff problems they had in Rome, for example, and I
may have to remind you that the vast majority of European DTT reception is with
outdoor antennas, and they are professionally installed to boot. (This is
probably caused in large part by the apartment living that is so prevalent in
Euro cities. Almost impossible for individual apartment dwellers to install
their own outdoor antenna. And almost impossible, in most cases, to receive
their low power signals with just indoor antennas.)
Oh, and even that Ericsson filing assumed 30' masts and outdoor antennas.
> Here is the U.S. we are now looking at what we should have done in the first
> place - i.e. moving to a more distributed transmission infrastructure.
Doubtful. Of course, the OTA scheme can be totally replaced by an OTA MVPD, and
then that cellular system may just happen.
Bert
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