[opendtv] Re: Cost of "good" vs. "bad" receivers
- From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 19 Oct 2005 16:43:02 -0400
Bob Miller wrote:
> LG's demo to Congress could be no more than
> covering their ass since they have been the lead
> on 8-VSB since 2000. In the meantime they still
> continue to sell COFDM HDTV receivers in OZ, a
> market 1/16th the size of the US and where they
> have to pay royalties for each such DVB-T
> receiver while not selling 8-VSB STB's in the US
> where they don't have to pay IP royalties. That
> is the LG reality today.
As we have discussed many times, this is an
indication, more than anything else, of the fact that
in the US, TV has to consist of a huge number of
channels to satisfy most people. Those who use OTA
are satisfied with NTSC. Those who aren't satisfied
with NTSC go to cable or DBS, they don't scream for
DTT.
> I think allowing COFDM as an alternative in the US
> would be a good idea right now. Then we would have
> a flood of "good" receivers at very reasonable
> prices very soon and Congress would see some real
> interest on the part of manufacturers to make and
> distribute "converter" boxes.
Are you still singing that tune?
I frankly do not buy that the 85 percent of
households currently depending on umbillical media
will suddenly care about OTA TV, just because OTA
might have gone to COFDM. We have come to the point
where the only real advantage of COFDM over 8-VSB is
in mobile reception. If mobile reception were such a
big draw in Australia, the UK, Germany, or France,
you *might* have a point about switching. As things
are, I'm very skeptical.
If there's anything that makes DTT attractive right
now, to me, it would be that indoor reception is
possible at *much* longer distances than it was for
NTSC. So simple setups with no big deal antenna
worries can provide decent reception for the masses,
more so than was possible with NTSC. If I were a
broadcaster, which I am NOT, to me that would be a
feature I wouldn't ignore, and it's already possible
with 8-VSB. Now demoed in several locations, so you
don't even have to deduce this from mere test
numbers.
Mobile reception, on the other hand, is still to be
proven as being of overarching interest. Especially
if the program stream is not specifically designed
for mobile reception. (I.e., special purpose DVB-H
or Mediaflo streams *might* gain popularity, but not
as a replacement for DTT. As an adjunct, perhaps.)
In short, I don't see what makes you think that COFDM
would change anything. And better yet, even better
receivers, like the prototype Samsung, are going to
handily beat the LG kings of the recent past. The new
Samsung, with exceptionally good Brazil E performance,
and with sensitivity measuring to almost -85 dBm,
should be amazing for indoor reception. And all at 3.3
b/s/Hz. That's what I'd get excited about.
Bert
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