[opendtv] Re: F.C.C. Likely to Open Airwaves to Wireless
- From: Craig Birkmaier <craig@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 15 Sep 2010 07:03:55 -0400
At 9:40 AM -0400 9/14/10, John Shutt wrote:
Perhaps, Craig, it is a matter of semantics.
The ability to pack the TV bands was the direct result of moving to
digital modulation, where there are (in theory anyway - I hear you
Doug Lung...) fewer taboo channels, and more tolerance of
interference before it becomes noticeable.
This does (again, in theory) open up more white space for other
uses, even as the overall television band is reduced.
Yes, the switch to DTV did help a bit with potential interference
issues, however, the tighter packing of the remaining spectrum also
reduced the amount of white space relative to NTSC.
I guess the point I was trying to make is that there have always been
white spaces, and there have been devices using these white spaces
for decades - medical devices and wireless mics. The article I posted
and some of the news reports I have heard make it sound like this is
some magical new thing made possible by the DTV transition, when in
fact it has been possible all along.
And it seems the broadcasters are making far less noise about this
now than they did in the '80s when the FCC almost allowed land
mobiles to share the white spaces, and more recently in the run up to
the FCC action that is to be finalized later this month. I take this
as a positive sign that broadcasters are more willing to share, if it
means they won't have to repack the spectrum again and potentially
make additional investments in DTV transmission gear.
Regards
Craig
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