[opendtv] Re: News: Nielsen Gives Fuzzy Picture of HDTV Penetration
- From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 8 Nov 2007 10:24:00 -0500
Craig Birkmaier wrote:
> From Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_television#Color_television
"All three broadcast networks were airing full color prime time
schedules by the 1966-67 broadcast season."
> Sorry to have to tell you this Bert, but there is MUCH MORE
> to broadcasting in the U.S. than Prime Time - 21 hours a day
> to be precise.
More than just prime time was in color by then, Craig. I wasn't watching
much TV then, but I remember essentially all news programs had gone to
color as well, at least where I was. Anyway, the point is, there was no
doubt by 1966 that the trend was not going to be for color to disappear,
but rather for color to become the norm. Even if the majority of TV
receivers in the field were still B&W. Exactly the same situation as now
with HDTV.
> This is further exacerbated by the fact that MOST of the
> remaining local news audience is now retired, and in most
> cases, less likely to perceive the need to upgrade their TV
> to HDTV. There is a reason that we talk about "Aunt Emily,"
> or similar names, for the elderly laggards who may be the
> last to switch to HD.
I don't even know what this is all about. What exactly are you saying
here? That not everyone rushes out to buy an HD set? I'll agree with
that. At the same time, though, when the disinterested person HAS to buy
a new TV, because the old one gave upo the ghost, they will be likely to
buy an HD set whether they wanted one or not. And then after that, they
will be glad they did.
The same thing happened with color sets. The same thing happened with IR
remote controls.
> I worked late last evening - again - and came home to see
> the Country Music Awards on the TV in glorious 4:3 SDTV. My
> wife says it is too much bother to learn the 700 series
> channel numbers on our cable system where the HD versions of
> the stations can be found.
The problem with distribution systems that have to worry about legacy.
Eventually, maybe, cable will be updated as OTA TV has been, and the HD
program will be all you'll get. The fact that cable has to simulcast now
is an unfortunate aberration, and I'm certain the cable companies would
prefer to make better use of their spectrum in the future.
> Interesting that you mention this. The reality is that for
> some industries we ARE seeing an almost "infinite variety of
> aspect ratios as a result of the digital TV transition. Hollywood
> is producing virtually no movies in 16:9. It is rare to find a
> DVD movie that is 16:9 - most use the wider aspect ratios that
> they were shot in.
We've been over this dozens of times, Craig. Hollywood movies have
settled on two aspect ratios almost entirely: 1.85:1 and 2.35:1. And TV
productions are almost always 16:9 if they are HD, and 4:3 if they are
transmitted as SDTV. That's it. As most new sets on sale now are 16:9,
and not the wide variety of apsect ratios you keep claiming, I'll
predict that the 4:3 shows will dwindle in time.
>> Remember just a couple of years ago, when I said that LCD
>> TVs would take over and CRT TVs would drop out? And how
>> you insisted that most TVs sold were still CRTs? It's the
>> same thing on this subject. Trends, Craig.
>
> NO, I do not remember this.
Of course you don't.
Bert
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