[opendtv] Re: TV Technology: ATSC 3.0 Marches On
- From: Craig Birkmaier <brewmastercraig@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 18 Mar 2018 14:11:32 -0400
On Mar 18, 2018, at 1:27 PM, Manfredi, Albert E <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
Parenthetically, another article says that now 20% of households in the US
are using OTA TV, and that cord cutting is a continuing phenomenon. So
presumably, any changes to OTA standards will matter multiple millions of
households. This is the article that makes the claim:
https://www.tvtechnology.com/news/one-in-five-homes-use-digital-antennas-for-live-tv
"The percentage of 'Never' households (households that have never subscribed
to pay-TV services) has held steady and the percentage of households actually
cutting the cord has increased between 2015 and 2017."
This is to be expected. FOTA is the cost effective option for those who cannot
establish credit, live here illegally, etc. ANd yes people are cutting the
cord; but the article does not address several realities:
1. Ratings for the broadcast networks continue to tank. Meanwhile ratings for
Spanish language stations in major metro areas are increasing. I too have an
antenna for the rare occasion when I want to watch a broadcast program. I
suspect this is true for many people who “cut the cord” and now watch OTT
services for their primary TV FIX.
So, let's look at this new article on ATSC 3.0, copied below. This addresses
the continuing confused information we get on the subject of ATSC 3.0.
"The standard will allow for targeted advertising and alerts,
video-on-demand, interactivity-it is an IP-based standard-and more."
Targeted ads, VOD, and interactivity, use the IP pipe...
Yup. The focus is on “Digital.”
Not my words. The words of an “Alpha Female” sales representative that I met
last week. She recently changed jobs - previous job was as an account exec for
the Sinclair managed stations here in Gainesville. She said that the folks at
Sinclair told here to focus on DIGITAL.
I asked her why she quit. The answer: “TV is dying...”
1) Is this new standard "championed by broadcasters"? Who knows? It's
championed by Sinclair. Unclear still about the rest. Broadcasters interested
only in retrans consent dollars aren't going to appreciate anything that
provides improved OTA reception.
This is the right question to ask.
I suspect that there could still be a market for the new standard in major
metros. But even that is questionable.
2) 4K sets are being sold anyway, just go to any store, even discount stores,
and see. And of course, the issue here is the compression algorithm. Which
could easily have been added as an option to ATSC 1.0, to allow transmission
of 4K material.
4K is irrelevant for broadcast. ANy new 4K programming will go be3hind pay
walls. 4K TVs are a different matter - oversampling displays are desirable, and
they also do a great job with unfiltered imagery from the Internet.
So I ask again. Aside from the potential for more robust reception, or SFNs
(which are also used to create regional stations, further diminishing any
politically correct narrative about "localism"), what exactly does the
one-way broadcast pipe add, that ATSC 1.0 can't do? I've yet to see anything
credible.
The only valid answer is “improved reception on simple antennas.”
As before wrt ATSC 1.0, most OTA users are utterly unaware of ATSC 3.0 and
its effect to them.
As they were with ATSC 1.0, as more than 90% of U.S. homes moved to MVPD
services...
Now they are moving to VMVPD services.
Monty posted several articles about the AT&T/TW anti-trust trial. This should
be an easy win for AT&T, as they can show that millions of homes have “cut the
cord” and signed up for the MUCH CHEAPER DirecTV Now service.
Regards
Craig
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