[HATS] DTV

[KB9FOHAM@aol.com]

Well, some of you likely remember my comments a few years ago that without a 
DTV standard the FCC had doomed DTV and HDTV, and the 8VSB system was not 
doing well.  8 VSB tests all showed it worked where it was predicted to work, 
and didn't work where it was predicted not to work. The idea of returning to 
everyone having a roof top antenna was absurd, and receivers didn't even meet 
the test equipment standard that was then 6 years old, now nearly 10.  COFDM 
was raised as an alternative method to deal with the pesky indoor reception 
issue. Proponents of both systems made carefully chosen "experi-tests"  to 
prove their system was better.  Now the manufacturers and networks and 
stations have invested hundreds of millions of dollars to build facilities, 
and Panasonic and Sony have basically withdrawn their DTV sets from the 
market under the guise of waiting for newer silicon with delay lines that can 
cope with both pre and post ghosts. Now the major manufacturers have said in 
publications (electronic Media for one) that HDTV is dead for broadcasting in 
this country and no one is buying it for broadcast, but cinema folks are for 
making digital movies vs the traditional 35 mm or larger film formats.  The 
lack of rush to the stores by consumers (yawn) and lack of promotion overall 
has essentially killed HDTV for broadcast, and SDTV [standard def digital TV) 
the digital equivalent of really good NTSC is about all that is being sent. 
The few HD promos you see on CBS and elsewhere will evaporate because the 
manufacturer-broadcaster deals have quietly been allowed to expire. As for 
2006, its a pipe dream as the FCC sits on hundreds of applications for over a 
year, failing to even have a mechanism to process the DTV applications in its 
"rapid roll-out" of DTV.  All station were supposed to have applications in 
and be in construction by Jan 1 2002.  More likely, DTV will evolve into an 
over the air multicasting system of bits for sale and less than VHS quality 
video streams for secondary revenue programs.  Watch for COFDM to come from 
behind and be the format of choice as digit casting vs broadcasting takes 
over the DTV channels. As of now, still no revenue models exist for DTV  H or 
otherwise, and not one station has even had an * in the Nielson ratings to 
indicate a digital audience. As I've said before, I expect to be retired with 
my VHS machines and DVD's and tapes long before DTV takes over the airwaves.  
The digital broadcasting is smashing head on with the AOL/Microsoft/Time 
Warner/Disney et al. web datacasting world and the latter didn't even feel 
the impact of the bug on the windshield.  Broadcast DTV is still on the 
launch pad, rusting and falling apart like a Steam Locomotive in the diesel 
engine age.  Be prepared to pay for any entertainment in the future, the good 
stuff will all be pay per view and the cheap stuff we used to make fun of on 
cable is all moving to broadcast TV.  The TV executives have all toasted the 
demise of network TV, and are simply trying to out last each other to the 
golden parachutes. Watch for more no talent, no plot, no writer, no 
production value "reality programs" that are cheap to do and provide little 
entertainment value as the big 4 make the prophecy of the end of quality TV 
come true for lack of brains and guts on their part. They no longer compete, 
they simply shovel money into lower and lower standards of programming. 

73
Henry







 



The New KGB:
Klinton,
Gore, 
Janet "Bang" Reno.
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