----- HDTV Magazine Tips List -----
Doug, I think the MSOs are learning fast. And the RBOCs are right behind
them. The thing is, both of those two formidable adversaries have
infrastructure in place that D* can only dream of. It will allow them to
leapfrog any technical edge D* has or had. DTV can only hope for alliances
or spend substantial CAPEX to respond to the coming triple play solutions.
As for alliances, notice how new subs to DISH via SBC promotions drops 80%
as SBC approaches rollout of their own TV services? Talk about sleeping with
the enemy.
This won't be another aborted attempt at television for the telcos like it
was in the early 90s. There are tens, if not hundreds of billions being
pumped into the R&D for that IPTV space right now. Comcast goes out and
snaps up the assests of Liberate Technologies, then cuts a deal with Tivo to
hedge their bets. Motorola snaps up Ucentric to hedge their "already in
hand" arrangement with Paul Allen and Moxi. Hardware is easy in comparison
to a slick interface from the software guys. Ask any Tivo user.
And what has DTV done in response to those competitor moves? Announced
they'll sit this round out. Easy to be an armchair CEO, but that strikes me
as a little goofy at a critical time.
If this HMC comes from someone like Motorola, I say they are a player. But
an unknown like NDS would set them up to get their clocks cleaned, IMO.
I acknowledge your experience with the S-Video connections. But how much of
that is because the set doesn't support anything better vs. an install tech
who isn't trained properly.
My Comcast guy was all over it with component cabling and this was 3 days
deep in the HD DVR release for my area.
Bob
> -----Original Message-----
> From: HDTV Magazine On Behalf Of
> Doug Weil
> Sent: Friday, August 05, 2005 5:18 PM
> To: HDTV Magazine
> Subject: Re: hdtvmagazine_tips Digest #1151 DirecTV MPEG-4 Switch
>
> ----- HDTV Magazine Tips List -----
>
> Bob, in theory you're correct about the technical expertise needed for
> media
> center installations.
>
> On the other hand, I think you have to take into account the relative
> situation. I continue to see Charter MOXI boxes connected to HD sets with
> S-Video or with the resolution set to 480i -- many months pass and the
> customers think they're watching HD. Cable techs still largely view the
> world from a coax perspective...
>
> Granted, DirecTV support lacks rocket science savvy, but it remains much
> further along the learning curve than their cable counterparts and as a
> result will be a lot better positioned to handle more complicated gear. In
> addition, early adopters are generally tech savvy and will have done their
> online research to know what the common installer pitfalls are before the
> tech arrives.
>
> Regards,
>
>
> Doug
> Clearly Resolved Image & Sound
>
> Business: +1 (618) 234-2865
> Cell: +1 (314) 495-2993
>
> eMail:
[email protected]
> Web:
http://www.clearlyresolved.com
>
> Affiliated with the Imaging Science Foundation
>
http://www.imagingscience.com
> -----Original Message-----
> From: HDTV Magazine On Behalf Of
> Bob Mankin
> Sent: Friday, August 05, 2005 18:40
> To: HDTV Magazine
> Subject: Re: hdtvmagazine_tips Digest #1151 DirecTV MPEG-4 Switch
>
> ----- HDTV Magazine Tips List -----
>
> They are a premium today. By the time this thing rolls out it won't be as
> much an issue.
>
> There are numerous engineering obstacles that still have to be overcome
> for
> ANY home media center solution. First and foremost would be the
> connections
> between the base station and the clients. There is no existing wireless
> standard that has both bandwidth and QoS to support that. So you either
> sit
> tight and wait for that tech to mature or you explore other options. Some
> sort of coax based protocol or powerline broadband, which itself is a long
> way from maturity.
>
> Remember, you can't say the solution is viable just because _your_ house
> happens to be wired with Cat5. It has to reach the masses with as close to
> plug and play as possible.
>
> Bob
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: HDTV Magazine On Behalf
> Of
> > Aaron W. Thompson
> > Sent: Friday, August 05, 2005 4:28 PM
> > To: HDTV Magazine
> > Subject: Re: hdtvmagazine_tips Digest #1151 DirecTV MPEG-4 Switch
> >
> > ----- HDTV Magazine Tips List -----
> >
> >
> > 400GB and 500GB hard drives are a premium. I would think it's more
> likely
> > to
> > have two 250GB or one 300GB hard drive than a single 500GB or 400GB
> drive.
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Eric Hyman" <
[email protected]>
> > To: "HDTV Magazine" <
[email protected]>
> > Sent: Friday, August 05, 2005 6:05 PM
> > Subject: Re: hdtvmagazine_tips Digest #1151 DirecTV MPEG-4 Switch
> >
> >
> > > ----- HDTV Magazine Tips List -----
> > >
> > >
> > > The home media center that would reportedly be swapped for the HD-Tivo
> > is
> > > expected to have a 400-500 MB hard drive, compared to the 250 MB hard
> > > drive of the HD-Tivo. This is not the same unit as the HD-DVR that
> NDS
> > > will be producing for D*. The HD-DVR will have the LG 5th generation
> > OTA
> > > HD tuner, with superior multipath rejection. It is likely that the
> HMC
> > > will have this also.
> > >
> > > HD Tivo owners who currently receive local channels via antenna can
> keep
> > > the unit if they wish. The HD premium stations will not be switched
> to
> > > MPEG-4 for several years -- until all markets have MPEG-4 locals.
> New
> > > dishes will also be required for the HD locals in MPEG-4.
> > >
> > >
> > >
>
>
>
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