| 
ATSC
PUBLISHES NEW INTERACTIVE ACAP CANDIDATE STANDARD
Supports Broadcast, Cable, and Satellite Interactive TV Applications
WASHINGTON, D.C., October 2, 2003 The Advanced
Television Systems Committee (ATSC) has successfully harmonized its DTV Application
Software Environment (DASE) specifications with CableLabs OCAP Specifications.
This harmonization effort has resulted in the creation of the Advanced Common
Application Platform ACAP Candidate Standard (CS/101).
ACAP will provide consumers with advanced interactive services while providing content
creators, broadcasters, cable operators and consumer electronics manufacturers with
technical details necessary for the development of interoperable services and products.
The ACAP Candidate Standard is the result of a truly dedicated effort by
representatives of various industry segments, said Mark Richer, President of ATSC.
The challenging work of merging these two standards has created one that is stronger
and more comprehensive, one that will be the ubiquitous platform for interactive
television.
The Candidate Standard stage is an explicit call for implementation and technical
feedback. As an ATSC Candidate Standard, ACAP is now under the domain of a newly
formed T3 Specialist Group on ACAP chaired by Craig Smithpeters, Cox Communications.
The ATSC has also published a companion Candidate Standard for ATSC Interaction Channel
Protocols (CS/96). This standard specifies protocols to enable interactive television
applications using an interaction two-way channel. This could be used in combination
with forward broadcast download channels from terrestrial, cable, and satellite networks.
The ACAP and Interaction Channel Protocols Candidate Standards are available at www.atsc.org/standards.
The Advanced Television Systems Committee, Inc. is an international,
non-profit organization developing voluntary standards for digital television. ATSC member
organizations represent the broadcast, broadcast equipment, motion picture, consumer
electronics, computer, cable, satellite, and semiconductor industries.
|
| OSLO, Norway, Oct. 1 Sea Launch, an ocean-based
satellite launch venture, said on Wednesday that it had deployed its 10th successful
satellite mission overnight and that it was planning a new launch in November. [more] |
August
Dtv Sales Bring Year-To-Date Total To Two Million Units
Year-To-Date 2003 Factory-To-Dealer Shipments Upwardly Revised
Arlington, Va., October 1, 2003 - The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) today issued
August factory-to-dealer sales of digital television (DTV) products, which totaled 298,714
units and revenues of $447,564,303. CEA also reported an upward revision to the
year-to-date DTV sales total because of strong sales in the plasma and liquid crystal
display (LCD) monitor categories. The year-to-date DTV sales figure now has reached
2,015,351 units and represents a $3,168,985,073 investment in DTV.
August unit sales increased by 26 percent compared to the same period in 2002, while
dollar revenues on DTV product sales increased by 18 percent. CEA defines DTV
products as integrated sets and monitors displaying active vertical scanning lines of at
least 480p and, in the case of integrated sets, receiving and decoding ATSC terrestrial
digital transmissions.
CEA also announced that January through August 2003 set-top box sales totaled 148,799
units. Set-top box sales increased 376 percent in August 2003 compared to the same
month in 2002. August 2003 sales totaled 25,956 units.
"August is perhaps best known for vacations and a slower pace, but DTV sales
certainly never took time off," said CEA President and CEO, Gary Shapiro.
"Not only did we enjoy a high sales month, but we also are delighted to
see a positive revision to the overall category thanks to consumer to consumer
interest in the sleek designs and functionality of plasma and LCD display technologies.
Now that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has adopted the historic
cable-consumer electronics 'plug-and-play' agreement, more consumers across the country
will come to know the delights of DTV - particularly high-definition TV, which represents
87 percent of the total product category sales."
>From product introduction to date, DTV product sales total 6,793,469 units with a
consumer dollar investment of some $11.9 billion. CEA Market Research projects that
4.3 million DTV units will be sold in 2003, 5.8 million in 2004, 8.3 million in 2005, 11.9
million in 2006 and 16.2 million in 2007.
Data cited in this release is available for purchase through CEA's Market Activity Reports
and Analysis (MARA) program. With more than 500 reports published annually, the MARA
program is recognized as the "authoritative source" for data on the consumer
electronics industry. For a list of available reports and purchasing information, visit www.eBrain.org/mara or send an e-mail request to [email protected].
Showtime
Networks
Launches THE MOVIE CHANNEL HD
On December 1, 2003
Second HDTV Channel Represents The Company's
Continued Commitment To Expand HDTV Offerings
New York, NY, October 1, 2003--
Showtime Networks will launch its second high definition television (HDTV) channel, THE
MOVIE CHANNEL HD, on December 1, 2003. The company will transmit an East Coast feed of
Showtime Networks' all movie service in the highest picture resolution format available --
1080i -- with the original widescreen aspect ratio (16:9) to preserve theatrical
presentation. The announcement, made today by Mark Greenberg, Executive Vice President,
Corporate Strategy and Communications for Showtime Networks, reinforces the company's
commitment to providing its premium subscribers with the highest quality home
entertainment experience.
In December, HDTV titles on THE
MOVIE CHANNEL HD will include Bandits, Hardball, Novocaine,
Rollerball, "Sidewalks of New York," Whats the Worst
that Could Happen? and many others. With 75% of the service's primetime schedule
offered in HD, THE MOVIE CHANNEL HD will also feature Dolby Digital 5.1, offering
subscribers six-channel, theater quality directional surround sound.
According to Greenberg,
"THE MOVIE CHANNEL HD will be an extremely attractive service for consumers in the
emerging HDTV landscape. Research indicates that movies are among the top programming
choice for potential HD customers. Seven out of 10 potential buyers say that they would be
more likely to purchase an HDTV set if they knew their favorite movies would be broadcast
in HD. We believe that THE MOVIE CHANNEL HD will not only add significant value to our
affiliates HDTV offerings but it will also provide a powerful addition to the Showtime
Unlimited package."
Showtime Networks' commitment to HDTV
programming began in January 2000 when it launched SHOWTIME HD. SHOWTIME was the first
network to launch Dolby Digital surround sound in conjunction with HDTV in 2000, and the
first premium channel to launch a series fully produced in HDTV in 2002. Since then, the
network has been substantially increasing the amount of programming available in HDTV. In
2003, in addition to providing theatricals in HDTV, SHOWTIME HD has aired returning series
"Queer As Folk," "Jeremiah" and "Street Time," as well as
its new series "Dead Like Me," "Free For All" and limited series
"Out of Order" in HDTV. The new season of "The Chris Isaak Show" has
also been shot in HD. Showtime Original Pictures which have aired in HDTV in 2003 have
included "Our Town, "Soldier's Girl," "The Incredible Mrs.
Ritchie," and "Jasper, Texas," to name a few. SHOWTIME also broadcast its
first live HDTV broadcast in February 2003 with the Mike Tyson vs. Clifford Etienne
heavyweight boxing match. SHOWTIME HD is currently available to more than 45 million homes
via satellite on both DIRECTV and Dish Network and via cable by Cablevision Systems
Corporation, Charter Communications Inc., Comcast Cable
Communications, Inc. Cox Communications Inc., Insight Communications, and Time Warner
Cable.
Microsoft
hopes to inspire spending with Media Center
By Kristi Heim , Mercury News Seattle Bureau
REDMOND, Wash. - Take the brain of a personal computer and add the beauty of television.
The result, Microsoft and its partners hope, will be a new wave of spending on consumer
electronics.
Microsoft unveiled its latest edition of the Windows XP (news - web sites) Media Center
operating system Tuesday, going a step further in its effort to transform the PC into an
entertainment hub. [more]
Disney's
Digital Video Service Debuts
By ALEX VEIGA, AP Business Writer
LOS ANGELES - The Walt Disney Co. on Monday launched a service to transmit movies
over the airwaves to customers' homes, betting that such delivery will prove more popular
than trips to the video store or ordering movies through a cable system.
MovieBeam sends whole movies in digital form over the same broadcast spectrum already used
by television stations. The movies are then stored in the hard drive of a set-top box and
can be viewed at any time, unlike movies ordered on cable television, which run at preset
times.
[more]
Digital
gamble pays off for Britain's BSkyB
LONDON (AFP) - British satellite broadcaster BSkyB announced it had reached its
target of seven million digital television customers three months early, underlining its
runaway success in the market.
By Tuesday, BSKyB had 7,015,000 digital customers in Britain and Ireland, beating a target
for the end of 2003 set by the company three years ago. [more]
Dell entering consumer
electronics market
Austin, Texas
September 30, 2003
Dell Inc will enter the consumer electronics market with television sets, digital
music players and an online music service, opening yet another front in its war with
rivals Gateway and Apple Computer.
"In extending into new categories, it gives us another opportunity to revolutionise
products on behalf of our customers," CEO Michael Dell said at a news conference
announcing the product expansion on September 25.
All of the products will be released this northern autumn and be available in time for the
holiday season, Dell said. The company would not release pricing or other details.
The shift is part of a broader strategy by Dell to expand its highly efficient, low-cost
distribution model - which has consistently squeezed other personal computer makers - into
other markets, such as printers and servers. [more]
Tue Sep 30
Cablevision to Launch
High-Definition TV
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Cable television provider Cablevision Systems Corp. (NYSE:CVC
- news) said on Tuesday it will offer a U.S. satellite service broadcasting
high-definition television, pitching it against well-entrenched rivals.
Cablevision said its satellite division, Rainbow DBS, will offer 39 HDTV channels and some
popular cable channels as part of service it will launch on Oct. 15. It did not say how
much it would charge for the service.
The move pits Cablevision, which launched its satellite in July this year, directly
against Hughes Electronics Corp.'s (NYSE:GMH - news) DirecTV and EchoStar Communications
Corp. (Nasdaq:DISH - news), which have long dominated U.S. satellite television services. [more]
Cox to Offer HDTV
in 85 Percent of Its Market
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Cable operator Cox Communications Inc. (NYSE:COX - news) will
make high definition television channels available in 85 percent of its market by the end
of the year, Chief Executive Jim Robbins said on Tuesday. [more]
Mon Sep 29
Conn. Co.
Launching Satellite for HDTV
By JOHN CHRISTOFFERSEN, AP Business Writer
STAMFORD, Conn. - A Connecticut company is launching a satellite this week as a platform
for distributing high definition television programs in the United States.
PanAmSat Corp., based in Wilton, Conn., on Wednesday will launch Galaxy 13/Horizons-1,
which will be home to the first grouping, or neighborhood, of high definition programs in
the United States on one satellite, company officials said.
Creating the neighborhood will encourage cable systems to set aside more capacity for high
definition programing, said Tom Watts, a satellite analyst with SG Cowen.[more]
ReplayTV Inventors Aim at Living
Rooms
By MAY WONG, AP Technology Writer
PALO ALTO, Calif. - A startup company is developing products to make the living
room, and not the PC, the showcase for all digital content, from photos to music.
Related Quotes
Led by the man who helped spark a revolution in television by creating ReplayTV
(news - web sites), the first digital video recorder, Roku is ready to challenge tech
giants in the digital media market.
Roku founder and chief executive Anthony Wood knows big-name companies, such as Microsoft
Corp. and Hewlett-Packard Co., are already attempting to do the same with so-called media
servers or media receivers devices that allow users to take content stored on their
computers and play it on their televisions or stereos. [more]
New
Graphics Chips on Display at Computex Show
TAIPEI, TaiwanThe battle of top graphics card contenders knows no boundaries.
While Nvidia seized the moment at this week's Computex show here to introduce a major new
product line, its main rival ATI Technologies decided to keep its next major release under
wraps for a little while longer. [more]
2929
ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES ACQUISITION OF LANDMARK THEATRES Deal will facilitate 2929's
goal to aggressively leverage ability to produce films, promote and display them on HDNet
and HDNet Movies and exhibit them at Landmark Theaters
Los Angeles, CA-Sept. 24, 2003--- Todd Wagner, Co-Founder and Chief Executive
Officer of 2929 Entertainment, announced his company has entered into an agreement to
acquire the parent company of Landmark Theaters, the nation's largest art-house theater
chain, from investment funds and accounts managed by Oaktree Capital Management, LLC. Upon
closing of the transaction, Wagner and his partner Mark Cuban will assume ownership of the
parent company of the Los Angeles based chain. It is expected that the current management
team at Landmark will remain in place after the closing. The transaction is scheduled to
close in October subject to customary regulatory approvals and closing conditions.
"This transaction further enhances 2929 Entertainment's presence in the
industry," says Wagner. "2929 Entertainment is now able to expand our
development and acquisition efforts and create a vertical industry presence. Our goal is
to aggressively leverage our ability to produce our own films, promote and display them on
HDNet and HDNet Movies and exhibit them at Landmark. We think this acquisition provides a
unique opportunity to make a significant impact in the art and independent film, HDTV
production and digital exhibition communities."
After selling Broadcast.com, the Internet company that he and Cuban founded, for $5.7
billion to Yahoo! Inc. in 1999, Wagner created 2929 Entertainment to leverage his
expertise in digital technology and his passion for the entertainment business. In
November, 2001, 2929 acquired Rysher Entertainment and its substantial film and television
programming library, including various rights to such shows as "Hogan's Heroes,"
Sex and the City," and "Star Search." A new version of "Star
Search" co-produced by 2929 Entertainment, premiered in January 2003 to strong
ratings. A second season of Star Search will launch in January 2004 on CBS.
2929 Entertainment co-financed the film, "Searching for Debra Winger," which was
honored at the Cannes Film Festival in 2002. The company is currently in post-production
on two films. "Godsend," starring Robert DeNiro and Greg Kinnear is a
co-production with Lions Gate. The second film, "Criminal," is a co-production
with Steven Soderbergh's Section 8 production company. Directed by frequent Soderbergh
collaborator Greg Roberts, the film stars recent Oscar nominee John C. Reilly. Warner
Brothers will release the film. It is expected that 2929 Entertainment will continue to
acquire content and partner with movie studios and other industry leading partners on film
and television projects.
In addition to 2929 Entertainment's extensive library and production capabilities, Wagner
and Cuban are also partnered in HDNet, an all-high definition national television network.
HDNet, the leader in high-definition broadcasting, produces and televises more hours of
original HDTV entertainment, news and sports programming than any other network. Its two
24/7 networks, HDNet and HDNet Movies, are currently available on DIRECTV, DISH Network,
Charter Communications, Insight Communications, and other cable companies affiliated with
the National Cable Television Cooperative (NCTC).
2929 Entertainment also holds interests in Magnolia Pictures, a Denver-based movie
exhibition company and Lion's Gate Entertainment; a global entertainment company whose
recent releases include the Oscar-winning "Monster's Ball," "Frailty,"
and "Confidence." Landmark Theaters, the nation's largest art house chain,
features first run independent and foreign films, restored classics and non-traditional
studio fare in 54 theaters representing 185 screens in 14 states. Known for its successful
grass roots marketing style, the chain was founded in Los Angeles in 1974.
Oaktree Capital Management, LLC is a Los Angeles based investment management firm with
approximately $27.5 billion of assets under management from primarily private and public
pension plans, private and educational foundations and endowments, insurance companies and
private clients.
UK
Digital TV too complex for viewers, says study
By Tom Leonard, Media Editor
Millions of viewers do not want digital television because they find it
too "laborious and demanding" even to change channels, a study said yesterday.
The elderly and short-sighted find it hard coping with the complicated
remote control and "electronic programme guide" that, on digital television,
replaces the simple pressing of a button to switch stations.[more]
Digital
cable falls short of expectations
After spending
billions on digital upgrades, the cable industry is seeing demand for digital services
slip, with many TV viewers saying it's not worth paying more money to get extra channels.
Churn for digital also is high, leading analysts to question whether cable can meet its
goal of signing up 60% to 70% of customers for digital services. The Wall
Street Journal (subscription required) (9/24)
September 23, 2003
HDTV Magazine is pleased to provide for our more advanced readers Mark
Schubin's weekly memo. Mr. Schubin is a world renowned television engineer,
author, and television historian. We thank him for his digest of the week's
events.
______________________________________
- Follow-ups:
- FCC DTT-station lists - As usual after I post those, I received
comments from people saying some of the stations listed by the Federal
Communications Commission as being on the air simply aren't.
- The long-awaited Tauzin digital-television legislation -
Broadcasting & Cable online today says "forget about" it. The full
story requires a paid subscription:
<http://www.broadcastingcable.com/index.asp?layout=document&doc_id=126625&di
splay=breakingNews>
- May 1 - The Association of Public Television Stations,
the FCC,
and the National Association of Broadcasters did not update their lists
this week.
- July 1 -
- Tuesday's arguments in court are
summarized here:
<http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=technologyNews&storyID=345553
2>
- TV sets that would require
DTT-reception circuitry starting
2004:
- RCA F36650 36-inch TV
w/$50 gift card at Circuit City
$649.99
- Sharp 36US50 36-inch
TV at Best Buy $499.99
- TV sets that would require
DTT-reception circuitry starting
2005:
- Philips 25PT533S
25-inch component-in TV at Best Buy
$229.99
- RCA 27V550T 27-inch
TV at Best Buy $249.99
- Samsung TXN2726
27-inch TV at Circuit City $269.99
- Sansui TVS2746
27-inch TV at Best Buy $169.99
- Sharp 27US60 27-inch
TV at Ultimate $198.95
- Apex AT3208S 32-inch
TV at Ultimate $268.95
- Devices that would require
DTT-reception circuitry in 2007:
- Apex AT1308 13-inch
TV at Circuit City $64.99
- Advent Q2035A 20-inch
flat-screen TV at Best Buy $159.99
- KLH KT2406 24-inch TV
at Best Buy $139.99
- Panasonic CT20G8
20-inch TV at Circuit City $149.99
- Devices that would require dual
DTT-reception circuitry in
2007:
- Symphonic SC313D
13-inch TV/VCR combo at Best Buy $99.99
- Panasonic PV-C2023
20-inch TV/VCR combo at Best Buy
$199.99
- HDTV and cable -
- I hate to run projections, but
this one is so short term.
Kagan's Brian Santo says in Cableworld, "By the end of the year, only
1.2 million cable subscribers are likely to have installed the equipment
necessary to view hi-def programs":
<http://cableworld.com/ar/hidef_liftoff/index.htm>
"Only"? That would be more than off-air and
satellite combined in
the U.S. Cable definitely seems to be where the action is.
- These are the HD channels being
offered by Rogers Cable in
Canada at CDN$14.95 per month for rental of the necessary set-top box:
ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, PBS, City TV, The Movie Network, Viewer's Choice Pay
Per View, HD Sportsnet, and HD TSN. They also plan to add HD Discovery
and HD time-shifting of ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and PBS to its Digital cable
service in the coming weeks.
<http://www.newswire.ca/releases/September2003/19/c2865.html>
- International H/DTV news:
- According to a story in Toronto's Globe & Mail newspaper,
the
reason for Canadian networks to go HD is to be able to simulcast U.S.
programming:
<http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20030919/STRUTH
/TPSports/TopStories>
- In the U.S., satellite companies carry terrestrial broadcasts;
in
the UK, BSkyB, the satellite company, is planning to launch a DTT
channel on the Freeview service:
<http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=industryNews&storyID=3473856>
- Is DTT too hard to use? It is for 7.1% of the viewing
public,
according to a UK report. Of course, the same report says analog TV is
too tough for 2.7%:
<http://www.newmediazero.com/redir.asp?inpage=/news/home.asp>
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/3122584.stm>
- Meanwhile, 70% in the UK "resent being required to switch
to
digital":
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/09/20/ndigi20.xml
&sSheet=/news/2003/09/20/ixhome.html>
- And maybe the sale of the UK analog spectrum won't bring in a
lot
of money:
<http://media.guardian.co.uk/broadcast/story/0,7493,1045419,00.html>
- Here's a UK overview:
<http://www.dtg.org.uk/latest/latest_jowell_rts.htm>
- Cumulative DTT-receiver sales to Australian dealers and
installers exceeded 145,000 by the end of August:
<http://www.dba.org.au/index.asp?display=news&newsID=435>
- Japan's broadcasting magazine GALAC says, "There's no way
we can
phase out analog broadcasting by 2011":
<http://www.japantoday.com/e/?content=kuchikomi&id=267>
- Someone else to deal with PSIP for you. The EtherGuide Emissary is a
full PSIP generator connected to the Internet for data input and remote
monitoring and control. The time of day generated by each unit will be
via an included GPS card, and each unit will independently monitor and
log via a receiver card, the transmitted PSIP. Output will be via
either 10/100 base-T Ethernet, RS-422/RS-232 serial, and DVB-ASI
parallel connections, the latter as an option.
EtherGuide Prophecy is a Microsoft Windows application that will
run on
Windows 95, 98, Me, NT, 2000 and XP computers and will be available as a
web service, that will link existing station information systems to the
EtherGuide Emissary and EtherGuide Systems web servers. For more info,
contact John Willkie <[email protected]>
619-743-5814.
- Philips says Hollywood's content protection plan "would not work,
would hurt consumers, and would impede innovation." They support
Senator Sam Brownback's proposed Consumers, Schools, and Libraries
Digital Rights Management Awareness Act of 2003, seemingly an
anti-Digital Millennium Copyright Act bill:
<http://www.newsalert.com/bin/story?StoryId=Cp2FCqbWbrenxmde5&Topic=Digital%
20TV&Nav=pr-prmynews-&StoryTitle=Digital%20TV>
Here's more on the proposed legislation:
<http://brownback.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=211708>
- Roku's HD1000 media player allows, among other things, the display of
digital still camera images on HDTVs. It costs $499:
<http://www.rokulabs.com/>
- Based on Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) figures, sales to U.S.
dealers of (supposedly) non-H/DTV projection TVs were still down 53.4%
for the first 36 weeks of 2003 relative to the same period in 2002 (VCRs
were down even more -- still 54.2%). My ten-week running average was
down 63.4%. Direct-view was still down 12.9%. My ten-week running
average was down a larger 25.2%.
So-called "DTV product" sales to U.S. dealers for the
36th week
were 51,256 units. The total for the 36-week period was 2,177,142.
"DTV products" (most of which are HDTV displays without DTT-reception
capability) still accounted for about 12.1% of the total TVs sold to
U.S. dealers this year. Devices actually capable of receiving DTT
signals were a small fraction of that.
- I know of one ad this week for a stand-alone ATSC DTT
receiver/decoder, the Samsung SIR-TS160 at Magnolia.
- The ads: Audio King has now changed its name to that of its parent,
Ultimate Electronics. Best Buy and Ultimate Electronics had other LCD
TVs that I didn't list; my rule for listing an LCD TV that is not 16:9
is for it to be advertised as HDTV, EDTV, or some such.
- Best Buy (appropriate disclaimers):
- JVC AV56WP74 56-inch 16:9 projection TV $1799.99**
- Mitsubishi WS-55313 55-inch 16:9 projection TV $2099.99**
- Mitsubishi WS-55513 55-inch 16:9 integrated projection DTV
$2799.99**
- Panasonic TH-42PA20U 42-inch 16:9 plasma display $4499.99
- Philips 17PF9936 17-inch 16:9 LCD display $999.99
- Samsung HCN-653W 65-inch 16:9 CRT projection TV $2399.99**
- Samsung HPN-5039 50-inch 16:9 plasma display $7999.99
- Samsung PCN-5425R 54-inch 4:3 projection TV $1399.99**
- Samsung TXN-2771HF 27-inch 4:3 direct-view CRT TV $699.99
- Sharp LC30HV4U 30-inch 16:9 LCD direct-view monitor $3999.99
- Sharp LC37HV4U 37-inch 16:9 LCD direct-view monitor $6999.99
- Sony KE-32TS2 32-inch 16:9 plasma display $3999.99
- Sony KP46WT510 46-inch 16:9 projection TV $1699.99**
- Sony KP57WS510 57-inch 16:9 projection TV $2199.99**
- Sony KV34HS510 34-inch 16:9 direct-view CRT TV $1999.99
- Sony KV36FS210 36-inch 4:3 direct-view CRT TV $1099.99
- Toshiba 42H83 42-inch 16:9 CRT projection TV $1499.99**
- Toshiba 51H83 51-inch 16:9 projection TV $1799.99**
- Zenith P42W24B/X 42-inch 16:9 plasma display $2999.99
** price includes recliner and ottoman
- Circuit City (appropriate disclaimers):
- Panasonic CT32HXC43 32-inch 4:3 direct-view CRT TV $999.99***
- Samsung PCN5425R 54-inch 4:3 projection TV $1499.99***
- Sony KP46WT510 46-inch 16:9 projection TV $1699.99***
*** price includes $75 gift card
- Gateway (Los Angeles Times, no disclaimer):
- Gateway 42-inch 16:9 plasma display $2899
- Gateway 42-inch 16:9 plasma display $3999 (higher claimed
resolution)
- Good Guys (Los Angeles Times, appropriate disclaimers):
- Mitsubishi WS-55613 55-inch 16:9 integrated projection DTV $2999
- Sony KP46WT510 46-inch 16:9 projection TV $1699
- Harvey (New York Times, no disclaimer):
- Fujitsu P42HHA10WS 42-inch 16:9 plasma display $6999
- Loewe Spheros 42-inch 16:9 plasma panel $10,999
- Runco CW50MC 50-inch 16:9 plasma panel $13,995
- J&R (New York Times, no disclaimer):
- Philips 20PF9925 20-inch 4:3 LCD display
- Sampo PME-42S6 42-inch 16:9 plasma display $2799.99
- Samsung HLN4365W 43-inch 16:9 DLP projection TV
- Samsung LTN325W 32-inch 16:9 direct-view LCD TV
- Samsung LTN1535 15-inch 4:3 direct-view LCD TV
- Zenith L20V26 20-inch 4:3 LCD TV $999.99
- Magnolia (Los Angeles Times, no disclaimer):
- Panasonic CT-34WX53 34-inch 16:9 direct-view CRT TV $1899
- Samsung LTM225W 22-inch 16:9 direct-view LCD monitor $1899
- Samsung SIR-TS160 ATSC/DirecTV receiver/decoder w/antenna $499****
- Samsung TXN3075 30-inch 16:9 direct-view CRT TV $949
- Sony KE-42TS2 42-inch 16:9 plasma display $5499
- Sony KV-34HS510 34-inch 16:9 direct-view CRT TV $1899
- Sony KV-34XBR910 34-inch 16:9 direct-view CRT TV $2349
**** price after mail-in rebate
- Sears (Minneapolis Star Tribune, no disclaimer):
- Hitachi 50-inch 16:9 LCD projection TV, Sears #54759 $3299.99
- Hitachi 57-inch 16:9 projection TV, Sears #54733 $2199.99
- Samsung 42-inch 16:9 projection TV, Sears #54003 $1399.99*****
***** price includes $100 gift card after mail-in rebate
- Ultimate Electronics (Minneapolis Star Tribune, appropriate
disclaimers):
- Apex Digital GB51HD09 51-inch 4:3 projection TV $988.95
- Hitachi 57S700 57-inch 16:9 CRT projection TV $2519.96
- JVC AV56WP74 56-inch 16:9 projection TV $1519.96****
- Mitsubishi WS55313 55-inch 16:9 projection TV $1889.96
- Mitsubishi WS65711 65-inch 16:9 integrated projection DTV $4499.95
- Panasonic CT36HL43 36-inch 4:3 direct-view CRT TV $1439.96
- Panasonic PT47WX53 47-inch 16:9 projection TV $1259.96
- Panasonic PT50LC13 50-inch LCD projection TV $2699.96
- Panasonic PT51HX43 51-inch 4:3 CRT projection TV $1198.95
- Pioneer PRO530 53-inch 16:9 projection TV $2649.96
- Pioneer PRO1000HD 50-inch 16:9 plasma panel $10,999.95
- Samsung SPN4235 42-inch 16:9 plasma TV $3599.96
- Samsung TXN3275HF 32-inch 4:3 direct-view CRT TV $809.96
- Sharp LC22SV6U 22-inch 16:9 LCD direct-view TV $1799.96
- Sony KDP57WS550 57-inch 16:9 integrated projection DTV $2609.96
- Sony KE42TS2 42-inch 16:9 plasma display $5399.96
- Sony KE42XBR900 42-inch 16:9 plasma display $8099.96
- Sony KP51WS510 51-inch 16:9 projection TV $1619.96
- Zenith L15V26C 15-inch 4:3 LCD TV $499.95
- Zenith P42W22B 42-inch 16:9 plasma display $2998.95
**** price after mail-in rebate
- Video & Audio Centers (Los Angeles Times, no disclaimer);
- Mitsubishi WS-55313 55-inch 16:9 projection TV $2097
- Sony KF-50XBR800 50-inch 16:9 LCD projection TV $3297
- Sony KP-46WT500 46-inch 16:9 projection TV $1397
- Sony KV-32HS500 32-inch 4:3 direct-view CRT TV $1097
- Satellite news:
- DVD news: According to CEA, sales of DVD players to U.S. dealers for
the first 36 weeks of 2003 were up 24.7% over the same period in 2002.
My ten-week running average was up 29.2%. Sales to dealers actually
fell during the 36th week.
- According to Adams Media Research, "Treasure Planet" made $37.9
million in theatrical box-office revenues but more than $71 million in
home-video revenues:
<http://www.adamsmediaresearch.com/cart/enter.html?target=Titles_Database.ht
ml>
- Upcoming Dates (DTV and non-DTV):
- *September 24, Chelsea Studios, New York, NY SMPTE Section
meeting on Tapeless Camcorder Technologies, with Hitachi, Ikegami, JVC,
Panasonic, and Sony <http://www.mte.com./nysmpte/meetings/mtg0309.htm>.
- September 24-25, CBI Convention Centre, London, The Connected
Home <http://www.the-connected-home.co.uk/>.
- September 29 - October 2, Orlando World Center Marriott,
ShowEast
<http://www.showeast.com/>.
- September 30, Helmsley Park Lane Hotel, New York, Kagan Digital
Household Economics conference
<http://www.kagan.com/cgi-bin/pkcat/dhe03f>.
- *October 2, Henninger Media, Arlington, Virginia, ITVA seminar
on
HDTV post production, registration required:<[email protected]>
- October 8-9, Doubletree San Jose, California, Digital Imaging
'03
<http://www.capv.com/home/InfoTrends/itEvents/DIC03/DIC03Home.html>.
- October 10-13, Javits Center, New York, Audio Engineering
Society
convention <http://www.aes.org/events/115/>.
- October 10-11, Ramada, Williamsburg, Virginia, WEBE/SMPTE Fall
Convention "Getting Past Getting On The Air," Mike Marno, +1 703
926-3602, <[email protected]>.
- October 13-15, La Costa Resort, Carlsbad, California, CEA
Industry Forum
<http://www.ce.org/events/event_info/default.asp?eventID=FALL03>.
- October 15-17, Hotel Washington, Washington, D.C., IEEE
Broadcast
Symposium <http://www.ieee.org/btsymposium>.
- October 20-24, MPEG meetings, Brisbane, Australia
<http://mpeg.telecomitalialab.com/meetings/brisbane03/auagenda.htm>.
- October 22-23, Embassy Suites, Alexandria, Virginia, ATSC PSIP
and Closed Captioning University <http://www.atsc.org/seminars.html>.
- October 28-30, Hotel Fort Des Moines, Des Moines, Iowa, 9th
annual DTV Symposium <http://www.iptv.org/dtv/2003/>.
- October 29-30, Bryant Park Hotel, New York, ETA Expo
<http://www.etaexpo.com/>.
- October 30, Waldorf-Astoria, New York, SkyForum
<http://www.sbca.com/skytrends/forum.html>.
- *November 4, KWBP, Portland, Oregon, LPTV, LPFM, Exciter,
Transmitter, Translator & where is LP-DTV going Seminar
<http://www.tech-notes.tv/Education/educational_opportunities.htm>
- *November 5, KLSR, Eugene, Oregon, LPTV, LPFM, Exciter,
Transmitter, Translator & where is LP-DTV going Seminar
<http://www.tech-notes.tv/Education/educational_opportunities.htm>
- *November 6, Southern Oregon Public Television, Medford,
Oregon,
LPTV, LPFM, Exciter, Transmitter, Translator & where is LP-DTV going
Seminar
<http://www.tech-notes.tv/Education/educational_opportunities.htm>
- November 10-12, Tribeca Grand Hotel, Global Society for Asset
Management conference <http://www.g-sam.org>.
- November 10-13, Long Beach Convention Center, California,
Electronic House Expo <http://www.ehexpo.com/>.
- November 12-13, Marina del Rey Marriott, California,
"Enabling
HDTV from the Factory to the Home"
<http://www.displaysearch.com/hdtvforum/>.
- November 12-15, New York Hilton, 145th SMPTE Technical
Conference
<http://www.smpte.org/conferences/145tech.cfm>.
- November 28-29, Milan Fair, IBTS, SMPTE International
Conference
"D-Cinema and Beyond"
<http://www.smpte.org/conferences/International03.cfm>.
- December 2-5, Anaheim Convention Center, BroadbandPlus
<http://www.broadbandplus.org/>.
- December 3 & 4, 2003, Washington DC Convention Center,
Government
Video Technology Expo <http://www.gvexpo.com>.
- December 8-12, MPEG meetings, Waikaloa, Hawaii.
- January 8-11, Las Vegas, Consumer Electronics Show
<http://www.cesweb.org/>.
- January 18-23, Sheraton Hacienda del Mar, Cabo del Sol, Los
Cabos, Mexico, The Executive Retreat Forum
<http://www.ExecutiveRetreatForums.com>.
- ***February 4-6, La Quinta Resort, California, ***The
Technology
Retreat*** <http://www.hpaonline.com>.
- March 15-19, MPEG meetings, Munich.
- June 5-11, Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, InfoComm
<http://infocomm03.expoexchange.com/>.
* - new or revised listing
TTFN,
Mark
PS Permission is granted to forward this or any other Monday Memo.
Next week's memo will be late.
To unsubscribe go here: http://www.ilovehdtv.com/hdtvmagazine/unsubscribe.html
September 22, 2003
Dolby Acquires Cinea
Acquisition of anti-piracy technology company furthers ability to meet the needs of
the entertainment marketplace
San Francisco, September 22, 2003Dolby Laboratories announced that it has
acquired Cinea, a start-up content-protection and anti-piracy technology company based in
Virginia. Cinea will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Dolby Laboratories, with
Cinea personnel and offices remaining in Virginia. Cinea CEO and founder Robert Schumann
becomes head of the new Dolby subsidiary, reporting to Tim Partridge, Vice President,
Professional Division, Dolby Laboratories.
Content is increasingly being delivered digitally, and unauthorized use of digital
content can have serious consequences for the content owner. Content protection has thus
become an ever more important element in enabling the delivery of high-quality
entertainment, said Partridge. Cinea has proven expertise in this important
area, and is an ideal complement to Dolbys audio and image expertise.[More]
Wed Sep 17
Best
Buy's Net Soars as Retailer Again Raises Outlook
MINNEAPOLIS -- Best Buy Inc.'s fiscal second-quarter profit more than doubled amid strong
back-to-school sales season and lower costs, and the company raised its full-year earnings
outlook for the second time in two weeks. [more]
September 22, 2003
Mitac Preps
Widescreen PC
Sumner Lemon, IDG News Service
Mitac Preps Widescreen PCSumner Lemon, IDG News Service
TAIPEI-- Mitac International will begin shipping in October a desktop PC with an
integrated 17-inch widescreen TFT LCD, according to a company spokesperson. An engineering
prototype of the PC was on display at the Computex 2003 exhibition here.
From the front, the E8181D resembles a flat-screen television with a widescreen display,
which can be tilted back to an optimium viewing angle. The PC components are hidden from
view and integrated into the rear of the display's base.[more]
Tue Sep 16, 5:05
Digital comes to local TV
channels
Mary Vandeveire , ARIZONA DAILY STAR
Fans of digital television can celebrate its arrival at some network affiliates in Tucson.
They'll be enjoying clearer pictures and enhanced sound, as long as they have the right
equipment.
As of Monday, four local network affiliate stations had begun launching their digital
television transmissions. Making the upgrades were NBC affiliate KVOA, CBS affiliate KOLD
and the local FOX and UPN stations.
Station officials say that currently the only way to receive the digital transmissions is
over the air, which means in addition to a digital TV and tuner, viewers will need an
antenna. A simple rooftop antenna or a set of rabbit ears will work if there's no
obstruction between the viewer's home and Mount Bigelow, the site from which the stations
are transmitting their digital signals - about 30 miles north of Tucson. [more]
Tue Sep 16, 2003
Appeals
Court Hears Digital-TV Tuner Dispute
By Andy Sullivan
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Television makers should not be forced to include expensive digital
tuners in their TV sets that few viewers will actually use, a consumer-electronics trade
group told an appeals court on Tuesday. [More]
September 12, 2003
ESPN, ECHOSTAR form
distribution agreement
BRISTOL, CONN. AND LITTLETON, COLO.-- ESPN, The Worldwide Leader in
Sports, and EchoStar Communications Corporation and its DISH Network, the nation's fastest
growing provider of satellite television services, announced today that they have entered
into an agreement for the distribution of ESPN HD. Beginning Sept. 16, 2003, DISH Network
will make ESPN HD available to its entire HD-enabled subscriber base.
"ESPN HD is enriching the lives of high-definition viewers by providing incredible
sports programming detail that only an HDTV signal can provide," said Steve Raymond,
ESPN Senior Vice President, National Accounts, Western Division. "It makes perfect
sense to team up with DISH Network, a company that has proven its focus on high-definition
television with its offer of a robust package of compelling high-definition content."
ESPN made a significant commitment to spur the growth of high-definition television on
March 30, 2003, when it debuted ESPN HD, the first 24-hour high-definition national sports
service in the country. Sports have proven to be an ideal showcase for the HDTV viewing
experience and ESPN HD features all of the live, high-profile telecasts as ESPN, including
games from Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, the National
Football League, the National Hockey League, and the NCAA Women's Basketball Championship.
EchoStar Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) is the owner of DISH Network, the
fastest growing U.S. provider of satellite television entertainment services with 9
million customers. DISH Network delivers advanced digital satellite television services,
including hundreds of video and audio channels, Interactive TV, digital video recording,
HDTV, sports and international programming, professional installation and 24-hour customer
service. Visit EchoStar's DISH Network at or call 1-800-333-DISH (3474).
ESPN Media Contact: Katina V. Arnold ([email protected]) or (860) 766-7463
EchoStar Media Contact: Steve Caulk ([email protected]) or (303) 723-2010
Wednesday, September 17, 2003
LITTLETON, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 18, 2003--EchoStar Communications Corporation
(NASDAQ: DISH) today announced that its subsidiary, EchoStar DBS Corporation, is offering
approximately $1.5 billion aggregate principal amount of senior debt securities in
accordance with Securities and Exchange Commission Rule 144A. The proceeds of the offering
are intended to be used to repurchase or redeem EchoStar DBS Corporation's 9-3/8% Senior
Notes due 2009 and other outstanding debt securities.[More]
Europe's First HD Channel Gets
Trial Run
By DOUGLAS HEINGARTNER, Associated Press Writer
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands - Europe's first high-definition television channel went on
the air over the weekend with a trial broadcast of music and sports programming. Only next
year is the technology set to go mainstream.
Europe's shift to the sharper images and clearer sound of high-definition TV is
moving much slower than in the United States, where several million HDTV sets are already
in use. [more]
HDTV MAGAZINE brings you Mark Schubin's weekly Memo for our advanced
readers. Mr. Schubin is a well known and respected television engineer and
author/historian. He makes his home in New York City.
__________________Mark Schubin
- DTT reception problems possibly caused by jitter in the
studio-transmitter link (STL) - Here's the promised URL:
[Click
for more]
- CEDIA -
- Attendance was over 22,000, up
from 19,500 in 2002:
[Click for more]
- Here's Peter Putman's view:
and here's more from him on
InfoComm:
and on an LCD & PDP (plasma)
shootout:
- IBC - Here are some tidbits from the International Broadcasting
Convention in Amsterdam:
- There's a Grass Valley "TV
Station in a Kit" series of
packages starting at about
$60,000:
- DTT to mobile phones seems to be
a hot topic:
<http://www.eetimes.com/sys/news/OEG20030916S0040>
<http://www.eetimes.com/sys/news/OEG20030912S0022>
- H.264/MPEG-4 Part 10 compression
seems to be spreading:
<http://www.eetimes.com/story/OEG20030915S0054>
- Microsoft is submitting Windows
Media 9 to SMPTE for
standardization:
<http://news.com.com/2100-1025-5075335.html>
- Even in Germany, where the DTT
transition in Berlin is over,
only half-a-percent of the population watches digital, and nationwide
analog shutdown is not expected anytime soon ("at least seven years").
In other European countries, it's expected to be even longer.
The highest current DTT penetrations are said to be 6.5% in
Finland, 6.1% in the UK, 4.2% in Sweden, and 1.1% in Spain. No other
countries have hit even 1%, and Asia is said to be moving even slower.
According to Colin Wright of Seven Network in Australia,
"We're not
making an extra cent on digital. It's all cost. It's costing us a lot
of money":
<http://www.electronicstimes.com/bus/news/OEG20030911S0058>
- In the UK, there are "more
than 80 channels offering either
dedicated stand-aloe interactive services or enhanced content with
programmes." France reportedly has 71, Spain 37, Italy 27, and Germany
11:
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3104368.stm>
- May 1 -
- The Association of Public
Television Stations still lists
180 non-commercial U.S. DTT stations:
<http://www.apts.org/html/digital/dtv/ptv_digitalstations.htm>
- The Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) updated its
lists on September 10 (but released them yesterday). Out of 1688
stations due on the air by this past May 1, 1605 have been granted
construction permits or licenses, and 1230 are supposedly on the air.
Seven second extensions for commercial stations are still pending, but
167 of the 527 that were granted have requested third extensions. Of
non-commercial stations, 73 extension requests are still pending:
<http://www.fcc.gov/mb/video/files/dtvsum.html>
- All
of the 40 top-ten-market ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC
outlets that were due on the air by May 1, 1999 are on the air except
WABC-DT and WNBC-DT, which were knocked out when the World Trade Center
fell. No new dates have been assigned to those:
<http://www.fcc.gov/mb/video/files/dtvstat.html>
- Of
the 79 ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC outlets in markets
11-30 (the 80th is in Mexico) that were due on the air November 1, 1999,
72 are licensed and four are operating under temporary authority (the
list still refers to extensions to August 6):
<http://www.fcc.gov/mb/video/files/dtvstat11.html>
-
These are the 677 stations said to be operating (at low
power) on temporary authority:
<http://www.fcc.gov/mb/video/files/dtvstas.html>
- And
these are the 553 said to be fully licensed or on
program-test authority:
<http://www.fcc.gov/mb/video/files/dtvonair.html>
- The
summary chart conveniently lists those 553 out of
1688:
<http://www.fcc.gov/mb/video/files/dtvonairsum.html>
- But
Doug Lung's RF Report, using the FCC's own CDBS
database, came up with just 425 licensed stations as of September 12,
two days AFTER the other lists:
<http://www.tvtechnology.com/dlrf/one.php?id=165>
-
Would that be 425 out of 1688? Not exactly, because
some DTT stations weren't part of the original number. For comparison,
here are the latest analog TV station figures from the FCC, as of June
30:
- Full-power ----- 1726
- Class A -------- 600
- Low-Power TV --- 2121
- TV translators - 4759
-----------------------
Total ------------ 9206
<http://www.fcc.gov/mb/audio/totals/bt030630.html>
So, viewed most optimistically, the U.S. DTT transition is
currently at 1230 out of 1688 stations. Viewed another way, it's 425
out of 9206.
- Within that range, the National
Association of Broadcasters
(NAB) now lists 1011 U.S. DTT stations operating in 201 markets:
<http://www.nab.org/newsroom/issues/digitaltv/dtvstations.asp>
NAB's September edition of "Destination Digital TV" has
now come
out:
<http://www.nab.org/newsroom/issues/digitaltv/DDTV/0903.pdf>
- July 1 - I've decided to move this material, which used to
appear
in the ads section, up here as we count down to the various July 1
dates. All of the information is taken from ads that I have personally
seen since the last memo.
- TV sets that would require
DTT-reception circuitry starting
2004:
-
Magnavox MS3652S 36-inch TV at Circuit City $549.99
-
Toshiba 36A43 36-inch TV w/leather chair at Best Buy
$599.99
-
Toshiba 36-inch TV at Sears (#46423) $599.99
- TV sets that would require
DTT-reception circuitry starting
2005:
- RCA
F25441 25-inch TV at Best Buy $179.99
-
Apex AT2708S 27-inch TV at Audio King $178.95
-
Magnavox 27MS343S 27-inch TV at Circuit City $199.99
-
Panasonic CT27L8S 27-inch TV at Circuit City $249.99
-
Toshiba 27-inch TV at Sears (#47403) $249.99
-
Apex AT3208S 32-inch TV at Circuit City $279.99
- GE
32GT740 32-inch TV w/leather chair at Best Buy
$279.99
-
Sharp 32US60 32-inch TV at Audio King $298.95
-
Sylvania 32-inch TV at Sears (#42202) $279.99
- Devices that would require
DTT-reception circuitry in 2007:
-
Panasonic CT13R38S 13-inch TV at Circuit City $89.99
-
Sylvania 13-inch TV at Sears (#43203) $59.99
-
Apex PF2020 20-inch flat-screen TV at Circuit City
$149.99
- Devices that would require dual
DTT-reception circuitry in
2007:
-
Sylvania 13-inch TV/VCR combo at Sears (#44702) $99.99
-
Toshiba MV19N2 19-inch TV/VCR combo at Best Buy $179.99
Arguments about why the DTT-reception-circuitry rules should be
overturned were to have been heard in court today:
<http://www.mediaweek.com/mediaweek/headlines/article_display.jsp?vnu_conten
t_id=1979438>
- HDTV and satellite -
- Cablevision's Voom satellite
service, which could start next
month, is to be heavy on HD, with 39 HD channels, 21 of them exclusive
(and NONE of them local broadcast stations; Voom will provide an antenna
for those). Equipment is to be about $750. Monthly fees seem to start
at about $40 for the HD services:
<http://cableworld.com/ar/cablevision_calls_voom/index.htm>
- Europe1080's official launch is
to be with the Vienna New
Year's concert, but it was offered during IBC. There are to be "Main"
and "Event" channels. Facilities company Alfacam is behind it:
<http://www.euobserver.com/index.phtml?aid=12692>
<http://www.euro1080.tv/>
- HDTV and cable -
- In Demand's two INHD channels
have launched, and Comcast is
carrying them:
<http://www.washtimes.com/sports/20030914-123855-5207r.htm>
- Clear Creek Telephone and
TeleVision, a 90-year-old co-op
cable operator serving 1700 rural customers in Oregon, started carrying
HD on September 2 and had 18 customers for it in just more than a week:
<http://cableworld.com/ar/little_cable_coop/index.htm>
- The National Cable &
Telecommunications Association (NCTA)
said last Wednesday that HDTV was available by cable to 60 million
households (it's not clear whether that's subscribers or homes passed),
including 19 of the top-20 markets:
<http://www.ncta.com/press/press.cfm?PRid=391&showArticles=ok>
Comcast later made it 20 out of 20 by adding Denver:
<http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/business/article/0,1299,DRMN_4_226227
9,00.html>
- And now the big one: On
Wednesday (the 10th), the FCC
approved a slightly modified version of the cable/consumer-electronics
"plug-&-play" agreement:
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-238850A1.doc>
As readers of this memo know (but many journalists don't seem to
have known), Panasonic (and Hitachi) announced digital-cable-ready TVs
long before the FCC acted.
- The
FCC did not approve the DFAST content-protection
license. Instead, they started a Second Further Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking to consider such issues. Similarly, digital broadcast copy
protection remains a topic for the future.
That leaves matters in a very interesting state. The
satellite
community has relied on the ability to turn off HDTV outputs (selective
output control, SOC) for content protection. SOC is now prohibited by
the FCC for "all multichannel video programming distributors," which
includes satellite.
The satellite industry is less than thrilled: "We do
not consider
today's misguided decision the end of the process and will not allow the
cable industry to believe it has scored another victory. SBCA [the
Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association] and its member
companies will fully review the Order and leave open our options."
Options include lawsuits:
<http://www.sbca.com/press/091003.htm>
Meanwhile, the hundreds of thousands of HD-capable satellite
receivers that have already left factories now have no content
protection at all.
- The
FCC says small cable systems can obtain a waiver
from meeting the transmission requirements, if they're "unduly
burdensome."
-
Otherwise, systems "must maintain a sufficient supply"
of point-of-deployment security modules (PODs, now called CableCards).
Those will presumably be supplied by such companies as Motorola and
Scientific-Atlanta (S-A), making it strange that S-A stock was said to
have fallen as a result of the FCC action (especially since the fall
began before the decision). The full story requires a paid
subscription:
<http://www.multichannel.com/index.asp?layout=document&doc_id=126108&display
=breakingNews>
Furthermore, the agreement (and order) covers only one-way
digital
cable. That means that impulse pay-per-view, video-on-demand, and the
typical digital-cable electronic program guides still require a cable
box.
-
Broadcasters are happy because the order (according to
the FCC press release) says that "DTV televisions labeled 'Digital Cable
Ready' must include an over-the-air DTV tuner":
<http://www.nab.org/Newsroom/PressRel/statements/S1203.htm>
Zenith is happy, too, as that's where their intellectual-property
fees apply:
<http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/09-1
0-2003/0002014870&EDATE=>
That was a modification of the original agreement. But the
wording
is strange. Instead of saying TVs equipped for digital cable must have
ATSC-reception capability, it says that those LABELED as Digital Cable
Ready need it. Does that mean sets could be sold with cable-only
digital reception as long as they're not labeled Digital Cable Ready?
-
Like SOC, down-resolution (another content-protection
technique) is prohibited, but only for broadcast programming.
Down-resolution for non-broadcast programming is to be addressed in the
future. Those who want to use it before the issue is resolved are to
notify the FCC at least 30 days in advance.
-
So-called "encoding rules" (which relate to copy
protection and apply to both cable and satellite) are said to be:
- Copy never: pay-per-view, video-on-demand
- Copy once: basic- and extended-basic cable
- Unrestricted copying: broadcasts
I wonder where HBO, The Movie Channel, and Showtime fall.
As
reported earlier here, Starz Encore is not happy about this
categorization:
<http://www.cedmagazine.com/cedailydirect/0903/cedaily030910.htm#1>
And, of course, there are no "encoding rules" for
analog outputs:
<http://www.cedmagazine.com/cedailydirect/0903/cedaily030911.htm#1>
-
Despite the modifications, the main cable and
consumer-electronics associations hailed the FCC order (although they
were not direct parties to the original agreement):
<http://www.ce.org/press_room/press_release_detail.asp?id=10313>
<http://www.ncta.com/press/press.cfm?PRid=392&showArticles=ok>
-
Given the lack of content protection, the Motion
Picture Association of America did not offer celebratory comments:
<http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=industryNews&storyID=3424562>
- Fox is adopting HDCAM SR technology for network program delivery:
<http://www.uemedia.com/CPC/article_11808.shtml>
Meanwhile, they're buying Panasonic D-5 HD recorders:
<http://www.uemedia.com/CPC/article_11777.shtml>
- WNVT, a non-commercial station in Goldvein, Virginia (Washington, D.C.
market), received permission from the FCC to shut down its analog
service and operate digital-only:
<http://www.tvtechnology.com/dlrf/one.php?id=152>
Only 3,000 households reportedly watched the analog signal:
<http://www.tvtechnology.com/dlrf/one.php?id=160>
- WNET, the largest non-commercial station in the New York market, has
received a grant (initially $500,000) from the National Imagery and
Mapping Agency to use its DTT and ITFS spectrum for emergency
public-safety purposes:
<http://www.tvtechnology.com/dlrf/one.php?id=153>
- Based on Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) figures, sales to U.S.
dealers of (supposedly) non-H/DTV projection TVs were still down 53% for
the first 35 weeks of 2003 relative to the same period in 2002 (VCRs
were down even more -- still 54.5%). My ten-week running average was
down 63.1%. Direct-view was down 12.9%. My ten-week running average
was down 24.9%.
So-called "DTV product" sales to U.S. dealers for the
35th week
were 149,142 units. The total for the 35-week period was 2,125,886.
"DTV products" (most of which are HDTV displays without DTT-reception
capability) accounted for about 12.1% of the total TVs sold to U.S.
dealers this year.
- CEA has released the mid-year edition of "U.S. Consumer Electronics
Sales & Forecasts 1999-2004." I think it's too early for estimated unit
sales for 2003, but I think the estimated average wholesale prices are
probably okay (because the estimates come from those setting the
prices):
- Direct-view analog TVs are $237, down from $273 last year
- The overall average for so-called "digital" TVs
(mostly HDTV) is
$1367
- "Digital" direct-view is $1047
- "Digital" projection is $1317
- Analog projection is $1046
- DBS receivers are $139
- PVRs are $312 (and, if the estimate is anywhere near correct,
fewer will be sold this year than in 2000)
- DVD players are $125
Household penetrations as of July 1, based on telephone surveys,
are:
- Color TV ------------- 98%
- VCR ------------------ 89% (down from a high of 94%)
- TV with stereo sound - 71%
- Computers ------------ 64%
- Modems --------------- 56%
- DVD players ---------- 41%
- Home theater audio --- 30%
- TV/VCR combos -------- 25%
- Satellite receivers -- 22%
- Projection TV -------- 18% (very slow growth)
- LCD TV --------------- 14%
- So-called "DTV" ------ 5%
- I saw one ad this week for a stand-alone ATSC receiver/decoder, the
Samsung SIRT151 at Circuit City. Audio King also offered the Hughes as
part of a two-room DirecTV package. Last week (but in this week's ads
list), Magnolia offered a Samsung SIR-TS160 with a Terk antenna.
- The ads:
The same-store, same-brand, same-size, same-shape,
same-resolution,
same-model-year premium for DTT reception for the Mitsubishi WS55513
over the WS55413 at Audio King was $450. Audio King prices ending in a
6 are calculated based on a 10% discount. The Sylvania 6613LD was
advertised as being HDTV. Audio King advertised local HD programming on
four channels in the TV schedule section. They also had an Apex AD1225
DVD player for $38.95.
The Norcent DP-302V DVD player was $39.99 after rebate at
amazon.com. As it's now becoming common to see DVD players for as low
as about $35, I will stop mentioning them until another price
breakthrough appears. FYI, Fry's had a DVD+R/RW recorder for $369.
Best Buy advertised Comcast HD packages. In Washington,
they also
advertised an old-equipment "recycling event."
- Audio King (Minneapolis Star Tribune, appropriate disclaimers):
- Apex Digital GB51HD09 51-inch 4:3 projection TV $998.95
- DirecTV 2-room/1-HD (Hughes) package w/$50 gift card $399.90**
- Hitachi 42HDT50 42-inch 16:9 plasma display $5399.96
- JVC AV56WP74 56-inch 16:9 projection TV $1519.96**
- Mitsubishi LT220 (sic) 20-inch 16:9 direct-view LCD TV $2699.96
- Mitsubishi LT3020 30-inch 16:9 direct-view LCD TV $4499.96
- Mitsubishi WS55413 55-inch 16:9 CRT projection TV $2069.96
- Mitsubishi WS55513 55-inch 16:9 integrated projection DTV $2519.96
- Mitsubishi WS73411 73-inch 16:9 CRT projection TV $4049.96
- Mitsubishi WT42313 42-inch 16:9 CRT projection TV $1529.96
- Panasonic CT36HL43 36-inch 4:3 direct-view CRT TV $1439.96
- Panasonic PT42PHD4P 42-inch 16:9 plasma panel $5999.95
- Panasonic PT45LC12 45-inch LCD projection TV w/stand $2499.95
- Panasonic PT47WX53 47-inch 16:9 projection TV $1349.96
- Panasonic PT56WX53 56-inch 16:9 CRT projection TV $1799.96
- Panasonic TC22LT1 22-inch 16:9 LCD TV $1999.95
- Samsung HCN5529WH 47-inch 16:9 CRT integrated projection DTV
$2069.96
- Samsung LTM1535 15-inch 4:3 direct-view LCD TV $539.96
- Samsung TXN2745FP 27-inch 4:3 direct-view CRT TV $449.96
- Samsung TXN3275WHF 32-inch 4:3 direct-view CRT TV $809.96
- Sharp LC37HV4U 37-inch 16:9 LCD direct-view monitor $6299.96
- Sharp XVZ90U DLP projector $2069.96
- Sharp XVZ10000 16:9 DLP projector $9899.96
- Sony KDP57WS550 57-inch 16:9 integrated projection DTV $2609.96
- Sony KE32TS2 32-inch 16:9 plasma display $3599.96
- Sony KP51WS510 51-inch 16:9 projection TV $1619.96
- Sylvania 6613LD 13-inch 4:3 direct-view LCD TV $378.95
- Zenith L17W36 17-inch 16:9 direct-view LCD TV $1169.96
- Zenith L20V26 20-inch 4:3 LCD TV $999.95
- Zenith P42W22B 42-inch 16:9 plasma display $2998.95
** price after mail-in rebate
- amazon.com (no disclaimer):
- JVC AV48WP74 48-inch 16:9 projection TV $999.99**
- Best Buy (appropriate disclamers):
- Mitsubishi WS-55313 55-inch 16:9 projection TV $2099.99
- Mitsubishi WS-65313 65-inch 16:9 projection TV $2599.99
- Philips 30PW850H 30-inch 16:9 direct-view CRT TV $999.99***
- Pioneer PDP5031HD 50-inch 16:9 plasma panel $9999.99
- Samsung HCN-5529WH 47-inch 16:9 CRT integrated projection DTV
$2299.99
- Samsung SPN4235 42-inch 16:9 plasma TV $3999.95
- Sharp LC-22SV2U 22-inch 16:9 LCD direct-view TV $1999.99
- Sony KE42TS2 42-inch 16:9 plasma display $5999.99
- Sony KP51WS510 51-inch 16:9 projection TV $1799.99
- Sony KP57WS510 57-inch 16:9 projection TV $2199.99
- Sony KV32HS510 32-inch 4:3 direct-view CRT TV $1299.99***
- Sony KV36FS100 36-inch 4:3 direct-view CRT TV $999.99***
- Sony KV36HS510 36-inch 4:3 direct-view CRT TV $1799.99***
- Toshiba 24AF41 24-inch 4:3 direct-view CRT TV $329.99
- Toshiba 46H83 46-inch 16:9 projection TV $1699.99
*** price includes leather chair
- Big Screen Store (Washington Post, no disclamer):
- Mitsubishi 55-inch 16:9 projection TV
- Mitsubishi 65-inch 16:9 projection TV
- Mitsubishi 73-inch 16:9 projection TV
- Circuit City (appropriate disclaimers):
- Hitachi 57F500 57-inch 16:9 CRT projection TV $2099.99
- Panasonic CT32HXC43 32-inch 4:3 direct-view CRT TV $924.99
- Panasonic TH42PA20U 42-inch 16:9 plasma display $4299.99
- Samsung HCN4226W 42-inch 16:9 CRT projection TV $1324.99
- Samsung LTN1565 15-inch 4:3 direct-view LCD TV $649.99
- Samsung SIRT151 ATSC receiver/decoder $299.99**
- Sharp LC22SV2U 22-inch 16:9 LCD direct-view TV $1899.99
- Sony KDP57WS550 57-inch 16:9 integrated projection DTV $2799.99
- Sony KLV30XBR900 30-inch 16:9 direct-view LCD TV $4799.99
- Sony KP43HT20 43-inch 4:3 CRT projection TV $1324.99
- Sony KP51WS510 51-inch 16:9 projection TV $1724.99
- Zenith L17W36 17-inch 16:9 direct-view LCD TV $1224.99
** price after mail-in rebate
- Fry's (Los Angeles Times, no disclaimer):
- "Major Brand Name" 60-inch 16:9 projection TV $1499
- Good Guys (Los Angeles Times, appropriate disclaimers):
- Fujitsu P50XHA10U 50-inch 16:9 plasma display $9999
- JVC AV48WP74 48-inch 16:9 projection TV $1599
- Mitsubishi LT3020 30-inch 16:9 direct-view LCD TV $4999
- Mitsubishi WS65413 65-inch 16:9 projection TV $2799****
- Philips 34PW850H 34-inch 16:9 direct-view CRT TV $1499
- Philips 60PW9753 60-inch 16:9 projection TV $2699****
- Sony KDP57WS550 57-inch 16:9 integrated projection DTV $2899****
- Sony KE32TS2 32-inch 16:9 plasma display $3999
- Sony KV32HS510 32-inch 4:3 direct-view CRT TV $1299
- Sony KV34XBR910 34-inch 16:9 direct-view CRT TV $2499
**** price includes Minolta 2Mpixel digital still camera
- Harvey (New York Times, no disclaimer):
- Fujitsu P42HHA10WS 42-inch 16:9 plasma display $6999
- Fujitsu P50XHA10US 50-inch 16:9 plasma display $9999
- Fujitsu PDS6101WS 61-inch 16:9 plasma display $24,999
- Loewe Aventos 30-inch 16:9 direct-view CRT TV $1999
- Loewe Aconda 9383 38-inch 16:9 direct-view CRT TV $4999
- Mitsubishi LT2220 20-inch 16:9 direct-view LCD TV $2999
- Mitsubishi LT3020 30-inch 16:9 direct-view LCD TV $4999
- Pioneer PRO1000HD 50-inch 16:9 plasma panel $10,999
- Samsung HLN567 56-inch 16:9 DLP projection TV $4499
- Samsung HLN617W 61-inch 16:9 DLP projection TV $4999
- SharpVision LC20S2US 20-inch 4:3 LCD direct-view monitor $1399
- SharpVision LC30HV4U 30-inch 16:9 LCD direct-view monitor $3999
- SharpVision LC37HV4U 37-inch 16:9 LCD direct-view monitor $6999
- SharpVision XVZ10000U DLP projector $10,999
- Sony KE32TS2 32-inch 16:9 plasma display $3999
- Sony KE42TS2 42-inch 16:9 plasma display $5999
- Sony KE42XBR900 42-inch 16:9 plasma display $8999
- Sony KE50XBR900 50-inch 16:9 plasma display $12,999
- Sony KF50XBR800 50-inch 16:9 LCD projection TV $3999
- Sony KF60XBR800 60-inch 16:9 LCD projection TV $4999
- Sony KLV15SR1 15-inch 4:3 direct-view LCD TV $799
- Sony KLV23HR1 23-inch 16:9 direct-view LCD TV $2299
- Sony KLV30XBR900 30-inch 16:9 direct-view LCD TV $4999
- J&R (New York Times, no disclaimer):
- LG Electronics 295LM 22-inch 16:10 LCD monitor $1299.99
- Panasonic TC-20LA1 20-inch 4:3 LCD TV $1149.99
- Philips 20PF9925 20-inch 4:3 LCD display
- Philips 30DVG93R 30-inch 16:9 direct-view TV w/DVD player $999.99
- Philips 32FD9954 32-inch 16:9 plasma monitor
- Sampo PME-42S6 42-inch 16:9 plasma display $2799.99
- Samsung LTN1785 17-inch 15:9 direct-view LCD TV
- Sharp LC-37HV4U 37-inch 16:9 LCD direct-view monitor
- Sony KLV-15SR1 15-inch 4:3 direct-view LCD TV
- Zenith L15V26 15-inch 4:3 LCD TV $499.99
- Zenith L20V26 20-inch 4:3 LCD TV $999.99
- Ken Crane's (Los Angeles Times, no disclaimer):
- Mitsubishi WS-55511 55-inch 16:9 integrated projection DTV $2498
- Panasonic PT-53WX53 53-inch 16:9 CRT projection TV $1698
- Sony KV-36XBR800 36-inch 4:3 direct-view CRT TV $1998
- Magnolia (Los Angeles Times, no disclaimer - includes last week):
- Mitsubishi WS-55311 55-inch 16:9 projection TV $1798
- Panasonic CT-36HL42 36-inch 4:3 direct-view CRT TV $1399
- Samsung HLN437 43-inch 16:9 DLP projection TV $3499
- Samsung HPL5025K 50-inch 16:9 plasma display $5998
- Samsung SIR-TS160 ATSC/DirecTV recvr. w/Terk TRK525 ant. $499**
- Sony KP-46WT500 46-inch 16:9 projection TV $1499
** price after rebate (includes installation)
- MyerEmco (Washington Post, no disclaimer):
- Samsung HLN567W 56-inch 16:9 DLP projection TV $4299
- Sharp LC30HV4U 30-inch 16:9 LCD direct-view monitor
- Sony KE-32TS2 32-inch 16:9 plasma display $4499
- Sony KLV-15SR1 15-inch 4:3 direct-view LCD TV $799
- Sears (Minneapolis Star Tribune, no disclaimer):
- Philips 32-inch 16:9 plasma TV, Sears #75333 $3999.99##
- Philips 55-inch 16:9 projection TV, Sears #54333 $1899.99##
- Samsung 42-inch 16:9 projection TV, Sears #54003 $1399.99
- Toshiba 36-inch 4:3 direct-view TV, Sears #46483 $1599.99
- Toshiba 51-inch 16:9 projection TV, Sears #54433 $1799.99
## price includes DVD/LCD combo after rebate
- Sony (New York Times, no disclaimer):
- Sony KLV-23HR1 23-inch 16:9 direct-view LCD TV
- Other satellite news:
- The slides from the FCC International Bureau's
"Perspective on
the Commercial Satellite Industry" are available:
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-238835A1.doc>
- Household penetration of digital broadcast satellite service in
Japan is running at about 43% of projections:
<http://www.japantoday.com/e/?content=feature&id=505>
- Security cards for the service may be needed by April:
<http://www.newsalert.com/bin/story?StoryId=Cp2pNWaics1KTreLhsvrbtc1cuK9bren
bu1q&Topic=Digital%20TV&Nav=pr-prmynews-&StoryTitle=Digital%20TV>
- DVD news:
- According to CEA, sales of DVD players to U.S. dealers for the
first 35 weeks of 2003 were up 25.8% over the same period in 2002. My
ten-week running average was up 30.4%. Wow!
- Warren Communications News reported last week that 48 models of
DVD+RW recorders were shown at the big consumer-electronics show in
Germany, with 36 models coming from 20 brands that were NOT among the
"format's founders." The story is no longer on the site:
<http://www.warren-news.com/>
- A Memory Stick TV recorder for Sony PDAs:
<http://www.forbes.com/2003/09/11/cx_ah_0911tentech.html>
- Like Gateway, Dell is planning to offer consumer-electronics products:
<http://finance.lycos.com/home/news/story.asp?story=35647815>
- SMPTE in New York in November: If you need a complimentary exhibits
registration form, let me know and I will forward one.
- Upcoming Dates (DTV and non-DTV):
- Through September 16, RAI, Amsterdam, IBC <http://www.ibc.org>.
- Through September 18, Library and Archives of Canada, Ottawa,
Preservation of Electronic Records
<http://www.cci-icc.gc.ca/symposium2003/index_e.shtml>.
- September 24-25, CBI Convention Centre, London, The Connected
Home <http://www.the-connected-home.co.uk/>.
- September 29 - October 2, Orlando World Center Marriott,
ShowEast
<http://www.showeast.com/>.
- September 30, Helmsley Park Lane Hotel, New York, Kagan Digital
Household Economics conference
<http://www.kagan.com/cgi-bin/pkcat/dhe03f>.
- October 8-9, Doubletree San Jose, California, Digital Imaging
'03
<http://www.capv.com/home/InfoTrends/itEvents/DIC03/DIC03Home.html>.
- October 10-13, Javits Center, New York, Audio Engineering
Society
convention <http://www.aes.org/events/115/>.
- October 10-11, Ramada, Williamsburg, Virginia, WEBE/SMPTE Fall
Convention "Getting Past Getting On The Air," Mike Marno, +1 703
926-3602, <[email protected]>.
- October 13-15, La Costa Resort, Carlsbad, California, CEA
Industry Forum
<http://www.ce.org/events/event_info/default.asp?eventID=FALL03>.
- October 15-17, Hotel Washington, Washington, D.C., IEEE
Broadcast
Symposium <http://www.ieee.org/btsymposium>.
- October 20-24, MPEG meetings, Brisbane, Australia
<http://mpeg.telecomitalialab.com/meetings/brisbane03/auagenda.htm>.
- October 22-23, Embassy Suites, Alexandria, Virginia, ATSC PSIP
and Closed Captioning University <http://www.atsc.org/seminars.html>.
- *October 28-30, Hotel Fort Des Moines, Des Moines, Iowa, 9th
annual DTV Symposium <http://www.iptv.org/dtv/2003/>.
- October 29-30, Bryant Park Hotel, New York, ETA Expo
<http://www.etaexpo.com/>.
- October 30, Waldorf-Astoria, New York, SkyForum
<http://www.sbca.com/skytrends/forum.html>.
- November 10-12, Tribeca Grand Hotel, Global Society for Asset
Management conference <http://www.g-sam.org>.
- November 10-13, Long Beach Convention Center, California,
Electronic House Expo <http://www.ehexpo.com/>.
- November 12-13, Marina del Rey Marriott, California,
"Enabling
HDTV from the Factory to the Home"
<http://www.displaysearch.com/hdtvforum/>.
- November 12-15, New York Hilton, 145th SMPTE Technical
Conference
<http://www.smpte.org/conferences/145tech.cfm>.
- November 28-29, Milan Fair, IBTS, SMPTE International
Conference
"D-Cinema and Beyond"
<http://www.smpte.org/conferences/International03.cfm>.
- December 2-5, Anaheim Convention Center, BroadbandPlus
<http://www.broadbandplus.org/>.
- December 3 & 4, 2003, Washington DC Convention Center,
Government
Video Technology Expo <http://www.gvexpo.com>.
- December 8-12, MPEG meetings, Waikaloa, Hawaii.
- January 8-11, Las Vegas, Consumer Electronics Show
<http://www.cesweb.org/>.
- January 18-23, Sheraton Hacienda del Mar, Cabo del Sol, Los
Cabos, Mexico, The Executive Retreat Forum
<http://www.ExecutiveRetreatForums.com>.
- ***February 4-6, La Quinta Resort, California, ***The
Technology
Retreat*** <http://www.hpaonline.com>.
- March 15-19, MPEG meetings, Munich.
- *June 5-11, Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, InfoComm
<http://infocomm03.expoexchange.com/>.
* - new or revised listing
TTFN,
Mark
PS Permission is granted to forward this or any other Monday Memo.
Next week's memo might be a little late.
Return To Top
CABLEVISION CALLS IT
VOOM
BY MAVIS SCANLON AND SHIRLEY BRADY
Cable World, Sep 15, 2003
Cablevision Systems' direct broadcast satellite service, which has been viewed with
skepticism on Wall Street and in the cable industry, is about to become a reality
as soon as Oct. 1. Cablevision has formed a partnership with retailing giant Sears to
launch the long-anticipated service just as the crucial holiday selling season heats up.
The service will be called VOOM, according to a person familiar with Cablevision's plans.
On Sept. 5, VOOM.com was registered with Network Solutions by Cablevision. According to an
internal Sears memo sent out to managers at the local stores, the details of which were
obtained by Cable World, the service will feature 39 HDTV channels, including 21 VOOM
exclusives. An initial suggested retail price of $749 covers all hardware, an off-air
antenna for local channel HDTV reception, professional installation and a two-year
warranty. On Friday, wiring for the service was being installed in the electronics
departments at several Sears stores in the New York area, according to two separate Sears
Brand Central salespeople contacted by Cable World. [The
rest of the story]
Return to Index
Monday, September 15, 2003
INHD
LAUNCHES FIRST-EVER MULTI-PROGRAMMING 24/7 HIGH-DEFINITION TELEVISION NETWORKS ON
DIGITAL CABLE
INHD Bolsters Cables
Ample HD Offering Featuring The Most ExtensiveHi-Def Content Including Hollywood Films,
Major League Baseball, College Sports & Concert Events
Channels To Begin Launching On Comcast, Time Warner,
Cox Communications & Brighthouse On September 15, 2003
NEW YORK, September 15, 2003 INHD is taking the
lead in the high-definition revolution with the launch of two linear, 24/7 HD television
networks to Comcast, Time Warner, Cox Communications and Brighthouse digital cable
systems. The networks, INHD and INHD2, will feature the most comprehensive and compelling
mix of HD programming on television, including commercial-free hit movies, sports,
documentaries, family programming, special events, concerts and theatrical movie previews.
Recognizing the enormous growth and potential of
high-definition, INHD is making a major investment in the category. INHD has already
secured a diversified hi-def programming library through partnerships with such
high-profile companies as Paramount Pictures, Major League Baseball (MLB), National
Basketball Association (NBA), College Sports Television (CSTV), Hallmark Entertainment and
the Tennis Channel. During the September launch, INHD and INHD2 will deliver
an exciting line-up with: box office action hits like Full Metal Jacket and
Natural Born Killers; live MLB games during the heightened play-off stretch drive and
college football. Additionally, the INHD2 channel will enable local cable
operators to pre-empt scheduled programming to showcase local professional
sporting events of interest to their subscribers.
The launch of these channels on Comcast, Time Warner and
Cox shows how committed the cable industry is to embracing the rapid deployment of
high-definition to its customers, states Rob Jacobson, Chief Operating Officer,
INHD. Industry analysts are projecting a boom in the purchase of high-definition
televisions this holiday season so we saw a great opportunity to do something
groundbreaking with the launch of these channels. We are evolving quickly to meet the
changes of the industry and the big winner will be the customer, because we can deliver
the best quality and quantity of HD programming on television.
INHD will develop a strategic programming schedule to ensure INHD
and INHD2 have a distinctive brand presence and programming sensibility
elements that have been non-existent on satellite HD alternatives. The INHD look is clean,
sharp and modern. The attitude is not high-tech its Hi-Def which is about an
enhanced viewing experience. The network identity rewards viewers for the investment
theyve made in the technology with graphics and IDs that show off the visual
and audio WOW factor of texture, color, clarity and sound that they get with
INHD.
Movies The Way They Were Meant To Been Seen
Digital cable subscribers will now have the ability to see hit
Hollywood films and exclusive television programming the way they were meant to be seen,
in high-definition and commercial free. INHD and INHD2 have great slate of
film favorites from Warner Brothers, Paramount Pictures and Artisan Entertainment that
will be making their HD premiere including Full Metal Jacket, A Clock Work
Orange, The Candidate, Natural Born Killers, The Postman Always Rings Twice, Waiting
For Guffman, Drugstore Cowboy, Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore and The World
According To Garp.
Exclusive to the networks is Farther Than the Eye Can See,
Erik Weihenmayers documentary of the world-renowned climb of Mt. Everest in 2001 and
episodes of the new Twilight Zone television series. The INHD networks will
also showcase the award-winning films from Hallmark Entertainment, the largest producer of
television movies and miniseries which have garnered 95 Emmy� Awards, 13 Golden Globes
and numerous Peabody, Christopher and Genesis Awards, in a weekly spotlight feature. Return
to Lonesome Dove, Mark Twains Roughing It, Captains Courageous and
A Promise Kept: The Oksana Baiul Story among the popular, high-profile specials to
be showcased in INHDs weekly Hallmark spotlight.
INHD Scores With Sports In HD
The networks will feature a potent sports line-up for its hi-def
launch. INHD and INHD2 will present all of the chills and thrills of this
years suspenseful baseball play-off stretch drive with three high-profile MLB games
each week starting in September. Local cable operators will be able to pre-empt INHD2
to air local MLB games if they are not scheduled on INHD.
College sports fans looking for their live events will get their
fill through an exciting amount of content from College Sports Television (CSTV).
Beginning in September, INHD and INHD2 will present a college football
Game of the Week. Throughout the year, the networks will also present a broad
range of Division I college sporting events such as basketball, hockey.
Additionally, content from the Tennis Channel will keep
passionate tennis fans in play with high definition world class action. Leading the way
will be the high-definition airing of the Fed Cup quarterfinal round, which featured the
national womens teams from the United States vs. Italy.
Special Events on INHD
Above and beyond movies, professional and college sports, and
general interest programming that maximize the HD experience, INHD and INHD2
will also present exciting special events. Working with Nation Mobile Televisions
fleet of mobile production trucks, INHD will produce and edit content programming such as
sporting events and music concerts in the hi-def format. Upcoming special hi-def events
already scheduled to air on the networks include Melissa Etheridge and The
Pretenders concerts.
INHD Means Quality
All content provided on INHD and INHD2 will be
available in wide screen, high-resolution format with Dolby Digital 5.1 audio when
available. While the audio is equivalent to most DVDs, the picture quality is superior.
HD In High Demand
The demand for HD programming is on the rise according to a
recent CTAM survey, with digital cable subscribers having the highest unaided awareness of
HDTV among multi-channel TV consumers at 79%. Ninety-two percent of adults who have seen
HDTV or are broadband users have unaided awareness of the technology. HDTVs picture
quality, which is five times sharper than standard definition TV, is cited by 66 % of
consumers as the most appealing attribute of HDTV. The price for HDTVs have dropped by 50%
since the beginning of 2003 and statistics project another 50% drop by the end of the
year.
INHD is the new 24-hour HD linear television network owned and
operated by iN DEMAND. In addition to MLB, INHD will also feature HD telecasts of college
sports including college football, basketball and hockey -- and professional
tennis, as well as movies and other entertainment programming. Further information on INHD
can be found at www.INHD.com. Return to Index
DISH Network Expands
High-Def Offerings; HD Leader Packages Four Channels, Prepares Rollout of Receivers
LITTLETON, Colo Sept. 5, 2003--EchoStar Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH)
announced today that the company's DISH Network(TM), America's fastest growing satellite
subscription television service, will begin offering four channels of high-definition
entertainment in a single, low-priced package Sept. 16.
Further establishing itself as the leader in high-definition initiatives, DISH Network
will offer ESPN HD, Discovery HD Theater, HDNet and HDNet Movies in a new package for
$9.99 per month or $109.89 annually, the lowest prices in the industry. DISH Network also
offers high-definition channels such as CBS-HD, HBO-HD, Showtime HD, and DISH-On-Demand
pay-per-view HD movies.
DISH Network's entry-level DISH 811, designed as the first affordable high-definition
receiver/decoder, will be available this fall at an MSRP of only $399.
DISH Network will further strengthen a high-definition product line that currently
includes the popular model 6000 with the release of the DISH Player-DVR 921, available by
the end of October. The first-of-its-kind high-definition digital video recorder (DVR)
will carry an MSRP of $999. It will feature a 250-gigabyte hard drive capable of recording
up to 25 hours of high-definition video or up to 180 hours of standard-definition content,
or some combination of both.
The state-of-the-art DISH Player-DVR 921 contains all the features of DISH Network's
complete line of DVRs, plus a dual tuner that allows the user to record two different
shows while viewing a third pre-recorded show. The DISH Player-DVR 921 also includes a
picture-in-picture feature on any TV. No other pay TV company offers the innovative
combination of HD and DVR features -- including rewind, fast-forward, pause, and 30-second
skip-ahead -- as the DISH Player-DVR 921. Winner of the Best of Show in the Innovations
Design and Engineering category at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the DISH
Player-DVR 921 also offers:
-- DISHWire connection for future downloading and storage of content
-- Electronic program guide with computerized search function
-- Throughput of 480i, 480p, 720p and 1080i resolutions
-- Slow motion and frame-by-frame replay
-- All DISH Video-On-Demand functionality.
With the DISH Player-DVR 921, DISH Network customers will enhance their enjoyment of
sports programming on the new ESPN HD and HDNet and the exciting variety of movies and
general entertainment on HDNet Movies and Discovery HD Theater.
For information on DISH Network and its products or services call 1-800-333-DISH (3474),
visit www.dishnetwork.com or contact your local DISH Network retailer.
Return to Index
Dear Readers:
The CEA reports on the sales of "DTV" products. This press release (below) is
just in and offers still more evidence of the product category's strength. In an economy
that many think is being cored out and grasping for life support HDTV continues up the
mountain like an old cog wheel full of eager skiers. I can assure you that ten years ago
there were few executives in television in the United States, Japan, or Europe who thought
we would be as far along with HDTV as we are today. Still, there are some signs to note
with some caution, especially the mild increase reported in the July 2002 to July 2003
increase pegged at just 8%.The year-to-year comparison is much stronger but some analysis
should be given to the question of why July to July was not stronger. _Dale Cripps
Return to Index____________________________________
July Digital
Television Sales Stay Hot
Unit Sales Up 56 Percent Year-to-Date
Arlington, Va., September 5, 2003 - Manufacturer-to-dealer sales of digital
television (DTV) products during the month of July remained on track for a record year,
according to figures released today by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA). Factory
shipments totaled 238,835 units with revenues of nearly $354.8 million for the month.
Unit sales for the month of July increased by eight percent compared to the same period in
2002, while dollar revenues on DTV product sales remained level.
Overall, year-to-date factory sales of DTV products now total 1,677,548 units with dollar
revenues of more than $2.5 billion. Compared to sales during the same period in 2002, unit
sales have increased 56 percent and dollar sales have increased 34 percent.
"This definitely bodes well for year-end estimates," said Sean Wargo, senior
industry analyst for CEA. "We're already ahead of pace compared to the banner year in
2002 and are in position to see record-breaking totals for 2003 year-end figures."
CEA recently announced upwardly revised projections for DTV unit sales, which now show
that 4.3 million units will be sold in 2003, 5.8 million in 2004, 8.3 million in 2005,
11.9 million in 2006 and 16.2 million in 2007.
Data cited in this release is available for purchase through CEA's Market Activity Reports
and Analysis (MARA) program. Visit www.eBrain.org/mara.
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Copyright 2003
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