CEMA's Role in the 8VSB vs. COFDM Debate: A Threat to North American DTV Broadcasters
By Dermot Nolan · 1999
Mentioned:
Dermot Nolan
Summary
UK commentator Dermot Nolan argues that CEMA is acting as an enabler for competitors to North American DTV broadcasters by promoting COFDM over 8VSB, drawing parallels to Europe's earlier HDMAC fiasco. He warns that without mandated cable retransmission, 8VSB-based DTV services will be severely limited in household reach compared to COFDM systems.
Source documentcirca 1999preserved as-is
"CEMA is now setting out its stall as an enabler for competitors to North American DTV broadcasters. It should be treated accordingly and all pronouncements from that camp about the relative merits of 8VSB and COFDM completely discounted."
Dermot Nolan, UK
August 3, 1999
CEMA's revelations are a catastrophic PR own goal which could not have been more badly timed in their disclosure.
Channels 60 - 69 have been used for tv broadcasting for donkey's years and indeed on this side of the pond are used for COFDM DTV as well. In some European countries Channels 60 - 69 were not used for analogue broadcasting but are being reserved for COFDM DTV, including for some large area Single Frequency Networks in Sweden and Spain. The BBC COFDM mobile DTV tests in June showed that not only was perfect mobile DTV feasible but SIMULTANEOUSLY perfect indoor DTV service was delivered in the same RF transmission from the same COFDM DTV transmitter.
CEMA is now setting out its stall as an enabler for competitors to North American DTV broadcasters. It should be treated accordingly and all pronouncements from that camp about the relative merits of 8VSB and COFDM completely discounted.
A COFDM system which supports robust mobile DTV reception also supports robust indoor and rooftop DTV reception. CEMA is now paving the way for new wireless competitors to have 100% ACCESS to US homes whereas 8VSB delivered DTV services will be crippled in their access profile unless cable retransmission is mandated (and let's all whistle Dixie here!)
The US broadcasting industry now needs to actively take charge of the DTV agenda including standards, commercial strategy, technology choices, applications and not subcontract the process to an unrepresentative set of bodies with divergent and competing commercial agenda from US broadcasters. (The analogy with the earlier European advanced television fiasco nearly a decade ago is now virtually complete. In Europe many of CEMA's members pushed an older analogue HDTV transmission standard (HDMAC) while simultaneously pushing new DTV standards across the pond. Substitute 8VSB for HDMAC and COFDM for DTV and history repeats itself!!!!)
