Summary

The newly formed ATSC Task Force marks the first acknowledgment by 8-VSB proponents of concerns raised by Sinclair's Baltimore tests, which showed 8-VSB receivers performing poorly against COFDM in dynamic multipath conditions. Industry figures including ATSC Chairman Robert Graves, Toshiba's Michael Tsinberg, and NAB's Lynn Claudy weigh in on whether 8-VSB remains the right standard for U.S. digital television.

Source document circa 1999 preserved as-is
Some Background

The establishment of the Task Force is indeed the first instance in which 8-VSB authorities have expressed any respect for the concerns raised last year from Sinclair's Baltimore, MD comparative test (in June/July) of first generation 8-VSB receivers done side-by-side with a MHz COFDM receiver. Those tests, or demonstrations as some insist they be called, were witnessed by 200 broadcast executives who mostly agreed that what they saw showed 8-VSB receivers, and perhaps the standard itself, sub-par in dynamic multipath (ghosts in the analog world) handling performance.

Concerns escalated to the level of alarm as similar reports to the Sinclair findings come in from other tests performed in Australia, Mexico, Brazil, and NBC.

Those distanced from the technical issues were incredulous when hearing these reports. "Hell!" they reasoned, "Those smart guys (ATSC) wouldn't take ten years to develop something that was not any good for the US public!." Many dismissed Sinclair's claims with a faithful trust in the ACATS/ATSC process and a healthy respect for how the standard was derived. "If this helps to bring them (Sinclair) into the discussion, and they learn what the diversity of opinions are, that is a good thing." said the NAB's Claudy in an interview with me this week. "Ostroff can bring his views to the table...and try to convince people in the forum...which has been the proper place."

Others are less impressed, charging left and right that the ACATS/ATSC process was itself rigged to serve pre-conceived outdated conclusions based on already fabricated and sold products. Noted television engineer Mark Schubin is still fuming over the apparent railroading of issues in which he was involved. Professor William Shreiber (MIT-retired) goes so far as to question in a letter campaigns to the FCC and others in Government the legality of the ACATS process.

Still, most involved think that ATSC did what it could, and even if the process were repeated today would choose 8-VSB. ACATS chairman Dick Wiley, now distancing himself from further involvement, explained that when the standard was settled upon all of the facts were laid out to him the best of the best systems was recommended to the FCC, and then after a year of contemplation there it was adopted by that agency (though certainly not without dramatic controversy at the end, which left us with so many formats). Dr. Robert Hopkins, Executive Director of the ATSC during the DTV development phase, agrees that 8-VSB will, in the end, still be a good choice as does digital wizard Glenn Reitmeir from Sarnoff Labs in Princeton, NJ.

Michael Tsinberg of Toshiba's Laboratories has a slightly different reason for reaching the same conclusion. He says 8-VSB is the better choice because it is the simplest...and still needs improvements. Tsinberg believes that both the standard and the US approach to development encourages innovative third party solutions and invention (as proven with the NTSC standard) while COFDM is a complex system that is command driven with a top-down European management style that acts to stifle any further innovation.

Robert Graves has been trying to sell the 8-VSB system around the world to other nations. His tough competitiveness in that process has been taken by his opposition as being devious, even dishonest. "People who know Robert think of him as the most honest guy they know." nods broadcast executive, Lynn Claudy. "The way he sticks to his business and his life demonstrates this. The accusation one might make is that Robert is to a fault an evangelist for the system he feels is his charge to advocate. He is singularly focused towards defending it." Graves describes himself as a "policy guy" and not an engineer. He hopes to enter the Task Force with an open mind, but cannot help but think when all the facts are presented along with further education of those joining in the Task Force, the 8-VSB will prevail.
"I am trying to give Robert Graves an opportunity to say that ATSC recognizes that the requirements have changed and the broadcast industry needs more than what we conceived of in 1995." explains Ostroff. "'We are investigating meeting those requirements and giving (to) broadcasters the option to use more robust alternative modulation systems.'"

Though often urged to do so, Ostroff had never joined the ATSC. Like all non-members he gained information from their leaks and public statements. Graves tried, mostly in vain, to keep a lid on sensitive disclosures and discussions about the issue. It looked like a 'circle the wagons' strategy to the opposition. Indeed, the ATSC and everyone else tried to keep the lid on an escalating situation that was occurring at the very worst possible time.

"What is critical to the success of the new ATSC Task Force," at least for Ostroff, "is that walls of silence erected by these non-disclosure agreements and non-competitive secrecy acts must come down so an objective analysis of where everyone is takes place. If that can't happen," he reasons, "the Task Force will only be able to draw conclusions on what it physically has in its possession. We know what that does. It doesn't work."

Lynn Claudy is more organizational in his thinking: "The ATSC should be a reflection of its members. They do have consumer electronics members, but they also have cable, satellite, and broadcasting members. It is their attempt to balance those interests that this Task Force is created."

ATSC Chairman, Robert Graves is a veteran negotiator from the AT&T--Zenith DTV Grand Alliance team a half-decade ago and assumed not only the chairmanship of ATSC, but also this task of marketing the American 8-VSB standard as the best in there is to nations around the world. With 8-VSB coming under this attack from the Sinclair findings his international negotiations proved much more difficult than when 8-VSB was still on top of the world. "It's no walk in the park now," said Graves recently to HDTV News. The 8-VSB standard, he has said both home and abroad, is still more than adequate, the most robust, and the most conservative of power. Recent industry reports say he has come to acknowledge, however, that multipath has proven more of a challenge than had been originally forecast.

Graves is no stranger to highly advanced technology. While defining himself as a "policy" guy, he knows very well that processing power on a chip is threshold of mind boggling advances well beyond what one can predict will be possible in solving multipath, or any other problems--perhaps even making 8-VSB better fit for fast mobile applications than its current rival. The legendary CBS Senior vice-president, Dr. Joe Flaherty. certainly believes that fast mobile applications are in the cards.

Ostroff was surprised to discover in LA DTV-6 Conference that Graves had been a part of the Grand Alliance, and expressed a suspicion to HDTV News that his unswerving evangelism and adherence to the 8-VSB standard might be tied to his old relationships, and...to the royalties. "I don't think it is due to a Macheavellian interest in royalties." says Lynn Claudy shaking his head. "In a global debate on standards one needs strong advocates, and he has served that role. Maybe he has been blind-sided as to the frailties of the ATSC standard because of that. But if you are in a gun fight, you shoot with the gun you've got." He concluded his comments about Graves saying, "I know the International debate club is an uncomfortable and difficult jungle to maneuver through. I have a hard time finding any specious motives in Robert Graves."

Ostroff said to Graves in Los Angeles at the sparsely attended conference, "We recognize that we moved the goal posts. In 1995 the view of digital television was; 'HDTV' to a fixed home theater entertainment center in the home. Both technology and events have overtaken that view and now. Based on applications and where we are going in the wireless world we need to be able to transmit and receive by simple antennas in complex miultipath environments. Yes, we have moved the goal posts. But we have demonstrated by ...that there is a player who can still score a touchdown.