I read the announcement today that Sharp will be introducing a line of AQUOS HD recorders in Japan next week. They have some awesome specs and have up to a 1 TB HDD built-in. Additional storage might be possible via Firewire or USB. (The Firewire port also allows you to plug in their AQUOS Blu Ray recorder).

Hopefully the U.S. will see something like this soon!

No.

In Japan, they have software and services that make such products more viable. In Japan, 95% of the population watches digital TV daily and more than 75% have a 25" or larger screen. Of that, more than 90% are either off-air antenna viewers (48 million) or satellite viewers (15 million). They've got a number of smaller cable providers, but the vast majority of TV viewers in Japan don't have to worry about incompatible systems, different guide software / systems, or different time zones. CE manufacturers only have to support two national systems with their DVR products to serve most of the market.

In the U.S., we have more stringent DRM requirements; multiple, incompatible satellite systems; a broadcast system that fewer than 15% of Americans receive over-the-air due to consumer phobias with antennas; and dozens of different cable systems, each with their own encryption system and channel lineup. Furthermore, the cable standard now available for implementation is unidirectional, and hence unable to access SDV, VOD, or guide data from the provider.

No.

In Japan, they have software and services that make such products more viable. In Japan, 95% of the population watches digital TV daily and more than 75% have a 25" or larger screen. Of that, more than 90% are either off-air antenna viewers (48 million) or satellite viewers (15 million). They've got a number of smaller cable providers, but the vast majority of TV viewers in Japan don't have to worry about incompatible systems, different guide software / systems, or different time zones. CE manufacturers only have to support two national systems with their DVR products to serve 90+% of the market.

In the U.S., we have more stringent DRM requirements; multiple, incompatible satellite systems; a broadcast system that fewer than 15% of Americans receive over-the-air due to phobias associated with antennas; and dozens of different cable systems, each with their own encryption system and channel lineup. Furthermore, the cable standard now available for implementation is unidirectional, and hence unable to access SDV, VOD, or guide data from the provider.

bfdtv,

It's a tiny bit higher than 15%

http://www.mediainfocenter.org/television/competitive/broadcast_vs_cable.asp

bfdtv,

It's a tiny bit higher than 15%

http://www.mediainfocenter.org/television/competitive/broadcast_vs_cable.aspThat link doesn't say anything about how many consumers receive their networks with an antenna. Most consumers view their local networks using cable.

Well all I need/want is a dual tuner recorder with a ATSC/QAM/NTSC tuners. Heck, I'd even settle for a single tuner recorder so I could record ONE HD program in true HD format. I don't care if it has a guide or not (as I've seen all the problems with the free guides and won't pay for a Tivo type guide). I don't mind setting manual timers. It would be easy enough to pull free guide information off the internet (as some recording devices already do).

My old Panasonic DVR did everything I needed except record HD in its native format. The new DVD recorders (without HDD) for 2007 have been announced. They are a step in the right direction but still far from what is offered in Japan.

Yes, satellite has their proprietary formats (I worked in the DTH satellite industry for over 7 years) but ATSC/QAM/NTSC would work pretty much everywhere. Cable and OTA viewership still far exceeds DTH satellite viewership.

While you do bring up some valid points about the different ways we watch TV in the US, it really wouldn't be that difficult to create HDD units for the US that work with ATSC/QAM/NTSC signals.

It would be easy enough to pull free guide information off the internet (as some recording devices already do).To be clear, there is really no such thing as "free guide information." The Gemstar TVGoS doesn't require a monthly fee, but it is not free. The manufacturer must pay the license fee; in turn, Gemstar pays a portion of these license fees to broadcasters to carry their program information over the airwaves for a particular market. Even Microsoft pays for the guide in their Vista Media Center. Some services are cheaper to license and use than others, but you can't expect most of the cheaper services to provide sufficient information with adequate reliability to support advanced recording features.

We always think of Internet guide service as free, but most of these services are only free for non-commercial use. If a commercial vendor like Panasonic wants to support a guide delivered via the Internet, they've got to pay for it.
While you do bring up some valid points about the different ways we watch TV in the US, it really wouldn't be that difficult to create HDD units for the US that work with ATSC/QAM/NTSC signals.Every U.S. market has its own timezone, its own channel lineup, and its own encryption. Further, NTSC is slowly going away, QAM channels are encrypted with increasing regularity, and outside of FiOS, most cable providers are looking toward switched digital video (SDV) to deliver new high-definition channels. Comcast has made statements that suggest as much as 50% of its high-def channels could ultimately use SDV. Over the next five years, built-in QAM tuners will receive fewer and fewer channels.

That link doesn't say anything about how many consumers receive their networks with an antenna. Most consumers view their local networks using cable.

They may view them now through cable (and I'm not even convinced about that because of the fights the cable guys still have about must carry regulations), but those numbers only reflect a small percentage of people with HD capable equipment. Almost every receiver sold in the US this year has to have a digital tuner and this is ATSC and QAM. I may be spoiled living in the SF bay area, it has some of the most comprehensive digital and HDTV broadcast coverage in the US but as soon as somebody sees the difference between a direct reception broadcast signal and the stuff that comes out of the cable (or satellite feed) they're tripping over themselves to reconnect that antenna that's laying on their roof. I worked for a cable equipment manufacturer for 6 years doing design and I know how cheap these guys are, the more stuff you can cram into the pipe by compression the better. Besides, unless they live in an apartment why would someone pay for something they can get for free?

Well all I need/want is a dual tuner recorder with a ATSC/QAM/NTSC tuners. Heck, I'd even settle for a single tuner recorder so I could record ONE HD program in true HD format. I don't care if it has a guide or not (as I've seen all the problems with the free guides and won't pay for a Tivo type guide). I don't mind setting manual timers. It would be easy enough to pull free guide information off the internet (as some recording devices already do).

My old Panasonic DVR did everything I needed except record HD in its native format. The new DVD recorders (without HDD) for 2007 have been announced. They are a step in the right direction but still far from what is offered in Japan.

Yes, satellite has their proprietary formats (I worked in the DTH satellite industry for over 7 years) but ATSC/QAM/NTSC would work pretty much everywhere. Cable and OTA viewership still far exceeds DTH satellite viewership.

While you do bring up some valid points about the different ways we watch TV in the US, it really wouldn't be that difficult to create HDD units for the US that work with ATSC/QAM/NTSC signals.


AMEN...JUST AN HD DVR WITH ATSC/QAM, AND FIREWIRE. WHY SO DIFFICULT?

What is going on with cable card 2 (ie 2-way communication for Guide Info, and Vidio on demand, etc.). It was supposed to be out this year. Another fine example of my cable company ramming the pole up my arse.