From TVT: FCC Gives DTS Official Nod

THE WILMINGTON EFFECT
As part of the fallout from the September Wilmington, N.C. DTV trial, at least one station in that marketWECTheard from longstanding viewers that they could no longer receive its programming after the analog transmitter was shut down. Weiss was asked if he thought that DTS technology might be the best way to cope with this and other post-analog coverage problems.

What they [WECT] ended up with was a replication gap, Weiss said. The problem is that this particular stationeven if they had not moved their transmitter closer to the ocean to better center it in their real marketwould not have been able to replicate their analog coverage, as they were moving from low VHF to UHF.

Weiss said that it was too early to know if the commission would allow such stations that will no longer be able to cover their original service area to expand their reach with DTS.

I can't answer that at this point, he said. We probably won't know until the full Report and Order is released.

Wilson said that single frequency networks make more sense than going with traditional translator technology for filling such coverage gaps.

Certainly DTS is the most spectrally efficient solution when broadcasters complete the build out of their coverage area, he said. DTS is operationally a better solution than rebroadcasting on different channels.

MORE WHITE SPACE ISSUES
The commission's decision came on the same day it voted to permit unlicensed white space devices to operate within spectrum previously set aside exclusively for television broadcasting.

A sizable group of white space device proponents view DTS as a direct threat to maximizing opportunities for white space operationmore TV transmitters in more places equates to less unused spectrum.

In comments representing the views of more than 20 DTS opponents filed with the commission more than two years ago, the New America Foundation and the Media Access Project declared that a favorable decision on DTS would provide a redefinition of broadcaster's service areas to include many of the white spaces not currently covered by a broadcaster's current single high-powered transmitter, pointing out that it could eventually lead to tens of thousands of new television transmitters.

Weiss was unsure how the commission would balance the two interests.

The broadcasters certainly are providing a service to some proportion of the population, as evidenced in the Wilmington case, he said. The other interests claim that they want to eliminate broadcasting from that spectrum within five years and that they want to increase their power from 40 mW to 10 W. They say they will keep coming back to the commission until they achieve this.

Weiss cited the success of a five-year DTS test in Pennsylvania that allowed WPSU-TV, a PBS member station owned and operated by The Pennsylvania State University, and licensed to operate in Clearfield, Pa., to reach an underserved area.

The station was blocked from providing service to its full market, Weiss said. Now that's possible.

27. Specifically, we adopt the following Table of Distances.112 As explained below, the distances represent circles within which DTS station coverage contours must be contained. In the vast majority of cases, the appropriate circle will equal or exceed a station's currently authorized coverage contour, including the contour within which the station will provide service at the end of the transition. The rule will provide for those exceptional situations in which this is not the case.

Because the purpose of this waiver policy is to maintain service to existing viewers after the digital transition, we will limit the use of DTS under this waiver policy to stations that apply by August 18, 2009 to provide such service and commit to build the DTS facility as quickly as possible.115 We urge stations to determine now if they anticipate such a loss of service to current analog viewers and to apply as soon as possible to obtain an STA for DTS operation under the interim policy so that they can continue to provide uninterrupted service to the current analog viewers within their analog Grade B contour after they terminate their analog service.

(2) Each DTS transmitter's coverage is contained within either the DTV station's Table of Distances area (pursuant to paragraph (c) of this section) or its authorized service area, except where such extension of coverage beyond the station's authorized service area is of a minimal amount and necessary to meet the requirements of paragraph (f)(1) of this section;

Originally Posted by Sammer

Exactly why would they spend the money to interfere where there is already good reception?