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When I think of "hype" the "ice cream taste great" or "the car emotes a sense of luxury", comes to mind.
In the context of the time this press release was issued and testimony before Congress the following summer by Nxtwave which was instrumental in the choice of 8-VSB as our US standard saying "With the NXT2000 we've cracked the code for indoor and mobile reception, shown that VSB is a robust and commercially viable standard, and paved the way for mass market deployment of error-free digital TV," said Matt Miller, president and CEO of NxtWave Communications Inc." is not my idea of hype.
The big question at the time was should we revisit the standard, change it or allow a dual standard and which of those options would cause delay and which would speed up the DTV transition. It has been two years and the delay continues as they attempt to "fix" 8-VSB which according to Mat Miller (President) "provides the highest reliability and performance available." which was patently untrue at the time and even more so today.
Works "well" compared to what? These chips and later versions were tested by MSTV more than a year after this press release and the best that they could say was "disappointing".
This fall they are supposed to test the "fixed" receivers and they "may" be compatible. How many people are waiting for these new receivers due when? Talk about delay, how about stagnation.
Mat Miller also talked about how the big US market would ensure lower prices for receivers and in this press release talks about "lower prices". Are newer 8-VSB receivers costing substantially less?
In cautioning Australia about reversing their decision for 8-VSB one of the main arguments for staying in the 8-VSB fold was that no one would make receivers and if they did the price would be unacceptably high for such a small HDTV market as Australia. Australia is only as big as New York City.
The fact is that in Australia there are many HDTV receivers being sold or in the offing at prices of around $350. One even includes installation in your home at $343.
We tried the $350 HiTop HDTV receiver in Toronto last week and were receiving perfect video at 73 mph 30 miles north of the city with only 3500 watts of broadcast power from the CN tower using a simple non directional UHF antenna on channel #66. This was at a data rate the same as Sinclair demonstrated 720p at in Las Vegas last year.
What I am saying is that the press release was not hype. It was intentional and it was successful in delaying the DTV transition for an untold number of years. Will they have what they promised in 1999 in 2002, 2003 or 2004? I don't think so.
Further the monopoly that 8-VSB represents cost the American consumer more dollars in Intellectual Property cost, $5.00 per receiver as opposed to $.63. This would not be possible if there was competition. The cost of receivers is higher than elsewhere. This would not be possible if there was competition. And the extra cost for more complicated antennas and their installation and the requirement that a rotor be used for directionality in many cases all add to cost.
HDTV will prosper in the US but not over the air. Over the air broadcasting as we know it will die and its spectrum be auctioned off or it should be with the present and projected decline in viewers who depend on it.
BTW the marketers didn't run off and leave the NxtWave engineers with egg on their face with those empty promises in the press release. Mat Miller runs the company, read the press release expressed the exact sentiments of the press release to me personally at the time and has a PHD in physics from Princeton. I think he knew what he was doing and what the chips were actually capable of an the time of the press release and the result has been the delay we are experiencing.
A high percentage of those contemplating an 8-VSB receiver purchase have got to be waiting for the new "fixed" receivers due sometime.
| Originally posted by Rich Peterson: While it's true that NxtWave's engineers couldn't necessarily live up to the hype their markets presented in this press release, their chips do actually work quite well and few with STBs who use them have reception problems. I'm not sure what your point is by revisiting this now, but receiving digital broadcasts is what this is all about and NxtWave's systems perform well today. |
In the context of the time this press release was issued and testimony before Congress the following summer by Nxtwave which was instrumental in the choice of 8-VSB as our US standard saying "With the NXT2000 we've cracked the code for indoor and mobile reception, shown that VSB is a robust and commercially viable standard, and paved the way for mass market deployment of error-free digital TV," said Matt Miller, president and CEO of NxtWave Communications Inc." is not my idea of hype.
The big question at the time was should we revisit the standard, change it or allow a dual standard and which of those options would cause delay and which would speed up the DTV transition. It has been two years and the delay continues as they attempt to "fix" 8-VSB which according to Mat Miller (President) "provides the highest reliability and performance available." which was patently untrue at the time and even more so today.
Works "well" compared to what? These chips and later versions were tested by MSTV more than a year after this press release and the best that they could say was "disappointing".
This fall they are supposed to test the "fixed" receivers and they "may" be compatible. How many people are waiting for these new receivers due when? Talk about delay, how about stagnation.
Mat Miller also talked about how the big US market would ensure lower prices for receivers and in this press release talks about "lower prices". Are newer 8-VSB receivers costing substantially less?
In cautioning Australia about reversing their decision for 8-VSB one of the main arguments for staying in the 8-VSB fold was that no one would make receivers and if they did the price would be unacceptably high for such a small HDTV market as Australia. Australia is only as big as New York City.
The fact is that in Australia there are many HDTV receivers being sold or in the offing at prices of around $350. One even includes installation in your home at $343.
We tried the $350 HiTop HDTV receiver in Toronto last week and were receiving perfect video at 73 mph 30 miles north of the city with only 3500 watts of broadcast power from the CN tower using a simple non directional UHF antenna on channel #66. This was at a data rate the same as Sinclair demonstrated 720p at in Las Vegas last year.
What I am saying is that the press release was not hype. It was intentional and it was successful in delaying the DTV transition for an untold number of years. Will they have what they promised in 1999 in 2002, 2003 or 2004? I don't think so.
Further the monopoly that 8-VSB represents cost the American consumer more dollars in Intellectual Property cost, $5.00 per receiver as opposed to $.63. This would not be possible if there was competition. The cost of receivers is higher than elsewhere. This would not be possible if there was competition. And the extra cost for more complicated antennas and their installation and the requirement that a rotor be used for directionality in many cases all add to cost.
HDTV will prosper in the US but not over the air. Over the air broadcasting as we know it will die and its spectrum be auctioned off or it should be with the present and projected decline in viewers who depend on it.
BTW the marketers didn't run off and leave the NxtWave engineers with egg on their face with those empty promises in the press release. Mat Miller runs the company, read the press release expressed the exact sentiments of the press release to me personally at the time and has a PHD in physics from Princeton. I think he knew what he was doing and what the chips were actually capable of an the time of the press release and the result has been the delay we are experiencing.
A high percentage of those contemplating an 8-VSB receiver purchase have got to be waiting for the new "fixed" receivers due sometime.
Quote:
Now I would call that a hype. On what basis do you draw that conclusion? How many people have you interviewed that said they are waiting for THE reciever to come out so they can watch HDTV while driving 70mph on the freeway.
I agree that at the end of day, these will all be irrelavent since most people can only be fed by cable. They see no other way to watch TV. Therefore how robust the OTA system is may not make any difference.
The cost of the receiver is a valid point. But I would not consider $350 a good entry point just to get the digital form of all the existing channels, when we in the US can pretty much find the similar deals on the STBs and have the most HDTV contents to benefit from.
| Originally posted by Bob Miller: ...A high percentage of those contemplating an 8-VSB receiver purchase have got to be waiting for the new "fixed" receivers due sometime. |
I agree that at the end of day, these will all be irrelavent since most people can only be fed by cable. They see no other way to watch TV. Therefore how robust the OTA system is may not make any difference.
The cost of the receiver is a valid point. But I would not consider $350 a good entry point just to get the digital form of all the existing channels, when we in the US can pretty much find the similar deals on the STBs and have the most HDTV contents to benefit from.
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I may be wrong about some of these, but this is what I understand: Samsung STB and DISH 6000 OTA module are the best known. Also ATI, Konka, Integra, Hauppage, and AccessDTV
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Rich Peterson
DBS Consumer Guide Author
| Could you please tell me which stb's are using these chips? |
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Rich Peterson
DBS Consumer Guide Author
Joined
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2,816 Posts
Quote:
I think this is absurd. Nxtwave wouldn't have any reason to intentionally delay the DTV transition.
Bob, get over it. COFDM lost. Fair or not. Time to get on with your life.
------------------
Rich Peterson
DBS Consumer Guide Author
| What I am saying is that the press release was not hype. It was intentional and it was successful in delaying the DTV transition for an untold number of years. |
Bob, get over it. COFDM lost. Fair or not. Time to get on with your life.
------------------
Rich Peterson
DBS Consumer Guide Author
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9,340 Posts
Ok Guys...Before this gets out of control, I am sorry to say I will now close it. We have been down this road before as most of you know.
Thank you.
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David Bott
It's A World Of Entertainment...Experience It!
AV Science/AVS Forum Admin
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http://www.avsforum.com
The Nate Home Theater
Thank you.
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David Bott
It's A World Of Entertainment...Experience It!
AV Science/AVS Forum Admin
http://www.avscience.com
http://www.avsforum.com
The Nate Home Theater
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131 Posts
NxtWave Communications' Breakthrough Receiver Chip Makes Mobile and Indoor Reception of Broadcast Digital Television Possible
NXT2000 Provides Increased Performance and Reduces Costs through On-Chip Advanced Blind Adaptive Equalization
NxtWave Communications Inc.,
(nxtwavecomm.com) a developer of broadband communications integrated circuits (ICs), today introduced the first multimode VSB/QAM receiver chip that delivers error-free indoor and mobile reception of broadcast digital signals to digital televisions (DTVs), PCs and digital set-top
boxes. Designated the NXT2000, the physical layer (PHY) device overcomes static and dynamic multipath interference typical in broadcast transmissions and provides the highest reliability and performance available.
"With the NXT2000 we've cracked the code for indoor and mobile reception, shown that VSB is a robust and commercially viable standard, and paved the way for mass market deployment of error-free digital TV," said Matt Miller, president and CEO of NxtWave Communications Inc.
The high-performance, multimode integrated circuit is Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) compliant and performs in either 8VSB mode for terrestrial broadcasting or in 64 QAM, 256 QAM or 16VSB modes for cable TV. The exceptional performance of the NXT2000 cancels transmission channel impairments such as static and dynamic multipath,
phase noise, adjacent or co-channel NTSC interference and impulse noise. It also greatly exceeds the performance demonstrated by the Grand Alliance reference system at the Advanced Television Test Center (ATTC). In addition to reliable reception, the device has important features for
consumers. Such features include a built in signal quality indicator to ease antenna alignment and an ultra-fast signal acquisition (50 milliseconds or less) that allows rapid channel surfing capability, which to date, has not been possible with other digital receivers.
"We designed a completely new equalizer architecture that not only overcomes the severe impairments in broadcast channels, but also provides shorter acquisition times and reduces silicon cost. These features enable us to eliminate any barriers surrounding large-scale deployment of digital transmission for both terrestrial broadcast and cable applications. It is one of those rare cases in which increased performance and cost reduction come hand in hand," according to Mike Neshat, vice president, marketing and sales for NxtWave Communications Inc.
The on-chip carrier recovery of the NXT2000 together with the advanced equalization scheme provides robust and dependable demodulation even when the VSB pilot is destroyed due to severe channel conditions. The equalizer range extends from -4.5 usec to 44.5 usec, nsuring reliable
signal recovery in the harshest multipath conditions typical of terrestrial broadcast channels. The NXT2000 decodes 8 VSB terrestrial and cable signals such as SCTE DVS-031, ITU-J.83B, and MCNS DOCSIS-compliant 64/256 QAM. Other features include a "direct IF sampling" integrated analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and integrated FEC that greatly reduces the bill-of -materials (BOM) cost for set-top box and DTV manufacturers. The internal A/D converter also accepts a "low IF" input signal to enable integration into existing set-top box and DTV chassis designs. The programmable symbol rate allows for
different VSB/QAM modes without requiring any VCXOs to drive the A/D converter.
The NXT2000 achieves power savings by operating the internal core at 2.5V and the I/O ring at 3.3V to enable seamless interconnection with existing ICs. Packaged in a 100-pin thin quad flat pack (TQFP), samples of the device currently are available; production quantities are scheduled for Q4'99. The price of the NXT2000 is $22.00 each in 10,000
unit quantities.
Langhorne, PA, -- August 24, 1999 -
####
About NxtWave Communications Inc.
NxtWave Communications Inc develops broadband communications integrated circuits (ICs) for use in multiple mass markets. Using efficient and robust modulation and demodulation techniques, the Company's IC solutions satisfy the requirements of manufacturers of cable modems, interactive set-top boxes, digital TVs and PC video products. NxtWave
Communications leverages proprietary algorithms in its receiver implementations of industry standard transmission formats including QAM, VSB, QPSK and NTSC. NxtWave Communications is headquartered in Langhorne, Pennsylvania with worldwide marketing and sales headquartered in Irvine, California. For additional information visit xtwavecomm.com.
_________________________________________________________
As we contend with new and old problems hindering the acceptance of over the air broadcast HDTV it is nice to revisit the good old days when all things seemed possible.
I remember being very excited at the time.
All the promises above are a reality in Australia with $350 HDTV receivers and simple in home antennas.
NxtWave Communications' Breakthrough Receiver Chip Makes Mobile and Indoor Reception of Broadcast Digital Television Possible
NXT2000 Provides Increased Performance and Reduces Costs through On-Chip Advanced Blind Adaptive Equalization
NxtWave Communications Inc.,
(nxtwavecomm.com) a developer of broadband communications integrated circuits (ICs), today introduced the first multimode VSB/QAM receiver chip that delivers error-free indoor and mobile reception of broadcast digital signals to digital televisions (DTVs), PCs and digital set-top
boxes. Designated the NXT2000, the physical layer (PHY) device overcomes static and dynamic multipath interference typical in broadcast transmissions and provides the highest reliability and performance available.
"With the NXT2000 we've cracked the code for indoor and mobile reception, shown that VSB is a robust and commercially viable standard, and paved the way for mass market deployment of error-free digital TV," said Matt Miller, president and CEO of NxtWave Communications Inc.
The high-performance, multimode integrated circuit is Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) compliant and performs in either 8VSB mode for terrestrial broadcasting or in 64 QAM, 256 QAM or 16VSB modes for cable TV. The exceptional performance of the NXT2000 cancels transmission channel impairments such as static and dynamic multipath,
phase noise, adjacent or co-channel NTSC interference and impulse noise. It also greatly exceeds the performance demonstrated by the Grand Alliance reference system at the Advanced Television Test Center (ATTC). In addition to reliable reception, the device has important features for
consumers. Such features include a built in signal quality indicator to ease antenna alignment and an ultra-fast signal acquisition (50 milliseconds or less) that allows rapid channel surfing capability, which to date, has not been possible with other digital receivers.
"We designed a completely new equalizer architecture that not only overcomes the severe impairments in broadcast channels, but also provides shorter acquisition times and reduces silicon cost. These features enable us to eliminate any barriers surrounding large-scale deployment of digital transmission for both terrestrial broadcast and cable applications. It is one of those rare cases in which increased performance and cost reduction come hand in hand," according to Mike Neshat, vice president, marketing and sales for NxtWave Communications Inc.
The on-chip carrier recovery of the NXT2000 together with the advanced equalization scheme provides robust and dependable demodulation even when the VSB pilot is destroyed due to severe channel conditions. The equalizer range extends from -4.5 usec to 44.5 usec, nsuring reliable
signal recovery in the harshest multipath conditions typical of terrestrial broadcast channels. The NXT2000 decodes 8 VSB terrestrial and cable signals such as SCTE DVS-031, ITU-J.83B, and MCNS DOCSIS-compliant 64/256 QAM. Other features include a "direct IF sampling" integrated analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and integrated FEC that greatly reduces the bill-of -materials (BOM) cost for set-top box and DTV manufacturers. The internal A/D converter also accepts a "low IF" input signal to enable integration into existing set-top box and DTV chassis designs. The programmable symbol rate allows for
different VSB/QAM modes without requiring any VCXOs to drive the A/D converter.
The NXT2000 achieves power savings by operating the internal core at 2.5V and the I/O ring at 3.3V to enable seamless interconnection with existing ICs. Packaged in a 100-pin thin quad flat pack (TQFP), samples of the device currently are available; production quantities are scheduled for Q4'99. The price of the NXT2000 is $22.00 each in 10,000
unit quantities.
Langhorne, PA, -- August 24, 1999 -
####
About NxtWave Communications Inc.
NxtWave Communications Inc develops broadband communications integrated circuits (ICs) for use in multiple mass markets. Using efficient and robust modulation and demodulation techniques, the Company's IC solutions satisfy the requirements of manufacturers of cable modems, interactive set-top boxes, digital TVs and PC video products. NxtWave
Communications leverages proprietary algorithms in its receiver implementations of industry standard transmission formats including QAM, VSB, QPSK and NTSC. NxtWave Communications is headquartered in Langhorne, Pennsylvania with worldwide marketing and sales headquartered in Irvine, California. For additional information visit xtwavecomm.com.
_________________________________________________________
As we contend with new and old problems hindering the acceptance of over the air broadcast HDTV it is nice to revisit the good old days when all things seemed possible.
I remember being very excited at the time.
All the promises above are a reality in Australia with $350 HDTV receivers and simple in home antennas.
Joined
·
2,816 Posts
While it's true that NxtWave's engineers couldn't necessarily live up to the hype their markets presented in this press release, their chips do actually work quite well and few with STBs who use them have reception problems.
I'm not sure what your point is by revisiting this now other than to imply that COFDM would have been a much better choice for the US. You may be disappointed to hear that NxtWave's systems perform well and the next generation will be even better.
------------------
Rich Peterson
DBS Consumer Guide Author
[This message has been edited by Rich Peterson (edited 08-23-2001).]
I'm not sure what your point is by revisiting this now other than to imply that COFDM would have been a much better choice for the US. You may be disappointed to hear that NxtWave's systems perform well and the next generation will be even better.
------------------
Rich Peterson
DBS Consumer Guide Author
[This message has been edited by Rich Peterson (edited 08-23-2001).]
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