[jacksonian]

I keep reading about the lack of a cable TV standard for digital and HDTV. Does anyone have a short answer as to what the hold up is? I tried searching the forum, but couldn't find an answer. Is it competing cable systems not agreeing or is it something further up the ladder? Seems like that would really kick start the transition. It's short sighted of congress to push for the inclusion of digital tuners if there is no cable standard yet.

 

[DonBerg]

QAM is the cable digital/HD standard. 8VSB is the OTA digital/HD standard. Why do you say there is a holdup? The two standards are firmly in place and operating all over the country.

 

[magic123]

Everything is in place. It is just that some cable systems (and OTA tv stations) are slow to change over to digital/HD. Contact your cable company and tv stations and tell them you want HD NOW! They will appreciate hearing from you. They just want to be sure the market is out there before spening the money.

 

[jacksonian]

DonBerg,


I guess I don't understand. I've read several articles, most recently in The Perfect Vision that stated that the cable standard had NOT been agreed upon. The TV manufacturers pointed that out to congress and asked that they not be required to include digital tuners in their sets until the cable standard is resolved because those tuners may be useless for reception of cable DTV in a year or two. I'll get the article and reference it for you later this morning.

 

[jacksonian]

OK, I reread the article and now I'm more confused. It first sounds like the problem is that congress is requiring the integration of digital OTA tuners but not cable tuners. Meaning that most people wouldn't benefit anyway because only about 15% of the population gets their TV OTA. Most everyone uses cable or satellite. But then later in the article it says, "if we were to ensure equipment functionality and interoperability for all digital cable systems by requiring the cable industry to adopt a single standard, then manufacturers could build "digital cable ready" sets that also incorporate broadcast tuers." So this leads me to believe that there isn't a cable standard. Can anyone clear this up?

 

[CKNA]

jacksonian,


What they are talking about is addressable Digital cable TV tuners. Instead of renting a box from cable company they will just give POD plug in module and authorize any premium channels you want to pay for. This was agreed upon 2 weeks ago or so. You will be able to buy cable STB at a store just like receivers for D* and E*.

 

[jacksonian]

CKNA,

Thanks for the info. Does this mean that the CE manufacturers can put in both OTA tuner AND be cable ready, or will you have to buy a box like you said?

 

[Marissadad]

Panasonic recently became the first CEM to sign an agreement with cable to supply the HD cable ready sets.

 

[peter0302]

I don't know whether the cable standard's been agreed upon, but what's holding up most homes from getting HD cable is the cable companies themselves. RCN, for example, actually gets belligerent when you ask them about digital or HD. Companies like RCN who thrive off of monopolistic agreements with highrise landlords will never switch to digital until forced to by the FCC.

 

[sregener]

Quote:

Originally posted by jacksonian It first sounds like the problem is that congress is requiring the integration of digital OTA tuners but not cable tuners. Meaning that most people wouldn't benefit anyway because only about 15% of the population gets their TV OTA. Most everyone uses cable or satellite.

Two things. First of all, while "most everyone" uses cable or satellite, a lot of people don't use cable or satellite for all of their televisions. In fact, digital OTA tuners may lead to a decline in purchases of the "local channels" package from DirecTV and Dish because a better picture will be available for free.


Secondly, the inclusion of a tuner in the television makes the old "Channel 3/Channel 4" switch possible. In other words, why spend $$$ on S-video/component + audio cables when a simple RG-59 will do the job? And with a digital tuner included in the box, satellite and cable box connections will be vastlty simplified. And - here's the best part - since the signal would be digital, there would be no loss in quality as there is today with analog.


So the 15% number is misleading in at least one, if not two, ways.

 

[Rick_R]

Actually I read about two months ago they did agree on a cable standard. The sticking points were addressability of the converter for PPV etc and the other sticking point was copy contraints. They agreed on the addressabilty issue and copying was allowed is my recollection. Someone else may have a link.


It will probabily take a year or so to make it into actual sets.


Rick R