DTV broadcasts in S. Korea using U.S. ATSC standard have begun, involving 5 stations in metropolitan Seoul, Advanced TV Systems Committee said. Trial broadcasts had begun in 1999. Under govt. schedule, DTV broadcasts are to begin in other areas in 2003.
LAS VEGAS -- CEA and NAB Wed. announced details at CES of long-awaited consumer education program intended to spur adoption of DTV. Pilot program will name 4 cities as Digital TV Zones. Campaign in first 3 -- Indianapolis, Portland, Ore., and Houston -- is to start in late Jan. Each city is in region where all local, network-affiliated stations have made transition to digital broadcasting and there is “strong retail commitment to digital television marketing and sales,” NAB Pres. Edward Fritts said. Campaign in 4th city, Washington, is expected to start later this year. Program (CD April 10 p3) will leverage community and retailer support in each city to provide residents opportunity to see and hear digital TV firsthand, he said. HDTV sets will be placed in high-traffic areas in malls, airports, museums, govt. buildings. “Watch parties” and local station tours will be conducted, Fritts said. As part of campaign, CEA opened new Web site to provide information to public.
Advanced TV Systems Committee is seeking implementation and technical feedback on its DTV Application Software Environment (DASE) specifications, which it has elevated to “Candidate” standard. DASE is intended to be “ubiquitous” standard for enhanced and interactive DTV services, ATSC Pres. Mark Richer said.
With goal of hemisphere-wide DTV standard, Advanced TV Systems Committee (ATSC) said it would create ATSC Forum to work with govts., broadcasters, manufacturers and others to advocate U.S. DTV system and push for common standards. Robert Graves, paid chmn. of ATSC, will head ATSC Forum as well as retaining ATSC post until term expires Jan. 1. At that point, voluntary chmn. will be elected, and Exec. Dir. Mark Richer will become pres. Graves said Forum’s primary focus would be on Latin America.
Although Taiwan theoretically chose U.S. DTV standard in 1998, situation there is “at best uncertain,” Advanced TV Systems Committee Chmn. Robert Graves said. Taiwan govt. is allowing broadcasters to experiment with competing European DVB-T standard for DTV, and broadcasters there are interested in its claimed mobile TV capability, he told us: “The government seems to be taking a hands-off approach. But if I were DVB, I wouldn’t be claiming I'm their standard either.” Graves predicted broadcasters eventually would decide mobile TV reception was limited market because Taiwan govt. didn’t even allow cellphone use in moving vehicle. Taiwan’s Chinese TV System is planning to experiment with DVB-T technology supplied by Tandberg TV. Graves, meanwhile, said progress was being made toward making U.S. ATSC DTV standard for all of Americas, as well as elsewhere.
Following 75-min. session with FCC Chmn. Powell, MSTV board late Tues. “unanimously and enthusiastically” endorsed proposals to go ahead with plans to establish digital technology and research center, as expected (CD Oct 3 p4). Powell went to Four Seasons Hotel in Washington for meeting and reportedly stressed ways govt. and industry could work more closely together to benefit HDTV development, as well as consumers. “It was an excellent session,” participant said: “He was very open, frank and clearly has a desire to work with us.” Project also will seek to improve ATSC standards and signal transmission and reception. “We are finally at a point that we can stop pointing fingers” as to who’s responsible for slow rollout and public acceptance of DTV and “work together to accomplish common goals,” said MSTV Chmn. Gary Chapman of LIN TV: “We're going forward… with various ideas of how to make it work… I think we now have a better understanding of how industries and the government can work together.” As first step, MSTV dirs. met Wed. with other FCC officials and communications leaders in Congress. Assn. official said it was prepared to put up $1.4 million in “seed money” to start project and Chapman was authorized to appoint task force to seek outside financing -- with NAB expected to provide large share of funding. Set manufacturers also will be approached to participate financially and in other ways. Another proposal being considered is for TV stations to set aside small portion of their ad revenues to help finance project. CEA spokesman said manufacturers were “obviously very interested in anything that may help speed the transition.” He said set makers already had spent billions on DTV, but “certainly we will listen and if it makes sense I am sure the association or the manufacturers will be willing to do their part.” Source said MSTV Senior Vp Victor Tawil had been charged with responsibility of “coming up with something more concrete to get us going” for presentation to NAB Exec. Committee Oct. 25. Left for future discussion, we're told, was what to do about TV digital signals on cable systems without mandatory must-carry. Also in talking stage is possibility of including digital radio as part of technology center.
Zenith and NxtWave have tentative agreement to combine their individual proposals to improve DTV signals, officials confirmed (CD June 29 p4). Although they would provide few details, officials said proposals were for backward-compatible VSB enhancements. They also said both companies were continuing to work with other parties toward “a single best-of-the-best” technical solution to be submitted to ATSC later for approval.
Advanced TV Systems Committee published guide to data broadcasting technology for DTV, saying it would help companies better understand “this dynamic aspect of DTV.” Implementation Guidelines for the ATSC Data Broadcast Standard is available at www.atsc.org.
LAS VEGAS -- With CE manufacturers closing in on first licensing agreement with Hollywood studio for Digital Transmission Content Protection (DTCP), PC industry and some content owners again are voicing support for alternative display interface with rival copy protection scheme that they say is better suited for uncompressed video signals.
ISurfTV announced deal with Triveni Digital to develop complete advanced multimedia data delivery solution for former’s interactive program guide. Companies said solution permits them to include graphics in digital TV’s ATSC transport stream.