NCTA pitched “common ground” in speech Wed. to Advanced TV Systems Committee (ATSC) annual meeting in D.C. ATSC has worked for development of voluntary specifications for advanced TV systems used by terrestrial broadcasters on DTV, data broadcasting, other technologies. “Nowhere is the need for consensus -- for finding common ground among our industries -- more important than in the transition from analog to digital television,” Pres. Robert Sachs said. “Our businesses are converging in ownership, in content and in technology. And while we compete vigorously in the marketplace -- for ad dollars and viewers -- we also must work together to make the next stage of advanced television a reality.” Sachs said digital transition was “not as simple as saying that if every cable operator carries every broadcaster’s digital TV signal,” goal would be achieved quickly, pointing out that 16 million noncable TV households would have to buy integrated DTVs or DTVs with set-top decoders just to get to 85% digital threshold. Sachs said cable was first to fully support FCC Chmn. Powell’s DTV plan, and that cable’s digital capacity wasn’t unlimited, saying high-speed Internet, cable telephony and other services must compete for space on cable plant. NAB Pres. Edward Fritts said broadcasters were leading DTV transition, with 410 stations on air and another 700 DTV transmitters on order. In top 30 markets, 113 of 119 network-affiliated digital stations are on air and that number would be higher were it not for terrorist attack in N.Y. that knocked off some DTV signals there, Fritts said. He said more than 86% of homes in U.S. had access to at least one DTV signal and nearly half were in markets with at least 4 DTV signals. He said NAB was first to support Powell plan, although he said it would seek amendments and modifications if Congress were to adopt his plan as blueprint for legislation. He said NAB would continue to insist that manufacturers include DTV tuners in sets, that cable operators provide full carriage of all free, local DTV signals in their entirety, and that cable MSOs not be allowed to meet their pledge to carry 5 channels of HDTV by carrying Discovery 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. “Cable stripping out or degrading the quality of a free broadcast signal should not be an option,” Fritts said.
WOW Digital TV is touting its DTV service as low-cost solution to lack of DTV receivers and as inexpensive way for DTV stations to use signal to provide more content and generate new revenue. Plan is to offer DTV receiver boxes to consumers for $199, which is $400-$600 cheaper than other boxes for displaying DVD-quality DTV signal on analog sets. Boxes also can display all 18 ATSC video formats on DTV- capable display device that lacks DTV tuner.
ATSC is expected to conduct field trials of rival enhanced VSB (E-VSB) technologies from Philips and Zenith- NxtWave alliance and set standard by midyear, Zenith CEO Tookjoo Lee said. ATSC had been expected to establish standard by spring and now is setting up field trials at 2 locations, one of them Washington, D.C., Zenith spokesman said. E-VSB is slight alteration of now-standard 19.4 Mbps data rate for HDTV. E-VSB slows data rate to 14-15 Mbps so signal-to-noise ratio is reduced to 9-11 dB from 15 dB. Philips and Zenith-NxtWave alliance are last competitors remaining in field that once had 8 proposals. Zenith and NxtWave signed agreement last fall under which former will administer licensing program. License is free for companies with existing VSB pacts, Zenith spokesman said. Zenith and NexWave will divide royalty revenue, although former is expected to receive majority, industry sources said.
Advanced TV Systems Committee approved new standard for next-generation broadcast TV datacasting, it said. Standard allows transmission of IP protocol Internet-type data via multicast TV signals. It “truly establishes a bridge between Internet protocols and ATSC protocols,” said Regis Crinon, principal architect of standard -- www.atsc.org/standards.html.
Consumer electronics makers shipped 1,459,731 DTV products to dealers in 2001, of which 97,157 were integrated sets and 196,564 were set-top decoders, CEA said. Volume of integrated DTVs and set-tops shipped in 2001 was up 1,455% and 434%, respectively, from comparable 2000 span, CEA said. DTV products shipped since introduction through Dec. 31 totaled 2,498,347, including 361,828 integrated sets and set- tops, said CEA, which estimated that 16% of DTV products sold since launch had ATSC reception capability. By comparison, CEA said, only 9% shipped through 2000 were ATSC-capable. CEA projected 2.1 million DTV products would be sold in 2002, 4 million in 2003, 5.4 million in 2004, 8 million in 2005, 10.5 million in 2006.
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.