Everyone is making this box sound like it's doing some fancy complicated thing. The way I read the information in the first post all it is is a bunch of satellite tuners connected to a bunch of ATSC modulators. The video data is in MPEG2 in both cases, and is essentially identical in capabilities. If you throw some HD's in between the tuners and the modulators, you've got DVR capabilities.
It doesn't even need MPEG2 decoders which is a non-trivial cost of every receiver.
For guide and other information display, it probably does need some MPEG2 encoders, with perhaps a way to overlay for the "guide + picture" and "transparency" type effects, which might require an MPEG2 decoder per output channel if they can't find a clever way to do it.
If you need to it would be possible to make tuners that will silently convert MPEG4 into MPEG2 before passing it on, essentially making it a solution to the "MPEG4 problem". However, such tuners would be much more expensive than the normal ones. Probably about the cost of a basic MPEG4 receiver.
Being that ATSC can be tuned by any number of available stand alone tuners (including the 811/921/942), including those built in to many (but not all) HDTVs, this means fewer E* warrentied receivers to have around. Also if your tuner has component output (all do), then you get component output. If your tuner has digital audio output (all do, even those I've seen built into TVs) then you get digital audio output. It's all already in the MPEG2 stream, the box doesn't need to do anything with it, just pass it along.
It also means simpler wiring for the installation, as each TV has access to all the tuner with only a single run of even RG59, and standard old 900MHz bandwidth RF splitters. Meaning that the vast majority houses would not need to be rewired at all past installing the box and hooking it's output to where the cableTV used to come in. Think cable company in a box (which is exactly why they call it a "head end").
Now ATSC modulated MPEG2 has no encryption, and can be easily recorded by any number of available devices. Would the MPAA be happy about that? They'd probably throw their usual hissy fit. Can the MPAA do anything about it in a legal sense? No, not unless they (or the content providers) have a contract with either E* or the networks E* carries.
E* could avoid that by using some modulation (other than standard ATSC) which is also encrypted. However, that means you also need a special E* tuner at each TV. Not very much better than just having a receiver at each TV. This only makes sense for the centralized DVR capability, and ease of installation.
I guess they could also use the ATSC "broadcast flag" abomination, which should satisfy the MPAA, because that's all the your local OTA stations will have to "protect" their content once it goes into effect.
Personally, if this thing works, and is reasonably priced, I'd be all over it. Especially if the DVR capability allows expansion. Given that they wouldn't have the same space constraints as a set top box, I could easily imagine having 4 or more spaces for harddrives, which the user could upgrade (at their own own risk and cost). Of course they'd probably want to sell those a Dish branded HD's, and charge more for them, but it's still better than the situation we're in now.
Of course I share the concerns expressed by others that this will not see the light of day until it's basically obsolete for one reason or another. But hey, stranger things have happened, and at least now we have something to talk about for awhile.
-- Dave
It doesn't even need MPEG2 decoders which is a non-trivial cost of every receiver.
For guide and other information display, it probably does need some MPEG2 encoders, with perhaps a way to overlay for the "guide + picture" and "transparency" type effects, which might require an MPEG2 decoder per output channel if they can't find a clever way to do it.
If you need to it would be possible to make tuners that will silently convert MPEG4 into MPEG2 before passing it on, essentially making it a solution to the "MPEG4 problem". However, such tuners would be much more expensive than the normal ones. Probably about the cost of a basic MPEG4 receiver.
Being that ATSC can be tuned by any number of available stand alone tuners (including the 811/921/942), including those built in to many (but not all) HDTVs, this means fewer E* warrentied receivers to have around. Also if your tuner has component output (all do), then you get component output. If your tuner has digital audio output (all do, even those I've seen built into TVs) then you get digital audio output. It's all already in the MPEG2 stream, the box doesn't need to do anything with it, just pass it along.
It also means simpler wiring for the installation, as each TV has access to all the tuner with only a single run of even RG59, and standard old 900MHz bandwidth RF splitters. Meaning that the vast majority houses would not need to be rewired at all past installing the box and hooking it's output to where the cableTV used to come in. Think cable company in a box (which is exactly why they call it a "head end").
Now ATSC modulated MPEG2 has no encryption, and can be easily recorded by any number of available devices. Would the MPAA be happy about that? They'd probably throw their usual hissy fit. Can the MPAA do anything about it in a legal sense? No, not unless they (or the content providers) have a contract with either E* or the networks E* carries.
E* could avoid that by using some modulation (other than standard ATSC) which is also encrypted. However, that means you also need a special E* tuner at each TV. Not very much better than just having a receiver at each TV. This only makes sense for the centralized DVR capability, and ease of installation.
I guess they could also use the ATSC "broadcast flag" abomination, which should satisfy the MPAA, because that's all the your local OTA stations will have to "protect" their content once it goes into effect.
Personally, if this thing works, and is reasonably priced, I'd be all over it. Especially if the DVR capability allows expansion. Given that they wouldn't have the same space constraints as a set top box, I could easily imagine having 4 or more spaces for harddrives, which the user could upgrade (at their own own risk and cost). Of course they'd probably want to sell those a Dish branded HD's, and charge more for them, but it's still better than the situation we're in now.
Of course I share the concerns expressed by others that this will not see the light of day until it's basically obsolete for one reason or another. But hey, stranger things have happened, and at least now we have something to talk about for awhile.
-- Dave
