Great Article on New 5th generation OTA tuners

vurbano

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June 15, 2004</CENTER>
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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=articleheadline vAlign=top align=left>Industry News </TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#666666>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD class=smmodhighlight vAlign=top align=left><TABLE cellSpacing=5 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>New-generation DTV receiver to make possible over-the-air reception with simple antenna


Sinclair Broadcast Group, which in the past has expressed concern about the performance of DTV receivers, last week announced that informal tests of fifth-generation prototype receivers reveal significant improvements that will translate into better over-the-air DTV reception using simple indoor antennas.

Sinclair had sounded an alarm over previous generations of DTV receivers, especially their ability to receive signals with strong dynamic multipath and varying signal levels.

Nat Ostroff, Sinclair’s vice president of new technology, said that broadcasters and consumers can now look forward to a robust DTV service delivered over-the-air without having to subscribe to cable or satellite.

He added that this is especially timely because of the FCC-mandated roll-out of millions of large-screen HDTV receivers with integrated over-the-air tuners beginning this summer.

In May, Zenith and Sinclair jointly conducted informal field tests in Baltimore to test reception at sites Sinclair identified as having difficult multipath conditions. Reception at many of these sites was unsuccessful with previous generations of DTV receivers, according to Sinclair.

The results of the new trials show dramatically improved reception with the receiver built around a new DTV chip developed by Zenith’s parent LG Electronics, according to Sinclair.

The innovations in the fifth-generation integrated circuit allow it to lock onto signals in severe multipath environments, even when the ghosts have long delays or are larger than the main signal.

Data was collected from multiple DTV stations at numerous sites, including parking garages and sidewalk locations, many without direct line-of-sight to the transmitter. Simple indoor antennas were used to investigate improvements made in indoor reception and ease-of-use in moderate and strong signal areas.

When the fifth-generation receiver is introduced in digital HDTV receivers later this summer, customers will be able to tune multiple digital channels on simple indoor antennas without having to change the orientation of the antenna. The fifth-generation ATSC chipset is tightly integrated with the tuner allowing greater cost savings.

For more information, please visit: www.sbgi.net. Back to the top


</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Can you imagine a voom box with just a simple indoor antenna?</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
 
Good find, Vurbano. But this helps us Voomers in no way, right? Only if the cancer-curing DVR contains it will this technology impact us. Unless we want to go buy a $500 tuner or new TV. I'm glad they did it, though. Outdoor antennas are impossible for so many people, and multipath is a huge problem.
 
I would be a bit skeptical of whatever Sinclair had to say. Sinclair is notorious for dragging their feet when it comes to DTV. They were probably using the excuse of poor STB performance to avoid having their stations available digitally.
 
cyuhnke said:
Good find, Vurbano. But this helps us Voomers in no way, right? Only if the cancer-curing DVR contains it will this technology impact us. Unless we want to go buy a $500 tuner or new TV. I'm glad they did it, though. Outdoor antennas are impossible for so many people, and multipath is a huge problem.
Didnt I read somewhere on here that the moto box is not set in stone?
 
vurbano said:
Didnt I read somewhere on here that the moto box is not set in stone?
I know, I've read that also around here. But it's getting increasingly difficult to imagine Voom switching out 15,000+ satellites and STBs.
 
dledeaux said:
Couldn't this be accomplished by just changing out the 8VSB module?
I thought the same thing initially until I saw the verbage about the integration. "The fifth-generation ATSC chipset is tightly integrated with the tuner allowing greater cost savings." that means some kind of combined circuit board or chip?
 

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