Any info that they have been able to transmit 1080p OTA would be appreciated. I have seen encoders that could do this (in MPEG 4)but have never know of a home decoder that would accept the signal.
I make no promised on getting data from these programs to this thread as, for obvious competitive reasons, the details are not available to the public. As soon as that data is beyond the testing stages and the algorithms are made available to testing centers and developers I suspect there will be a lot more data available.
Given the fact that Sony is pushing for 3D - which I don't see flying in general distribution at this time - and that both Sony and others are pushing for 4D, I suspect there will be huge developments in both software and hardware within the next few months.
The delivery wars are on here in Chicago now:
- AT&T is putting full fiber distribution into the alleys on the North Side of Chicago and
fiber to the door. [Rumors are AT&T will carry IP TV on the new fiber installs and drop Direct TV from their package bundle.]
The following pictures are of the concrete deck and electric meter housing set for the AT&T fiber distribution cabinet. This will be approximately 4.5 feet tall and sit to the left of the meter housing and disconnect. There is a generator outlet on the side of the power cabinet, in case of extended outages, and there will be batteries inside the actual fiber cabinet which are kept charged by the power feed.
City of Chicago electrical inspectors need to inspect before ComEd connects to 220 volt feed and set meter and then AT&T will complete install of cabinet and fiber,
[RANT]
NOTE OF CLARIFICATION: For those familiar with the super-enhanced City of Chicago electrical codes, this is a single-phase 220V power feed with a WHITE, RED and BLACK cable. The City of Chicago forbids the use of red jacketed wiring where there is no 3-phase because of confusion issues with rehabs of old factories where 3-phase has been unintentionally brought into a non-3-Phase environment by improperly trained contractors [read cheap labor picked up off the street by less than scrupulous contractors]. ATT's sub-contractors were not aware of the fact that the red wire is not supposed to be used when there is no presence of 3-Phase in Chicago, and when questioned, stated that the City's inspectors keep passing them and ignoring the fact that the feed contains a red jacketed cable. That's why we keep putting building inspectors and aldermen in jail in this City.
[/RANT]
ATT Base #1 - Chicago 51-233201
ATT Base #2 - Chicago 51-233201
ATT Base #3 - Chicago 51-233201
ATT Base #4 - Chicago 51-233201
ATT Base #5 - Chicago 51-233201
ATT Base #6 - Chicago 51-233201
ATT Base #7 - Chicago 51-233201
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Comcast is using Chicago, and 10 other sites as their initial deployment for XFINITY began in earnest, in Chicago, in January. Promises have been advertised locally [local OTA only] for up to 100 meg download speeds in initial press releases.
- the closest anyone else has come to upping their bandwidth is
Dish Network's deployment of Exhostar XIV, along with their moving and replacing other satellites in recent months, to replace the aging bird at 119 W, enhance their capacity and ability to manipulate spot beams.
While this technology continues to grow, and without getting political about the current financial crisis, I believe the industry needs to make existing equipment capable of being software upgraded without being replaced.
Between the cost of the equipment, and the cost of the provider's services, there is a hard and fast wall approaching when consumers are going to say "goodbye" to those ever increasing payments and realize their portfolios are not growing nearly as fast as they were three years ago. When that happens, there is a real danger that this entire industry will become the next victim of the current financial crisis.
I have been involved in some of the 1080P OTA testing and like what I see. If I have to upgrade everything again to take advantage of "3D and 4D" home viewing technology, or if my cost of service delivery skyrockets - even though I'm not using it, simply so others who have chosen to go that route can participate, it ain't going to sit well with us and will will pull the plug on future equipment purchases, possibly pulling the plug on delivery as well.
Considering the fact that at least one of the Chicago FTA stations are dedicating sub-channels to full-length classic movies - with limited commercial interruptions; and considering that the local sports teams will continue to drive advances in FTA HD broadcasts -- consider WGN TV - Channel 9, Chicago, and their reinforcement to the new owners of the Chicago Cubs regarding their continued, and future, support of FULL HD FTA broadcasts of all Cub's games; I believe there is a very secure future in FTA television. I also believe that will drive the use of full 1080P FTA broadcasting with a lot more locals in the Chicago area as the station owners realize that more than 40% of those who watch Television in Chicago still use FTA - without cable or satellite delivery.
Even in rural areas of Michigan, near Saugatuck, where we have several retired friends [and will probably retire ourselves within the next 7 years], they actively chose NOT to participate in cable or satellite. We put up a high-gain FTA HD antenna for them, on a 40 foot wooden poll in their back yard, with distribution amplifier, for less than $100.00 [gotta love eBay!]. With analog FTA, they received two stations, they now receive five and, occasionally, will receive skip broadcasts of HD locals from Green Bay, Wisconsin - 100 miles north and 40 miles across Lake Michigan from them - off the back of the antenna - their property is high on a hill, about 15 stories above Lake Michigan to begin with. No problem with signal stability and between PBS and ABC, it's all the television they want to watch. They supplement that with film - yes, cellulose - and DVD's they've purchased for their collection [we do the same incidentally.]
At some point there is a limit to what we, the end users, will tolerate in programming costs: this includes both having to purchase new equipment and higher delivery costs. Both equipment manufacturers and delivery venues need to keep this in mind so that the consumers don't abandon them completely and go back to FTA broadcast or, what's left of FTA satellite - providing they can afford the equipment.
