Comments on: Cable and Broadcasters Align to Fight FCC http://gigaom.com/2008/02/07/cable-and-broadcasters-align-to-fight-fcc/ Tracking the Internet Evolution Sun, 07 Sep 2008 08:53:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU hourly 1 By: Community Media: Selected Clippings - 02/07/08 « Clippings for PEG Access Television http://gigaom.com/2008/02/07/cable-and-broadcasters-align-to-fight-fcc/#comment-860643 Community Media: Selected Clippings - 02/07/08 « Clippings for PEG Access Television Sat, 09 Feb 2008 04:45:48 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=11433#comment-860643 <p>[...] it did, cable operators might have to dump their channels to make room for the duplicative signals. http://gigaom.com/2008/02/07/cable-and-broadcasters-align-to-fight-fcc/ [...]</p> [...] it did, cable operators might have to dump their channels to make room for the duplicative signals. (link) [...]

]]> By: Victor Blake http://gigaom.com/2008/02/07/cable-and-broadcasters-align-to-fight-fcc/#comment-860485 Victor Blake Fri, 08 Feb 2008 03:01:48 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=11433#comment-860485 <p>If only it were that simple. As it turns out many consumers DO NOT want set top boxes. At some point the legacy needs to be cut loose (analog channels). It's horribly inefficient (think rotary dial here folks). I'm not sure if people realize this, but making the bulk of customers have to pay more to cover the costs of people with analog TV's that won't go for digital boxes IS still paying for it. In other words, either they pay for their digital boxes or we all pay higher costs.</p> If only it were that simple. As it turns out many consumers DO NOT want set top boxes. At some point the legacy needs to be cut loose (analog channels). It’s horribly inefficient (think rotary dial here folks). I’m not sure if people realize this, but making the bulk of customers have to pay more to cover the costs of people with analog TV’s that won’t go for digital boxes IS still paying for it. In other words, either they pay for their digital boxes or we all pay higher costs.

]]> By: Dave Burstein http://gigaom.com/2008/02/07/cable-and-broadcasters-align-to-fight-fcc/#comment-860460 Dave Burstein Thu, 07 Feb 2008 22:53:21 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=11433#comment-860460 <p>Stacey</p> <p>Cable companies can avoid all these problems with a moderate capital investment. "all subscribers had a digital set-top box or TV capable of converting digital signals" is a perfectly reasonable standard. Several cable operators are headed their rapidly. Besides free up space for channels, it provides plenty of room for DOCSIS 3.0 to yield Internet speeds of 50-100 megabits in both directions.</p> <pre><code>Sounds like a great national goal to me. </code></pre> <p>db</p> Stacey

Cable companies can avoid all these problems with a moderate capital investment. “all subscribers had a digital set-top box or TV capable of converting digital signals” is a perfectly reasonable standard. Several cable operators are headed their rapidly. Besides free up space for channels, it provides plenty of room for DOCSIS 3.0 to yield Internet speeds of 50-100 megabits in both directions.

Sounds like a great national goal to me.

db

]]> By: Derek Fields http://gigaom.com/2008/02/07/cable-and-broadcasters-align-to-fight-fcc/#comment-860438 Derek Fields Thu, 07 Feb 2008 20:02:31 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=11433#comment-860438 <p>I don't understand why the FCC doesn't allow the market to work. If there are sufficient subscribers to warrant continuing to carry an analog signal, then they will do it. If there aren't, then the unprofitable few that don't upgrade to digital receivers will be out of luck for a while. (Disclosure: The only television I own is an old analog set hooked up to an old DVD player. I receive no broadcast, cable or satellite television - so I really don't care when or whether they move to an all-digital format)</p> I don’t understand why the FCC doesn’t allow the market to work. If there are sufficient subscribers to warrant continuing to carry an analog signal, then they will do it. If there aren’t, then the unprofitable few that don’t upgrade to digital receivers will be out of luck for a while. (Disclosure: The only television I own is an old analog set hooked up to an old DVD player. I receive no broadcast, cable or satellite television - so I really don’t care when or whether they move to an all-digital format)

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