P3D Re: H D T V

[Greg Kintz <gkintz@xxxxxxxx>]

> Yup - I was just talking to someone about this today. I think
> all TV stations have to be broadcasting hdtv by March(?) of
> next year.

Major markets are (were?) supposed to be HDTV ready by
1999, but normal delays will push that back some.

> Seems like the last NTSC is phased out in 2008
> (or thereabouts)

I wouldn't worry about that old FCC mandate. If all of the
FCC's rulings were set in stone, we would have different
color TV and stereo FM radio standards. Anyhow, I think
Congress passd some type of 15% coverage bill, whereas
our present NTSC TV format would remain in co-existance
until HDTV has over 85% penetration in consumer homes.
(The British had a 405 line format, which they phased out in
the 1960's, the last 405 line TV transmitter was shut down in
1986.) With TVs lasting longer than ever, I seriously doubt
that anyone wants to be the one to shut down NTSC, at least
until the vast majority of NTSC sets have finally died..

But to keep this thread 3-D related, a HDTV 1080 line
format will allow for 540 lines for each eye when using
field-sequential 3-D, v.s. the roughly 262 lines for each
eye when field-sequential 3-D is used with our present
480/525 line NTSC format.

    -Greg Kintz-


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