P3D Re: The cost of HDTV

[michaelk@xxxxxxxxxxx (Michael Kersenbrock)]

> When the mandatory shut-down of the NTSC transmitters begins, the
> viewing public
> is going to scream bloody murder at being forced to replace perfectly
> good hardware
> because of government edict. 

Existing sets won't have to be tossed.  There will be HDTV->NTSC converters
(with reduced resolution, obviously  :-).  People (such as myself) already
use digital -> analog  converters on our NTSC receivers (a DSS receiver in
my case).


> For the forseeable future, HDTV home hardware will predominantly be for
> playback
> of commercially recorded material--not for broadcast or cable channels.

Broadcast stations in major markets are forced to broadcast HDTV
by next year.  DSS will have some channels in HDTV.  The major
networks are already gearing up for HDTV production and a couple
have already committed to the 1080 format and  a couple to another
lower res format.  I've read that HBO has committed to at least one HDTV
channel (they have 7-channels on DSS now).  I've seen purchases of
HDTV-ready digital system equipment by networks announced by some of the vendors.

I think the writing's already on the wall for NTSC.  Thank goodness.  :-)

But I have little hope for using the technology for stereo, even if
it's possible to do so in broadcasting.  3d-hdtv-DVD's  might actually
happen though!

Mike K.


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