pplchamp1
Great One
Premium
join:2002-01-25
East Hartford, CT
1 edit | Cable rushes to HD
Cable rushes to HD
Charlie McCollum, 03:45 PM in Charlie McCollum, TV
One of the more interesting announcements that CNN made today during its part of The Tour is that it will become the first cable news channel to offer a high definition feed. CNN HD will go online sometime in September.
But there has been a lot of talk here that the CNN move is just the first of a rush of cable channels to offer a HD channel as well as its regular feed. TBS and the Cartoon Network -- both parts of the same Turner family as CNN -- are expected to have HD networks later this year. In addition, it appears that NBC-Universal (which now offers a separate HD channel with a mixed bag of original shows and theatrical films) is going to be doing high def versions of both USA and the Sci Fi Channel sometime in the next few months with FX also making the jump sometime soon. (We'll find out for sure when NBC-Universal's cable operation and FX do their presentations later on The Tour.)
Now, the question is how quickly cable and satellite systems can find room for the new HD feeds. But for folks with high def sets (and the bucks to pay for additional HD channels) the viewing options could take a big jump before the end of 2007.
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I ain't got time to bleed! |
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FanaticGamer
join:2006-10-16
Jacksonville, FL
| I'm certainly not surprised. Currently as far as HD is concerned...
Demand > Supply. Basic High School Economics. If I take 50 Sales Calls a day, Maybe 40 percent are HD Inquiries or Upgrades. One day, we had 116 DVRs in stock at opening @ 9am around 2pm we were out. We replenished some same day, and for the most part we do get the replenished same day(thank the Lord for the Warehouse Team) or at the latest, the next business day, Especially with HD and DVRs, sorry for going slightly offtopic >.>
FG |
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banditws6
Shrinking Time and Distance
join:2001-08-18
Naples, FL
 ·Comcast
| reply to pplchamp1
said by pplchamp1  :In addition, it appears that NBC-Universal (which now offers a separate HD channel with a mixed bag of original shows and theatrical films) is going to be doing high def versions of both USA and the Sci Fi Channel sometime in the next few months An HD version of Sci Fi is exactly what we Battlestar Galactica fans have been asking for.
Now the issue is indeed how the various cable markets can find room to add these new channels. Here, we're still waiting to receive NBC Universal's existing HD channel (UHD).
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"I'll follow the law until it's just stupid." -Ted Nugent |
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LonghornXP
join:2005-08-27
Largo, FL
·RoadRunner Cable
1 edit | reply to pplchamp1
I've been talking with a few of my Comcast friends and have found some rather interesting information out. Some of this is known while some hasn't been said yet. First I was told that Comcast has been testing a product from BroadLogic called the TeraPix and have been very pleased with this product thus far. From what I hear is that many of the Comcast markets might soon be upgraded with this device. I've been told that Comcast just needs access to each customers box on the outside of their house where they have rights of way in place. I've been told that once they start rolling this out that all customers on specific streets will be given door hangers telling them to allow a Comcast tech access to the back of their homes (they don't need access inside the home so you don't need to be home) during a specific day of the week. If a customer doesn't allow a means for Comcast to access this outside box most likely in their back yard Comcast will not refund customers for a full outage of service. Now when this is done they will fully switch off analog feeds so this will only be an issue for customers who don't allow access "and" who don't use a box on their TVs.
So once this is done all the channels at the headend will be all digital but this device will convert the current analog only channel lineup into an analog signal so that analog customers with no digital box will continue to get their channels as they always have.
By doing this they will have freed up over half of their total bandwidth for new channels and services.
Right now its a good chance your local system is a 750Mhz cable system. So all cable systems simply seperate their total bandwidth into 6Mhz sections. So to give you an overview of what can fit within each 6Mhz space I'll list it below. Now also keep in mind that all services including VOD, internet and phone service use some of this bandwidth.
1 analog channel takes an entire 6Mhz space.
2-3 full bandwidth HDTV channels takes an entire 6Mhz space.
About 10 digital channels (non HDTV) takes an entire 6Mhz space.
So say if your system has 70 analog channels than you must figure out how much bandwidth that uses. So that would be 70 times 6 which equals 420Mhz. So 70 analog channels takes up 420Mhz of the total 750Mhz of bandwidth. So this means that all other services including HDTV, internet, phone and VOD services must be offered using the remaining 330Mhz of available bandwidth.
So by using this new BroadLogic Device while still giving customers their analog lineup without a set-top box they can free up 370Mhz of the used 420Mhz. So lets assume that Comcast is maxed out on bandwidth on a 750Mhz system.
Current cable plant.
420Mhz used - all analog channels.
330Mhz used - all other services.
Result is all bandwidth used for existing services.
BroadLogic upgrade.
50Mhz used - all analog channels.
330Mhz used -all other services.
Result is 370Mhz of bandwidth available and ready for use for new channels and/or services.
So at worse case (2 HD channels per 6Mhz space) this freed bandwidth can hold an extra 122 HDTV channels.
The benefit of this is that all new channels and such will still work with one-way cablecard devices.
Sorry for making this post so darn long but I felt it was better to explain everything to avoid confusion.
Edit...Also only customers who feed cable without the use of a box onto their TV (coax cable connection directly from the walk jack into a TV) will need this device installed. If all of your rooms have a digital box you don't need this device. So its not like each and every customer needs this installed. |
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cypherstream
Looking forward to the future of things.
Premium,MVM
join:2004-12-02
Reading, PA
clubs:
2 edits | I'm all for a 1GHz plant upgrade, but this device is pretty economical so if it works, I'm for it. Much easier than building new plant, or upgrading an existing one. Also easier than transitioning to MPEG4, as all the set top boxes out in the field do not have the power to decode MPEG4.
Just have to make sure you have power passing taps, and a good AC system in the plant, or your going to have to rely on the customers premise to power it. A lot of the newer taps can just have the faceplate switched out though. |
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LonghornXP
join:2005-08-27
Largo, FL
·RoadRunner Cable
| I asked this exact question but it requires a couple of questions. First this product is just a chip so it will cost a cable company about 175USD today per chip. But beyond that the cable company must provide their own housing for the chip itself which won't be expensive. This housing will be an intergrated gateway device that will house the chip. This gateway device today will cost about 75-100USD per gateway. The above prices for both products are based on a volume of 1,000 units. Again this only must be offered to customers that still require the ability to watch an analog channel just using a coax cable from the wall into the TV. So for homes that have all their TV sets connected with a digital set-top box they won't require this device as the boxes will act as the tuners for the all digital plant.
Now onto the second question which relates to power and this is an easy question to answer. I've been told that the gateway device will require a coax connection to power the device. I've been told that with a few upgrades they as in the cable company can send direct current over the coax lines. Now these upgrades would need to be installed in the field within the last mile of customers homes in most area's as this is where it turns from fiber to coax. We know that fiber cannot pass direct current unlike coax and copper lines. So the cable company would install hardware at this last mile drop which would send direct current down the coax line at a specific frequency that this gateway would tune into for its power.
Comcast I'm told doesn't mind doing this upgrade as they can deploy new voice/phone modems that can power themselves using this direct current over the coax line. So in the future they will have new voice service modems that won't require batteries anymore as voice service will stay online even if your power goes out. Now of course if your using a cordless phone that needs power to operate this won't help you. Also if the coax line itself on the street for example gets knocked down it won't help you either. I'm also told that if your using a combo internet/voice modem that if your power goes out both your internet and voice service will still work as the full modem itself can stay powered in full use forever as its always getting direct current over the coax line at all times.
Comcast has been hearing about many complaints regarding the Verizon FIOS phone service being unpowered so they want to soon have the ability to tell customers that their service unlike FIOS service is a self powered service like your old Verizon copper landline. This IMO could be a very big advantage for them and I'm still amazed that Verizon hasn't tried to figure out a better way to provide power to the ONT for voice service besides batteries as this will never be full proof. |
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redsky58
We're All Mad Here.
join:2002-08-30
Plymouth, MI
2 edits | reply to LonghornXP
Great posts in this thread.. If you don't mind I have a question that is a bit off topic but doesn't deserve its own post..
In markets where both Comcast and other providers are available (for instance, I can get both WideOpenWest or Comcast) do they have to share this bandwidth? Or do they run on separate infastructures?
Sharing seems like it would impede progress, and separate sounds a bit redundant and sloppy (albeit good for competition either way). Any thoughts?
VVV- yipes! |
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MadMANN
Premium
join:2005-08-19 | Different infrastructures. |
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LonghornXP
join:2005-08-27
Largo, FL | reply to redsky58
MadMANN is indeed correct in that no two cable companies competing against each other share anything. |
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cypherstream
Looking forward to the future of things.
Premium,MVM
join:2004-12-02
Reading, PA
clubs:
| Yes I've seen this before. In Allentown, PA, you can see two separate feeder lines and CATV equipment up on all poles. The power supplies give away who's equipment is who's. RCN brands their logo on one, while Service Electric Cable TV & Communications brands their logo on the other.
RCN is an well known overbuilder, meaning they build into area's served by other cable companies (hence much financial difficulties). Does this make WOW an overbuilder too? Not many companies are willing to build in an area already serviced by cable because of the financial risks, but it has been done. |
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Zoder
join:2002-04-16
Miami, FL
| reply to LonghornXP
said by LonghornXP :First I was told that Comcast has been testing a product from BroadLogic called the TeraPix and have been very pleased with this product thus far. From what I hear is that many of the Comcast markets might soon be upgraded with this device. I've been told that Comcast just needs access to each customers box on the outside of their house where they have rights of way in place. I've been told that once they start rolling this out that all customers on specific streets will be given door hangers telling them to allow a Comcast tech access to the back of their homes (they don't need access inside the home so you don't need to be home) during a specific day of the week. If a customer doesn't allow a means for Comcast to access this outside box most likely in their back yard Comcast will not refund customers for a full outage of service. I don't know if this is related but sometime during the past few weeks they placed our groundblock splitter in a big grey box. Like the NID boxes the telephone companies use. Seems perfect to protect the equipment you described. |
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codee
Premium
join:2001-10-01
Minneapolis, MN
| said by Zoder :said by LonghornXP : I don't know if this is related but sometime during the past few weeks they placed our groundblock splitter in a big grey box. Like the NID boxes the telephone companies use. Seems perfect to protect the equipment you described. In my area, we always use houseboxes to protect the ground blocks, and also any splitters that are used outside. Hell, my house has 2 large house boxes side by side on it. One of em houses a forward amp, return amp, and the ground block, and the other one houses the 2-way and 8-way splitter.
Also, every tap here can pass power (all ya gotta do is insert a poly switch in the "dog house" and about 85 volts is passed over the line), is it uncommon for a area to have power at the taps? |
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