djrobx
join:2000-05-31
Valencia, CA
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2 edits | This is much more about HDTV than broadband
This has very little to do with your download speeds. The truth is the cablemodem system currently runs on a very, very small chunk of your cable spectrum (equivalent to a couple TV channels). Docsis 3.0 will increase the amount of the total spectrum cablemodems can use, but compared to the hundreds of broadcast channels being shoved down the pipe, it's a drop in the bucket.
HDTV is the big consumer here. They can get two, maybe three HDTV channels per 6mhz channel.
I think SDV is the perfect solution to the problem. HDTV is only gaining momentum, and cable companies are wanting to compete with satellite services by adding a lot of very second-rate (read, unpopular) HD channels. With SDV they can have lots and lots of infrequently watched channels.
Both SDV and cablemodem benefit from adding diversity to their broadcast system (e.g. reducing the number of homes per node).
Over time, as HD gains popularity and more "A list" channels require space, they can look to taking away from the analog broadcast side. For each channel they take away they can get two or three HD channels. By the time it's really necessary, the analog OTA broadcast will have ceased, people are going to have heard a lot about the need to have some sort of digital converter anyway. The cable company won't lose anyone to satellite over it, because with satellite, you need a STB for each TV anyway!
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