sansri88
Comcast NJ II marketing is a joke.
Premium
join:2005-12-17
Iselin, NJ
clubs: 
 ·Comcast
moderated:
May 1st, @01:05PM
| 2/17/2009 - All DIGITAL TV Transition Discussions go here
It seems like many people talk about the DTV transition and there are numerous threads about it in the first place. People are also confusing the OTA analog shutoff with Comcast analog decreases. We should consolidate them into just one thread here.
For those looking for more information on the DTV transition, here is a good website: »www.dtvanswers.com/
Seagreen, please sticky. I don't think we want any more threads on this between now and the shutoff date.
See also ---> »Digital Conversion 2009
»Comcast Analog Migration
--
Sriram Satish
Teen Tech Enthusiast
"Al Gore is the only president to win an election but never serve in office."
Join »Team Helix and »Team Discovery |
|
Travelfan1
Comcast of NJ IIUnion SUCKS
join:2005-08-23
Iselin, NJ
| I could refer back to my post, but I think, since now we have this sticky, is worth to repeat it here:
www.ncta.com/IssueBrief.aspx?contentId=2688
It shows how Cable Cos will handle the dtv transition:
"The good news for cable customers is that the digital transition should be easy. Thanks to a compromise adopted by the FCC in September 2007, cable companies will carry the main digital signal of “must carry” commercial broadcast TV stations and will duplicate that signal into analog format so that all channels can be viewed on any older analog TV sets connected to cable.
Cable’s carriage of the signals in both digital and analog formats will ensure that all customers will see commercial broadcast TV signals after the transition. This approach will make the digital transition effortless for all cable customers and provide valuable assistance to commercial TV stations trying to reach all of the homes in their region."
So hopefully by Feb 2009 the # of analogs in my area will drop from the current 70 or so to about 17, which will free up tons of spectrum for new HD channels, more Internet speed, etc.
--
Comcast of New Jersey II(Union)
Verizon DSL
|
|
cypherstream
There's no place like 127.0.0.1
join:2004-12-02
Reading, PA
clubs:
 ·Cingular Wireless
| reply to sansri88
In my area there was a recent article in our local paper about this.
Basically it said Cable companies can do whatever they want. A smaller MSO in our area is going to digital only. You will require a box on every non digital TV with that operator. However they specifically said Comcast will still have analog channels available. It did not mention how many or what analog channels Comcast will have, but it goes to show you that the Operator can do what they please.
I'm hoping that Expanded basic service goes all digital. We could really use the room as our puny 750 MHz system just doesn't cut it anymore in a world of HD, broadband and telephony. Our area seems pretty resistant when it comes to moving channels to digital only. It's early in the year however, and soon they will be pressured to get bandwidth from somewhere. |
|
MysticGogeta
The Robot Devil
Premium
join:2005-03-14
League City, TX
clubs: | reply to sansri88
I think going to all digital is a good idea. However the planing for it of course sucks so I'm not in favor of it at the moment.
--
Team Discovery-Join the fight |
|
patspub
join:2005-02-10
Philadelphia, PA | reply to sansri88
Re: 2/17/2009 - All DIGITAL TV Transition Discussions go here
I have been seeing alot of commercials on DTV and they always with DTV you will see more channels. What does this mean? |
|
Greg_Z
Premium
join:2001-08-08
Springfield, IL | Has nothing to do with the FCC OTA Digital transisition. |
|
celeritypc
For Lucky Best Wash, Use Mr. Sparkle
Premium
join:2004-05-15
Caldwell, NJ
| reply to patspub
said by patspub  :I have been seeing alot of commercials on DTV and they always with DTV you will see more channels. What does this mean? They are referring to sub-channels. Your local ABC probably has ABC News Now, NBC has Weather Plus, etc. |
|
PGHammer
join:2003-06-09
Accokeek, MD
clubs:
| reply to sansri88
Comcast and the DTV Transition: What We Know So Far
Comcast will, at least in some areas, replace existing Motorola DCT/DCH-series STBs with newer DCX series STBs (also from Motorola). The new DCX series lineup is as follows:
DCX100 - a smaller HD-in/SD-out PPV-ready STB designed specifically for the DTV transition (will directly replace the DCT-7xx/DCH-100). Unlike the DCT-7xx, it supports M-Card pairing, PPV, and even DTV-HDTV tuning (both 64QAM and 256QAM); the latter feature is also lacking from the DCH-100. Like the DCH-100/DCT-7xx, it includes both RF and component-out (component-out is fixed at 480p).
DCX-3200 - Single-tuner HD/SD STB (no DVR features). Directly replaces existing HD/SD STBs on Motorola or OCAP platforms (including DCH-3200/DCT-62xx/DCT-2xxx). Supports VOD (unlike DCX-100), DTV/HDTV in/out (component and HDMI-out).
DCX-34xx (possible DCX-3450 and DCX-3475?)- Dual-tuner HD/SD STB with DVR functionality. Would directly replace existing DCH-3416s (possibly with increased storage capacity; Seagate does manufacture both 500 and 750 GB drives in the same formfactor and with the same interface as the drive used in current DCH-3416) or similar models in Motorola and OCAP systems.
Common features across all models: MoCA support, FollowMeTV support, OCAP support, M-card pairing
All three are due in 3Q CY 2008 from Motorola.
(from CES 2008 press release and exhibit by Motorola)
Why This Matters (Especially In Comcast Areas)
One rather nasty problem (which first surfaced in Chicago, the first major area to go all-digital, as opposed to ADS) is that come 2009, there will be no analog OTA signal to pass along to the customer. That means digital OTA signals will be either HD or SD (depending on the source). That means, given an HD source, there needs to be a downconversion to SD at the STB (since FCC regulations prohibit a headend-based conversion). That problem will be solved by the DCX-100. This box will also enable cable companies in general (and Comcast in particular) to hold on to customers transitioning from older SD-only TVs to HDTVs from 3Q CY 2008 forward.
The DCX-3200 is aimed more at the same customer that has the existing DCT-62xx/DCH-62xx non-DVR STB today (as it has no new features). Ironically, the most likely box this will replace in warehouses is the DCT-2xxx (at least initially) as this STB supports HDMI-out (which the DCT-2xxx doesn't). This STB, more than even the DCX-100, is most likely to go to an existing customer, even if the customer *isn't* upgrading to a higher program tier.
DCX-34xx - The only change vs. the DCT/DCH-3416 is likely to be in capacity (up to 750 GB internal capacity is possible); however, would any cable comapny get that brave and have an STB with even 500 GB internal capacity, let alone 750 GB? |
|
bicker
join:2007-05-10
Burlington, MA
| Is there really a regulation that prohibits downconversion at the head-end? It makes sense to me from one standpoint, but from another, there is a regulation saying that MSOs have to continue to provide some kind of analog service through 2012, and one of the two choices MSOs have is via analog signals from the head-end. Are you saying that two regulations together FORCE MSOs to the converter box option? |
|
cypherstream
There's no place like 127.0.0.1
join:2004-12-02
Reading, PA
clubs: | reply to PGHammer
Thats cool that the DCX-100 can downconvert HD to SD for the older TV's. Currently you get a black screen (sometimes your lucky and get audio) if you tune to an HD channel on a DCT-2xxx or DCT-700.
Bravo Motorola! |
|
hockeyguyjason
@surewest.net | reply to sansri88
Re: 2/17/2009 - All DIGITAL TV Transition Discussions go here
They traded my DCT 2000 for one of these:
»broadband.motorola.com/business/···ttop.asp |
|
sansri88
Comcast NJ II marketing is a joke.
Premium
join:2005-12-17
Iselin, NJ
clubs: | That would mean your area is ADS. It has a digital tuner only. |
|
RBBrittain
@comcast.net
| reply to bicker
Re: Comcast and the DTV Transition: What We Know So Far
said by bicker :Is there really a regulation that prohibits downconversion at the head-end? It makes sense to me from one standpoint, but from another, there is a regulation saying that MSOs have to continue to provide some kind of analog service through 2012, and one of the two choices MSOs have is via analog signals from the head-end. Are you saying that two regulations together FORCE MSOs to the converter box option? The original poster used that statement in reference to markets that are shutting off analog completely. Under the FCC regulations, digital-only systems must retransmit the station's OTA format (HD or SD) with no downconversion; those systems must supply downconverting STBs to all customers at no extra charge. ADS systems must transmit two signals--(a) a digital signal in the OTA format with no downconversion, and (b) an analog signal downconverted to SD.
Also note that the regulations only apply to "must-carry" stations, i.e., noncommercial and smaller commercial stations. Except for the "no downconversion" rule for the digital signal, they don't apply to "retransmission consent" stations (usually major-network stations, but depends on the cable system); however, it's highly unlikely those stations will permit anything else. Those stations want HD for digital customers and SD for everyone else; anything else will lose viewers and backfire on them. |
|
RBBrittain
@comcast.net
| After re-reading the regulation, it appears that so long as the OTA-format signal is provided without downconversion, along with either (a) digital STBs or (b) an analog signal, nothing prevents the system from transmitting an additional downconverted digital signal. Indeed, the rule specifically says that downconversion is NOT "material degradation" (which is prohibited by Federal law) if it's done to make the signal "viewable" to all customers (as required by Federal law).
Thus, if a cable system decides to carry a separate digital-SD version of an HD signal to serve digital-SD STBs that can't downconvert, that *appears* to be permissible. However, that amounts to two signals on digital-only systems and three on ADS systems; HD is mandatory for all systems, while analog is also mandatory for ADS systems. With current bandwidth demands, that is unlikely to happen; also, Comcast lawyers may read the regulation differently than I do. Either way, eliminating digital-SD feeds may be the more prudent move.
(Note: Non-ADS mixed analog/digital systems will follow the same rules as ADS systems; however, Comcast is now 100% ADS.) |
|
bicker
join:2007-05-10
Burlington, MA | That's not entirely true: Analog and digital are not both mandatory at the same time. It is one or the other, depending on the current operating status of the station. |
|
Greg_Z
Premium
join:2001-08-08
Springfield, IL | reply to RBBrittain
HD is not mandatory. I wish people would get it straight. The digital conversion has nothing to do with High Definition. What it has to do, is changing the signal from an Analog waveform, to 1's & 0's being transmitted. |
|
luckykevin
join:2005-04-30
Arlington, TX | also another benefit of the dcx is 1ghz tuners |
|
hussle87
join:2008-01-06
Sykesville, MD | reply to sansri88
Re: 2/17/2009 - All DIGITAL TV Transition Discussions go here
I don't really get what comcast is doing for 2009. I thought cable and satelite providers were required to go all digital. With that how is comcast going to transmit in analog. My guess is that they will only transmit the basic in analog. |
|
bicker
join:2007-05-10
Burlington, MA
| Cable providers are NOT required to go all-digital in February 2009. ONLY over-the-air broadcasters are required to go all-digital in February 2009. Cable providers are required to provide analog signals, either via the coax or via analog outputs from a digital cable box, through December 2012. |
|
