Your HDTV May Soon Be Obsolete, Within the Next Decade

[sleepy]

Save your money and wait if you can.
They're rolling out UHDTVs with price tags upwards of $250,000, and even those screens may not handle standard HDTV without a converter box. It is for certain that HDTV as we know it, running on the current ATSC 1.0 broadcast format, is expected to be phased out. Already.
Because of 4K and the future ATSC 3.0 standard...
The article mentions that the 3.0 standard will mean that current HDTV sets may not work anymore, just like the analog-to-digital transition killed the analog t.v.

But don't worry. They are soon to rollout the ATSC 2.0 standard for soon-to-be-released smart t.v.s. The ATSC 3.0 standard is for later...

http://www.current.org/2014/11/evol...oming-as-atsc-readies-new-broadcast-standard/

 

[StevOz]

Only in America as they say, though I doubt it won't work to include current HD standards, then again maybe, though as you infer a cheap subsidised downscaling converter box would be the worst case scenario.

 

[sleepy]

But you know, a converter box is hard to take when they the customer paid $250,000 for a 100 inch Big Screen UHDTV with built-in HDTV and then needs a converter box just for the HDTV, though anything 4K is expected to need a tuner box later. There is no standard for 4K UHDTV until ATSC 3.0 is implemented. What is getting wiped when that standard is adopted are the current HDTV 1080p sets. This is because the current ATSC 1.0 tuner output bandwidth is 19.5 MHz. compressed within a broadcast bandwidth of 6 MHz.

The ATSC 3.0 tuner output bandwidth will be 25 MHZ. The current sets are Not designed to deal with that signal format. They are currently using the DVD codecs. What they need to do with the t.v.s is to move to a fully CPU-based programmable IF tuner and decoder stage that is not hardwired-to-bandwidth and which can run any standard within 1/4 the CPU's operating frequency while the codecs and firmware are downloaded within the telecast to provide backwards compatibility and for on-the-fly upgrades and alternative conversions.

The thing that is diabolical about it is that, currently, the broadcasters are Not broadcasting in the available HDTV 1080P format. They are still broadcasting in 720P and calling it "HD", else on rare occasions, in 1080i. The U.S. system allows for multiple channels per station as an option, and in Los Angeles, many of the stations are skipping HDTV and instead broadcasting up to 10 or more sub-definition DTV subchannels, usually featuring local Asian and Hispanic content, and religion. Like the Evangelicals used to do on the A.M. radio.

 

[sleepy]

The article also point out that the soon-to-be-released ATSC 2.0 standard will enable two-way communication with the stations so that they can monitor viewership, etc. Any bets that this system might be used to track pirating? Popcorn Time?

ATSC 2.0 is an enhanced, minor upgrade of the system and is not expected to interfere with current "smart sets".

 

[Shockman]

The system will probably be used for anything it is capable of eventually.

I did not read about them. Is there any mention of input. A bit of storage space and an input method and I could see ordering a pizza delivery as part of a Pizza Hut commercial.

 

[sleepy]

Yeah. The ATSC 2.0 will offer a two way (duplex) enhancement. The article mentioned tracking viewership by uploading data to the station, and that it is indeed an interactive upgrade, and I don't see why it couldn't be used for shopping/ordering.

EDIT: And no. The article doesn't talk about input or storage. But I'm betting it will allow wireless keyboards (bluetooth) or wired through the normal USB. Else they could use on-screen formatting and the remote, with credit card info inputted from the remote and stored with password.
And storage is likely with apps and Netflix, though they'll probably save it for the higher priced units.

 

[sleepy]

I wonder if that could handle gaming?

 

[Itchigo]

What's HD again?

This is the first HD I've ever owned.

(On top of the tv is an Ipod Mini with a black and white screen).

 

[Isaac Sauvage]

wow, the last time time I owned a TV set was... 2004?

sure is nice not to have to worry about all this jazz.

 

[sleepy]

I have a 720P 16:9 DTV, but I only use it for my computer.

Time Warner is losing cable tv viewers, so they are raising their ISP pricing.
This in spite of the majority of us using their ISP.