Thanks for the input, Mike. Its what I expected, and makes a whole lot of sense as to why my MSO is so eager to rollout DVB, ahead of cable modem service. Its easy, & technically, it can be directed precisely to those subscribers who are willing to pay additional fees for such services. More importantly, the investment is not that significant compared to installing cable modem access, or an HFC upgrade.
Regardless, this discussion highlights how vulnerable and clueless many MSOs are as to the oncoming paradigm shift that is taking place along the last mile. To lesser experienced, less financially endowed MSOs, everything is a quick fix, a bandaid, a minimal investment that will be sure to warrant an immediate ROI. In contrast, these MSOs are loath to have a vision of where there business model is headed beyond a few years out; are unwilling to make the necessary upfront investment that will command the subscribership they seek; as well as save them further capital expense later on.
HDTV is now broadcasted over the air in many of the largest markets. If over the air reception is poor, for the most part you are out of luck. Your sole alternative is DirecTV whose HD channels are presently limited to HBO & pay per view movies. Nevertheless, it is obvious that HD network broadcasting will be available over the dish sooner rather than later, and that the same cannot be said for cable.
Re: have the GI(now MOT) box that is digital, but also analog. From what I understand, this is the model for the foreseeable future. Part digital and part analog. As to why? I really don't know yet. That's what I'm working on trying to figure out. Digital makes too much sense for MSO's not to just give it to all their analog customers.
Well, Mike, its not unlike the phasing in of HDTV, which is the broadcast format of the future. Just like you can't force everyone to just go out and throw out their analog TV sets & go out and buy high-priced HDTVs, you can't just force subscribers to pay a few extra bucks a month & install a digital set-top box atop each TV in the house merely to get a few extra premium channels over the cable.
Many subscribers could care less for these services. Many just subscribe to basic cable, or basic-plus cable without premium channels such as HBO, Showtime, etc. If the MSO converted their system completely to digital these folks would HAVE TO have a digital set top box to receive basic cable. How much would this cost the MSO? To install every subscriber with a digital set-top box, then block the premium channels to basic-only subscribers would be an expense I don't think many MSOs wish to assume. While, it might make absolute sense technology-wise for the MSO to convert completely to DVB, it will not do so until the market is ready for it, and at the present time, it ain't.
What I find intriguing, at least as far as my MSO is concerned, is the low standard of sophisitication it holds most subscribers in terms of what the quality of service they expect from their MSO. My MSO, for example, believes that most subscribers who are dropping cable & opting for the dish are leaving purely based upon the greater channel selection offered by DBS. They fail to perceive the consumers also appreciated picture quality. For this reason, my MSO is pre-occupied with deploying digital cable without a fiber upgrade, which to me means, increased channel selection, but similar problems in terms of picture quality. My friend who lives south of Century City has MediaOne as his MSO, and has digital cable. The picture quality is not any better than my analog signal, and in some instances worse. So much for digital cable when it comes to picture quality. IMHO, it boils down to plant quality, and w/o fiber in the plant, I don't see how the MSOs can compete with the picture quality available from DBS.
My MSO throroughly believes they can pull "this wool" over subscriber's eyes. Boy, are they in for a surprise. |
