FWIW, and for some here who aren't familiar with HDTV as well as SDTV v. NTSC formats, it is important to distinguish between what an MSO (cable company) markets as "digital" cable v. programming that is ORIGINATED in digital format.
Digital cable is merely the conversion on analog signals rec'd by the MSO which is then converted to digital format then compressed in order transmit over a smaller bandwidth that permits multiple digital channels to be transmitted where before there was one analog channel. Digital cable has little to do with the effort to push HDTV into the market place. In fact, the MSOs are against it since a HD signal sucks up bandwidth that is now occupied by least 2-3 of its digitally compressed channels, which means less channels offered, less advertising, less revenues.
HDTV involves the ORIGINAL recording and/or broadcast of content in HD format. When it comes to broadcast, we see this on CBS, NBC w/Jay Leno, and SuperBowl type events. In order for the consumer to receive such content, the local station must have new equipment that can TRANSMIT the original broadcast over the air to consumer's antennas that then can receive the digital signals and have them routed to their HDTV set-top box where it is converted to analog with unprecedented definition to a screen or monitor capable of utilizing that high definition in the form of a HD picture.
Some content is recorded in HD, such as new films produced in digital format and certain programming such as The Sopranos on HBO. Over DBS (satellite) format, HBO and Showtime over HD channels, as well as several pay-per-view channels offering films in HD. Here, the HD signal is taken from the ORIGINAL content and transmitted over DBS to the consumer's dish. That consumer must purchase a special HD satellite receiver that can decode that digital HD and convert to analog for the HD monitor.
Presently, there is virtually no presence of HD over MSO cable. You might read about some trials, but I'm willing to be these are in brand new communities where there is fiber to the curb, if not to the home, and the bandwidth available to that particular system is plentiful. But in the majority of older systems in the more established neighborhoods of this country, that bandwidth is pretty much full with a bunch of junky programming that the MSO needs to preserve its business model.
It remains to be seen how the cable industry will respond to the effort to push HDTV to the consumer. Presently, they are fighting the effort even to carry standard definition (SD) content, as they would otherwise be required to carry both digital and analog transmissions of the same broadcast . . . . and this consumes precious bandwidth that they are loathe to give up for HD programming.
My two cent, FWIW. |
