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To: DiViT who wrote (33498)	5/29/1998 1:30:00 PM
From: Don Dorsey	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 50808

Japan delays launch of terrestrial digital TV 05-29-98 06:42 EDT ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ÿÿÿÿ TOKYO, May 29 (Reuters) - After a year of debate, Japan has decided to delay the official launch of terrestrial digital TV services by three years to 2003, giving in to calls from broadcasters over the expected high costs. ÿÿÿÿ The Posts and Telecommunications Ministry said on Friday that it expected Japanese TV stations to start digital TV broadcasts in the Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya urban areas by 2003 and in other areas by 2006. ÿÿÿÿ But it called on TV stations to start experimental services in the Tokyo area from 2000. ÿÿÿÿ "We acknowledge difficulties broadcasters face in investing one trillion yen ($7.1 billion) in capital spending," a ministry official said. ÿÿÿÿ The year for the terrestrial digital TV launch is a particularly sensitive subject for the ministry, broadcasters and electronics makers. ÿÿÿÿ Digital TV services, which require large investments by broadcasters, are expected to push for convergence of televisions and personal computers, and encourage the development of new products such as PCs that can receive digital TV signals. ÿÿÿÿ The ministry had been concerned that the delay could undermine opportunities for Japanese electronics makers and communications companies in the emerging digital era. ÿÿÿÿ U.S. TV stations will start terrestrial digital TV services in November, and British companies this summer. ÿÿÿÿ To receive digital TV services, viewers will need a set-top decoding box that will unscramble the digital signals. ÿÿÿÿ The set-top boxes will be phased out eventually by digital televisions that incorporate the decoders, making analogue televisions obsolete. ÿÿÿÿ The ministry also said that Japan should switch off existing analogue TV services by 2010. ÿÿÿÿ The delay in the ministry's digital schedule allows terrestrial broadcasters time to concentrate on their other digital TV plans that are less costly. ÿÿÿÿ All five major networks plan to offer digital TV services on satellite platforms from 2000, when Japan will switch its analogue satellite service to digital. ÿÿÿÿ Earlier this week, Nippon Television Network Corp (NTV) and TV Tokyo formed affiliates to seek licences for digital satellite channels. ÿÿÿÿ NTV president Seiichiro Ujiie said earlier this week that the service would be funded by advertising revenues and no charges would be made to viewers, at least in the beginning. ÿÿÿÿ The analogue satellite service has already captured 11 million households in Japan since its launch in 1989. ÿÿÿÿ Analysts say the digital satellite channels will loom as the biggest competitors to two multi-channel pay-TV broadcasters, Sky PerfecTV and DirecTV. ÿÿÿÿ Sky PerfecTV, which was recently created as a result of a merger between two platforms, said it had acquired 700,000 subscribers since 1996. Sky PerfecTV is partly owned by media titan Rupert Murdoch. ÿÿÿÿ DirecTV, partly owned by Hughes Electronics Corp , said its subscribers topped 100,000 in May. ($1=139 yen)

To: DiViT who wrote (33498)	5/29/1998 2:40:00 PM
From: William T. Katz	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 50808

Next-gen intel graphics processor to support MPEG-2 codec? From Tom's hardware review: Portola is supposed to offer 5 times the 3D performance of the i740 and calls itself a 'Katmai processor balanced solution'. It's 'designed for 440BX and Camino chipsets'. Portola will support TV-out and video capture, but it will only use 2x AGP. Portola is targeted to the 'performance PC' market segment, Intel is also working on a 'enthusiast PC' 3D graphics chipset. Given that Portola will support video capture and we know its due out sometime in '99 ... makes you wonder whether there might be some VIP connection to CUBE's (or other manufacturers') MPEG-2 codecs?