Technology360

Banks subsidise switch to digital TV

The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (Sarft) has succeeded in its push to have mainland banks arrange billions of yuan in loans to subsidise television set-top boxes under a state policy to boost digital cable subscriptions. ¶ Sarft vice-minister Zhang Haitao said key cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Shenzhen, Ningbo, Dalian, Zhuhai and Yancheng were looking at the subsidised model to roll out the digital service. ¶ Mr Zhang also suggested operators change their content focus from overseas television channels to data-based services, such as weather and traffic information. ¶ In addition to video programming, digital audiences will be able to receive real-time information, surf the internet, engage in distance learning and send short text messages to mobile users. ... Asia Pacific Media Network link

USDTV to team with LG on digital TV

U.S. Digital Television, Inc. (USDTV) has announced a technology partnership with LG Electronics and LG Innotek to supply fifth-generation 8-VSB chips and ATSC tuners for use in USDTV's set-top boxes. ¶ USDTV, an over-the-air TV subscription service based in Salt Lake City, will begin including the LG components in set-top-boxes planned for shipments beginning the fourth quarter. ... EE Times link

Under the USDigital brand, Wal-Mart is selling their current set-top boxes for under $200. Can be used for 8VSB chores without having a USDTV subscription. I have one (written about earlier in this space) that uses a 4th generation ATI NXT2004 chip. --Dennis

Digital Deadline Gets Squishy

Lawmakers debated Wednesday whether the government should dole out billions of dollars in taxpayer-funded subsidies to speed up the transition from analog to digital television. ¶ At a hearing ..., several witnesses said Congress should set a hard deadline after which TV stations would stop transmitting analog over-the-air television signals. ¶ But they admitted that turning off analog TV signals all at once would create massive disruptions for television viewers across the country: Millions of homes without cable or satellite services would be forced to get special converters to receive the new digital signals. ... Wired News link

[UK] Government to delay analogue switch-off by two years to 2012

The Government will distance itself from its pledge to switch over to digital television by 2010 after warnings from industry figures that the target was unrealistic. ¶ In a ministerial statement in the House of Commons today, the Government will acknowledge that broadcasters believe that 2012 is a more appropriate cut-off date. Sources at the Department of Culture, Media and Sport said yesterday that the 2012 figure was likely to be written into the BBC's royal charter and that the date would form the basis for a firmer timetable on digital switchover. ... Independent.co.uk link

Here's the Reuters version of the story. --Dennis

Clear Channel Radio Launches Advanced Technology Initiative, Accelerates Rollout of Digital Radio

Clear Channel Radio today announced an Advanced Technology Initiative to identify, develop and deploy technologies and products that improve the quality of radio for listeners, advertisers and the industry. ... ¶ Clear Channel Radio will immediately begin an aggressive rollout of digital broadcasting equipment to 1,000 of the company's stations, working with iBiquity Digital Corporation's HD Radio(TM) technology. ... businesswire.com link

Comcast, Disney join forces online

Comcast Corp. is attempting to expand its lead in the market for high-speed Internet service by giving subscribers ABC News and Walt Disney Co. children's programming in the biggest online content deal signed to date by the cable giant. ¶ Beginning today to coincide with the run-up to the Democratic National Convention, Comcast's 5.7 million high-speed Internet subscribers will receive a number of ABC News features, including live streaming news and archived versions of its "World News Tonight" and "Nightline" programs. ... MSNBC - Comcast, Disney link

Video-On-Demand, DVR Are the Most, Well, in Demand ITV Features

Consumers love their TiVos, even if they don't love TV--so it should come as no surprise that a new survey finds that digital video recorder (DVR) functions and video-on-demand (VOD) services are the two most sought-after features in the video universe. ¶ An online poll conducted in June by FIND/SVP found that the features most valued by consumers interested in interactive TV are those that put them squarely in control. The survey, "ITV Makes a Comeback," found that 57 percent of respondents said they would be interested in movies on-demand, while 55 percent said creating program schedules was a feature they'd like to have on their TVs. ... MediaDailyNews link

DJs Defensive at iPod Assault

Apple's red-hot iPod digital music player is the latest rival to batter the radio business. ¶ The iPod has become a radio station-in-a-pocket that pumps out thousands of songs, at random, from your very own personal hit parade. ¶ No bad songs. No DJ chatter. No commercials. ¶ And that's meant plenty of harm to radio stations already suffering from a stagnant ad market, dismal stock prices, bored listeners, and online competition. ... ¶ New York Post link

John D. Kraus, W8JK, SK

Although it's been 15 years since I was more than minimally on the air and the mid-1970s since I was really active, I maintain my ham radio license and many good memories of that hobby. One of those memories is building an '8JK' array for 15 meters when I was first licensed at 18. Its inventor was professor John D. Kraus, W8JK, for decades probably the world's most prominent antenna expert and he left contributions that are still vital to wireless technology. So the news of his death in Ohio at age 94 is sad for those of us who learned a lot from him through his classic book, Antennas and others who value his contributions to radio astronomy. The notice of his death from the American Radio Relay League is reprinted below. -- 73, Dennis, N7DH

BBC to be purely digital by 2010

The BBC says it plans to digitise its entire production process by 2010 and expects to cut costs by more than 10 per cent as result. ... ¶ And the corporation has now started a trial to test the viability of a commercial broadband TV service called interactive Media Player (iMP). ... vnunet.com link