Craig Kuhl writes:
The apparently natural progression of high-definition programming to the video-on-demand (VOD) menu is challenged by two key inhibitors: capacity and content. ¶ So, until advancing technologies like MPEG-4 and Switched Digital Video are firmly entrenched by cable operators, there will very little HD VOD content. And those HD upgrades to VOD are still moving at a painfully slow pace. ...
Link: Broadcasting & Cable.
Why can't broadcasters provide the HD VOD "last mile," in partnership with cable or DBS companies (wouldn't that be ironic?), or themselves (something like the ill-fated USDTV effort), or with a company like MovieBeam. It probably makes more sense to use OTA for multichannel broadcasting and the "oil in the sardine can" to distribute the limited amount of available real HD programming. A partnership that wouldn't require yet one more settop box (that would be the first option) would seem to have an advantage. --Dennis
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