http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php Copyright 2010, Phillip Swann Phillip Swann en-US SPHPBLOG 0.4.8 http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090224-054636 Comcast Puts Online VOD Over HDTV?
The cable operator announces a Net-based VOD service.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (February 24, 2009) -- Comcast, which has been criticized for failing to provide more High-Definition channels, has announced that it will debut a Net-based Video On Demand service by year's end.

That's according to an article by Home Media Magazine.

In most markets, Comcast now provides only about 40 high-def channels, which is half as many than what's offered by other TV providers such as DIRECTV, Dish Network, AT&T's U-Verse and Verizon's FiOS; those companies now deliver from 80 to more than 100 HD channels.

The paucity of high-def channels has led to widespread criticism of Comcast's HD service on Internet message boards, including the TV Predictions Reader Forum, and the company recently reported that it lost subscribers in 2008.

But rather than announce any new HD channels, Comcast this week said it would introduce an Internet VOD service called OnDemand Online, which would include programs and movies from TV networks and Hollywood studios.

The cable operator already offers a varied VOD lineup on its TV service.

Comcast apparently is trying to compete with new online video services such as TV.com and Hulu.com.


Commentary:
Comcast continues to disappoint its high-def audience. Instead of focusing its time and money on signing up HD channels -- HD channels that would be viewed by its core audience, the TV viewer -- Comcast has now fallen in love with the online user. This is a major mistake -- and more evidence that Comcast's management has lost touch with its audience.

It's no wonder that Comcast is losing subscribers. The company is trying to be all things to all people by providing a little of bit of everything (voice, Internet service, video and now an online VOD service).

But when you try to provide something for everyone, you end up satisfying no one.
]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090224-054636 Phillip Swann Tue, 24 Feb 2009 10:46:36 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090224-051042 The price will range from $14 to $24.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (February 24, 2009) -- Vudu, the Video on Demand set-top service, says it will begin selling permanent High-Definition movie downloads for purchase over the Net.

That's according to an article by Video Business.

The $149 Vudu set-top enables users to download movies over a high-speed Internet connection. The box, which can also store movies, offers more than 13,000 movies and shows, including more than 1,000 HDTV selections.

Until now, however, Vudu only permitted owners to permanently download movies in standard-def and keep them on their set-tops. The service offered high-def rentals, but they would be deleted from the set-top after viewing.

Starting with today's offering of the Oscar-winning documentary, Man on Wire, Vudu will permit users to keep high-def films on the set-top. Additionally, a Vudu owner will be able to delete the movie but retrieve it again from Vudu's server for free at a later time.

Video Business reports that Vudu has signed deals with Magnolia Pictures, First Look studios, Kino and other independent studios to offer their films as permanent downloads.

The publication adds that the HD downloads will be available in 1080p video the same day they debut on DVD and Blu-ray. The permanent HD downloads will cost between $13.99 and $23.99, the company said.
]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090224-051042 Phillip Swann Tue, 24 Feb 2009 10:10:42 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090223-123118 Futuresource says dropping player prices will drive greater interest.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (February 23, 2009) -- More than 100 million Blu-ray discs will be sold worldwide in 2009, with 80 million sold in the United States, according to a new study from Futuresource Consulting.

The research group, which is based in the United Kingdom, said lower Blu-ray player prices and continued strong sales of high-def capable TVs will drive the increased sales of Blu-ray discs.

"In the USA, BD has moved from early adopter phase through to early majority, with the format gaining real traction in the marketplace,” says Mai Hoang, Senior Market Analyst at Futuresource Consulting. “Last year in the US alone, BD video retail sales increased by a whopping 320% to 24 million units; and we’re going to see momentum continuing in 2009, with over 80 million disc sales forecast.”

Futuresource said Blu-ray penetration in Western Europe is still at the 'early adopter' stage, but it's gathering momentum.

“The UK is the largest market for BD in Western Europe,” says Hoang. “With sales of more than 3.5 million units in 2008, it represented over 40 percent of the West European total. BD also benefited from a number of UK television campaigns during the critical fourth quarter of 2008, considerably raising consumer awareness. Factor in Sky’s high profile approach to marketing its HD service, and to a lesser extent the BBC/ITV joint venture, Freesat, and the cumulative effect has made a substantial impact upon the marketplace.”

The research group said that action/adventure discs continue to dominate the Blu-ray category, in part due to the high number of PlayStation 3 owners. (PS3 has a Blu-ray player inside.

"For some high profile (action/adventure) titles, close to 25 percent of all disc sales have been on BD, while other action adventure titles consistently see BD accounting for over 15% of total sales," Futuresource stated.

The group also predicted that 50 percent of U.S. video disc sales will be Blu-ray in the United States by 2012.
]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090223-123118 Phillip Swann Mon, 23 Feb 2009 17:31:18 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090223-050213 Hollywood looks to keep both audiences happy.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (February 23, 2009) -- Several studios are planning to issue new video releases with both the film's Blu-ray and standard-def DVD discs inside.

That's according to an article by Video Business.

The publication reports that 20th Century Fox will soon release a Blu-ray/DVD package for Marley & Me (March 31) while MGM will issue one for The Princess Bride (March 17). Lionsgate's upcoming Terminator 2 set (May 19) will include a Blu-ray version and two standard-def editions.

The studios hope that the inclusion of the Blu-ray disc along with the DVD edition will encourage more consumers to embrace the high-def disc format.

Disney introduced the practice last fall when it said it would release seven Blu-ray/DVD combo packs in 2009, including Pinocchio in March and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in October.
“Standard DVD or Blu-ray represents amazing value and amazing quality, but how do we make it more flexible to adapt to the changing lifestyle?” a Fox executive told Video Business. “We’re constantly looking at consumers’ habits.”

The executive suggested that Fox will offer similar combo packs for other movies.

"I will say strategically this is going to be our direction for certain movies," she said.
]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090223-050213 Phillip Swann Mon, 23 Feb 2009 10:02:13 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090222-142716 Why Is the Media Lying About Digital TV?
The nation's leading publications are unwilling to challenge local broadcasters and other industry heavyweights.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (February 22, 2009) -- After roughly 36 percent of local TV stations switched early to all-Digital TV signals last week, the FCC received more than 70,000 complaints in the first two days.

70,000 complaints in just two days.

An Oklahoma City station said it received more than 900 calls from complaining viewers in the first two days. The Providence Journal reports that the Rhode Island Broadcasters Association was swamped with so many complaints that reporters were unable to get through for more than 10 minutes at a time.

Other local stations from WSTR in Cincinnati to several stations in Nebraska have reported an overwhelming number of angry callers. And a 70-year-old man in Missouri actually shot his TV because he couldn't figure out how to use his digital converter box.

Based on these developments, you would think that the early DTV switch was a major disaster. Despite local stations' insistence on switching early to save money (the official transition date is now June 12), it would appear that their viewers were not ready, as many people warned. (The stations would save money by switching early because they would no longer have to transmit both analog and digital signals.)


Some journalists don't always report what they see.

But good luck in finding that story in many of your nation's top trade and consumer publications, particularly if they are owned by companies that also own local TV stations which desperately want the switch to occur now.

For instance, The Los Angeles Times, which is owned by The Tribune Company, which also owns roughly 20 local TV stations, ran a headline last week that said: "Digital TV Switch Goes Smoothly in San Diego."

"Fears of blank TV screens and pixelated shows largely failed to materialize in San Diego on Wednesday as months of public outreach left the vast majority of viewers capable of receiving pictures via the new all-digital broadcasts," the Times wrote in a boosterish article.

The Columbus Dispatch, whose ownership also owns a local TV station in Columbus, ran a headline that said: "Switch to Digital TV Met With Little Fanfare." The Tampa Tribune, owned by Media General, which owns TV stations in 18 markets, published a headline stating, "Digital TV Switch Doesn't Faze Viewers."

And there were several other examples of newspapers owned by companies that own local TV stations printing Digital TV stories that seemed more appropriate for a collection of short fantasies.

But it wasn't just the consumer press that seemed to go into the tank on this story. If you read the nation's leading TV trade publications, you would think the early switch went as smooth as silk.

For instance, Multichannel News ran a headline saying, "Early DTV Switch: Hardly a Hitch." The story actually included the following sentence: "There appeared to be no major fallout from the discontinuation of analog by about one-quarter of the stations on the original transition hard date."

Broadcasting & Cable published a headline that said: "FCC Says It Is Handling DTV Calls So Far." The publication also ran a story featuring a FCC commissioner praising local stations for their cooperation with the switch. And yet another B&C article was published under the headline, "NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) Says DTV Calls Aren't Flooding Switchboards."

TV Week's headline published the day after the switch read: "DTV Switch Encouraging..." The story's lead sentence read: "Initial reports from some of the 421 stations that yesterday switched to digital TV signals suggest the most dire predictions about the transition may have been overblown." (To TV Week's credit, the publication has balanced that view in recent days with additional articles.).

So, what's happening here? Why are so many publications seemingly so eager to portray the early Digital TV switch as a huge success?

It's quite simple. In the case of newspapers with ownership connections to local TV stations, they are following orders. Their corporate parents have a vested interest in creating the perception that the switch is a success, so by God, their newspapers will toe the line or else.

Don't kid yourselves, folks. Newsrooms do not make decisions based solely on journalistic reasons.

And in the case of the trade publications, they have an historic closeness to the National Association of Broadcasters and other industry heavyweights who want the DTV switch to be portrayed as a success. In fact, their readership is largely made up of industry officials, not average consumers who are still struggling to figure out the complexities of the DTV switch. Consequently, their stories have been largely pro-Digital TV.

In my view, the reality is that the early Digital TV switch was a mixed bag. In some cities, viewers handled it well, but in others, it's a mess and continues to be. And when all local TV stations switch on June 12, it will likely be a similar scenario. In cities where an overwhelming majority of viewers have prepared for the switch, it will go, yes, without a hitch. But in many markets, the switch will leave thousands without any TV signals and thousands more with spotty reception.

But depending upon which publication you read, you may not get that story.
]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090222-142716 Phillip Swann Sun, 22 Feb 2009 19:27:16 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090219-050702 The cable operator reports huge sub losses -- and there's a good reason.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (February 19, 2009) -- Guess which TV provider offers more High-Definition channels.

a. DIRECTV, which added 301,000 net new subscribers in last year's fourth quarter -- and increased its total subscriber count by 800,000 for the year.

b. Comcast, which reported yesterday that it lost 500,000 subscribers in 2008, almost half in the fourth quarter.

No, it's not a trick question. The answer is DIRECTV, which offers more than 100 HD channels in every market while Comcast averages around 40 HD channels per market.

Now you can offer a number of reasons why DIRECTV had a better year than Comcast. But the satcaster's decision to heavily invest in new satellites so it could expand its high-def offering has clearly paid off. Consumers looking for a diverse and comprehensive HD lineup are coming to DIRECTV.

In contrast, Comcast's decision to focus on non-HD features, such as voice and high-speed Internet access, may have helped it compete with new telco services such as Verizon's FiOS and AT&T's u-Verse. But the cable operator has alienated its core audience -- TV viewers, particularly the high-def audience which craves more HD channels and will accept nothing less.

Comcast has tried to paper over its 'HD gap' by promoting its HD On Demand service, which offers PPV movies and repeats of TV programs in high-def, many of them free. The company has even bragged in TV commercials that it has more 'HD choices' than any other TV provider.

But the numbers don't lie. Consumers are obviously not buying Comcast's propaganda. They want more channels, not more choices, and they are going to services such as DIRECTV and Verizon which offer them. (Verizon now offers more than 100 high-def channels in the 16 markets it serves.)

Comcast says it's now taking steps to expand its high-def lineup, such as shifting analog channels to digital which creates more bandwidth for HD.

But if the company wants to avoid another year like 2008, it better move fast
]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090219-050702 Phillip Swann Thu, 19 Feb 2009 10:07:02 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090218-050708 The TV series will be released this spring.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (February 18, 2009) -- The only TV season of the sci-fi cult series Star Trek will be released for the first time on Blu-ray high-def disc on April 28, according to Reuters.

The release from Paramount Studios is designed to coincide with the theatrical premiere of the new Star Trek movie on May 8.

Four days after the new movie opens, Paramount will also release two Blu-ray boxed sets of films based on the Star Trek series -- the Star Trek Original Motion Picture Collection and the Star Trek Motion Picture Trilogy.

The Blu-ray edition of the Star Trek series, which will be remastered for high-def video and sound, could help trigger sales of Blu-ray players and discs, particularly among young sci-fi enthusiasts who own PlayStation 3 video game consoles.

Reuters reports that the disc will include all 29 episodes from the 1966-1967 season and it will permit viewers to toggle between the original broadcast version and the enhanced Blu-ray edition which will include enhanced visual effects.

The wire service also writes that the Blu-ray disc will include several extras including the original previews for each episode.
]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090218-050708 Phillip Swann Wed, 18 Feb 2009 10:07:08 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090217-044631 The stations are switching prior to the mandatory date.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (February 17, 2009) -- The FCC said yesterday that 421 local TV stations today will switch to all-digital signals although the federal government has postponed the mandatory transition date to June 12.

That's according to an article by Broadcasting & Cable Magazine.

President Obama last week signed into law a bill that moves the mandatory Digital TV switch date from today to June 12. But the FCC permitted some local TV stations to switch early.

B&C reports that roughly 36 percent of local stations will have gone all-digital today; approximately 220 stations had already made the switch to digital signals.

Some analysts have opined that the early switch will confuse consumers who were just told that the transition date had been moved to June. Nielsen estimates that approximately 6-7 million homes have not prepared for the transition by purchasing a digital converter box, a Digital TV or signing up for a pay TV service.

Responding to a possible fallout from the early switch to digital, the FCC has expanded its 'DTV Help Line' call center and it has sent staffers to 72 markets where local stations are switching early.
"This is not just about whether people can watch their favorite reality show," said acting FCC Chairman Michael Copps, according to B&C. "It's about whether consumers have access to vital emergency alerts, weather, news and public affairs."
]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090217-044631 Phillip Swann Tue, 17 Feb 2009 09:46:31 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090216-143929 The high-def set is still not a household staple in the United States. How come?
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (February 16, 2009) -- High-Definition TV is an unqualified success with a majority of U.S. homes tuning in a high-def program every night.

Right?

Wrong.

More than a decade after its launch, HDTV has yet to become a household staple in the U.S., on par with such products as the microwave, cordless phone, mobile phone or even the DVD player. Estimates vary, but most studies show that the HDTV is in only about a third of U.S. homes.

Even worse, Nielsen reported last December that only 23.2 percent of U.S. households have the high-def tuners that are necessary to watch high-def programming. Although that number has climbed from roughly 13 percent from a year ago, it's remarkable that so relatively few Americans are watching High-Definition programming. If you listened to industry and cultural analysts, you would think that HDTV was everywhere.


Not everyone is watching HDTV.

But with the deepening global recession, it's possible that HDTV will not reach a majority of U.S. households in the next 5-10 years, or maybe ever.

So, what's wrong with HDTV?

1. Still Too Costly
Despite dropping prices, most high-def sets are still cost prohibitive for most Americans. While you can buy a small-screen HDTV now for under $500, the sets that make people drool -- that make them run to the store -- are still close to $1,000 or more. Even before the recession, that was too much for budget-conscious Americans. During the recession, it's an unthinkable luxury.

2. Old TVs Prevail
Despite the upcoming Digital TV transition (assuming it is upcoming), millions of Americans still own older, non-HD analog sets. They spent good money for them and they still work -- so why update them? Or, at least, that's the view of the analog TV owner. It's a lot cheaper to get a $50 digital converter box (which allows digital signals to display on the analog set) than it is to buy a high-def set. And it's also cheaper to buy a non-HD Digital TV set for $200-300 than it is to throw down the mortgage money on a high-def one.

3. Poor Education
Cable and satellite providers (and the telcos) still surprisingly do little to educate consumers that if they have a high-def set, they need a high-def tuner to watch HD programming. (Roughly one-third of HDTV owners fall in this category.) They seem to think that high-def owners have figured it out.

And TV manufacturers and CE retailers do next to nothing to help out. Their view: They've sold the set so why spend their time and money ensuring that people use it to its fullest?

However, that's a myopic view. If more people had high-def tuners, that would be more people out there in the marketplace spreading the word about HD's wonderful picture and sound. And that would lead to more people buying high-def sets.

4. Not Enough HD Programming
Not enough high-def programming, you ask? How can that be? Aren't there dozens of HD channels?

Well, yes, that's true. But the four major broadcast networks, which still dominate primetime ratings, still produce far too many shows in standard-def. For instance, on CBS, The CBS Morning Show, The Amazing Race, 48 Hours and several other shows are still not in high-def. And on NBC, under spendthrift CEO Jeff Zucker, sometimes the entire primetime lineup is not in HD. For instance, unscripted shows such as Deal or No Deal and The Biggest Loser are delivered in deadly dull SD.

The result is that the average viewer is not as excited about high-def as he could be.

5. The Blu-ray/HD DVD Debacle
The industry's food fight over which high-def disc format would prevail unquestionably hurt the HDTV industry. The high-def disc, which offers a picture superior to anything on cable, satellite or a telco service, is a great showcase for the technology. However, the format war slowed consumer interest in high-def discs -- and now that Blu-ray has prevailed, the studios' stubborn insistence to price Blu-ray movies at $5-10 more than their standard-def editions continues to delay consumer acceptance.

Blu-ray should be a catalyst for selling more high-def sets, but it's often just a reminder of how costly high-def can be.

Conclusion
High-Definition TV has come a long way in the last 10 years. But the high-def industry -- from retailers to TV makers to TV providers to the Hollywood studios -- need to congratulate each other less and start selling more. They need to stop saying that high-def is a success and start admitting that more needs to be done. If they don't, with the current economic conditions, HDTV may have hit a wall.
]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090216-143929 Phillip Swann Mon, 16 Feb 2009 19:39:29 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090215-111115 Bad Week For Plasma HDTV Lovers
Pioneer and Vizio head for the exit door.
By Joseph Whip
Special to TVPredictions.com

Washington, D.C. (February 15, 2009) -- It goes without saying that It has been a really bad week for for flat panel manufacturers, especially those that manufacture Plasma HDTVs.

The biggest news, of course, is the demise of Pioneer, who was the industry leader in the entire flat panel industry in terms of image quality and performance with their Kuro line.

These sets will be missed and the fact that their 10th generation panels featuring ultimate blacks will never be released is a real shame. I saw a prototype at the 2008 CES and I can say without hesitation that it produced the finest image I have even seen.

Hopefully, given that many of the engineers who worked for Pioneer are on that project now work on Panasonic's R & D team, we will eventually see that level of quality on a Panasonic or some other plasma display manufacturer, if any plasma manufacturers survive.

The problems with Pioneer's business model were clear. First, they dropped out entirely from the 42-inch Plasma market which is by far, the largest segment of the market.

Abandoning the largest segment of the plasma market to Panasonic and Samsung was a huge mistake. The second biggest mistake was their premium pricing. While their sets were clearly the best on the market, they were not THAT much better to most consumers to warrant the premium price. This mistake was clearly underlined by the recent sale at Best Buy and other retailers on the 50-inch 5020 as well as the Elite 111, which are now almost sold out nationwide. Priced competitively, they flew off the shelves. Get one if you can!

Had Pioneer been more aggressive in their pricing a year ago, especially considering the falling economy, perhaps they would be in a much better position than they are today.

The third mistake was in restricting their sales outlet. Clearly, if they had a larger footprint in terms of dealers, they would have sold more product.

Fourth and finally, their Kuro advertising campaign was abysmal. All of these factors worked together to depress sales of their displays and greatly diminished their market share, despite their superior quality. Pioneer once again proved that you need more than the best quality product to succeed, especially in tough economic times, where the quality to price ratio is even more important.

However, there was even more disturbing news this week. First there is the announcement by Vizio that there were exiting the plasma market, as the plasma sets didn't sell as well as LCD's in store as LCD's are brighter and do better in a really bright store.

While Vizio will continue in the LCD display market, I wouldn't expect them to succeed there either as their business model is clearly broken due to the rush to the bottom in terms of pricing by the tier one brands such as Samsung, Sony, Sharp, LG and Toshiba, all of which have better products at similar products as Vizio.

While Vizio was able to gain traction with cheaper products when flat panel prices were priced at very high levels, that is no longer the case. Unless Vizio can innovate and offer superior products, they will go the way of the Dodo bird by the end of Q1 2010.

Looking at the recently announced financials, all the of the flat panel operations are being flooded with red ink, whether they are plasma or LCD manufacturers. While Panasonic has increased market share, they have announced that their new plants will open months later than previously announced and that they will scale back their production of all their flat panels. Sony is also hemorrhaging money not only in their flat panel division but in their gaming/PS3 division as well. NEC has also announced that they are getting out of the LCD market, The same with Hitachi. In short, this economy is killing the entire flat panel industry across the board.

While the plasma market seems to taking the biggest hit at this time, the LCD market is taking quite a hit as well. My guess at this point is that by the end of Q1 2010, you will see several other flat panel makers announce that they are getting out of the business and that the ones that are left will be further scaling back production and slowing the pace of more costly product innovations, including OLED panels. It is quite possible that today's Pioneer Elite panels will not be surpassed in terms of image quality for the next 2 or 3 years. Given the incredible leaps in picture quality that we have seen in the past
Two to three years in both plasma and LCD technologies, this would be a real shame and the lasting legacy (in regards to the flat panel and Home Theater business) of the economic downturn that began in the latter half of 2007. It will effect all technologies, not just plasma. Clearly, when the carnage of this economic downturn is over, there will only be a few flat panel manufacturers left which will likely mean less selection and higher prices points across the board.

]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090215-111115 Phillip Swann Sun, 15 Feb 2009 16:11:15 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090212-045056 Officials fighting over coupon funding; the FCC feels the heat on stations going digital early. And so on and so on.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (February 12, 2009) -- The federal government's plan to switch all full-powered local TV stations from analog to digital signals had another tough day on Tuesday. Here's a summary of the action:

Obama Signs Delay Bill 'For Consumers'
President Obama yesterday finally signed legislation that officially moves the transition date from Feb. 17 to June 12 -- a full week after Congress passed the bill. During the week when Mr. Obama ignored the bill -- a bill he urged Congress to pass -- federal agencies seemed confused about when the transition would actually occur. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration actually listed the transition occurring on two dates on its web site -- Feb. 17 and June 12.


The president delays the DTV transition -- well, sort of.

Mr. Obama yesterday issued a statement explaining why he signed the delay bill:

"During these challenging economic times, the needs of American consumers are a top priority of my administration," the president said. "This law, which was crafted in a bipartisan way and passed overwhelmingly in the House and Senate, ensures that our citizens will have more time to prepare for the conversion."

But Some Consumers Won't Get a Delay
However, despite the president's assurance that citizens would have more time to prepare, Reuters reported yesterday that 40 percent of local stations planned to switch to all-digital by Feb 17 anyway.

If they proceed, it means that their viewers will need to be ready with converter boxes, a Digital TV or a pay TV service by next week -- not four months from now as the president just promised.

"Regulators were caught off guard by the steep number of stations that want to transition early, even after lawmakers delayed a mandatory nationwide switch to 'DTV' by months,"Reuters wrote.

Perhaps embarrassed -- as well as caught off-guard -- by the large number of stations getting ready to go all-digital, acting FCC Chairman Michael Copps held a press conference yesterday to say that the agency will review the list of stations planning to make the switch early. He said the FCC may even stop some of them from switching.

"We are six days from the most demanding consumer technology transition in the history of broadcasting," Copps said, referring to the old Digital TV transition date of Feb. 17, which actually could still be the current transition date for hundreds of local stations.

So, the FCC has six days to determine whether some local stations can go all-digital early. Well, actually, that's not true. Because the transition date was scheduled on Feb. 17, the agency has already permitted roughly 150 stations to switch to all-digital signals.

There's no bringing them back.

Congress Fights Over Converter Box Funding
And finally yesterday, Democrats and Republicans yesterday fought over a provision in the Economic Stimulus Bill that would allocate another $650 million for the federal government's digital converter coupon program. (The program has run out of funds, leaving many consumers hesitant to buy the converters. The coupon is worth $40 while most converters cost between $50 and $75.)

Broadcasting & Cable Magazine reports that a compromise has been reached in a House-Senate conference committee that will allow the $650 million to stay in the bill, although many Republicans say it won't "stimulate" the economy or create jobs. However, it remains to be seen if the funding will make it to final passage.

Without the funding, it's likely that a portion of the seven million Americans who have yet to prepare for the DTV switch will continue to stay on the sidelines.

The actions described above took place on one day. And now we have four months more to go before the next transition date.

Good luck to us all.
]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090212-045056 Phillip Swann Thu, 12 Feb 2009 09:50:56 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090211-132053 The discount TV maker will focus exclusively on LCD.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (February 11, 2009) -- Vizio says it has stopped producing Plasma High-Definition sets and will now concentrate entirely on its LCD series, according to the New York Times.

In an article published today, Vizio's co-founder, Laynie Newsome, told the newspaper that the company is nearly out of existing Plasma inventory, although it's still selling Plasma sets at its web site. And the low-cost TV maker has no plans to resume Plasma production.

Newsome explained the company's decision by saying that Plasma does not sell as well as LCD in part because its picture does not look as good in retail showrooms. Generally, Plasma sets look better in dark rooms while LCD sets fare better in well-lit rooms, such as electronics stores.

Vizio's decision is another blow to the Plasma HDTV which has lagged behind the LCD in sales over the past two years for a variety of reasons. Vizio has become a top seller of new TVs because of its lower prices and consumer-friendly promotions.

The Times notes that Vizio's departure leaves just three large-volume Plasma makers in the United States: market leader Panasonic, Samsung and LG Electronics.]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090211-132053 Phillip Swann Wed, 11 Feb 2009 18:20:53 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090211-110016 The discs would enable PS3 owners to use both features.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (February 11, 2009) -- Sony says it will introduce combo PlayStation 3 game/Blu-ray movie discs later this year, according to an article by Video Business.

The publication reports that the combo discs will be designed to broaden the appeal of the PS3 which has lagged in sales behind Nintendo's Wii and Microsoft's XBox 360. Sony also wants to emphasize that its game console can play high-def movies as well as games.

Video Business writes that the combo disc would also allow PS3 owners to transfer the film to view on a PlayStation Portable.
“We are actively pushing, and the way that we see the future is that the movie and the game are placed on the same disc,” John Koller, director of hardware marketing for the PS3, told the publication. “There are a lot of developers who say, we have this game based on a movie, wouldn’t it be great to marry these concepts? We will definitely see this stuff this year.”

The executive did not say when the combo discs would be available, but he said two or three could launch this year. He also did not offer specific pricing for the combo discs.
]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090211-110016 Phillip Swann Wed, 11 Feb 2009 16:00:16 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090211-054800 TV Stations Ignore Obama, Congress on Digital TV
Roughly 40 percent of local stations will go digital early despite the president's pleas.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (February 11, 2009) -- At the urging of President Obama, Congress last week passed legislation to delay next week's scheduled Digital TV transition from Feb. 17 to June 12.

Mr. Obama is expected to sign the bill shortly. But the Associated Press reports that 40 percent of local TV stations will switch to all-digital signals on or before Feb. 17 anyway. This is despite protestations from the Obama administration and lawmakers that the early switch will confuse consumers.

Nielsen estimates that roughly seven million Americans are not ready for the switch, meaning they have not purchased digital converter boxes or Digital TVs or signed up for a pay TV service. If their local stations go digital early, they will lose their TV signals and their screen will go dark.

Congress' decision to pass legislation to delay the transition has generated significant media coverage so it's unlikely that the seven million will take steps to prepare for Digital TV before Feb. 17; the remaining hold-outs now think they have four months to get ready.

As part of a compromise to win Republican support, Senate Democrats included a provision in the delay bill that allows local stations to switch to all-digital signals early if they want. This was done because many local stations expressed concern that they would lose money if they had to broadcast both analog and digital signals beyond February 17.

Commentary:
From the beginning, the government has screwed up the handling of the Digital TV transition and this is just the latest blunder.

By passing the delay legislation, Congress and the president sent a loud message that Americans had four more months to prepare for the switch.

However, allowing local stations to switch early guarantees that millions of people will lose their TV signals next week because they now think they have four months to prepare. When their screens go dark next week, they will panic and start calling everyone from their local congressman to their local station.

Obama and the Congress either should not have passed the delay legislation or they should have passed it without allowing local stations to switch early. By trying to have it both ways, they have only made a bad situation worse.
]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090211-054800 Phillip Swann Wed, 11 Feb 2009 10:48:00 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090211-050823 The satcaster added 301,000 net subs in the fourth quarter.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (February 11, 2009) -- DIRECTV said yesterday that roughly 50 percent of its subscribers now subscribe to High-Definition and/or DVR packages.

Additionally, company executives said that 55 to 60 percent of new subscribers are signing up for high-def and/or DVR services. (DIRECTV does not break down how many subscribers have High-Definition TV and how many have Digital Video Recorders. They include both in the same category.)

The satcaster revealed the numbers yesterday in an investors call following the release of its fourth quarter report.

DIRECTV said that it added 301,000 net new subscribers (SD and HD) in the fourth quarter, an increase from the 275,000 generated during the 2007 fourth quarter. The satcaster said the increase was its largest quarterly sub increase in three years. The company now has 17.6 million total subscribers.

DIRECTV CEO Chase Carey said his company has been "immune' to the economic recession which has hurt other TV providers. Wall Street analysts yesterday suggested that DIRECTV is taking new customers from their cable and satellite rivals.

But Carey added: "I expect the economy to put pressure on us."

DIRECTV has seen its subscriber totals rise steadily since it began expanding its high-def lineup in the fall of 2007. The satcaster now claims more than 130 HD channels, although a Pike & Fischer study yesterday said the number is actually 104. (DIRECTV includes Pay Per View channels in the total.)

The company has been slower to add HD channels in the last several months due to capacity issues and programming costs. But CEO Carey yesterday reminded analysts in the investors call that his company will launch a new satellite this year that will offer more capacity.

"We’ll launch a satellite latter this year that will enable us to continue to add to our HD experience or continuing to build on our leadership in sports and add to the richness of our content with events like Friday Night Lights. Our VOD offering will improve in both richness to the offering and functionality in terms of things like faster access and a more integrated experience," Carey said.
]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090211-050823 Phillip Swann Wed, 11 Feb 2009 10:08:23 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090210-141846 A new study says DIRECTV's top ranking is under challenge.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (February 10, 2009) -- Verizon's FiOS TV service is challenging DIRECTV's position as the TV provider with the most High-Definition channels, according to a new study from market research firm Pike & Fischer.

The study says that, as of January 2009, DIRECTV offered 104 high-def channels. (The satcaster claims to offer more than 130 HD channels, but its total includes a number of Pay Per View channels and distant network signals that few count as real channels.)

But Verizon had 103 HD channels in January 2009, just one less than DIRECTV, the company said.

DIRECTV has established itself as the leading provider of High-Definition channels for the past year after it dramatically expanded its high-def lineup in the Fall of 2007. But Verizon last year boosted its HD lineup in several cities and now offers more than 100 HD channels in every market it serves.

The Pike & Fischer study says Comcast, the nation's largest cable operator, has "one of the smallest selections of HD channels," offering fewer than 40 HD channels in some markets. (Comcast has recently ncreased that number in several markets.)
"Cable networks do not have the same capacity as Verizon's all-fiber infrastructure and DIRECTV's satellite coverage, and thus face more constraints on bandwidth for HD channels," the company says in a press release.

Although Verizon and DIRECTV may offer more high-def channels than their cable counterparts, P&F notes that Cablevision and Time Warner are among a group of cable ops that offer "a substantial number of HD channels for free...Some providers have clearly assembled both the physical plant and the contracts with content owners to provide more HD content than their competitors. But it is important to look at what content is actually being offered, and at what price."
]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090210-141846 Phillip Swann Tue, 10 Feb 2009 19:18:46 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090210-054922 Digital TV: What Is Obama Waiting For?
The president needs to sign the delay bill -- now.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (February 10, 2009) -- Congress last Wednesday approved legislation that would delay the Digital TV transition from Feb. 17 to June 12.

President Obama, who requested the delay, has promised to sign that bill. However, as of this writing, the president has yet to approve it and the transition is still scheduled to take place next week, leaving a whole lot of people confused.

For instance, Multichannel News reports that the National Telecommunications & Information Administration, which runs the government's DTV converter box program, is saying at its web site that the transition will take place on both days.

The FCC says at its web site that "some" local TV stations may switch to digital on Feb. 17 while others may switch "sometime" before June 12. Dozens of newspapers are still reporting that the transition will occur on Feb. 17 while dozens more are saying it will be June 12.

The mixed messages are just making it more difficult for the roughly seven million people who haven't prepared for the switch to start taking action. With the government -- and perhaps their local newspaper and other media -- saying confusing and conflicting things, they will likely start tuning out anything related to Digital TV. And if that occurs, good luck in getting them to buy converter boxes or Digital TVs before June 12.

I realize that the president is busy these days, but he needs to sign the legislation immediately. And he needs to step forward with a concrete and clear plan on how the nation will switch to digital without leaving millions of people without TV signals.

Hey, Mr. President, you asked for the delay. So sign it already!
]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090210-054922 Phillip Swann Tue, 10 Feb 2009 10:49:22 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090210-045931 The VOD service offers more than 1,000 high-def films.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (February 10, 2009) -- Vudu, the VOD set-top service, has dropped the price of its entry-level set-top (BX100) from $295 to $149, according to CNET.com.

The Vudu set-top enables users to download movies over a high-speed Internet connection. The box, which can also store movies, offers more than 13,000 movies and shows, including more than 1,000 HDTV selections.

However, Vudu has struggled to generate interest due to competition from traditional TV services such as cable and satellite and a general 'set-top' fatigue among Americans. To build interest, the company cut the price of its entry-level box from $399 to $295 last year.

The new price reduction could be seen as an effort to keep pace with other Net-enabled set-top services, such as Apple TV, Netflix (available on the XBox 360 and other devices) and Blockbuster, which recently launched the MediaPoint VOD player, made by Broadband device manufacturer 2Wire.

But it also could be a last ditch effort to survive amid increasing competition in a tough economy.
]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090210-045931 Phillip Swann Tue, 10 Feb 2009 09:59:31 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090209-160337 The satcaster says the average increase will be four percent a month.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (February 9, 2009) -- DIRECTV has announced that it will raise monthly programming rates on March 4, including High-Definition packages.

That's according to an article by Multichannel News.

The satcaster said monthly programming package will rise an average of four percent. For instance, DIRECTV's Plus HD DVR package will jump 4.8 percent from $72.99 to $75.99.

DIRECTV's 'Select' package will rise 6.5 percent, from $45.99 to $48.99.

DIRECTV spokesman Robert Mercer told Multichannel News that the new prices reflect the "significant investments we've made to enhance our customers' viewing experience."
Craig Moffett, a Wall Street analyst, noted today in a research note that other TV providers are also raising rates. But the Sanford Bernstein analyst suggested that DIRECTV may be taking a bigger risk by raising prices now because consumers may opt to eliminate premium channels from their lineups. The satcaster is more dependent on premium channel revenue than its cable counterparts.
"Weighing on the pay TV stocks has been a generalized fear that investors will downgrade their service packages," he said. "On this score, DIRECTV may, over the long run, be more vulnerable to recession-related service downgrades than its competitors given DIRECTV's more significant reliance on 'discretionary' services.'"
]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090209-160337 Phillip Swann Mon, 09 Feb 2009 21:03:37 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090209-043153 Wall Street analyst says the company will include iTunes in the set.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (February 9, 2009) -- Pioneer may be ready to exit the TV business, but one Wall Street analyst says Apple could be preparing to storm in the front door.

Gene Munster, the managing director and senior research analyst at Piper Jaffray, predicts that Apple will launch its own branded TV set in the next two years. The set, the analyst says, will likely include DVR features and built-in components for Apple TV and iTunes.

In March 2007, Apple launched the Apple TV device which allows viewers to send videos and music from the company's iTunes store to a widescreen TV.

But the Net TV product has been a disappointment although it has been heavily promoted by some tech journalists and Wall Street analysts. Two years after launch, Apple has yet to release sales figures for Apple TV and company executives have dubbed it a "hobby."

If Munster is correct, Apple could be looking for a way to eliminate the middleman by including iTunes videos and music directly in the television.

Apple would not be the first computer maker to enter the TV business. Dell and Gateway became TV manufacturers a few years ago, but both dropped out due to poor sales and other problems.

]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090209-043153 Phillip Swann Mon, 09 Feb 2009 09:31:53 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090208-145727 Why Pioneer May Exit the TV Business
The company's strategy of selling high-end HDTVs meets the global recession.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (February 8, 2009) -- Pioneer, the maker of high-end Plasma High-Definition TVs, told Reuters last week that it's considering leaving the TV business entirely.

The company is projecting a loss of $848 million for the year ending March 31, which would be its fifth consecutive annual loss
"There is a whole spectrum of possibilities with withdrawal on one end, in-house development and production on the other and sales of procured TVs somewhere in the middle," a Pioneer spokesman told the news service.

Several other news reports, however, say Pioneer has decided to exit the TV business and bundle its DVD/Blu-ray business into a join venture with Sharp.

Pioneer has carefully crafted a reputation in North America for selling expensive, but exquisitely made Plasma HDTVs. Some high-def enthusiasts swear by them, saying they offer the best picture on the market. (Pioneer only makes LCD sets for the European market.) However, the sets are often hundreds of dollars more than comparably-sized models from rival companies.

Reuters notes that Pioneer captured just 5.9 percent of the Plasma TV market share in the first three quarters of 2008, badly trailing LG, which had 15.5 percent, Samsung, which had 22.8 percent and top-ranked Panasonic with 37.2 percent.


Commentary:
Pioneer is a victim of the deepening global recession -- and its own market strategy.

The electronics company has learned the hard way that today's anxiety-ridden consumer is rejecting anything that's perceived as a luxury item. And with Pioneer pricing its sets far above the norm, the average person sees Pioneer as pricey.

Instead, average folks are deciding that buying a cheaper Plasma set from well-known brand names such as Samsung and Panasonic makes more sense.

However, even if times were good, Pioneer's sales would continue to disappoint.

The company has failed to create a strong enough perception in the marketplace that its sets are something special, worth the extra coin. The tech intelligentisia -- led by tech journalists -- may sing Pioneer's praises, but the average consumer just thinks the sets are overpriced.
]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090208-145727 Phillip Swann Sun, 08 Feb 2009 19:57:27 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090205-042936 The Kagan study says player sales will reach $1.3 billion by 2010.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (February 5, 2009) -- Research firm SNL Kagan said yesterday that the Blu-ray high-def disc will capture a 60 percent market share of home video sales by 2014.

The company added that the high-def format will take a whopping 74 percent market share by 2017.

Despite some analysts predicting that digital downloads will soon dominate the home video scene, Kagan's study is decidedly bullish on physical media, particularly Blu-ray. At least for the next decade, that is.

“Blu-ray will be the driving force behind the video retail market throughout the next decade,” said Wade Holden, an analyst at SNL Kagan, according to Home Media Magazine.

Holden acknowledges, however, that the current economic recession will slow Blu-ray's growth.

“The current economic climate, however, will slow the growth of this new format and likely keep it from reaching the heights that it may have (reached) in better times," he said.

Still, Kagan estimates that Blu-ray disc sales will reach $13.1 billion in revenue by 2014 and $15.6 billion by 2017. Additionally, Blu-ray player sales will jump from $255.4 million in 2008 to $1.3 billion in 2010 and $6.9 billion by 2013.

After 2017, Kagan says Video on Demand services, including digital downloads over the Net, will begin to take over the home video industry.

“VOD services will continue to improve in both technology and content over the next decade and begin to draw consumers away from Blu-ray and DVD by 2017,” Holden said, according to Home Media Magazine.

]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090205-042936 Phillip Swann Thu, 05 Feb 2009 09:29:36 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090204-161829 The bill now goes to President Obama for his expected signature.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (February 4, 2009) -- The U.S. House today approved a Senate bill that delays the nation's switch to Digital TV from Feb. 17 to June 12.

The bill, which was approved by a vote of 264 to 158, now goes to President Obama for his expected signature.

The Obama administration had urged Congress to delay the transition from analog to digital, saying that millions of people are not ready for the switch and therefore could lose their TV signals.

Until today's vote, all full-powered local stations were scheduled to switch their analog signals to digital on February 17, meaning viewers would need a Digital TV, a digital converter box or a pay TV subscription to continuing watching television.

But the president and others have noted that the federal government has run out of funds for $40 coupons that consumers can use to defray the cost of the converters. Obama's proposed economic stimulus legislation includes $650 million to refund the converter coupon program.

The Senate passed the delay bill last week on a voice vote. To generate support for the delay, the bill allows local stations to switch to digital before June if they get approval from the FCC.

Nielsen has estimated that as many as seven million people are not ready for the transition at this point.
]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090204-161829 Phillip Swann Wed, 04 Feb 2009 21:18:29 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090204-051502 Disney May Raise Blu-ray Prices
The company examines ways to cut losses.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (February 4, 2009) -- The Walt Disney studio yesterday said it's considering raising the price on Blu-ray titles although surveys show that most consumers believe that high-def discs are already too expensive.

In a conference call with Wall Street analysts, the studio discussed various ways how it would rebound from a 64 percent first quarter earnings decline. Disney CEO Robert Iger said that the company would continue to try to convince consumers that its products have value that goes beyond price.

For instance, he said, Blu-ray discs that offer interactive features and a digital download file that enables playback on computers could be a candidate for a price hike.

"For instance, we are finding that when we sell a Blu-ray DVD with a standard DEP file and also a downloadable file, we can actually offer a price to the consumer that is viewed by the consumer as delivering greater value, which is enabling us to drive revenue at a level that is slightly better than we might have if we had not added those basically valuable extras to the DVD," Iger said.

Most Blu-ray high-def titles are priced between $5-10 more than their standard-def DVD companions and analysts have blamed this in part for disappointing disc sales. Some studios have experimented with lower prices, but Disney appears poised to raise prices.

"Today our focus is only intensifying as we address the changes affecting the DVD market. To that end we plan to reduce production, marketing, and distribution expenses at our home video business and to implement strategies that enhance the price-to-value relationship of our products. We believe the unique nature of our brand and the quality of our movies helps us to stand out in this environment but we must also innovate in order to generate attractive returns," Iger said.

Disney has recently released such popular Blu-ray titles as Sleeping Beauty, WALL-E and the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy.

Commentary
Yes, times are tough and companies have to reassess how they do business. But if Disney raises Blu-ray disc prices, times will get a lot tougher for its home video business. Bad idea, Bob Iger.

]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090204-051502 Phillip Swann Wed, 04 Feb 2009 10:15:02 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090203-130317 This is the second HD addition during the week.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (February 3, 2009) -- Dish Network today added the Fox News HD Channel to its lineup of high-def channels.

The channel, a simulcast of the news network's standard-def channel, includes such programs as Fox & Friends, Hannity, The O'Reilly Factor, the Fox Report With Shepard Smith and Glenn Beck.

Dish Network also this week added the Crime and Investigation HD channel. However, at the same time, it removed the Smithsonian Channel HD channel without explanation.

Dish officials have hinted that they will add several more HD channels this year, but they have not said anything about dropping channels to make room.

Crime & Investigation HD offers a diverse mix of crime-related documentaries and fiction shows such as 24, Crossing Jordan and Twin Peaks.
]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090203-130317 Phillip Swann Tue, 03 Feb 2009 18:03:17 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090203-054041 The price could be lower in discount stores.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (February 3, 2009) -- Blu-ray player prices will fall to $150 suggested retail by the 2009 holiday season, according to an article in today's Economic Daily News.

The Chinese-language newspaper reports that "white box vendors," the industry term for no-name or little-known brands, will offer the $150 Blu-ray players.

Additionally, Lite-On IT, a Taiwan-based maker of optical disc drives, will sell Blu-ray players at that price, the article said. (The Economic Daily News article was reported today by DigiTimes.com). The newspaper said the low-priced Blu-ray players would be available internationally and in the United States.

If the report is true, it would likely mean that Blu-ray players would be available this holiday season for under $100. Discount stores often slash a product's suggested retail price, particularly during the holidays.

Most entry-level Blu-ray players now carry a suggested retail of $299, although stores and web sites offer some players for less than $200. Industry analysts have said that Blu-ray player prices need to fall before the high-def disc industry can reach a wider audience.
]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090203-054041 Phillip Swann Tue, 03 Feb 2009 10:40:41 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090203-050030 But Consumer Reports notes the company charges extra for Blu-ray rentals
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (February 3, 2009) -- Netflix has scored the highest overall customer satisfaction marks in a Consumer Reports survey of its online subscribers, the publication announced.

Consumer Reports said Netflix received high marks for price, selection and service, but the publication added that survey respondents expressed satisfaction with all of the rated providers, which included subscription services, in-store kiosks, walk-in stores and chains.

The magazine also noted that Netflix charges an extra $1 monthly fee for Blu-ray rentals and that Blockbuster and Netflix offer the same number of Blu-ray titles (roughly 1,000.). Blockbuster's online service does not charge extra for Blu-ray rentals.

Blockbuster, which finished second in the survey, also allows subscribers to exchange online rentals at its retail stores.

Consumer Reports said price was the biggest factor in overall customer satisfaction, followed by convenience, variety, and flexibility. The publication said Netflix was top rated for selection and service.

"With monthly payment plans starting at $5, Netflix was among the standouts for price; it was top-rated for selection and service. Readers reported that orders were filled promptly and with very few errors," Consumer Reports said in a statement released yesterday.

Among in-store kiosks, Redbox received top marks for price and convenience, Consumer Reports said.

The full results of the Consumer Reports survey can be found in the March issue of the publication.

]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090203-050030 Phillip Swann Tue, 03 Feb 2009 10:00:30 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090202-142452 Hey, I Don't Want the DTV Switch Delayed!
But the feds better push it back unless they want chaos on their hands.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (February 2, 2009) -- The U.S. House this week is expected to vote on a Senate bill that would delay the Digital TV transition from February 17 to June 12. By most accounts, the legislation will pass and will soon be signed into law by President Obama who supports a delay.

And that's a damn good thing.

I predicted more than a year ago that the federal government would delay the nation's switch from analog to digital signals. As a longtime observer of the federal government (including 10 years as a congressional reporter), I have come to the conclusion that our nation's leaders are incapable of doing anything right until the problem blows up in their faces.

Why?

Politicians only care about covering their fat political asses, getting re-elected and blaming others for their mistakes. They couldn't care less about their constituents, the concept of public service or just simply doing a good job. (Trust me, I've seen these animals up close; they are even worse than you think.)


Joe Six Pack: What's a converter box?

So forecasting that the digital transition would be delayed was one of my easiest predictions. I knew that the feds would screw it up -- and they certainly have. Seriously, here we are roughly two weeks away from the transition and:

1. The Converter Waiting List Is Growing and Growing...
Millions of people are now on a federal waiting list for $40 digital converter coupons because the feds ran out of money to issue them. (The coupons can be used to buy converters that can enable old analog TVs to keep working when the signals are switched to digital.)

Why did they run out of money?

At the start, the feds decided to make everyone eligible for the coupons, regardless of their income level. Yes, that's right. Bill Gates is eligible for a $40 coupon. Warren Buffet is eligible. Donald Trump is eligible. Everybody is eligible! No wonder they ran out of money!

The feds should have made the coupons available only to the people who needed them the most -- low income folks who can't afford to plunk down $60 or $70 for a converter box, not to mention buy a new Digital TV.

Plus, the feds should have done a better job of alerting cable and satellite subscribers that they didn't need converter boxes so they wouldn't apply for them. (Cable and satellite providers provide digital boxes as part of their service.) That would have left more coupons available for those who did need them.

2. Millions of People Are Still Baffled
Approximately seven million people say they are not ready for the switch and polls show that the chief reason is that they are confused. They still don't have a clue whether to get a converter box, a new TV or stand on their heads and hope for the best.

And there's no wonder. The government and the CE industry did a horrible job of educating consumers on how to prepare for the switch. Horrible! The slick PR commercials (by cable, local stations, the feds, etc.) looked like they were designed by Silicon Valley tech freaks for Silicon Valley tech freaks.

How was Grandma Moses or Joe Six Pack going to understand what was going on with all those flashy graphics and fast cuts on their screen? Give me a break.

3. The Feds Are Continuing to Confuse People
Okay, it's February 2 and the federal government still hasn't decided on the transition date! You don't think that's not confusing people?

Dear God, what if Congress this week decides not to postpone the transition -- after the president and congressional leaders said they likely would postpone it.

Well, there's little chance that those seven million people will run out and get converter boxes in the next two weeks; based on what they've been hearing, those seven million people probably have already decided that the transition will be delayed.

So, Congress better delay this thing or it will be an even bigger mess than it would have been before they started talking about a delay a few weeks ago.

Now that I've gotten that off my chest, let me get to the real point of this commentary.

Yes, I predicted the transition would be delayed. I have also pointed out (repeatedly) over the last year how the feds were exhibiting gross incompetence in managing the transition.

Because of those two things, some readers have posted comments in our message board saying that I have always wanted the transition to be delayed. By pointing out the transition's flaws, some people assume that I am against it.

Well, that's nonsense. Like it or not, I realize the Digital TV transition is inevitable. But I don't want to see millions of people suddenly lose their TV signals because of government incompetence. I don't want to see millions of people flooding government offices and local stations with phone calls. And I don't want to see local TV stations suddenly have a dramatic drop-off in ratings.

The Digital TV transition must happen -- but it must be done right. So, yes, approve the damn delay.

But as I say that, I have to ask a final question:

Will our politicians put aside their petty ways and do it right the second time around?

I wish I could say I can predict that one..
]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090202-142452 Phillip Swann Mon, 02 Feb 2009 19:24:52 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090201-095158 This satcaster does not offer an explanation.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (February 1, 2009) -- Dish Network today added the Crime & Investigation high-def channel, but apparently made room in its lineup by dropping the Smithsonian Channel HD.

That's according to an article by Multichannel News.

Dish subscribers who tune to Smithsonian Channel HD are greeted with an on-screen message saying the satcaster "regrets that we no longer offer this channel." Viewers are advised to consult Dish's web site for more information.

The web site, however, only shows that the Smithsonian Channel has been replaced by the Crime and Investigation HD channel in the satcaster's 'PlatinumHD' programming package.

Dish officials have hinted that they will add several more HD channels this year, but they have not said anything about dropping channels to make room.

]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090201-095158 Phillip Swann Sun, 01 Feb 2009 14:51:58 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090129-041124 But House leaders plan another vote next week.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (January 29, 2009) -- The House of Representatives yesterday rejected a measure that would have pushed the Digital TV deadline from Feb. 17 to June 12.

The House voted 258-168 in favor of the delay, but the bill needed a two-third majority to pass under rules approved for its consideration; the legislation fell 26 votes short of the two-thirds majority.

The defeat surprised many industry observers who thought the delay was assured when the Senate earlier in the week approved it by a voice vote. However, House Republicans opposed the delay, saying it would further confuse consumers.

Despite yesterday's defeat, House Democratic leaders remained hopeful that the delay bill would pass next week when it would not require a two-thirds vote.

"The likelihood is we'll come back next week" and pass the bill, said Rep. Rick Boucher, chairman of the House telecommunications subcommittee, according to the Los Angeles Times.

A spokesperson for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told The Times that the speaker was looking for a way to hold another vote.

On February 17, 2009, all full-powered local stations are scheduled to switch their analog signals to digital which means viewers will need a Digital TV, a digital converter box or a pay TV subscription to continuing watching television.

But the Obama administration has urged Congress to delay the transition from analog to digital, saying that millions of people are not ready for the switch and therefore could lose their TV signals.
]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090129-041124 Phillip Swann Thu, 29 Jan 2009 09:11:24 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090129-034133 The DVD rental service charges a $1 monthly surcharge.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (January 29, 2009) -- Netflix said this week that it ended the fourth quarter with 700,000 Blu-ray subscribers, a sharp jump from the previous quarter.

The online DVD rental service said it had roughly 500,000 Blu-ray subscribers at the end of the third quarter. But the company increased that total despite adding a $1 monthly surcharge on Blu-ray customers.

In an investors call, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said the high-def disc is doing better than expected thanks largely to dropping Blu-ray player prices.

“If Blu-ray player prices continue to fall as expected, driven by next-generation chip designs, then widespread adoption becomes increasingly likely and it extends the life of disc-based viewing," Hastings said.

The company also reported that its fourth-quarter profit soared 45 percent and that it now has more than nine million subscribers overall.

"Our October forecast of slowing growth turned out to be wrong," Netflix CFO Barry McCarthy said during the investors call.

Netflix also said that "millions" of subscribers are using its video streaming service, but the company would not disclose specific numbers. The streaming service, which enables you to download Netflix movies over Internet lines on several devices including Blu-ray players and the XBox 360, is free to subscribers.
]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090129-034133 Phillip Swann Thu, 29 Jan 2009 08:41:33 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090128-055446 The Massachusetts corrections department says it was preferable to buying cheaper digital converter boxes.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (January 28, 2009) -- Can't afford a new High-Definition TV? Well, steal one. If they catch you, you'll still be able to watch it in prison.

At least in Massachusetts, that is.

The Boston Herald reports that the Massachusetts Department of Corrections has purchased 117 new High-Definition TVs for inmates to watch this Sunday's Super Bowl.

The sets, which include 32-inch LG sets and 26-inch Sharp LCDs, cost the state $76,958 at a time when Massachusetts is laying off workers and cutting social programs. The sets are being installed in the common areas of all state DOC prisons this month.

DOC spokeswoman Diane Wiffin defends the purchase by saying the state was forced to upgrade because of the nation's scheduled switch to Digital TV signals next month. The agency formed a committee in 2007 to study the digital transition and decided to purchase the new high-def sets for the common areas rather than buy digital converter boxes, which cost between $40 and $70.

However, the DOC did buy converter boxes for prisoners' in-cell televisions.

Massachusetts is not the only state facing the problem of how to upgrade prisoners' televisions when the digital switch occurs. The Orlando Sentinel reports that Florida is planning to spend $100,000 in tax money to upgrade 1,500 prison televisions so they will operate when the switch happens. And in McLennan County in Texas, the local prison there also bought new TVs to get ready for the transition, reports The Waco Tribune.

But The Boston Herald reports that some law enforcement officials are outraged by the purchase.

“It sends the wrong message when they’re asking sheriff offices throughout the state to cut at least a million out of our budget,” said Worcester County Sheriff Guy Glodis, who says he recently removed TVs from the Worcester County House of Correction. “I would argue there are other things you can spend the money on that are more conducive to rehabilitation.”

But Wiffin told the Herald that the HDTVs were "modest" and were bought from the prisoners' 'canteen funds' rather a direct appropriation from the state. Canteen funds are accumulated by prisoner purchases of items in the prison canteen, such as food and assorted sundries.

It is unclear what happens to canteen money when it's not being used to buy high-def televisions.
“I think you can find a better use for $77,000 than to go out and buy TVs for guys who are used to stealing them," Steve Kenneway, president of the Massachusetts Correction Officers Federal Union, told the Herald.
]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090128-055446 Phillip Swann Wed, 28 Jan 2009 10:54:46 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090127-060642 The House is expected to act this week.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (January 27, 2009) -- The U.S. Senate last night voted to delay the nation's switch to Digital TV from Feb. 17 to June 12 and the House could do the same as early as today.

On February 17, 2009, all full-powered local stations are scheduled to switch their analog signals to digital which means viewers will need a Digital TV, a digital converter box or a pay TV subscription to continuing watching television.

But the Obama administration has urged Congress to delay the transition from analog to digital, saying that millions of people are not ready for the switch and therefore could lose their TV signals.

The president and others have noted that the federal government has run out of funds for $40 coupons that consumers can use to defray the cost of the converters. Obama's proposed economic stimulus legislation includes $650 million to refund the converter coupon program.

The Senate passed the delay bill last night on a voice vote, but key senators have said for weeks that the nation is not ready for the transition.

"I firmly believe that our nation is not yet ready to make this transition at this time," said Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Rockefeller who proposed the delay bill.

To generate Republican support, Rockefeller has promised not to seek more delays past the June 12 deadline. Additionally, local stations are permitted to switch to digital before June if they get approval from the FCC.
]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090127-060642 Phillip Swann Tue, 27 Jan 2009 11:06:42 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090126-054427 The bill is expected to be voted on this week.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (January 26, 2009) -- Congress appears poised this week to pass legislation that will postpone next month's Digital TV transition to June.

On February 17, 2009, all full-powered local stations are scheduled to switch their analog signals to digital which means viewers will need a Digital TV, a digital converter box or a pay TV subscription to continuing watching television.

But critics of the Feb. 12 transition date note that the federal government has run out of funds for the $40 converter box coupons that can be used to purchase the set-tops. They also say that millions of people still seem confused about how to prepare for the transition.

President Obama and most Democratic lawmakers have urged a delay in the transition, but Republicans have balked, saying it would further confuse consumers. But Sen. Jay Rockefeller, chairman of the Democratic-controlled Senate Commerce Committee, late last week reached a compromise with Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson, the panel's top ranking Republican, that calls for the transition to take place on June 12.

Hutchinson says she's content that the bill would allow local stations to switch to digital before June 12 if they so desired. Many local stations which have been preparing to make the switch next month have said it will cost them money if they have to wait until June.

“I am pleased that chairman Rockefeller worked with me to address many of the concerns with the early proposals,” Hutchison said, according to Multichannel News. “Significant challenges remain, however, and I will continue working with my colleagues in Congress to ensure a smooth transition to digital television for all Americans.”

While the delay still needs to win approval of the full Senate -- and the House -- the Rockefeller/Hutchinson compromise is seen as a critical step to making that happen. Sen. Rockefeller says the delay legislation is likely to be voted on in the Senate this week.
“Let me be clear. This legislation is not perfect. But it represents a turning point, a start,” he said, according to Multichannel News.
]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090126-054427 Phillip Swann Mon, 26 Jan 2009 10:44:27 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090126-051018 Executives acknowledge that early Blu-ray interactive features may have been difficult to understand.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (January 26, 2009) -- For roughly two years, the Hollywood studios have heavily promoted the interactive features available on Blu-ray high-def discs such as accessing ringtones, games, movie trailers and other content from the Net.

Known as BD Live, the ITV features have been prominently featured in Blu-ray ad campaigns and in-box promotions. However, studio executives are now acknowledging that BD Live, which requires an Internet connection (and some might argue, a tech savvy viewer), may have been too much for consumers to comprehend.

So, the studios are going back to the drawing board with new BD Live features designed to find a larger audience.

“If the initial experience with a feature wasn't immediately intuitive to people, they'd just move on," Miguel Casillas, a Lionsgate senior vice president, tells Video Business. "Users weren't saying they didn't like BD Live, because uber-fans want to get close to the films they love. But it just needs to be easy and fast.”

Video Business reports that BD Live features in 2009 will be "better integrated, easier to use, more plentiful and more glitzy than last year."

By example, Lionsgate plans to launch a BD Live portal, called Lionsgate Live, where viewers will be able to access games, ringtones and chats with the film's director.

Zane Vella, who has worked on BD Live for 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, tells Video Business that he agrees that the studios may have frighten early BD Live users by requiring them to register before using the features.

“There is going to be more experimentation with what you can do with BD Live before registration,” says Vella. “It will give people more access. Registration can be a hurdle to a seamless consumer experience.”

Sony and Disney also told the publication that they plan to refine the BD Live experience.

Commentary:
Okay, I've been telling these studio idiots for almost two years that consumers couldn't care less about the interactive features on Blu-ray discs. They just want to watch the movie, not sit there downloading ringtones and playing little games with themselves or others.

But the studio executives have been too smart for their own good; they thought -- and they continue to think -- that they can persuade the American public to interact with their televisions.

It ain't going to happen, guys, so give it up.

Concentrate instead on the obvious superior benefits of owning a Blu-ray player -- great picture and great sound. And stop talking about the ITV stuff because all you're doing is confusing a potential customer.

After two years, the studio executives apparently now have enough data to see that BD Live has been a failure. However, instead of accepting the failure and moving on, they now will "refine" the experience.

Well, refine this, fellas: If you keep pushing ITV, you will just alienate and confuse millions of possible buyers.
]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090126-051018 Phillip Swann Mon, 26 Jan 2009 10:10:18 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090123-050605 This will be the first time ever Blu-ray gets the edge over DVD.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (January 23, 2009) -- Disney has announced that it will release the animated hit Bolt on Blu-ray high-def disc on March 22, two days before its DVD debut on March 24.

Video Business reports that it will be the first time ever that a major video release will debut on Blu-ray before DVD, a sign that the studios are shifting their focus to growing the Blu-ray audience.

The publication adds that retail sources say that Disney hopes the early Blu-ray release for Bolt will generate more interest in the high-def disc.
“This should give some incentive to Blu-ray fans,” one studio source told Video Business.

However, the source added that “this is not a strategy that will happen with every title.”

Until now, new video releases were either released first on DVD or they were released on DVD and Blu-ray on the same day.

Despite Disney's strategy, one retail source tells Video Business that it could back fire, saying that retailers could break the embargo on the Bolt DVD and sell it on the same day as the Blu-ray debut.

]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090123-050605 Phillip Swann Fri, 23 Jan 2009 10:06:05 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090122-190821 The transition date should not be moved, says our writer.
By Joseph Whip

Washington, D.C. (January 22, 2009) -- When was it that America became the can't do nation? I pondered this question over and over the past few days while I was in Paris and read the news articles about the impending delay of the digital transition until June 2009. When one visits the beaches in Normandy and walks through the streets of Paris, one can't help but recall the days when America was capable of whatever it put its mind to, from D- Day to the Marshall Plan and the space program.

Let me make this very clear, I am completely against delaying the digital transition any further. The transition has been delayed long enough. It is hard to believe that the first digital broadcasts went live in the top 10 TV markets in November 1998. That is now over ten years of DTV, albeit not across the entire country. The digital transition was initially scheduled for 1996 but was delayed three years until February 2009. It was delayed because the TV stations claimed that they didn't have the money and the public was not ready.
After three years, the stations are now ready but the public isn't?
Come on now. It is now time for the government to lead as it once used to. Keep the transition date as scheduled. It is now up to the people to adapt. If they want their TV, they have very clear choices, get a cable, DBS or telco provider or a converter box.

I can understand that a given consumer may not want to spend for cable but $40 for a converter box? Even if the money for the coupons has run out, why not get one box and wait until the coupons are ready for the other TV's in your home. For those households with available cash, there is no excuse not to get the boxes you need. Allowing a delay due to political pressure for a small percentage of the population will only result in even further delays down the line, as the same concerns that would result in a delay today will still be present in
Three months, 6 months, a year and more. The only way to get the transition over and get everyone on board is to go through with it NOW. There is no time like the present. It seems that all we do collectively as a nation is want to procrastinate.
Rather than bitch and moan and drag our feet, how about adopting a can do attitude and move forward with the digital transition without any further delay. Perhaps we can learn from this experience and use that same can do attitude on much more important issues than TV reception! All it takes is some leadership!
]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090122-190821 Phillip Swann Fri, 23 Jan 2009 00:08:21 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090122-160014 The converter funding shortage will likely keep the number high.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (January 22, 2009) -- Nielsen said today that 6.5 million U.S. homes are still not prepared for next month's scheduled transition to Digital TV signals.

While this is an improvement of 1.3 million homes from Nielsen's last report in December, it likely won't satisfy critics who say the transition should be delayed. President Obama and numerous congressional lawmakers have called for a delay and both the House and Senate are considering bills to move the transition date.

On February 17, 2009, all full-powered local stations are scheduled to switch their analog signals to digital which means viewers will need a Digital TV, a digital converter box or a pay TV subscription to continuing watching television. House and Senate lawmakers are considering moving the date to June.

Critics of the Feb. 12 transition date note that the federal government has run out of funds for the $40 converter box coupons that can be used to purchase the set-tops. They also say that millions of people still seem confused about how to prepare for the transition.

In a blog post at Nielsen.com, Susan Whiting, the company's vice chairperson, said that minorities are the least prepared. To wit:

* 9.9 percent of African-American families are unprepared
* 9.7 percent of Hispanic families are unprepared
* 8.8 percent of young families (ages 18-34) are unprepared.

Albuquerque, New Mexico ranks first with with the most unprepared people with 12.24 percent of residents not prepared, according to Nielsen. Dallas/Fort Worth is second with 10.21 percent; Houston is third with 9.95 percent; Tulsa, Oklahoma is fourth with 9.5 percent; while Portland, Oregon is fifth with 9.1 percent.
]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090122-160014 Phillip Swann Thu, 22 Jan 2009 21:00:14 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090122-051245 The teen vampire movie is expected to generate big sales.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (January 21, 2009) -- Twilight, the teen vampire romance, will be released on Blu-ray high-def disc on March 21, but will only be available in Blu at Target and Best Buy for a limited time after release.

That's according to an article by Video Business.

The film, which has made nearly $200 million in U.S. box office receipts, is expected to generate strong Blu-ray sales, perhaps challenging The Dark Knight as the best-selling Blu-ray disc ever.

Twilight could also spark more interest in Blu-ray discs, particularly among young females who own PlayStation 3 video game consoles which have Blu-ray players inside. The movie was a smash hit with female teens, many of whom saw the film several times.


However, the decision to restrict sales of the disc to two stores until May 5 (when it will be available to all retailers) could reduce the film's overall sales total, at least in the initial weeks. Video Business reports that Summit Home Entertainment, which is distributing the film, refused to reveal why the Blu-ray disc would only be available in two stores for nearly two months.

But the publication notes that most PS3 owners are male, which could suggest the studio is less confident that Twilight will be a Blu-ray hit.

Video Business reports that the Blu-ray edition will be available for rental during the time it will only be available for sale at Target and Best Buy.

]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090122-051245 Phillip Swann Thu, 22 Jan 2009 10:12:45 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090121-160451 A presidential advisor says the situation is getting worse.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (January 21, 2009) -- President Obama's team has sent a second letter to Congress urging that it delay next month's transition from analog TV signals to digital.

The Washington Post reports that the letter, which was sent January 19, the day before Obama officially became president, says the nation needs more time to prepare for the transition.

The letter came from John Podesta, who headed the Obama transition team. Podesta also sent a Jan. 8 letter to key congressional leaders urging a delay in the transition which is now scheduled for February 17, 2009.

“Since then, the situation has only gotten worse,” Podesta stated in this week's letter, according to the Post. “Lack of appropriate planning has left many consumers vulnerable.”

On February 17, 2009, all full-powered local stations are scheduled to switch their analog signals to digital which means viewers will need a Digital TV, a digital converter box or a pay TV subscription to continuing watching television.

By law, every American home is eligible to receive two $40 coupons for converter boxes, but federal officials say they are out of funds and have been putting people on waiting lists for two weeks. Without the coupons, consumers would have to purchase the converters with 100 percent of their own money; converters cost between $40 and $75.

Consequently, concerns are growing that millions of consumers will not be ready when the transition occurs. In addition to the coupon snafu, some lawmakers and others have also expressed concern that consumers need further education on issues such as antenna upgrades.

Both the House and Senate are considering bills that would delay the transition until June 12, despite objections from some House Republicans who say a delay would only further confuse consumers.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee today postponed action on the House bill today, saying it wanted to review the Senate's plans, according to the Associated Press. Dow Jones reports that the Senate could vote on its bill to delay the transition to June 12 as early as this week.
]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090121-160451 Phillip Swann Wed, 21 Jan 2009 21:04:51 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090121-061718 The channel will offer a mix of high-def and standard-def programming.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (January 21, 2009) -- DIRECTV today added the new Comedy Central HD channel.

The new channel, a simulcast of its standard-def channel, launched earlier this month. Cablevision added it last week and Cox is expected to add it soon.

Comedy Central HD will offer roughly 200 hours of programming in true high-def, including episodes of South Park, which is expected to begin airing in HD in the first quarter of this year.

The network said The Daily Show and The Colbert Report will initially be upconverted for the high-def channel, but will switch to true HD in the future.

]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090121-061718 Phillip Swann Wed, 21 Jan 2009 11:17:18 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090121-050740 The cable operator took the Voom channels off the air earlier this month.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (January 21, 2009) -- Cablevision today is expected to begin rolling out 15 new High-Definition channels to replace the 15 Voom high-def networks that have gone off the air.

The new channels that will replace the Voom channels are: Encore HD; Starz Edge HD; Showtime Showcase HD; Starz Kids & Family HD, HBO Family HD, HBO Signature HD, HBO Comedy HD, HBO Zone HD, HBO2 HD, HBO Latino HD, Showtime Too HD, Action Max HD, More Max HD, @Max HD and Outer Max HD.

Rainbow Media, a division of Cablevision, announced last month that it was shutting down the domestic operations of the 15-channel Voom HD programming suite.

Cablevision was the only TV provider that carried the 15-channel package, following a contract dispute with Dish Network, which dropped Voom earlier this year. (Rainbow and Dish are engaged in a legal battle over the action.) The cable operator said it would replace the Voom channels when they officially went off the air in January.

Unlike the Voom channels, the 15 replacement channels are premium channels which require pay subscriptions. Cablevision is expected to add the channels to its local systems over the next three days.
]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090121-050740 Phillip Swann Wed, 21 Jan 2009 10:07:40 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090118-125125 The satcaster says the video quality is comparable to Blu-ray.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (January 18, 2009) -- Dish Network says it's now offering the new A&E drama The Beast in 1080p, which would be a video resolution comparable to the Blu-ray high-def disc.

The Beast, a crime drama which stars Patrick Swayze and airs Thursday nights at 10 p.m. ET, is the first TV series broadcast in 1080p, according to Dish Network.

The satcaster says the 1080p edition of The Beast is available to Dish subscribers via their Internet-based VOD lineup the day after a new episode premieres. To watch the program in 1080p, Dish owners must have a MPEG-4 HD DVR receiver, a High-Definition TV that's 1080p compatible, and a broadband connection to download the show.

"We are thrilled to work with A&E in pioneering these efforts by taking television to the next level using 1080p format," said Jessica Insalaco, Dish's chief marketing officer. "As the first pay-TV provider to first offer VOD movies and now offer a TV series in 1080p, DISH Network continues to lead the industry when it comes to delivering the best quality programming options, DVR technology and overall value for our customers."

Dish has earlier announced that it's offering some PPV films in 1080p, including The Dark Knight.

However, some high-def experts have disputed whether the video is truly 1080p.

"But are they Blu-ray quality?," the New York Times asked of the Dish movies in an article last August. "Resolution is not the only factor that determines picture quality. Another is bit rate, the number of bits per second that are being transmitted down the pipe to consumers...Bit rate is a subject that the cable and satellite providers never discuss, but anyone who watches the various services can see that some channels are considerably softer looking than others."

The Times quoted well-known TV engineer Pete Putman as saying that CBS now offers the high bit rate over the air with 17 megabits per second for its high-def programs; and that's for 1080i, not 1080p. But Putman says he believes Dish transmits high-def programming at around 6-8 megabits per seconds.

Consequently, Putnam is dubious that the satcasters have the bandwidth to increase their bit rate to offer true 1080p video.

]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090118-125125 Phillip Swann Sun, 18 Jan 2009 17:51:25 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090114-154350 Digital TV: 7 Steps to Success
The switch to digital can work -- if the feds following my lead.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (January 14, 2009) -- The Digital TV transition is now a total mess. Even if you don't think next month's transition date should be moved, you would be hard pressed to argue that things are going smoothly.

President-elect Obama, numerous congressmen and two ex-FCC chairmen have called for a delay in the transition; the feds have run out of money for digital converter boxes; Nielsen says as many as 6.8 million people are completely unprepared for the switch; and some studies indicate that million more will lose some TV signals because of weak antennas and other issues.

But House Republicans and others pushing for the transition to go as planned on February 17, 2009 say that a delay would only cause more consumer confusion. They add that it's mpossible for every viewer to be on board when the switch occurs -- regardless of when it's done. Consequently, they argue, proceed with the transition and whoever is left behind will eventually figure out how to get their TV signals back.

While I agree it's impossible to ensure that every single TV viewer will not lose some signals when the transition occurs, I do believe that you can minimize the disruption -- if you do it right.

And I also believe that that should be the government's attitude -- they started this transition so they have a responsibility to do everything possible to help their citizens keep their TVs. The cavalier comments from some (government and private industry) officials that people will just 'figure it out later' are shameful.

So, how can the government complete this transition with minimum damage done to its citizens? Here are seven steps:

1. Delay the Transition By Five Months
Move the transition date to August 17, 2009, not May 17, 2009 as some congressmen are contemplating. The May date would be in the middle of Sweeps Month, the critical ratings period for local TV stations. Moving the transition to a time when stations could lose some viewers, at least temporarily, just doesn't make sense. August is a low ratings period; there will be less disruption on both the local stations and viewers who won't lose the season finales of their favorite shows.

Additionally, three months is not enough time to get this transition back on track.

2. Hire Ex-FCC Chairman Michael Powell as Digital TV Czar
Arguably, the biggest problem that the Digital TV transition has experienced is that no one has been in charge. The FCC Chairman is not ultimately responsible for its success; the National Telecommunications and Information Administration chief isn't, either.

The program was set up (purposely in my opinion) so that no one could be singularly blamed if it failed. (Who wants to be Brownnie?) It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that a program without a person in charge doesn't get done right.

Ex-FCC Chairman Michael Powell has joined President-elect Obama in calling for a delay. Well, let's call him in to run the transition -- immediately. As the FCC Chairman from 2001 to 2005, he is intimately aware of the issues and what needs to be done to effectively bring this thing to an end. And as someone with political ambitious, he will sweat the details to ensure that things get done.

3. Hire Bill Cosby as 'The Face' of Digital TV
The government's lack of a well-known person to lead the transition effort has been a problem. In past educational campaigns run by the government, high-profile officials such as Dr. C. Everett Koop (health issues) and Tom Ridge (terrorism) have served on point to address the public's concerns. While their effectiveness can be debated, at least you knew who you could turn to.

The federal government needs a high-profile person to head the educational aspects of this program, someone who can communicate how to prepare for the switch in simple terms. And someone who will instantly command respect from minorities and older residents -- the groups that surveys indicate are most clueless about the switch.

While many people would fit the bill, one name jumps out at me:

Bill Cosby.

The 70-year-old comedian is African-American and, yes, elderly, but he's more than that. Cosby has a gift of explaining things in simple and humorous terms. He would be a hit in federal PSAs, Town Hall meetings and media interviews. Suddenly, millions of Americans who are now tuning out those Digital TV spots would start paying attention.

4. Restrict Converter Coupons to Lower-Income Residents
This one will be controversial, but that's tough. From the start, the government decided that every American -- from Joe Blow to Bill Gates -- would be eligible for the two $40 coupons that could be used to buy digital converter boxes. Consequently, the government didn't have enough money to fully subsidize the entire cost of the converter, which can run as much as $70. As a result, low-income residents had to dip into their own pockets to make up the difference.

That was just dumb. There are now a sizable number of people on the waiting list for converter boxes who could buy $1,500 High-Definition TVs without giving it a thought.

In the post-transition period, the government should only issue coupons to people making less than $75,000. And the coupons should not be for $40; they should be good for any digital converter box that costs under $70. As a result, a person just has to bring a coupon into a store and redeem it immediately for a converter.

I will admit that this one could be difficult logistically. First, the government has to determine which people on the converter box 'waiting list' are making less than $75,000. (But if they can determine how much our government rebates are, they should be able to determine this.) They also would have to tell people making over $75,000 that there will be no more coupon funding for them. But the overwhelming majority of people who still haven't gotten converter boxes are making less than $75,000. That's the audience the government needs to focus on in the home stretch.

5. Create a Partnership With CE Retailers For Converter Installation
Early Digital TV tests in Wilmington, North Carolina and a few other cities have shown that many people who buy the converters don't know how to use them; they don't realize that they need to be programmed. Consequently, some folks -- okay, particularly older folks -- think the converters are broken. (The FCC actually hired fire fighters in Wilmington to go to homes to program the boxes.)

The government should devote some of that stimulus money to creating a partnership with Best Buy and other CE retailers so they can send people to your home to install the converter box after you buy it. The installation would be free for a limited time only.

6. Pass More Funding for New Antennas
The dirty little secret of the Digital TV transition is that even if you install a converter box on your old analog TV, you may not get some of the local stations you get now. The nature of a digital signal is different than an analog signal; you either get it or you don't. And with the cheap antennas now installed in many homes, many people will lose some stations, if not all of them.

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont Independent, is working on legislation that would help subsidize the purchase of new rooftop antennas. That should be part of the post-transition plan.

7. Get Some Presidential Leadership
During the last eight years, I don't think you could find eight words spoken on the subject by President Bush. The president has ignored the digital transition despite calls from the National Association of Broadcasters and others to get involved by starring in Public Service Announcements.

President-elect Obama should commit to making the transition a priority in his early months in office. Yes, there are more important things going on -- oh, you know, a global economic meltdown, for example, -- but the success of this program is critical to keeping the electorate happy and content. And in the long run, as times get tougher, that will be important to this president.

Conclusion
Finally, as you can see, the transition will be costly if the government follows my seven steps. Until now, the government has tried to do it on the cheap. But unless it wants millions of people running around angry and looking to do something about it, it better get this done right. It can't ensure that 100 percent of the populace will have their TV signals when the transition occurs, but it can get close.

And at this point, that's the best anyone can offer.
]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090114-154350 Phillip Swann Wed, 14 Jan 2009 20:43:50 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090113-140633 It may be awhile before home viewers enter the next dimension.
By Joseph Whip

Washington, D.C. (January 13, 2009) -- While visiting CES last week, I had the opportunity to check out two HDTV events in 3D, the National Championship BCS game on January 8 and a 3D experience presented by Panasonic at the show.

While both demonstrations showed some promise, I must say that the future of 3D HD technology in the home is far from clear.
The BCS game showed the pros and cons of the 3D experience. The BCS broadcast was beamed to several theaters around the country including a theater at the Paris Hotel in Vegas. The broadcast was completely independent of the broadcast shown on Fox with different announcers and completely different camera angles.

It was the camera angles used to show the game which was what I found the most unnerving thing about the broadcast. It appears that the 3D effect is not as noticeable the farther away the 3D camera is from the action. Therefore, in order to maximize the 3D effect, the broadcast used several cameras that were either on the sidelines or in the first couple of rows in the stands shooting over the heads to the Florida bench.

From these low angles, the 3D effect was very impressive, showing great depth. The problem is that the sideline of a football game is one of the worst vantages from which to watch a game which is why most offensive and defensive coordinators choose to view the game from the press box.

The camera placement choices designed to really show off the 3D effect also made the game very difficult to watch and enjoy, which is the whole point of televised sports in the first place. The cameras were so close to the field that often times, the end result of the play was not in one's field of view. Many times, the quarterback would drop back to pass and throw and you would not see whether the pass was completed, dropped or intercepted and would instead have to watch a reply from another angle to see what happened.

This was due to a couple of factors, the narrow field of vision of the cameras as well as the fact that the camera could not see through the players standing on the sidelines when the camera operator would pan to follow the play. The shots taken from above the action during a normal broadcast simply did not have the depth of the lower shots so I can see why they wanted to use the lower shots.

The more traditional press box shot at the 50 yard line looked barely 3D and lacked much in the way of the wow factor that the lower shots conveyed. However, the decision to do so really made the game a chore to watch. I couldn't help but think while watching the game that I would have been much better off watching the game on a large flat panel screen.

Before 3D technology is used on a regular basis for televised sports, especially football, there are quite a few bugs that need to be worked out. The placement of cameras is issue number one for me. Another issue is the use of the polarized glasses. If you are like me and already wear glasses, putting another set of glasses over them to watch an event is a real pain. If you don't wear glasses already, donning a pain to watch TV is a pain as well. For a special event or movie at the theater it is OK but to have to use the 3D glasses at home to watch TV just seems like a hard sell to me.
Another issue that needs to be worked out dovetails into the issue of camera placement is the effect that quick camera panning has on the 3D image. Each time the camera had to make a quick pan or movement to follow the action, the image on screen would jump and move around in a circle to the point that you though there was something wrong with your eyes. Until this issue is resolved either through improvements to the technology itself or through better camera placement, it seems to me that the use of 3D technology for fast paced sports is problematic at best and best left to movies.
As for the Panasonic event, a recorded segment featuring movie trailers and sports was shown on Panasonic's 103-inch plasma sets in a rather small room. All in all, this was a much better experience due to the fact that there was no camera placement or motion issues as the content was carefully selected to show off the benefits of 3D.
While those benefits were obvious to every viewer, the wearing of glasses for the effect was still bothersome and frankly a bit fatiguing. Even though the demonstration lasted about 10 minutes, I found the whole experience to be fatiguing resulting in a good bit of eye strain. While the 3D effect is impressive, I can't see at this stage in the technology, 3D having much of a future in the home environment. Until the issues described above are worked out, I see 3D HD's immediate future (i.e. the next 5 years of so) limited to special events at a local theater rather that at home, or at least, the homes of all but the most wealthiest of Americans.
]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090113-140633 Phillip Swann Tue, 13 Jan 2009 19:06:33 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090113-053719 But AT&T says it should be delayed 90 days.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (January 12, 2009) -- Verizon today urged Congress to keep the current Digital TV transition date despite calls from President-elect Barack Obama to push it back.

That's according to the Dow Jones news service.

On February 17, 2009, all full-powered local stations are scheduled to switch their analog signals to digital which means viewers will need a Digital TV, a digital converter box or a pay TV subscription to continuing watching television.

Verizon Communications Chairman Ivan Seidenberg today sent a letter to Congress contending a delay would further confuse consumers.
"Not only is it unclear that a delay will ensure a smoother transition, but it is likely a delay would undermine the DTV transition by causing significant disruption and consumer confusion," the executive stated, according to Dow Jones.

Verizon is the first major TV provider to publicly oppose Obama's call for a delay. AT&T's u-Verse service on Monday released a letter to congressional leaders calling for a 90-day delay in the transition, according to Multichannel News.

"From AT&T's perspective, a smooth transition from analog broadcast transmission to digital is in the public interest and will ultimately inure to the benefit of all Americans," AT&T senior executive vice president James Cicconi stated.

Sen. Jay Rockefeller, chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, is working on draft legislation for a 90-day delay, Multichannel News writes, and the legislation could be passed as early as this week.

President-elect Obama, several key congressional lawmakers and two former FCC chairmen have called for a delay, noting that the federal government has run out of funds for converter box coupons. The delay proponents also say millions of consumers are still confused by the transition process and will likely lose their TV signals if the transition is not pushed back.

Obama's interjection into the controversy has generated a mixed response, however, with some technology officials and FCC Chairman Kevin Martin saying that the transition should not be delayed.

Most TV providers, such as DIRECTV and Comcast, have yet to publicly take a stand on the delay.
]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090113-053719 Phillip Swann Tue, 13 Jan 2009 10:37:19 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090111-180925 The show may be over, but the memories are just beginning.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (January 11, 2009) -- Right about now, thousands of people who attended this week's Consumer Electronics Show are dragging their sorry butts to the McCarran International Airport In Las Vegas for the long journey back home.

Yes, the show is finally over -- and I think I speak for everyone when I say:

Thank God!

But before we put the lid on the 2009 CES, I want to issue my 'Best of Show' awards.

No, the Swanni 'Best Of Show' awards is nothing like the 'Best of Show' awards that organizations like CNET issue every year; CNET's 'Best Of" awards are for the best new tech products that will never succeed in the marketplace. (Really, CNET, just once, couldn't you pick a 'Best Of Show' product that consumers actually wanted?)

The Swanni 'Best Of Show' awards honors CES special performances and dubious achievements perhaps unseen by some attendees. So, without further adieu, let's get to the first award!


Best Mike 'Brownnie' Brown Impression
Goes to...FCC Chairman Kevin Martin!

The FCC chief is arguably more responsible for the disaster known as the Digital TV transition than any other single person. For the past year, while the transition program exhibited serious flaws, Martin chose to spend his time on countless anti-cable TV initiatives, most of which were wisely ignored by his fellow commissioners.

And then on Saturday at CES, Martin went politically tone deaf, saying next month's switchover date of February 17, 2009 should not be changed despite a growing chorus (including President-elect Obama) saying it should.

It's just a matter of time before Obama removes Martin as FCC chief. Perhaps before he does, he can tell him that he's done a heckuva job.

Best Example of Not Understanding the TV Audience
Goes to...Yahoo!

At CES, Yahoo! unveiled several deals with TV makers to install their Internet widgets on their screens. The widgets, which will be positioned at the bottom of the screen, will allow viewers to click on them and access related information via the Net.

But here's the problem, Yahoo!

Viewers don't want more clutter on their TV screen; they want less. People are already complaining about network logos and sports scoreboards in the corner of their screens during games. Do you think they will invite even more graphics to obscure their sensational looking high-def picture?

Answer: No!

Yahoo! needs! to! get! back! to! what! it! does! best! -- whatever that is these days!


Best Wishful Thinking of the Week
Goes to...Panasonic!

Several TV makers this week proudly displayed new sets that can display 3-D images. But perhaps no TV maker was more bullish on the technology than Panasonic which even had a motto for it: "You've stepped up to HD, now step into 3D."

If Panasonic doesn't watch out, they're going to step in it all right. While 3-D has some potential in movie theaters, home viewers have not shown much enthusiasm for donning special goggles while sitting around the old living room. They also are not likely to pay more money for TVs that offer 3-D features.

Now I know that's what Panasonic (and other TV makers are) hoping for -- that people will be enticed to spend more money for televisions. But it's just wishful thinking, guys.

One day -- oh, I trust, one day -- the industry will finally understand that Americans want their television experience to be relaxing, simple and convenient; not interactive, complicated and costly.

Best Chutzpah Display of the Week
Goes to...Enderle Group analyst Rob Enderle!

In a CES interview this week with the Times of London, Enderle blasted the Blu-ray high-def disc format, saying he's not convinced that it will ever go mainstream. What Enderle conveniently neglected to tell the newspaper is that he predicted that HD DVD would defeat Blu-ray in the high-def format war, making him a less than reliable forecaster on the subject.

"I’ve just recently written a number of columns pointing to the fact that HD-DVD sales appear to have a significant lead in the market and calling HD-DVD the winner," Enderle exclaimed in October 2006 at the web site, Technology Pundits.


Best Waste of Everyone's Time
Goes to...Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer!

Once again, a top Microsoft executive (this time CEO Steve Ballmer; in previous years, it was Chairman Bill Gates) droned on and on in the pre-show keynote speech about how all screens (PCs, TVs, etc.) will converge as one. Microsoft officials have been giving this speech now for 15 years and convergence hasn't happened yet; few people are watching primetime TV shows on their handhelds and PCs or doing their PC tasks on TVs. But, for some reason (hmmm, money talks perhaps?), CES officials keep invited Microsoft back to bore everyone silly with this nonsense.

Best Waste of Technology
Goes to...OLED and LCD Makers

Okay, we have flat-panel LCD and Plasma sets that measure less than four inches deep. And many of us have mounted those sets on the wall. But some TV makers aren't satisfied; at CES, they introduced new OLED and LCD sets that measure less than one inch thick.

But why? Will it really look better on the wall if it measures less than one thin thick instead of three inches? If it's mounted on the wall, you probably won't even be able to tell the difference.

Dear God, some tech officials just have too much time on their hands.

Best Howard Hughes Impression
Goes to...DIRECTV!

For the second straight year, DIRECTV chose to effectively ignore CES -- no press conference; no major HD announcements; nothing. What are they trying to tell us about the conference?

Best Use of Irony In CES TV Show Title
Goes to...Jeopardy!

With attendees walking the halls muttering about this year's economic doldrums, Sony was broadcasting an actual TV show on the floor that carried an apt title for the times: Jeopardy!

]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090111-180925 Phillip Swann Sun, 11 Jan 2009 23:09:25 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090111-123514 The high-cost of the high-def disc is attracting the criminal element.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (January 11, 2009) -- Either Blu-ray discs cost too much money or the high-def movie is becoming a hot item.

Why?

Police officials in several cities are now reporting that the Blu-ray disc has become one of the top items on the shopping list of thieves.

*The Southtown Star in Illinois reports that thieves recently took $778 worth of Blu-ray discs at a neighborhood Wal-Mart.
* A Lexington, North Carolina couple this month was arrested for trying to steal 21 Blu-ray movies.
* A ring of robbers recently swiped $900 worth of Blu-ray movies at a HMV store in Cambridge, Ontario.
* And the cops in Albuquerque, New Mexico say stealing Blu-ray discs has become one of the fastest growing shoplifting activities in the city.

The problem is getting so bad in Albuquerque that the police department says it's had to begin working with the loss prevention divisions at area stores that sell Blu-ray discs to prevent their theft, particularly by shoplifters.

The APD says it's arrested several Blu-ray shoplifters in the last month, according to KOAT.com, the web site for the city's ABC affiliate.

Many high-def enthusiasts often complain that the Blu-ray disc, which is often priced at $10-15 more than the DVD edition, is too costly. And apparently thieves are taking advantage of that sentiment by selling the discs for less than the retail price on the black market.

So long as people continue to believe that Blu-ray discs are too expensive, it appears that the criminal element will continue to steal them.

KOAT reports that one Albuquerque thief was a homeless man who admitted to taking more than a dozen Blu-ray discs because "he wanted money to eat."

But he's not the only homeless person with a preference for Blu-ray. The Kitsap (Wash.) Sun reports that a 19-year-old homeless man was arrested last week after he stole box sets of Blu-ray discs and then tried to sell them back to the store using an acquaintance.

"We have had to be a little more cautious with our (Blu-ray) product," admits Tommy Wong of Noble Collectibles, a New Mexico store that sells the high-def disc.
]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090111-123514 Phillip Swann Sun, 11 Jan 2009 17:35:14 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090109-092824 Digital TV: Mr. Obama, You're a Little Late!
The President-elect should have spoken out on the Digital TV transition problem months ago.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (January 9, 2009) -- President-elect Barack Obama this week has joined the growing chorus of people who have concluded that the nation is not ready for next month's Digital TV transition.

In a letter to key lawmakers urging that the February 17 switch to digital be delayed, Obama's transition chief cited a litany of issues including the fact that federal funds for digital converter coupons have run out.

While Obama's transition team is correct to point out that the transition could force millions of people to lose their TV signals, the President-elect is woefully late to address this problem. By calling for a delay now, Obama is like the captain of the Titanic calling for his deck commander to make a left turn before hitting the iceberg.

But Mr. President-elect, where were you last year when some of these problems started to surface? Why didn't you speak out then when it could have had an impact on how government and industry officials handled the transition process?

Yes, I know you were busy, but don't tell me this issue wasn't important enough to address. It seems to be important enough now to call for a delay.

And don't tell me that you weren't aware of the problem -- because below is a commentary I wrote last June urging you to get involved:
Obama Is Fuzzy On Digital TV Switch
The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee apparently has no clue that the transition is in trouble.
By Swanni
Washington, D.C. (June 17, 2008) -- Sen. Barack Obama, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, was asked this week by Broadcasting and Cable Magazine for his views on the nation's switch to Digital TV, scheduled on February 17, 2009.

His response: Nothing.

Well, okay, not literally nothing, but it might as well have been.

In an e-mail response to B&C, Obama jotted down the usual spin about the importance of educating consumers -- and ensuring that the neediest people get those $40 federal coupons that can be used to buy digital converter boxes.

(On February 17, 2009, all full-powered local stations must switch their analog signals to digital which means viewers will need a Digital TV, a digital converter box or a pay TV subscription to continuing watching television.)

"I am committed to working with the Senate and House Commerce Committees and the appropriate agencies to ensure that this transition happens without significant disruption and inconvenience," wrote Obama, or more likely, some Obama staffer.


Obama: Spin, but no substance, on Digital TV.

But in recent weeks, countless studies and numerous witnesses before congressional committees have testified that the transition is on wobbly ground. For instance:

* The government says it may run out money to mail converter box coupons to consumers who want them -- and it says it has no plans to request more money for that effort;
* Hundreds of thousands of converter coupons are scheduled to expire soon -- and the government currently has no plan to allow consumers to reapply for them;
* Consumers are having trouble finding the converters in stores with retailers adding that they have no idea when more converters will be available;
* Millions of consumers say they have no plans to prepare for the switch;
* Millions more who don't need to do anything for the switch are planning to get converter boxes anyway, leaving fewer available for those who do need them;
* Millions of homes may lose some local stations even if they get converter boxes, which will likely cause widespread anger and confusion.

And so on...and so on...

But in Obama's comments, the senator offers no indication that the Digital TV switch could become the technological equivalent of Katrina -- with millions of people losing their TV signals overnight. He also expresses no indication that the transition is even in trouble, despite the piling evidence.

The transition is now just seven months away, but the Illinois senator seems like he isn't even paying attention.

"The transition will continue to require public-private cooperation and targeted outreach to seniors and lower-income communities. We have made coupons available for converter boxes, and we need to ensure that the neediest individuals are receiving them," Obama stated.

Blah, blah, blah.

Before you accuse me of political bias, let me say that Sen. John McCain, the presumptive GOP nominee, is no better. The Arizona senator has issued the same robotic responses to questions about the transition, suggesting that consumer education is needed and the government must work with the private sector. (President Bush has also all but ignored the problem; the National Association of Broadcasters has even publicly urged the president to get more involved.)

But everyone knows that. What we don't know is what our so-called leaders are going to do about ensuring that this sinking ship is righted before it's too late. The transition is scheduled for February 17, 2009 -- less than one month after the next president takes office.

Whoever that might be, he better wake up and start paying attention to what could be the first major disaster in his administration.
]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090109-092824 Phillip Swann Fri, 09 Jan 2009 14:28:24 GMT http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090109-045029 But the satcaster is mum on high-def plans.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (January 9, 2009) -- Dish Network yesterday unveiled the first HD DVR that's pre-loaded with SlingBox place-shifting features.

The set-top, model ViP 922, will permit viewers to send their programming from their homes to computers, smart phones and other devices.

"You can watch that same TV on your cell phone. You can watch that same TV on your personal player, and you can watch TV on a wireless basis. It’s a pretty incredible technology for somebody who wants to watch TV in someplace other than their living room. And most people do. It’s something that I want personally, because I travel a lot," Dish Network CEO Charlie Ergen said yesterday at the Consumer Electronics Show, according to Multichannel News.

However, at this time, the Sling-equipped HD DVR, which will be leased to subscribers for $199, will not display high-def programming on the remote devices. Ergen said Sling's technology will change the resolution of the picture to fit the new device.

The satcaster also did not reveal any new High-Definition plans yesterday despite its failure to reach its 2008 goal of providing 150 HD channels. (Dish has more than 100 HD channels, but is far short of the 150 mark.)

SatelliteGuys.us has reported that Dish has named 14 HD channels it plans to add this year, but the satcaster did not reveal when the channels would be added.

Dish, which owns Sling Media, the maker of the SlingBox, said it hopes to sell the place-shifting HD DVR to cable operators.

]]> http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/index.php?entry=entry090109-045029 Phillip Swann Fri, 09 Jan 2009 09:50:29 GMT