Phillip Swann's daily take on TV Technology.

February 17, 2006
Today's Top Stories:
12M HDTV Owners Could Lose DVD Pix
Toshiba to Tour For New HD-DVD Players
NetFlix Tests $4.99 Monthly Subscription
NBC to Air Daytona 500 In HDTV
See More News on TV Technology

      
12M HDTV Owners Could Lose High-Def DVD Pix
Anti-copying software in new DVDs could dilute the picture for 60 percent of the high-def audience.

I want to follow up on yesterday's item regarding copyright protection restrictions for the upcoming high-def DVD players, Sony's Blu-ray and Toshiba's HD-DVD.

I noted that CNET's News.com published an article suggesting sales of the new players could be hurt because PC owners might have trouble playing the new discs due to copyright protection software. (The anti-copying software would not be compatible with analog plugs used to connect most PCs to monitors.) At the very least, the picture quality of the DVD would suffer.

I commented that it was an absurd notion that DVD players sales would be significantly hurt because few people will actually want to watch the high-def DVDs on their PCs.

News.com wrote in the article that HDTV set owners should "mostly" be unconcerned by the copyright restrictions. Here's a quote from the article:

"For people who buy standalone (HDTV) DVD players and HDTVs, this mostly won't be a concern, as the right plugs will generally already be built in."

However, Ben Keen of the UK research firm, Screen Digest, pointed out to me that early-generation HDTVs with analog inputs (plugs) could have a problem with picture quality as well.

And how many HDTV homes are we talking about?

12 million!

Long story short, it will be up to the individual studios whether to include the copying restrictions in their movies. (They're not revealing their intentions at this time.) But if they do, 12 million HDTV owners might not get true HD if they play a high-def DVD. The picture quality would be squeezed to guard against piracy. (Apparently the picture quality would be about 25 percent of full HD resolution and just slightly better than the picture from a current DVD.)

The 12 million HDTV homes represent approximately 60 percent of the audience. Sixty percent of the current HDTV market could be short-changed.

If the studios include the anti-copying restrictions and the word gets out -- and I will do everything in my power to ensure that it does -- the new DVD could be DOA.

This issue is far from over. But I thought you would want to know that the industry is at it again -- making HDTV far more complicated than it should ever be.

Yesterday, I asked a spokeswoman for Blu-ray to comment but she passed the buck to another office, which did not return my message. But I will stay with the issue and file an update in the next few weeks.

Until then, to read a Video Business article on how the copyright restrictions might affect HDTV owners, click: Here

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 Toshiba Backs
 HD-DVD Tour
 And speaking of high-def
 DVDs (again), Toshiba
 announced yesterday that it will launch a 40-city tour in March to promote its new HD-DVD player, which is scheduled for release in late March.

Perhaps all high-def owners can attend the publicity events and ask if they will get true HD if they play a HD-DVD.

To learn more, click: Here

   
   
  NetFlix Tests
  $4.99 Monthly Fee
  How would you like to pay just
  $4.99 a month to subscribe to NetFlix? Well, the online DVD rental service is testing $4.99 and $5.99 monthly subscriptions in selected markets.

The lower rates come with fewer benefits; you're limited by the number of movies you can rent. But the discount could attract the occasional movie renter who probably now saunters over to his local Blockbuster.

To learn more, click: Here

             
                      
NBC to Air Daytona 500 In HDTV
NBC will take a break from its Olympic coverage on Sunday to broadcast NASCAR's Daytona 500 in High-Definition TV.

Even if you're not a NASCAR fan, watching a stock car race in high-def (and Dolby Digital surround) will give you the goose-bumps. The cars seem like they're racing around your living room, minus the exhaust fumes, of course.

To learn more, click: Here

Also see Swanni On:
 
High-Definition TV
My Cat Is Watching HDTV!
See pictures of the HDTV-watching cat.
10 Ways HDTV Can Save You Money
The big TV has some unseen rewards.
DIRECTV Charges $99 for 'Free' HDTV
But there may be a way to avoid the charge.
Swanni's 10 HDTV Predictions for 2006
HD guru makes forecasts at Iowa conference.
Will Buffy & Justin Want Their HD MTV?
MTV will launch a high-def network in January.
DIRECTV to Offer Free HDTV Upgrade
New dishes and receivers expected this fall.
HDTV Is Heating Up
New shows coming this fall.
Is Satellite TV In a Slump?
DIRECTV and EchoStar report slowing subs.
I've Got Those HDTV Summertime Blues
When will someone start adding some channels?
High-Definition TV On-Demand
Where are all the big movie hits?
8 Steps to Better HDTV Sales
Must-reading for High-Definition TV officials.
What Are the Lessons of Voom?
Cablevision exhibited arrogance and spent foolishly.
Flat-Screen TVs Will Drive HD Sales
Lower prices will bring the sexes together.

Digital Video Recorders
TiVo On the iPod: For Geeks Only 
New downloads would challenge patience of Job.
The Networks Are Right About DVRs
Commercial skipping has been overhyped.
DIRECTV's New DVR
It could give TiVo competition.
DIRECTV Offers a Free DVR
But offer requires a 2-year commitment.
TiVo Dumps Ramsay; Hires Rogers
The DVR service is likely to focus more on cable deals.
Should TiVo Fire Mike Ramsay?
DVR service having trouble finding new CEO.
Did DIRECTV Try to Buy TiVo?
Rebuffed offer could explain troubles.
Is TiVo Trying to Buy the Media?
The DVR service offers journalists a special discount.
TiVo & Comcast Sign Licensing Deal
The cable operator will offer TiVo in 2006.

Interactive TV
Buzztime's Interactive TV games
Is anyone playing?
Is That Cable TV or Cable PC?
The Industry adds PC features to TV.
Are TV Technology Firms Selling Sex?
New service from Comcast offers dating.

Also:
Swanni's 2006 Predictions
TiVo gets a new owner; HDTV prices drop further.
CES' Winners & Losers!
Which companies benefited most from the show?
Can This Woman Drive Broadbvand TV?
Video blogs attract large audience and TiVo.
Will You Pay to Watch Free TV?
The networks offer shows for 99 cents each.
Swanni's Rants & Raves, Volume 7
Will Philips see the 'light'?
Comcast's 'Dating on Demand'
Will cable TV find you love?
The Death of TV Guide
The magazine never adjusted to the IPG.
SBC-TV May Not Get the Picture
Telco's on-demand plans could be hurt by own CEO.

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