Broadcast television engineering related tech topics, rants and motorcycles!
Quite suddenly and without warning on February 27th, the V2 cabinet for our KBCW was constantly crowbarring (a safety function on high-voltage/high-power transmitters to prevent a tube short or other high beam current event from destroying the Inductive Output Tube) and would not hold high voltage for any amount of time putting our transmitter at […]
Recently SCRI published a teaser article claiming that across the board “…over three in ten TV (30.6%) and almost four in ten cable stations (37.5%) are already transmitting mobile-TV broadcasts.” The article cites an international study they performed which makes pretty bold claims and then links to their for-a-fee marketing report. Which, as we all […]
While checking the Mobile DTV pavilion at the NAB convention in Las Vegas today I came across several mobile and portable devices showing off how well they can decode and display the new mobile DTV signals being broadcast. All save one…
Recently our congress has passed legislation to delay the DTV transition/analog shut-off yet again – this time to June 12th of 2009. For those that aren’t already aware this makes the 2nd time the date has been put off. The original date (created in 1997) for this to happen was December 31st, 2006, but in […]
Regardless of what some liberal arts students or free-love hippies may tell you, you don’t get something for nothing. Or, better yet, as the redoubtable Robert Heinlein coined, “TANSTAAFL” (There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch). This simple truth frames the cold, hard realities about to face broadcasters after the current mobile DTV […]
Not too long ago I had some time to review the capabilities of an Insignia CECB (coupon eligible converter box) and found that it was quite capable for its intended purpose. However, it lacked a few features and I discovered a matrix that showed one converter box with the most features of any CECB and […]
Sezmi is a startup out of Belmont, California that hopes to win subscribers from cable and satellite providers by providing a cheaper, on-demand and real-time television viewing service for a select selection of the more popular broadcast and “cable” channels. This new company is born from the ashes and founders of the defunct USDTV service […]
This year’s NAB had a bit more energy among television broadcasters than the NAB show last year and almost all of it was around the mobile DTV plans and testing currently going on. Despite the interest in mobile DTV and the NAB claiming ~105,000 registered attendees, the North and Central halls were only mildly busy. […]
No “film at 11” drama here; yes, it works and it works surprisingly well for a $60 piece of electronics ($20 after the $40 coupon is applied). For those that don’t know, this Insignia brand NS-DXA1 DTV converter box is one of a few available devices which are part of the US government’s effort to […]
Traditional, over-the-air TV broadcasters are pretty screwed. Time and technology are rapidly shooting past and only now are they collectively looking for ways to recapture a lost audience. Only now are they, as a majority and as part of a coordinated effort, actively promoting the DTV transition, by way of shutting off the analog transmitters […]