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U.S. DTV Environment Overview TV-Anytime IDE San Jose, CA 20 September 2004. Skip Pizzi Manager, Technical Policy Media/Entertainment & Technology Convergence Group Microsoft Corporation. US Digital TV environment. Terrestrial TV Second channels assigned to existing licensees
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U.S. DTV Environment OverviewTV-Anytime IDESan Jose, CA20 September 2004 Skip Pizzi Manager, Technical Policy Media/Entertainment & Technology Convergence Group Microsoft Corporation
US Digital TV environment • Terrestrial TV • Second channels assigned to existing licensees • ATSC standard, 6MHz channels in VHF and UHF bands • MPEG-2 video; Dolby Digital (2.0 or 5.1 ch) audio • Analog shutoff now set for 2009 • Regulatory (FCC) vs. Legislative rulings (Congress) • “Broadcast Flag” operation begins July 2005 • Cable TV • Digital cable deploying now (CableLabs OpenCable std) • Unidirectional Plug & Play (“Digital Cable-Ready”) regulations now coming into effect • Bi-directional Plug & Play under development • Satellite TV • DIRECTV (proprietary) • Dish Network/Echostar (DVB-S) • VOOM (all HD)
Terrestrial DTV • Conversion of broadcasters to DTV now nearly complete (analog continues until at least 2009)… • Although only about 10% of US homes are OTA-only • Cable ~70% • Satellite ~20% • ATSC support now mandated in receivers and cable systems (phase-in requirement) • Satellite adding local DTV carriage in 2005 • Broadcast Flag now mandated
Broadcast Flag • “Redistribution Control Descriptor” • Marks content for protection by receiver • Content is in the clear during broadcast, but encrypted in consumer equipment • Only unauthorized use is Internet redistribution of content • FCC has approved 13 technologies from 10 companies for BF content protection • Separate but similar process underway for digital cable content protection
HDTV’s appeal is strong • HD content growing on local OTA broadcast channels (mostly national network content) • Broadcast networks running much of prime time programming and some sports in HD • Non-broadcast cable/sat HD channels include movies, sports and documentary content • HBO, Showtime, HDNet (2), ESPN, Discovery, Bravo, Adult • More national HD channels and PPV/VOD emerging • Local HD channel carriage increasing on digital cable/sat • Broadcast network HD feeds on satellite for rural areas • HD-PVR debuted in Spring 2004
Emergence of the PVR • Strong desire yet relatively low penetration • Hardware + subscription purchase hurdle • Cheap or freely provided Sat/Cable STB+PVR overcoming consumer resistance • Ad-skipping and Internet redistribution concerns remain • New metadata standards under development • ATSC T3/S8-3 • CableLabs
Next-gen PVRs • More storage (50-100 hrs) • HD capability (10-12 hrs) • PVR included in new cable STBs • PC as PVR (e.g., WindowsXP Media Center Edition) • Storage of content beyond A/V • Enabling home media networks • More intelligence • Improved searching • Segmentation/Micro-navigation (DVD-like)
DTV Datacasting • Advanced codecs used for additional A/V streams • Adds narrowcast content to terrestrial DTV • Allows file downloads or web content delivery to wireless devices • Demos in place at several TV stations today • USDTV is first commercialization
DTV Market Summary • Digital TV offers opportunities for more content delivery • TV style via multicast • IP style via datacast • Digital TV is changing usage patterns and adding personalization to TV • Convergence can provide powerful new communication platform • N. American DTV market is large but fragmented