# A New Alternative to Cable and DBS for HDTV



## Cholly (Mar 22, 2004)

I just learned about a company that has a new wrinkle on Subscription TV. The company is U.S. Digital Television (http://www.usdtv.com). They're planning on working with local TV broadcasters in markets across the country to provide 12 of the most popular cable channels plus local HDTV via OTA terrestrial antennas for a monthly fee of $19.95 in addition to a purchase cost of $99.95 for the HDTV receiver. I won'b bother to go into details here. Check out the web site for detailed information. First markets to get the service are Salt Lake City and Las Vegas.


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## mini1 (Jan 25, 2004)

this is nothing all that new. they have been around for a few months now. there was a quite a few posts abouts this topic when it was launched.


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## Cholly (Mar 22, 2004)

mini1 said:


> this is nothing all that new. they have been around for a few months now. there was a quite a few posts abouts this topic when it was launched.


I hadn't seen the previous posts. I learned about it when I saw one of the set top HDTV boxes in my local Wal-Mart. I saw the link to their web site on the package, so I naturally looked it up. The concept of utilizing local broadcasters' digital bandwidth to transmit selected "cable" content over the air is interesting. People may jump into it if the selected group of channels is consistent with their viewing habits. As for me, I enjoy NASCAR, and my selected group of "cable" channels would have to include FX and SPEED. Not likely to happen.  
I would think that for a service like this to be wildly successful, they'd have to provide an A la Carte selection of "cable" channels. Time will tell.


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## DarrellP (Apr 24, 2002)

In Portland, OR, we've just learned from our local CBS station engineer that all the Portland stations have agreed to sell off their "excess" bandwidth, which is roughly 5 Mbs. All of our channels are/will be broadcasting a single HD channel and keeping roughly 12-14 Mbs for use on the HD channel. This gives USDTV about 5 Mbs/channel x 7 channels = 35 Mbs bandwidth to use for their broadcasting. Apparently they will be using a codec like WM9 which would allow them to squeeze a single channel into only 1.5 Mbs bandwidth and have it look as good as a DBS signal. 35/1.5=23 channels. 

They still have all the issues associated with OTA reception so we'll see how well it goes. They have to fight the same battle as HDTV has in getting people to put antennas up to receive their signal.


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## ypsiguy (Jan 28, 2004)

This is such a gross perversion of the public-owned airwaves it is pathetic. Those stations were given that bandwidth by the taxpayers. If the stations aren't going to use it, it should go up for auction and revenue should go back to gov't.


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## Guest (May 18, 2004)

I think cable and DBS should sell both SD and new HD receivers. The sat signals and cable signals could remain in SD, and the new HD receivers could upconvert the signal to 720p or 1080i. This way, bandwidth will be freed up so sat companies can use current sats for more locals and cable can convert to "all digital". Freeing up this bandwidth would give great picture quality no matter what STB the consumer chooses. It will also allow the consumer to decide if they want HD or not and if they do, whatever programming they sub to could be upconverted thus providing HD on all channels now. Buying and activating an HD STB could then cost only a bit more than activating the identical programming package on an SD STB. I think they are getting way too greedy on the current HD thing, offering only a couple channels for an unreal price.


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## Steveox (Apr 21, 2004)

USDTV doesnt have NFL SUNDAY TICKET!Id like to see if a satellite company launched airs totaly Just Sports! Like i said if i had bill gates money i would create 24 hour sports for just $69.99 a month.There are no extra premiums heres what you get.
ESPN
ESPN2
ESPN NEWS
ESPN Classic.
Fox Sports World
Sky Tv 
Comcast SportsNet
CSTV
Empire Sports Network
Fox Sports Net Arizona
Fox Sports Net Bay Area
Fox Sports Net Chicago
Fox Sports Net Cincinnati
Fox Sports Net Detroit
Fox Sports Net florida
Fox Sports Net midwest
Fox Sports Net New England
Fox Sports Net New York
YES Network
Fox Sports Net North
Fox Sports Net Northwest
Fox Sports Net Ohio
Fox Sports Net Pittsburgh
Fox Sports Net South
Fox Sports Net West
Fox Sports Net west 2
Fuel
Speed Channel
Outdoor Channel
MSG
Sunshine Network
NESN
TVG
NFL Network

You also get 
NBA League pass
NHL Center Ice
MLB Extra innings
NFL Sunday Ticket
ESPN Game Plan 
ESPN Full Court
MLS Direct Kick

Theyre are no PPV channels and you cannot have your home regional sports network thats the only channel would be blacked out.All for only 69.99 a month.It would beat out directv tv and dishnet combined!


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## DarrellP (Apr 24, 2002)

crest said:


> I think cable and DBS should sell both SD and new HD receivers. The sat signals and cable signals could remain in SD, and the new HD receivers could upconvert the signal to 720p or 1080i.


You obviously do NOT have an HD system or HD programming right now or you would not dare to make such a ludicrous statement. :nono:


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## martin1 (Mar 11, 2004)

I was walking thru Walmart yesterday and seen this ota usdtv receiver for $200.00.
Which is cheap for HD receiver. Now I know why it was cheap. The 1080HD was just
fine but the SD on DTV was awful. There was no way I could get it stretched out to
look half way right on my Mit 64413. It was ok in 4:3 format but no way am I watching TV with side bars. Make a long story short I took it back to Walmart today.


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## Van (May 4, 2004)

hd sports, whata waste.


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## Capmeister (Sep 16, 2003)

ypsiguy said:


> This is such a gross perversion of the public-owned airwaves it is pathetic. Those stations were given that bandwidth by the taxpayers. If the stations aren't going to use it, it should go up for auction and revenue should go back to gov't.


Um...let them make some cash. The manditory swtich to HD is costing them a mint in equipment upgrade costs.


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## DarrellP (Apr 24, 2002)

Van said:


> hd sports, whata waste.


Non HD sports, whata waste.


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## Steveox (Apr 21, 2004)

Van said:


> hd sports, whata waste.


HDTV is a waste all together.


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## DarrellP (Apr 24, 2002)

Steveox said:


> HDTV is a waste all together.


Joe 6 Pack strikes again. :lol:


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## Van (May 4, 2004)

Bell south used to have a off the pole cable service in the southern states, it utilized a diamond antenna located either on your house or high up a tree directed at a repeater tower. A standard rg-6 coax line ran down to splitters and to set top box's in the house and from everyone that I talked to it worked great. Unfortunately BS decided to get out of the business and sold it to Dish who inturn spent 3 months doing a mass conversion in places like Atlanta.

HD is good to a point but theres better things to use it for than sports, last thing I really need to see is a football players sweat stains in detail.


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