Zenith
Posted on 12/22/2007 7:32:52 AM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach
In the year ahead, a long-heralded revolution in wireless communications will finally come to pass. It may throw handset makers and service providers into turmoil, but over time it should be great for consumers. Fast, wireless data will become more widely available, the choice of data devices and mobile handsets will expand, and service just might get cheaper.
The biggest driver of change is an event slated for February, 2009. It is, of all things, the shutdown of analog television broadcasting. The conversion to digital TV will free up space now occupied by UHF channels 52 to 69. A chunk is being turned over to police and fire departments, and the rest will be auctioned off in January, 2008.
There are three reasons this spectrum will change the wireless landscape. First, it increases the total bandwidth available for wireless networks. Second, the relatively low frequency—around 700 MHz—penetrates buildings well. That means it will work as an alternative to cable or DSL Internet service to homes as well as for mobile phones. Finally, the Federal Communications Commission will require the buyers of a large piece of the spectrum to give customers much greater freedom in their choice of devices than carriers have traditionally allowed.
The auction is shaping up as a battle between entrenched carriers AT&T (T) and Verizon Wireless (VZ) , and a group of upstarts, most prominently Google (GOOG) . Many of the industry's leading players—with the notable exception of AT&T, Apple (AAPL) , and Microsoft (MSFT) —have joined Google's Open Handset Alliance, which is creating standardized handset software that can run any application users choose.
(Excerpt) Read more at businessweek.com ...
fyi
BTTT
Makes me drool. Oh the unfulfilled possibilities...
Where it can be used for things like automated reporting of parking meter violations. Not all law enforcement is for public safety.
UHF never has been heavily populated and this permits the FCC to sell the frequencies to more monied parties. They may not make full use of the possibilities but it’ll stir investment.
Here in Houston we have 3 area codes. We don’t have that many phones, cellphones, and fax machines, but we do have that many companies that buy blocks of contiguous phone numbers and needed that many blocks to remain competitive. Who cares that we now dial 1/3 more digits every time we dial or that every phone number begins the same now.
And digital tv programming means that the entertainment industry can now correct the erroneous (in their eyes) decision of the Supreme Court to permit home taping (Sony betamax decision) of tv shows. With a digital stream, they can block recording, put in forced expiration dates, etc. And if you circumvent those controls you are in violation of the Digitial Millenium Copyright Act.
There are more possibilities. Many of them outright suck.
Fine with me. I only record two shows and some movies on TCM. If I can't record them in the future I'll just find something else to do with my time. TV is pretty much a wasteland as it is. Go ahead, give me an excuse to stop watching it altogether.
Does this mean no more rabbit-ears tv/radio reception for us low-tech hicks ?
Now us hill-folk will have to buy dish tv etc ??
You know, those converters they’re gonna have to sell will have to put out an analog signal in the end... muahahaha... and I’m the girl who broadcast the first LOTR movie to her neighborhood (I was only trying to set up the VCR equivalent of a wireless internet network) when I was about 13. So I’ll just happily be in violation of the DMCA.
I’m still clinging to my Zenith console.
Geezer Geek ping.
This is a very low-volume ping list (typically days to weeks between pings).
FReepmail sionnsar if you want on or off this list.
A lot of opportunities but a lot of privacy issues!
All this digital spectrum also creates the strong likelihood of the equivalent of “Cookies” to be set to track your every use of the TV Remote.
It could easily be buried in a thick instruction book so that the mere use of the system constitutes permission, no further permission or notices necessary.
A concept to be explored: Leaving the legacy analog spectrum and equipment alone as an insurance policy on our First Amendment. (How retro can one get?)
I agree, I don't watch TV much anymore myself.
>>>And digital tv programming means that the entertainment industry can now correct the erroneous (in their eyes) decision of the Supreme Court to permit home taping (Sony betamax decision) of tv shows. With a digital stream, they can block recording, put in forced expiration dates, etc. And if you circumvent those controls you are in violation of the Digitial Millenium Copyright Act.<<<
Has there been anything on TV lately that you wanted to watch more than once?
I'm getting old. I remember when the primary mission was law enforcement, not revenue enhancement...
We still have a turntable.
As long as you are not actually hacking hardware or software to remove digital encryption, you are not violating DMCA. If you use analog signal you obtained legally, you are not violating DMCA, you only risk copyright infringement.
Important distinction, because Violation of DMCA is serious stuff !!!
An example: ripping encrypted commercial DVD is a violation of DMCA, recording the very same movie on your DVD Recorder from digital cable is not.
A hint: stock up on good DVD recorders/PVRs made before 2005. They will become more precious in the future. Each recorder is good for approx. 2000-3000 hrs. of recording.
In the eyes of sharp twentysomethings, you ALREADY have a turntable. You are cutting edge, not retro.
A good turntable, good MC cartridge,good phono amp and good vinyl pressing are THE ONLY high resolution format available to the general public.
(Forget about SACD and DVD-A, they are mostly prepackaged 16/44.1 CD recordings)
Of course, the quality is irrelevant to sheeple who pay $1 for a song in MP3 format)
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