MovieBeam doesn't include a DTV tuner
By Ben Drawbaugh 
posted Feb 22nd 2006 7:28PM
posted Feb 22nd 2006 7:28PM
MovieBeam is the technology that I
want to love so bad, but they make it so hard. We already knew some of its shortcomings, but now we learn
another one. The MovieBeam distribution network runs over the analog PBS channels, which we all know will turn off in 3
years. MovieBeam says they will have a peripheral tuner, but no word on the cost. It seems a bit short-sighted to
not use the DTV spectrum for this new service; one engineer said they were 5 years too late. It seems the the Microsoft
Windows Media 9 CODEC compresses the movies enough that throughput is not a problem.
It only takes 8 hours to transmit a 5GB HD movie and they only send one or two a week. Looks like I'm not the only one not impressed. Josh Bernoff, principal analyst with Forrester Research said he didn't think it has much potential as a stand-alone product. There is hope, as an Intel spokesman says they are working aggressively to develop a Viiv-based product. Lets hope it comes out before it is too late. Personally I wouldn't be surprised if the rumored Apple Media Center has MovieBeam support.
"Personally I wouldn't be surprised if the rumored Apple Media Center has MovieBeam support."
I would. Apple is all about their control over the content distribution. That is how they make a lot of their money.
I am not sure why you would think that a hardware company makes "a lot" of their money from content. Apple makes software to sell hardware. They sell songs to sell iPods. If they wanted to sell content they would sell it to everyone.
Also Disney and Apple are related through a mutual uncle now, so I don't play down that relationship.
Good catch on the tuner... It hadn't occurred to me. In retrospect it makes sense though. These networks will have more and more analog bandwidth sitting idle, so why not rent it out. MovieBeam can take these few years to try and gain a toehold in the market with lower rates than if they used digital signals. I most are in agreement this service will not succeed - not with this pricing model anyway (box and renal fees).
Now waiiiit a minute. They're broadcasting on the analog channel, but that doesn't mean that they're broadcasting analog signals. They could be using a side channel, or subchannel, or whatever, like what they're doing with HD radio.
I'm willing to bet good money that this system is futureproof. They might have to switch channels duting the transition, but that would just be a minor software update.
Just got mine... works great! The whole family loves watching movies on it. I currently have it connected to my standard def sony tube. Planning to purchase a HDTV soon.
Check out my photos:
http://web.mac.com/armando_santana/iWeb/Site/MovieBeam.html
Buzzcut, is it as simple as 'changing channels' via software or will they need an updated receiver (hw) to listen in on different frequencies? What we need to do is an FCC search to learn what frequencies they're cleared for. Honestly, I don't see MovieBeam existing in 3 years... not in this form anyway.
Thanks for the pics Armando!
Yeah, I'm telling you that they don't need an updated receiver. They're not using the analog portion of the analog channel, they're using some part of the analog channel that isn't being used to broadcast their content digitally.
That's how HD radio works. HD radio broadcasts a digital signal on the analog frequency, right along with the analog broadcast.
My guess is that the subchannel that is being used is available regardless of whether Moviebeam is using an analog or digital channel.
Sorry, I'm not explaining it very well. Let me hit you from this angle. Depite the content coming over the analog channel, it's still digital content. It's stored on a hard drive after all. This suggests that the content is being broadcast digitally, even though it is coming over the analog channel.
Buzzcut,
You are right regardless of the fact that they are using the analog channel the data is still Digital.
The being said the current model will need a new tuner to make it continue to work. At least according to MovieBeam execs. Here is the quote from the article.
"MovieBeam executives say there is an easy upgrade path to DTV, by connecting to a peripheral tuner, and they have an option to use PBS stations' DTV spectrum through their deal with National Datacast,"
Why would the exec's lie? Or maybe they don't know what they are talking about.
Yah, that was my point... regardless if the signal is analog or digital, the frequencies reserved for analog television go back to the government for auction or whatever in three years.
Sorry Ben, I'm an idiot, I didn't see the comment from the Moviebeam executive. I guess whatever portion of the analog channel they're using is being used by the ASTC signal.
I actually got briefed by the Moviebeam folks on their new product.
They did some handwaving around the digital tuner issue. My interpretation -- if it catches on in the next three years, they'll find a way to upgrade it to digital (which will cost them significantly). If it doesn't, won't matter anyway. They are launching with analog bandwidth since it's what they have working now.
The real challenge here is that standalone set-top boxes don't generally sell well. This would be better as a feature of digital video recorder or a satellite box.
This is right now the only way, outside of cable VOD in some places, to get high def movies on demand. That will excite a few people. Also, it marks the launch of day-and-date equivalence of on-demand movies and DVD --although only for a very few of their movies to rent. So these features will attract a few people, if not the masses.
Think about this. When the analog spectrum is turned over, it goes out for auction, correct? There's nothing stopping Disney from buying a slice for Moviebeam. They only need part of one channel, after all.