The FCC's push to go all digital
By Ben Drawbaugh 
posted Aug 23rd 2007 4:07PM
posted Aug 23rd 2007 4:07PM
The end of analog is coming and the FCC isn't content with just the OTA channels making the transition, they want cable to do away with analog as well. So much so, that the FCC chairman Kevin Martin is proposing a mandate for dual must-carry that would require any MSO which is still using analog to carry both an analog and digital version of each OTA channel per their request -- no the 'must' part doesn't go both ways. This isn't too big of a deal for many providers 'cause they already do this, but as bandwidth become more and more valuable, providers are looking for ways to save some bits. As much as the older cable co's would love to drop those bandwidth hogs off their lineup all together, they're faced with millions of customers who may go elsewhere if forced to use a STB on every TV, no matter what the cost.[Via ConnectedHome2go.com]
I understand the FCC wanting to get rid of analog OTA, but what do they care how the cable companies use their bandwidth...? What am I missing?
Cable companies are in big big big trouble.
Cable should just offer all the analog as unencrypted digital QAM, then customers won't need a cable company provided STB. They pretty much do this already, but there are some *missing* channels. Here in Chicago, Comcast is missing the HD OTA digital channel 50 WPWR. It might be part of the pay digital package, but it's not available unencrypted QAM. Most new TV's have QAM, and the OTA/QAM STB's should be cheap enough by the time this all gets mandatory.
The reason most people have the basic analog package is for reception and PQ. Once everything goes digital, their customers won't have the bad reception issues provided they can get the local OTA signals. They just want to keep their established base of customers.
"Here in Chicago, Comcast is missing the HD OTA digital channel 50 WPWR. It might be part of the pay digital package, but it's not available unencrypted QAM."
The FCC forbids cable companies from encrypting OTA broadcast channels, so it can't be part of a pay digital package. There must be another reason that station is not carried.
The article mentions that people may move off of cable if they have to use a Set Top Box? Where are they going to go? Once analog OTA is turned off, Satellite uses a STB, Telco uses a STB, heck if they go OTA and have an analog set they are going to need a STB. The cleanest solution if you do not want a STB is to purchase a new TV and use ClearQAM, but that isn't exactly user friendly.
-- Jim
My point was that many stick with cable because they don't want a STB, but if they have to have a STB either way they may just choose another provider.