Uh oh -- it looks like
early-adopter Panasonic has hit some choppy waters in its
tru2way TV efforts. The first sets subjected to CableLabs testing showed several bugs in the implementation, and talk coming from insiders indicates that no-nos like disabling Emergency Alert System messages slipped through. For its part,
CableLabs is being professional and not making any comments on the Panasonic results. Panasonic is also putting a brave face on things, and is not retreating from its goal of delivering tru2way TVs to retail shelves in time for the 2008 holiday season. We wouldn't rule it out, either -- Panasonic has some serious resources it can throw at the problem; but this does throw a major wrench into the works. We're still optimistic about tru2way, and are willing to wait a few more months to get things right. Introduction of new technology and/or standards is always challenging, so we hope this setback doesn't have a chilling effect on
other tru2way players -- quite the contrary, it could spur more aggressive development to claim the "first tru2way TV" title.
posted Jun 11th 2008 5:27PM
hey i dont see how disabling Emergency Alert System messages is a problem. to me thats a feature, just as long as u can also enable them for people who actually care about the alert system. The fn testing of the system alwas seems to ruin my tv watching late at night when i get home.
It could be a problem if your the one not notified of the flash flood or fire coming through your neighborhood. I can see lawsuits if someone accidentally disabled this notification and almost got killed
thats why you get multiple warrnings, and the disable feature should come at an extra cost maybe $20 i dont care . the odds of me not knowing its gonna flood are slim, and a fire coming through my neighborhood is even slimmer but hey thats what the internet, tv news, and radio are for.. oh i have a phone and neighbors and friends who could let me know if shits going down, I never pay attention to the warrnins anyways just turn the tv down and look on the net, read a book play a video game, or just go to sleep to so i get up early in the monring. they should only have warnings on local broadcast channels, not every fn cable channel. im in new orleans. if she goes down we have an emergency call system intact now, so i would get a call telling me to get the f out. not like i would actualy hear it if i am asleep anyways (im a dead sleeper, nothing can wake me up. slept on my porch during hurricane andrew like a baby)
The whole point of testing is to find bugs. Better to find them now than later in the hands of end users. Issues with emergency broadcasting don't sound like a big deal. They're probably not handling some broadcast bit properly, not a fundamental architecture failure.
What is Tru2way again???