Engadget HD Podcast 119 - 01.21.2009
By Trent Wolbe 
posted Jan 21st 2009 12:55PM
posted Jan 21st 2009 12:55PM
Back from CES, we kick things off with the age-old plasma vs. LCD debate. Bottom line: no technology reigns supreme forever, but we don't see plasma giving up the picture quality crown just yet and we don't think Europe will be refusing to sell plasmas en masse, either. There's a new President at 1600 Pennsylvania, and with that comes a new FCC -- we take time to give our two cents on the poorly-implemented DTV converter box coupon program, crazy notions of delaying the DTV transition and tinfoil-hat talk of the cable monopoly. We go on a few rants before settling on something we're happy to see -- DirecTV's HDPC-20 is DISH's Draco project for Windows Media Center sounds good, especially in light of DirecTV's "suspended" HDPC-20. Big props to Darren for putting together a comprehensive post of the TVs of CES -- TVs are kind of belles of the CES ball, and they're all rounded up nicely in one post. Also, we reached out to our pals at Engadget to help put together a Netflix HD streaming shootout, so check it out and form your own opinions. Not everything is newness, however -- after 30 years, Pioneer said goodbye to laserdisc this week; we take some time to put some perspective on the 12-inch platter format.Get the podcast
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Hosts: Ben Drawbaugh and Steve Kim
Producer: Trent Wolbe
00:01:18 - Comments from Engadget HD Podcast 118 - 01.11.2009
00:15:20 - LCD vs Plasma in 2009
00:24:36 - Poll: Do you prefer plasma or LCD?
00:25:36 - Power-guzzling plasmas could be barred by EU
00:28:31 - Additional funding on the way for the digital TV switch?
00:32:12 - FCC's Kevin Martin proposes alternatives for delaying DTV transition
00:35:47 - Possible new FCC chair could focus on net neutrality, not cable pricing
00:39:33 - Study finds interest high for connected HDTVs
00:41:33 - Sling Media loses most of its top brass
00:44:49 - CyberLink bundles Media Server 2 with JVC's NX-BD3 Blu-ray HTIB
00:46:34 - Blockbuster's MediaPoint player reviewed: unsurprisingly disappointing
00:48:27 - DISH Network's Draco project brings programming to Windows Media Center
00:56:00 - The HDTVs of CES 2009
00:57:34 - Netflix HD streaming shootout goes down at Engadget Classic
01:01:42 - Pioneer finally kills production of its remaining laserdisc players
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How much do you think consumers would pay for a streaming ESPN service in HD? I would easily pay $20-$30 depending on the games in play. If they could do TNT, TBS, Versus, and Fox Sports games on top of that, easily would do it for $40 a month. That has to be more than what they are getting from cable. I can get the rest of my content from Netflix.
On another note, can you even still get a cable card ready PC with the ATI cable card reader? I asked someone at dell and they couldn't seem to find where I could get one. A half hour later, I told them to email me if they did find something. I never got an email. Looking at the ATI site, it seems like the ATI digital cable tuner is now old or something. I would have waited till windows7 to go the media center DVR route, but I want to know the details before I wait that long on hardware costs. Seems like the only option for an OTA and cable card DVR is TiVo and media center. I wish the Moxi had an ATSC tuner on it.
NM on the HTPC, I found out you have to pick the cheapest dell 420 to get the cable card. Basically you just have to click around till you find one you can get the cable card vista with.
HP also has one, the 9500t, maybe some more.
I see these are about $1200, was it worth it Ben? If only I could use my old PC...
Question from CES, any word from Panasonic on 72Hz? Or do you guys ask them about it? It would seem obvious for this year, but I was looking back and saw nothing.
OK, this is the part I don't get about this whole "connected" TV thing, including connected Blu-Rays, etc. Do that many people really have ethernet running into their living room? I suppose that most people with a house have their modem in an office or room other than their main TV viewing area, like a den or family room. I don't ever see people's computers in the same room as their TV's unless they are living in an apartment or a dorm. People with houses would have to run ethernet from one room to another and I never knew this was something folks did in great enough numbers to make all of this "connectedness" viable. (that "in great enough numbers* being the operative point here).
This seems even more odd since most people who have networks in their house have wireless networks. Are they running both a wireless router AND running ethernet around their house? What am I missing?
I would like to disagree over your statement that Cable is not a monopoly. I understand that satellite is a competitor but not in my area I live on a small mountain and dont get reception here, and four years ago I lived in the Connecticut suburbs and still did not get reception because the neighbor had trees in his yard. The only real competition to cable is other cable like fios and U-Verse
I have to disagree with your statement in the podcast. There's more to cable than sports content, and what I could get over the air for the locals. You're forgetting about those of us that are fans of Discovery Channel, History, Science Channel, Military Channel etc. While I don't get my money's worth out of ESPN, I watch these other channels aplenty so iTunes downloads of these shows would not be cost effective.
Love the show guys, keep up the great work. A few points. The cable monopoly issue is probably meant to convey a monopoly in its own industry. There are a lots of areas of the country, where you don't have a choice of a cable company. I happen to live in one in Nevada, so for me, its COX or nothing at all. Which kinda sucks for my high speed internet.
One other thought guys....too often you talk of stories, like the Ryan Block lcd/plasma, issue and you 'assume' your audience has read or heard of the story you are discussing. Some of us haven't, so your discussion is going right over our heads. A quick recap of the source material might help. ;-)
take care,
Winston
Lemme add my .02 bucks to the cable monopoly bru-haha........... I COMPLETELY agree the in many municipalities, a single cable company has secured rights to the consumers. And within that scope, many of those consumers are apartment dwellers or condo owners, or house renters, etc etc whereas they have NO choice.....period. Same goes for people in a house that live in neighborhoods with HOA restrictions.
You two seem to all-too-often forget that there are more people in this country than just you and that there are environments out there that are...........NOT like yours!!!
I personally spent many years in apartments while I saved for a home. Even with the FCC's PRB1 exemption, it seemed to not matter as everywhere I turned, apartments were locked into a single provider and no exceptions to the rules.