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July 12, 2007
Less Than Half of HDTV Owners Watch HD
A new study from the Consumer Electronics Association predicts that HD set sales will hit 16 million in 2007, bringing the total number sold in the U.S. to 52.5 million. While some 30% of U.S. households are HD-capable, the study finds there is plenty of work ahead for the TV industry. Only 44% of HDTV owners surveyed currently receive HD programming.
“Consumers are satisfied overall with HDTV,” said CEA Director of Research Joe Bates. “But our studies indicate continued education is necessary to ensure consumers truly understand how to receive the full HD experience.”
The report, entitled “HDTV: You Have the Set, But Do You Have the Content,” is the result of telephone surveys with 2,508 adults conducted in April.
The main reasons consumers gave for not receiving the programming was that it was too expensive or they were not interested. Yet, while there is some confusion among HD owners as to whether they are receiving high-definition programming, the vast majority understands what programming they do and do not receive.
If more than half of those who buy HDTV sets aren’t buying them for the HD content, what’s driving the purchase? The survey found that consumers are buying HDTVs to improve their movie and gaming experience. The most prevalent device connected to an HDTV that’s not receiving HD programming is a DVD player. Nearly 40% of these households also connect Surround Sound and video game systems to their HDTV.
Bates says that even while consumers aren’t moving to HD programming, they are demanding more high-def content, a move that could help tip the scales. “Currently, more than 50% of HD households show some interest in upgrading their HD subscription package to include more HD channels,” he says.
Some 66% of owners who receive HD programming get their programming through a cable company. Of the remaining households, 27% get satellite, 8% get over-the-air, 3% receive fiber optic service and 3% get HD programming from the Internet. This mirrors the U.S. television reception profile, indicating that HD content is not resulting in a migration to or from any one programming provider.
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August Launch For Infinity
When Grass Valley introduced the concept of its Infinity system at the IBC show in 2005, the new format promised unparalleled flexibility, thanks to multiple compression codecs, multiple recording media like iOmega’s REV disk-based recording and compact FLASH cards, and switchable HD/SD operation. Since then, would-be buyers have been patiently waiting as Infinity’s launch fell victim to production delays. But it appears the wait will soon be over, with deliveries expected to take place in August.
John Naylor, Infinity Series program director, says the product will have features that weren’t in the original design, including CMOS imaging sensors. “We’re basically shipping the 2.0 version,” says Naylor. “The cooling has changed, and the Xensium sensors sharpen up the image so it’s basically a second-generation product at launch.”
Delays like those experienced by Grass Valley would typically be fatal for a product introduction, but Naylor says Grass Valley has benefited from the extra time, thanks to three major transitions facing broadcasters that are slowing down purchasing decisions. “There is the move from SD to HD, which has still not fully played out,” he says. “Then there is the move to tapeless workflows and operations which requires some profound changes. Finally there is the convergence of broadcast technology and IT that is becoming more dominant.”
Infinity, he adds, addresses all of those. “It’s HD and SD compatible so the station can transition at their own speed, and has a choice of two tapeless styles of operation,” he says. “And with a Linux operating system under the hood it can address IT needs.” While the camcorder and deck will be launched soon, interoperability with third-party editing systems might take a few more months. Companies like Avid and Apple need to make their systems compatible with the JPEG2000 codec that is used in Infinity. Meanwhile, “glue” products from Telestream and MOG Solutions will allow for JPEG2000 files to be transferred to a compatible format.
The Canopus editing system from Grass Valley, however, will be JPEG2000 compatible.
“It’s an exciting time for us,” says Naylor.
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Falling HD Prices Challenge Manufacturers
It’s been a busy season for HD television. Canon is delaying the much-ballyhooed launch of Surface-conduction Electron-emitter Displays (SED) until 2008. Demonstrated at the 2006 Consumer Electronics Show as a joint development between Canon and Toshiba, the technology was hailed as an HD display that brought together the picture quality advantages of tube TV sets (faster refresh rates, deeper blacks, better contrast) with the flat-panel form factor. The demonstration left many salivating, but Canon says a legal dispute over a patent earlier this year contributed to the delay (and resulted in Toshiba opting out of the effort). The bigger cause, however, is Canon needing to figure out a way to cut manufacturing costs.
With the price of LCD and plasma sets falling, the SED sets will need to be priced competitively. That leaves Canon in a quandary, as it will need to introduce a new technology at a price point that will make it difficult to recoup development costs.
Meanwhile VIZIO, maker of low-cost HD sets, has launched four LCD HDTV panels at Wal-Mart. The addition of VIZIO sets is part of Wal-Mart's nationwide effort to expand its presence in electronics. The sets will range from 26-42 inches, with prices starting at $448—which will cause downward pressure on all flat-panel HD sets.
Kevin O'Connor, vice president and general merchandise manager for Wal-Mart's consumer electronics division, says strong VIZIO sales at Sam’s Club led to the move. "Our customers are more technology driven than ever before and are now searching for the right brands at the right price,” he said.
VIZIO’s entry has Sony responding with a Bravia LCD line designed specifically for the big-box retail market. The sets are expected to be on the shelves by August at Wal-Mart and other retailers. They’ll measure 26, 32 and 40 inches diagonally, and resolution will max out at 720p. The sets will also have fewer HDMI connections.
Pricing for the Bravia sets is not available.
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HD Artist Finds New Inspiration
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Randall Paris Dark
Owner
Randall Dark Productions |
Randall Paris Dark, HD production pioneer, forged out on his own last month with the launch of Randall Dark Productions. Dark discussed his Austin-based company and the future of high-def television.
Q: What kind of technical facilities does your company have?
A: Randall Dark Productions is not a facility. In my 20 years of HD production I’ve suffered the fiscal pain of keeping up with the Joneses, and the constant changes and improvements in equipment. So this time I’ve decided to build relationships with top companies and employees to facilitate my business and to best serve my clients.
Q: How will this move benefit your clients?
A: There two huge benefits. I can select the best path and talent for the job without having to compromise. I know I don't shoot from moving vehicles very well, but Allan Westbrook is a genius at it. I can pick and choose the right team for each job and still bring it in on time and, most importantly, on budget. My company does not have the incredible overhead I've had to support over the years; therefore I am able to make my prices much more competitive.
Q: What's your take on some of the new HD technologies that continue to flood the production market?
A: Each new day brings new toys to the toy box. The Red, the Eve, the R-23 and Viper are just a few. Even the new HDV cameras can be used for certain applications. I can color correct, time and edit in the field. How much easier do we need it to be? I'm concerned sometimes that ease makes us lazy and our work reflects it. Sweat is good.
Q: What are the advantages of working in HD versus film? What are the disadvantages? Are you finding that traditionalists are beginning to come around?
A: Film is an art form. HD is an art form. Both have many strengths and weaknesses. If I were an oil painter and you asked me what the hardest profile to sculpt is, I wouldn't know how to begin to answer you. My world is HD. I don't shoot film. I feel it is hypocritical that we get experts on both sides of the fence talking from extremely limited experiences. I honestly hope that traditionalists don't come around to HD. I love the look and smell and feel of film. I just can’t shoot with it. I would hate to think that the best artists in the world would forever put down their paintbrush for a new technology. Let new artists discover HD.
--Interviewed by Ken Kerschbaumer
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GlobeCast Feeds Hi-Def Tour
(From a July 6 article at BroadcastingCable.com)
Satellite services provider GlobeCast will once again provide transmission support for the Tour de France, including delivering the first high-definition feeds of the annual bike race. For the 2007 event, which is being shown in the U.S. by Versus, GlobeCast will supply French broadcaster France Televisions and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) with satellite and microwave transmissions for complete HD coverage of the race. GlobeCast will be deploying up to eight SNG (satellite news gathering) and mobile microwave units at each stage of the race, supported by 30 technical professionals. GlobeCast mobile units stationed at various points along the course will transmit footage shot via motorcycle and helicopter by SFP (Société Française de Production) back to
France Televisions’ production trucks at the finish line.
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Cox Adds HD Flicks On DEMAND
(From a July 2 article at BroadcastingCable.com)
Cox Communications, the third largest cable company in the U.S., is making HD movies available through its On DEMAND library. The service is available to its digital TV subscribers in San Diego with rollouts in Northern Virginia and Oklahoma City to follow. On DEMAND offers 20 movie titles in high definition and Cox plans to offer more HD content in the future. “As more of our customers upgrade their viewing experience with high-definition televisions, we will continue to expand our HD offerings both by adding more HD channels and through interactive options like On DEMAND,” said David Pugliese, vice president of Product Marketing for Cox.
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TBS Goes Hi-Def This Fall
(From a June 26 article at BroadcastingCable.com)
TBS will launch a high-definition version of itself Sept. 1 called "TBS in HD." The service, a 1080-line interlace (1080i) simulcast of TBS' East Coast feed, will initially only be carried by DirecTV as part of its well-publicized HD expansion, though Turner is in carriage discussions with other affiliates. TBS in HD will add comedy to the HD sports and dramas that Turner currently offers on TNT HD. TBS in HD will also carry sports, such as exclusive coverage of Major League Baseball’s divisional playoffs and the National League Championship Series.
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Western Digital Adds Storage for SA DVRs
(From a June 28 article at Multichannel.com)
Hard-drive manufacturer Western Digital introduced the My Library Video Edition DVR Expander, able to store up to 300 hours of digital standard-definition or 60 hours of HDTV programming for Scientific Atlanta 8300 digital-video-recorder set-top boxes. Western Digital said the system is compatible with SA’s 8300 HD, 8300 MR and 8300 HD-MR DVRs, and connects via its external serial-advanced-technology-attachment ports. The company added that it plans to add support for other DVR manufacturers as they enable the eSATA ports on their set-tops.
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A&E On Demand in HD
(From a June 27 article at Multichannel.com)
A&E Television Networks’ video-on-demand fare is now available in HD to Comcast digital-cable subscribers. The AETN deal makes Comcast the first cable operator to offer A&E HD on-demand content, which will encompass five hours per month, 80%-100% of which will be refreshed. The content, accessible through Comcast On Demand, will be available in both the A&E and HD On Demand folders. Available titles will come from A&E’s real-life series and justice genres, including such shows as Gene Simmons Family Jewels and The First 48.
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LG Uses New Technique For PDP Production
(From a July 2 article in TWICE Magazine)
LG Electronics initiated a new panel production process on its A3 plasma display panel (PDP) line in South Korea that will produce eight panels from one sheet of glass substrate. That’s up from the six panels of the past. The process, which LG calls its “8-up” technique, is said to maximize PDP production capacity by stretching the number of panels from a single glass substrate. The eight-up processing will increase LG’s total capacity per month by 22%, from 360,000 to 440,000 panels, greater than the total capacity before the outdated A1 line was shut down, the company said.
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Amazon, Microsoft Push HD DVD to Indies
(From a July 2 article in TWICE magazine)
Amazon.com and Microsoft have teamed up to encourage independent producers to release films in the HD DVD format. The effort, called “1,000 HD DVD Indies Project,” will bring as many as 1,000 new feature-length independent titles to the HD DVD format, the companies said. Amazon will use its CustomFlix disc manufacturing on-demand service to lower the barrier to entry for filmmakers to produce and distribute movies in that format. The project will provide free authoring and setup services for up to 1,000 selected indie titles. In addition, Sundance Channel will review the high-definition features for potential broadcast on the network as well as making its own HD eco-series, “Big Ideas for a Small Planet,” available through Amazon’s HD DVD purchase program.
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JVC Adds Four Models to LCD TV Lineup
(From a July 2 article in TWICE magazine)
JVC unveiled an expanded LCD TV lineup that includes four 1080p full HD models. The models are offered in two series and three screen sizes, 37, 42 and 47 inches. They’re priced from $1,599 to $2,699. All four 1080p models include JVC's fifth-generation D.I.S.T. (Digital Image Scaling Technology) engine that up-converts all signals to display at full 1080p. Dual HDMI v1.3 inputs allow connection of the latest generation of 1080p sources, while other features include nine aspect modes, four picture modes, a universal remote with new convenience features and a USB photo viewer.
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Panasonic COO Sees Blu-ray, LCD Growth
(From a July 2 article in TWICE magazine)
Blu-ray has won the HD disc format battle, says Joseph Taylor, executive V.P./COO of Panasonic Corporation of North America. And while still firmly behind plasma, LCD may get more attention, says Taylor in an exclusive interview with TWICE. “Really, the marketplace will decide which flat panel [format] they prefer,” he said. “Clearly [plasma] is the leader in the large sizes, 42-inch and up. In fact our 50-inch has been outselling our 42-inch by about 20% since the beginning of this year. At the same time we recognize that LCD is taking a very strong position in the smaller sizes and market by market we will address that.”
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Hitachi Presents “Reel” Flat-Panel Lineup
(From a July 2 article in TWICE magazine)
Hitachi unveiled a full line of "1080" HD flat-panel sets, highlighted by three plasma models that will employ the company's "Reel 60" 60Hz frame-rate technology. At the same time, the company has elected to drop the rear-projection TV category that has been its trademark for over a decade to focus on the flat-panel business. Bill Whalen, Hitachi's product development director, told TWICE that the company will use Reel60 as one of its chief product differentiators this season. He said the system uses motion vector interpolation to convert 24 fps source material, which represents the bulk of film-originated content, into two interlaced fields of 60 fps material.
For more…
In Pursuit of Perfect Color
The New York Times reports that light-emitting diodes, or L.E.D.’s, are making inroads into the consumer HD display market and that laser-based HDTV sets are on the horizon. With L.E.D., beams are emitted in a narrow band of wavelengths very close to those of single, pure colors. Last year, Samsung introduced its first TV with L.E.D.’s. The company has added six more, all large-screen, high-definition models. Laser TVs, unlike L.E.D. models, are not yet on the commercial market, but several manufacturers have demonstrated them at trade shows. The distinctive range of colors produced by lasers and L.E.D.’s may provide a competitive edge for rear-projection TVs, which have steadily lost market share to plasma and liquid crystal display models.
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Multicasting Reality Check
Television Broadcast reports that multicasting, a digital TV station’s opportunity to shoehorn extra digital channels and one-way data delivery services alongside its main HDTV channel, is coming into its own. “Hundreds of stations are currently multicasting,” added Mike Ruggiero, chairman of ATV Broadcast and the ALL TV companies that are behind Motor Trend TV and the Spanish-language LATV, both of which are being promoted to broadcasters as secondary digital channel content. In contrast, however, datacasting over DTV has yet to prove itself. First, the ever-expanding capacity of conventional telephone, cable TV and cellular wireless networks has kept pace with consumer demand, blunting the need for a new source of transmission spectrum. Second, DTV’s
one-way, one-to-multipoint distribution is not ideally suited for data, which is better served by two-way, point-to-point carriage. Third, broadcasters have so much on their minds that pushing headlong into datacasting is low on their priority lists.
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A new format: HD Versatile Multilayer Disc
Variety reports that starting in September, home media buffs in the U.S., Denmark, Finland, France, Poland and Sweden will have a third HD disc format to choose from, the HD Versatile Multilayer Disc (VMD). Based on "red-laser" technology, VMD utilizes conventional DVD manufacturing and authoring processes, so production costs are lower than those of HD DVD and Blu-ray. No major U.S. studio has aligned itself with HD VMD yet (although one indie has). And so far, just one U.S. retailer, Web site PCrush.com, has formally agreed to sell the HD VMD player.
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ZDNet’s Robin Harris: Blu-ray Has Won
ZDNet reports that Blu-ray has won the high-definition DVD battle against the HD-DVD format. That’s according to Blockbuster’s Matthew Smith, SVP of merchandising: “The consumers are sending us a message. I can’t ignore what I’m seeing.” What he’s seeing is consumers renting Blu-ray titles in Blockbuster stores more than 70% of the time vs. HD-DVD (Blockbuster has since committed to the Blu-ray format). ZDNet adds that Sony’s PS3, despite disappointing sales, has tilted the market in Blu-ray’s favor. In fact, the article says, expect to see closeout sales on HD DVD players and burners.
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Record Camera Swap at QVC
TV Technology reports on QVC’s recent move to high-definition and the record swap that resulted in 40 Sony HDC-1500 HD cameras and 60 Canon HD studio and field lenses being installed during a 12-hour period. Ron Schiller, QVC’s director of broadcast engineering and technology, says, because virtually all of QVC’s telecasts are live, 24 hours per day, there was no downtime to make the switch. It was felt that if the change-out were to be performed over an extended period, viewers would notice inconsistencies in the appearance of products being offered for sale and that could have a negative impact on business.
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Final Cut for The Closer: Rethinking Primetime Post
Videography reports that The Closer is one of a handful of high-profile shows cut on Apple’s Final Cut Pro editing software. Instead of renting Avid systems, which is the normal Hollywood model, producers opted to purchase their own Final Cut editing systems. Six workstations are used by the show’s three editors and three assistants. Unlike other shows, the six non-linear editing systems on The Closer are not connected to a shared storage network.
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