Does it really matter that the LCD TV has a contrast ratio of 40,000:1 or that the digital camera has a 12-megapixel resolution?
David Colker gets to the bottom of these befuddling questions ahead of the holiday shopping season. He offers an in-depth gadget guide that doesn't make suggestions about what to buy but about how to buy.
--Peter Pae
The California Energy Commission unanimously approved a regulation today capping the power consumption of televisions sold in California starting in 2011. Although the Consumer Electronics Assn., which represents the world's largest TV makers, was apoplectic about the action, The Times' Marc Lifsher reports that one faction -- the LCD TV Assn. -- was all smiles. The reason? LCD sets are less power-hungry than plasma TVs. In other words, as so often happens when the government regulates products, it favors one technology over another -- and manufacturers know it, even if the regulators insist otherwise.
One other interesting sidelight: Seth Greenstein, outside counsel for the CEA, said the rules would bar many hotels and hospitals from buying televisions because such centrally controlled sets can't meet the new limits on power consumption when they're turned off. Philips Electronics warned the commission about this issue, to no apparent avail.
Read more about the possible unintended consequences of the new rule at the Times' opinion blog, Opinion L.A.
Corrected, 4:31 p.m.: In my haste, I incorrectly identified Seth Greenstein as Seth Greenspan in the original version of this post.
-- Jon Healey
Healey writes editorials for The Times' Opinion Manufacturing Division. Follow him on Twitter: @jcahealey
The Consumer Electronics Assn. and the CTIA (the main trade group for the mobile phone industry) urged the Federal Communications Commission today to consider reclaiming some digital TV airwaves and dedicating them to use with wireless devices. The chief executives of the CEA and CTIA sent a joint letter to members of the FCC, reminding them that the Telecommunications Act of 1996 required the commission to review how the digital TV airwaves were being used within 10 years of the first licenses being granted for DTV channels. Those licenses were issued nearly 11 years ago, so a review is technically overdue (not that deadlines seem to matter much in Washington). Said review is supposed to determine whether broadcasters could get by with less spectrum as well as evaluate alternative uses. According to the CEA-CTIA letter:
The DTV channels are extremely valuable, and broadcasters have tried for several years to find ways to use them for more than just high-definition TV signals -- for example, by transmitting a version of their programs that's customized for mobile devices, or leasing part of their channel to data service providers. They've also fiercely resisted the high-tech industry's push to allow unlicensed uses of empty TV channels -- the so-called white spaces -- in areas where it might interfere with local broadcasts. (The FCC sided with the tech firms last year, but the decision is under appeal.) But the FCC is under orders from Congress to develop a national plan for increasing the supply of broadband connectivity, and Chairman Julius Genachowski has said that the demand for wireless broadband will soon be an order of magnitude greater than the supply (a situation that Genachowski has called the "looming spectrum crisis"). So the commission may be unusually receptive to the idea of forcing TV stations to share more of their spectrum wealth.
But then, the National Assn. of Broadcasters has some powerful friends on Capitol Hill. Rep. John D. Dingell (D-Mich.), former chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and still a formidable player, sent a letter to the FCC yesterday expressing concern about any move to devote digital TV airwaves to other uses. Quoth Dingell: "I believe that a further loss of spectrum by broadcasters may have an adverse effect on consumers by limiting their choice in available broadcast television."
Meanwhile, NAB officials started meeting in the Capitol today with representatives of the Recording Industry Assn. of America and musicians' unions to discuss a compromise approach to performance royalties -- which the NAB refers to as a performance tax on radio stations -- under the auspices of the chairmen and senior members of the House and Senate Judiciary committees. Members of the Democratic leadership are expected to drop by the sessions, raising the heat on the NAB to capitulate. Although the broadcasters' lobby has lined up 252 House members and 27 senators behind resolutions opposing new royalties for performing music publicly (on the air or at a business, such as a bar), both Judiciary committees have passed bills that would have a federal arbitration panel set royalties that local radio stations would have to pay. The bills also would set limits on the annual royalty payments for smaller businesses, public and religious broadcasters.
Looks like the broadcasters' lobbyists will be stuck playing defense for a while.
-- Jon Healey
Healey writes editorials for The Times' Opinion Manufacturing Division. Follow him on Twitter: @jcahealey
Angelenos unhappy with the cable or satellite TV offerings in their neighborhoods will have a new, much less expensive option today: Sezmi, a novel combination of over-the-air broadcasting and broadband programming. The company is launching a trial run here in anticipation of a much broader rollout by March, providing free equipment and service for about three months to those who participate. (You can sign up at Sezmi's website.) Even after the free trial ends, the price will be far below competing pay TV services: just under $5 a month for local broadcasts, Internet channels and access to pay-per-view services, and an additional $20 a month for more than 100 cable TV networks. Sezmi has some issues -- some popular cable networks aren't on board, at least not yet, and its selection of Web programming is far too limited -- but it also offers some innovations that push TV service in the direction viewers want it to go.
I was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, and spent my formative years watching Ohio State's Archie Griffin run circles around lesser athletes en route to two (count 'em, 2) Heismans. So although I'm not looking forward to seeing the Buckeyes drubbed again by USC tomorrow, at least ESPN is giving us Angelenos and my friends back in Columbus the chance to watch it in 3D. The broadcast is the first of its kind for the network after a couple of years of internal tests, and one of only a handful of sports events telecast live in 3D. And like all of its predecessors, it will reach a very small number of theaters -- the only local outlet is the Galen Center at USC, with tickets given away by ESPN through its AM radio station here.
I've heard plenty of excited talk about 3D from networks, consumer-electronics manufacturers and tech companies, but thus far it's largely been confined to animated movies and concert films. So I asked two close observers of the 3D market -- David Wertheimer, CEO of the Entertainment Technology Center at USC, and Vince Pace, CEO of PACE, the company providing much of the 3D technology for tomorrow's broadcast -- why things aren't moving as rapidly as, well, I'd like them to. There are hundreds of 3D-capable theaters across the country that could easily be set up to receive a live broadcast. Is there too little demand? Are the networks waiting for millions of consumers to buy the next generation of 3D-capable digital TVs (a process that will take years)? What?
Television stations that haven't yet switched off their analog, over-the-air signals will begin doing so today.
And federal regulators are keeping their fingers crossed that the transition will go according to script, thanks to an extension awarded in January by the Obama administration to give broadcasters and community groups four extra months to prepare viewers.
According to a story in today's Times,
Fearful of a backlash from nearly 6 million unprepared Americans who stood to lose their broadcast TV signals, President Obama and Congress put off the long-planned digital transition scheduled for Feb. 17 until today for most of the country.
They also poured an additional $650 million into the switch, including reducing a backlog of 4 million requests for $40 government coupons to subsidize the purchase of special digital converter boxes so that older televisions could receive the new signals.
Will the extra effort help avoid chaos as Americans wake up to find their TV signals scrambled? Stay tuned. We'll keep you posted.
-- Alex Pham
Let us know if you're having any trouble shifting from analog to digital TV. You can also click here for more details on making the DTV transition.
About 400 TV stations are shutting off their analog broadcasts at midnight tonight as part of the nation's switch to all-digital signals. But the new era hasn't gotten off to a great start for some viewers.
As we noted in a story today, some people are getting fewer channels -- even though they did everything the government and broadcasters told them to do as part of the DTV transition. The problems generally stem from the different technological characteristics of digital signals versus analog.
Many people, including viewers of the major broadcast networks in Los Angeles, have nearly four more months to get ready because Congress allowed stations to delay the switch until June 12. One key to improving your reception during that time appears to be upgrading your antenna.
A few readers have pointed me toward the YouTube video, shown above, on how to make your own digital TV antenna using equipment that would make MacGyver proud: six wire clothes hangers, a piece of wood, a dozen washers and a variety of other household items. Assembly doesn't look too difficult -- about the same level of expertise as required ...
President Obama made the digital TV delay official today, signing legislation to put off the switch until June 12, the White House said.
"Millions of Americans, including those in our most vulnerable communities, would have been left in the dark if the conversion had gone on as planned," Obama said in a written statement. "This solution is an important step forward as we work to get the nation ready for digital TV."
Not everyone will get the benefit of that extra time. Though the major TV stations in Los Angeles won't turn off their analog signals until the new deadline, the law allows stations to apply to go ahead on the original date -- at the end of the day next Tuesday -- or anytime between now and June 12.
Nearly 500 stations have applied to pull their analog plug on Tuesday, although the FCC may block some early transitions. The most likely places the FCC will step in are markets where most stations want to make the switch early and many residents are unprepared.
-- Jim Puzzanghera
The Federal Communications Commission today provided TV viewers and broadcasters some clarity about the nationwide switch to digital television, which Congress voted to delay until June 12.
Acting FCC Chairman Michael J. Copps said today that the major broadcast networks -- ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC/Telemundo -- have vowed that their owned-and-operated stations would not turn off their analog signals until that date. Though many local affiliates are independently operated, the networks' pledge puts pressure on station owners to wait.
The legislation, which is awaiting President Obama's expected signature, allows stations to make the digital transition before June 12 with FCC approval.
At least one L.A.-area station, the News Corp.-owned KTTV Fox 11, will keep its analog signal going until June 12. We're still working to figure out the plans of other local broadcasters.
Copps said today that the FCC would set a high hurdle for approving early switches in markets where all stations want to make the transition before June 12. Though the agency may allow individual stations to switch early, commissioners worry that allowing all stations to turn off their analog signals early could leave unprepared viewers with no access to any TV.
"We reserve the right to deny those requests if we find that it would not serve the public interest or if it would frustrate Congress' goal of giving consumers adequate time to prepare," he said.
The federal agency announced that stations would have to notify the FCC by Monday if they want to turn off their analog broadcast signals on the original date of Feb. 17.
Stations had prepared themselves for that date and face increased costs -- including thousands of dollars a month in electricity bills -- for continuing to transmit their analog signal along with the new digital one most already have been airing for months. So there are strong reasons ...
Fresh off Wednesday's action by Congress to delay the switch to digital TV until June 12, a top Federal Communications Commission official will be in Los Angeles next week for three town hall meetings on the now even-more-complicated transition.
FCC commissioners have spent the past several months traveling around the country to large cities and markets where at least 15% of the households rely on antennas to watch TV. Commissioner Jonathan S. Adelstein drew Los Angeles.
He will be answering questions Monday in three locations: at the West Covina Senior Center from 10 to 11:30 a.m.; the Mt. Moriah Baptist Church from 12:30 to 2 p.m.; and Cal State L.A. from 6 to 8 p.m. More details are available here (PDF).
President Obama is expected to sign the legislation delaying the transition, currently planned for Feb. 17, by nearly four months. Adelstein, a Democrat, has been critical of how the Bush administration handled the transition. He applauded the planned delay for giving the FCC and others more time to help viewers prepare.
-- Jim Puzzanghera
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