[mythtv-users] The end of analog - Digital Converter Vaporware?

Tom Poe tompoe at fngi.net
Thu Jan 24 21:00:37 UTC 2008


Brian Wood wrote:
> Chris Pinkham wrote:
>   
>> * On Thu Jan 24, 2008 at 12:15:30PM -0700, Brian Wood wrote:
>>     
>>> Chris Pinkham wrote:
>>>       
>>>> I like to think of it as the government giving back some of the money
>>>> they're making off the auction of the soon to be unused frequency range.
>>>>         
>>  
>>     
>>> The purpose of all this was not to make money for the government. It was 
>>> to "enhance public safety". My government told me that.
>>>       
>> You have to think like a politician.  They are enhancing public safety by
>> auctioning off the airwaves to the highest bidder(s?).  If they let just
>> anyone use them for whatever they wanted then think of all the people
>> whose feelings would be hurt by all the free speech going out over them.
>>
>> Think "Pump Up The Volume" except with video since there are millions and
>> millions of analog TVs out there that would be waiting to receive some
>> kind of signal. :)
>>     
>
> So, the government makes out, the manufacturers make out, the retailers 
> make out, seems everybody makes out.
>
> Oh yeah, except the consumers, who get screwed, again.
>
> beww
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>   
 From where I sit, we are but a heartbeat away from some truly 
disruptive technology-related breakthrough.  Communities in rural areas 
could combine reasonable wholesale pricing for access with Meraki 
wireless mesh networks and enjoy 1Mbps to 54Mbps speeds.  The units cost 
$50 per house, and shared internet costs would drop to something less 
than $10 per month per house.  Add WiMax to reach the next community, 
and the cost is still going to be something less than $15 per month per 
house.  The telcos/cablecos would be reduced to competing for wholesale 
pricing contracts with communities (increased purchasing power).

The only thing keeping this national wireless infrastructure from being 
implemented, today, is a lot of misinformation, and legal threats from 
the encumbents. 

In my small town, I proposed this affordable "last mile solution", but 
it was rejected outright with threats from Qwest to the city leaders if 
they let a community based project go forward, and a letter from Iowa's 
governor cautioning me to make sure I didn't do anything illegal.  So, 
looks like it's viable option, and the big boys have already decided it 
benefits the public, but not the private pockets of the power brokers, 
government officials, and thugs.

I think it wouldn't take a lot of imagination to see how mythtv would 
suddenly have every broadcast channel in the country available to every 
user on such a nationwide wireless mesh network controlled by the 
people, instead of the telcos/cablecos.
Tom


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