Digital Technology for Digital Living.
May 29, 2005
Full Digital TV Delayed.
Gee our Government just doesn’t get technology, does it.
Communications Minister Helen Coonan has flagged that the full introduction of digital TV may be delayed until the mid-2010s.
She said the 2008 deadline was unrealistic after figures showed only 500,000 out of 8 million Australian families had so far bought digital televisions or set-tops.
Might that be because Aussies see no compelling reason to buy the technology. Let’s face it. Slightly better picture quality, sound and a widescreen image aren’t anything the general public finds beneficial. If the Government would lift the ridiculous boundaries, such as limited multicasting, then we might see some real interesting innovation with the medium. Different camera angles at sporting events as one example.
Right now the major networks aren’t going to bust their butt to develop new uses. They don’t have that much competition after all.
Article at News.com.au.
Gadgets boy | Comments (2) | Digital TVgadgets,gadget,gadgets shop, latest gadgets, new gadgets
Your remark that starts this article says it all. It seems your magazine wants everyone to have the latest gadgets regardless of the cost.
At the moment it costs maybe $400 for a good analogue television. To buy a digital TV costs $2000 (lowest price). Why drive consumerism to the point where everyone has to spend that kind of money for a TV they probably don’t need?
If digital television is the way to go in Australia (and I can’t argue that it’s not) then let the manufacurers bring the prices down to a level where more people can afford them. Maybe that’s one of the reasons that the government is reluctant to mandate digital TV. This is supposed to be the medium of the people, not the medium of the few who can afford it.
Hi Ralph
Not sure if you’re agreeing or disagreeing with me there.
I certainly don’t want people paying an arm and a leg for gadgets. In fact that’s counter intuitive to my goal. The more gadgets cost, the less people will buy, and the less innovation will occur. So I’d love to see the price come down. Especially for Digital TV hardware.
If the cost of digital TVs come down, you still won’t see people buying them. Why would they. What’s the advantage? As has been proved many time over, it’s the content that drives adoption, and hence my suggestion that regulation is put in place to encourage the networks to deliver more. The Government just doesn’t seem to understand this.
Your suggestion that people buy the hardware to drive innovation puts the cost of innovation squarely in the lap of the consumer. I’m suggesting make the networks develop content that makes the consumer want to buy the hardware.
By the way. If you buy an analogue TV you can by a set top box for a couple of hundred dollars. That’s cheaper than your $2000 lowest price comment.
Rich