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Popularizing OTA DTV In Canada

248K views 860 replies 222 participants last post by  rob50312 
#1 ·
Went to my local Future Shop store to ogle the big-screen TVs....(that LG 60 inch plasma looks pretty nice) and what did I see below the HD gear? This sign, which I consider misleading to say the least:

"Three things you need to receive HDTV:

1) HDTV ( I assume they mean the monitor)

2) HD Satellite or Cable box

3) HD Programming"




Not a word about the *FREE* OTA digital content available to anyone with an ATSC tuner and a decent antenna....(none of which they seem to carry, of course....)

;)

It makes me wonder how much of a kickback FS/BB is receiving from Shaw/Rogers/ExpressVu and Starchoice.....????

:mad:

Just my $0.02.....
 
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#52 ·
Back to the original topic

We seem to be revisiting familiar topics that are seen in the following threads linked below. We'll keep this thread focused on the specific topic of popularizing OTA in Canada, where about %70 of the population now have access to OTA DTV in some quantity (Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver areas).

cheers, :)
stampeder


Pros and Cons of Going OTA:

http://www.digitalhomecanada.com/forum/showthread.php?t=32200


Why does analog OTA even exist?

http://www.digitalhomecanada.com/forum/showthread.php?t=26595


Understanding OTA DTV Broadcasting Technology in Canada:

http://www.digitalhomecanada.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25774


Industry Canada/CRTC/FCC's OTA Policy Decisions:

http://www.digitalhomecanada.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25867


CRTC & FCC OTA News Thread
:

http://www.digitalhomecanada.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25163
 
#53 ·
to the masses

You know what would really popularize DT? Sending polite letters to various big box stores HQ, maybe to the store manager's emails if you have it, simply saying that you're a long time customer of (store ____) and are dissapointed that they don't have Digital set-top boxes available. Think ahead of their possible objections (like ATI's reason for not selling the HDTV wonder in Canada), by pointing out the fact that there are local stations broadcasting digitally, that you spent the big bucks for a HDTV (sans ATSC decoder) and want to make use of the Digital OTA signals that are available.

Honestly Canada, we're never going to popularize OTA DT, if people don't see the STBs in the stores they shop at. If it's not an option when they're buying their HDTV, how are people going to know that "antennas for the 21st century" don't suck. It's a stigma that we need to shake loose, if we're to ever have OTA popular. It's a catch 22, broadcasters don't want to front the money for new equipment because there are few digital viewers (little advertising $). Potential digital viewers don't know of OTA HD because STBs are not available in stores. STBs are not available in stores because there aren't many stations. And that's the way it's going to stay if we don't start asking somebody.
 
#54 ·
I have one word why OTA is not being pushed in Canada.

$$$$ Money.

All the big box stores and retailers make a commission be selling you a HD subscription/service via cable or satellite.

The crtc gets lobbied by the cable and satellite companies.

Its a pitty that the crtc does not promote ota for the larger cities in Canada. Why not let the public know that HD is available as three sources, OTA, cable, and satellite.

Its a shame that Canada has no mandate for a deadline for analog ota.
 
#55 ·
I've got an idea

Going back to where z0z0 said:

z0z0 said:
I just saw a commercial by CTV which talks about the benefits of HDTV and how CTV has more HDTV programming in prime time than any other Canadian station.
And adding that with the current topic of getting the word out there about OTA HD... You know how CTV has station plugs with total strangers saying "Vancouver's watching CTV channel 9"? I wonder if they'll let me do an ad for them saying "Vancouver's watching CTV digital 32.1"

The ironic thing is that because their ERP is so low, saying "Vancouver's not watching CTV digital 32.1" might be more appropriate. :D
 
#56 ·
From reading this forum I understand that CBC, CTV & Global haven't even bothered to apply for HD OTA licences in many markets such as Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg & Halifax. Shouldn't they be required to provide OTA in all the major markets (there aren't that many)? This could be made a condition to renew their current licences. Then there are the border areas such as Vancouver where apparently most or all the high power frequencies are taken by U.S. broadcasters. How did that happen? The whole situation is appalling. Are the CRTC, Industry Canada and the federal cabinet completely disinterested in promoting OTA HD, thereby forcing consumers to subscribe to costly HD packages?
 
#57 ·
hdgeo, I think you are correct that it boils down to political will. I do not blame the Industry Canada people, who were not given any sort of clear mandate or encouragement to foster a "can do" attitude in our country towards OTA DTV success.

The CBC has a plan in place for a cutover in most major cities, but progress is slow. The CRTC apparently allows CTV and Global to operate what seem like tiny or fictional DTV stations in order that those networks can simsub on HD channels.
 
#59 ·
CTV Sun Runner

I ran the Vancouver Sun Run today, and on my way, I came across someone working at CTV. So as I passed him, I said "Digital 32.1!" He knew what I was talking about, 'cause he smiled in acknowledgment. Maybe he'll tell some people at work, "hey some guy doing the sun run told me he gets us on digital, maybe there's a market to be had afterall". Wishful thinking, I know :)
 
#60 ·
Wayne said:
OTA is great if you can get it, but for OTA to be feasible for most people they would want US + Canadian networks and there are very few Canadians who can get that - probably just those of us in the GTA/ Golden Horseshoe. The folks in Windsor get all of the US stations but are lacking for Canadian stations.
Dont worry - you are not missing much by not getting Canadian stations - ha ha ha. If you get ABC, CBS + NBC the you get most of the good programming. How many stations do you folks get from Detroit and the other US cities?
 
#62 ·
If you really want people to switch to over the air digital you have to take the right approach. Tell them you’re supposed to pay for it, but your buddy can get them a receiver that will allow them to watch HDTV for FREE! :p

(Sorry, I couldn’t resist.)
 
#63 · (Edited)
Marc said:
If you really want people to switch to over the air digital you have to take the right approach. Tell them you’re supposed to pay for it, but your buddy can get them a receiver that will allow them to watch HDTV for FREE!
Marc - that is way too funny because it is way too true. What better way to get adoption than to get the guys thinking they are stealing something.

Tech Update - there is a special decoder chip in the new generation pre-amps. Hook up the little black box to your antenna and get the digital encrypted signals!

Rumour - The CRTC is trying to protect the Canadian broadcast industry. CRTC is trying to to block American TV signals that are illegally entering Canadian airspace. Researchers are working on a special EM jamming shield. The Americans are purposefully pumping out 1,000 kW of power while Canadian broadcasters only pump out up to 30 kW - which is enough for local broadcasts. This is a clear sign of the cultural invasion that the CRTC wants to protect us from.
 
#64 ·
A little reverse psychology, right? :D

Truth be told, I've actually had OTA equated with the shadier side of FTA for so long now (by those who know nothing about OTA) that I hope everyone keeps treating any talk of illicit stuff as humour only.

There, mandatory caveat and disclaimer finished. ;)
 
#65 ·
sareeve's "I'm all out of ideas" post

sareeve has posted a very interesting analysis of consumer, CRTC, and broadcaster trends regarding popularizing OTA, and I've relocated it to the Pros & Cons of OTA thread because it deals with many of the ideas and issues voiced there in the past:

http://www.digitalhomecanada.com/forum/showthread.php?t=32200

As often happens, thread topics can intertwine and overlap, so this is an effort to provide the best Knowledge Base for future reading. We'll keep this thread focused on the specific topic of how to popularize OTA in Canada.
 
#67 ·
stampeder said:
A little reverse psychology, right? :D Truth be told, I've actually had OTA equated with the shadier side of FTA for so long now (by those who know nothing about OTA) that I hope everyone keeps treating any talk of illicit stuff as humour only. There, mandatory caveat and disclaimer finished. ;)
how about this for reverse psychology - The Major Brooadcasters are using digital OTA to broadcast to the cable companies. OTA thereby intercepts transmissions meant for the cable company. Because ABC, NBC etc send an unemcrypted and uncompressed signal it is better than what the cable companies put down the pipe.

... the cool thing is that this is half true!
 
#68 ·
z0z0 said:
I told the guy that runs the "I Hate Rogers" website...
That's a controversial site for Rogers employees and customers, many of whom are DHCers. :eek:

Let's try to stay with the mainstream web sites and journalists in order to keep our message as clear as possible. ;) My philosophy is that we have something wonderful and great, so lets tell people about it.
 
#69 ·
Demand an OTA-DT Demo Before Buying an HDTV

I was reading/responding in this thread:

http://www.digitalhomecanada.com/forum/showthread.php?t=40910

about a fellow whose visual enjoyment of HDTV technology is unsatisfactory.

It struck me that a person who is considering buying an expensive HDTV might want to push the sales people to show them a clean and proper OTA-DT signal on it (where available, of course) so that the best performance can be seen. If they won't do it... no deal.
 
#70 ·
stampeder said:
It struck me that a person who is considering buying an expensive HDTV might want to push the sales people to show them a clean and proper OTA-DT signal on it (where available, of course) so that the best performance can be seen. If they won't do it... no deal.
Even IF they did that for their customers (fat chance), they'd start with the most expensive HDTVs so that it widens the quality gap between them and cheaper HDTVs being fed picturesqe 1080i content via component split 7ways from sunday.

Anyways, it's a fat chance, 'cause unless BB & FS start offering commission to their sales staff for selling antennas and / or get the word of OTA to their customers, they're not gonna want to sell OTA, when they can get $10 or so per HD sat or HD cable box.
 
#71 ·
Most people know you can get TV signals OTA using rabbit ears or a more elaborate antenna, but it is of the analog kind. I’ll be watching a show in HD via OTA and visitors are totally amazed that such a system even exists. I have to do a little FAQ session every time, and I’m sure I’m not alone here. We do our own thing about popularizing OTA-HD. But just look around the neighbourhood and count how many analog antennas now exist. By far, most of my neighbourhood is Cogeco cable and with new cabling run under the sidewalks about 8-10 years ago, a homeowner can get everything for a minimum of fuss.

stampeder said:
[*]Mandatory Cutover Date: Rather than try to convert the populace with information campaigns, get the CRTC cracking on a firm, mandatory DTV cutover date and all the rest of your concerns will fall right into place. G
How many Americans know there is an analog cutoff date in the States? It will be very interesting to see how this scenario plays out. What will happen when the little guy catches on that his TV rabbit ears won’t work anymore. An awareness campaign will have to kick in long before that happens. Canada must follow the same route. Getting everyone into digital is only the first step. Educating people of the added benefits, such as HD will be the only way OTA-HD would be popularized.
 
#72 ·
What is OTA Digital Television?

What is OTA Digital Television?
http://www.digitalhomecanada.com/hdtv/idx/0/404/article/What_is_OTA_Digital_Television.html

When I googled (google.ca) “OTA Digital Televison”, DHC came up first and second. The linked page to the HDTV Knowledgebase would be my first opportunity to read a primer on such a subject.

So, how do I ask this question without being misunderstood?
What would be your first impression if you googled this article? Would it inspire you to dig deeper into the links provided to find the wonderfully produced FAQ section and all the informative additions by Stampeder and members.

“For an extensive OTA FAQ, complete with links and lots of excellent links, please read this thread in the Digital Forums. The Over-The-Air (OTA) Digital Television forum where you can ask questions and get answers about viewing digital television signals broadcast OTA.”

Yes, this page is just a Knowledge BASE and, no doubt intended to simply direct people. Try link this page from the DHC front page and see how buried it is in the Knowledge Base itself. I’m no expert in web page setup and DHC is my favourite forum, so Hugh, this is not intended to be negative about all your hard work.

I just wanted to show that OTA is a buried subject and most people are not inspired enough to even care it exists. Besides DHC, there are some other useful primers, http://www.hdtvprimer.com/ is one very useful one, but again, how well do they portray OTA vs HDTV?

I guess digital OTA is not going to play a big part in most people’s lives. I, for my part, am thankful I have the opportunity and resources to enjoy it. Even more, I’m glad for the insight that DHC has provided me, and look forward to many more visits, if Hugh will allow!
 
#73 ·
jbracing24 said:
When I googled (google.ca) “OTA Digital Televison”, DHC came up first and second. The linked page to the HDTV Knowledgebase would be my first opportunity to read a primer on such a subject.
In defence of Hugh and in order to set the record straight, here's why the DHC HDTV Knowledge Base article on OTA Digital Televison is the way it is:

Quite a long time ago Hugh asked me if I would write articles/reviews for the main DHC site, including an “OTA Digital Televison in Canada” primer, and I replied that I would be glad to do that. I have been struggling with medical troubles for a few years and I haven't gotten the energy together to assemble such a document.

Mea culpa.

I wish I could say that my dog ate my homework or that my word processor had eaten it, but the problem exists between my monitor and my seat-back :D so I'll keep slogging away at it. Progress is steady. Hugh even offered to crib the existing OTA Forum Knowlege Base/FAQ into a useable format and I again asked him to hold off.

Thanks for the friendly feedback, which I take in good humour, and you can now consider a fire lit under me. :)
 
#74 ·
stampeder said:
IHugh even offered to crib the existing OTA Forum Knowlege Base/FAQ into a useable format and I again asked him to hold off.
Thanks for the friendly feedback
Actually, Stampeder, that might not be a bad idea for the moment. I read some criticism about the DHC OTA knowledge base in another forum and thus took a critical eye myself. I tried to pick the right opportunity AND CHOOSE MY WORDS.
What you have in the FAQ base is great and some of the OTA results make worthwhile reading.
I tried to put myself in a beginners shoes and would have some trouble navigating to the right pages. I want OTA-HD on the map too, and DHC should be the jumping off point. We just need to get it up front and center.
Such detailed information like the following link are what people are looking for, for their particular location: http://www.remotecentral.com/hdtv/index.html
Hey, at least I was still able to log in!!
 
#75 ·
#76 ·
here's what I'll be writing Canadian HQ for Bestbuy/Futureshop, and a varient of this to each store manager that I'm able.
To Whom It May Concern:

My name is Blake Williams and I live in Vancouver, BC. I’m writing this email because I’m concerned about the future of digital over-the-air television (OTA) in Canada. Canada as a nation is at least 2-3 years behind our neighbour to the south, the United States. All of their major networks are embracing the digital age by transitioning to a digital terrestrial broadcast format called ATSC using 8VSB as carrier modulation. Americans know that DTV is the future, and that one day (Feb 17, 2009) their analog OTA equipment won’t work at all. Canada has yet to set an analog OTA cutoff date, but has already started to issue digital transition licenses to various stations across our country. In fact, Vancouver already has two stations broadcasting digitally, and two more on the way. You may think that retail stores don’t have a role in digital OTA, but they do.

Broadcasters/stations are hesitant towards investing in the new equipment needed to capture, edit, distribute and broadcast a HD signal. They site that while they know the future is digital, they just don’t see the demand for it yet, as not many people have ATSC tuners (either built-in to their HDTV or as a set-top box [STB]), nor to many people (in the cities) receive TV via antenna anymore. After all, they need people to advertise to.

Retail companies don’t know of DT station progress, and as a whole, aren’t informed about digital OTA; from store manager, right on down to the lowly sales associate in the home theatre department. Staff aren’t aware of DTV, aren’t educated about it and how it can be used to sell HDTVs with built-in ATSC tuners, and don’t have the product (STBs for HDTV w/o ATSC tuners) or OTA demos to support the benefits they claim to your customers about the products you currently sell. Because of this, the consumer is left in the dark, and isn’t getting full value for the product they purchased from you.

Consumers are jumping on the HDTV bandwagon faster than ever (you’ve got the sales facts to back that up). But without knowing about digital OTA, they look at what they think are their only options for HD programming, and end up paying either a cable or satellite company for the privilege of being able to receive some HD content. The sad thing is, even someone who is sold a HDTV w/built-in ATSC tuner, who might have just been interested in HD channels, won't find out about digital OTA unless they're told about it. If they hear about using an antenna they immediately remember the OTA of late, being full of static and not as clear as a subscription method. Not exactly what you want to see on your brand new HDTV. What do they do? They buy an expensive HD box (be it cable or satellite) and never consider OTA from that point on (and even if they find out later, they’ve invested so much money into their HD box, there’s no point in going back). Thereby confirming the station’s concern, and Canada remains stuck in a land of mostly standard definition content, albeit on widescreen HDTVs.

You might be thinking, well if Canadians are going HD via subscriber boxes, isn’t that their choice? Yes and no. It’s only their choice if you also offer DTV as a 3rd and free choice to receive HD signals, otherwise it’s your choice to keep them from the whole truth. I know you profit quite a bit from the sale of HD boxes, but don’t think that digital STBs aren't profitable, they’re comparable with HD boxes in cost. By not selling digital STB’s in your stores you run the risk of slowing down the development of HD in Canada. As partially explained above, stations don’t see the need to go HD unless they have HD viewers. Although the OTA viewership is small (in comparison to cable and satellite), it is the determining factor in HD proliferation. Thanks to the CRTC, non-speciality hd channels must be broadcasting digitally OTA before they’re allowed to pass that HD signal onto cable and satellite companies for their HD lineup. By slowing down this symbient cycle of station/retailer/customer, you are in fact slowing down the delivery of HD to your customers receiving HD via subscription as well.

While Canada now does have some on-air digital stations, we should have available to us, the same equipment that’s available to Americans (held back from the Canadian market due to the lack of DT stations in Canada). I believe Bestbuy and Futureshop’s sales staff (of which I used to be a member of) should properly inform the masses about digital OTA. I say properly because, to this day, your sales staff either refuse to suggest digital OTA as an option for HD programming, but fail to mention that it’s free (certainly the biggest benefit of OTA). Instead they offer expensive HD digital cable terminals, or expensive HD satellite systems. While both subscription methods have more HD channels to choose from, their HD picture quality is inferior to that of DTV. The reason why is simple. OTA allows for a higher bandwidth than cable or satellite providers. This gives OTA the advantage for picture quality as it is not recompressed to fit the bandwidth limitations found on cable and satellite systems. Since the signal is going directly from the broadcast tower to the viewer’s antenna, the viewer receives the cleanest picture possible, straight from the source.

I would like to see
a.) staff informed about OTA (local DT stations, etc.)
b.) staff educating customers about OTA (how to get it, etc.)
c.) STB and other OTA products available in Canadian BB/FS.

For reasons I’ve already explained, it’s up to the retailer to inform the customer about digital OTA and that using an antenna to get TV signals isn’t the “old technology” they think it is. Welcome them into the 21st century when you show them they too could pull in a crystal clear image with digital surround right out of the air, for free. Be the trendsetter for Canada’s electronic retailers. Set up a DTV demo in your stores and blow your customers away with the quality, and they’ll line up to buy it. With quality content, word of mouth will spread news of DTV exponentially (friend have friends over to watch HD sports games [I do]). Only then will the unfavorable perception of antennas be put to rest.

It is with these suggestions, that I believe popular knowledge of digital OTA will increase, and the preconceived notion that the only “good” way to receive TV is through Shaw, Star Choice, and Bell Express Vu, will be exposed for the myth that it is, by including a free option into the fold… DTV.
Damn near brings a tear to my eye. Okay so they might not know about Global pulling the wool over the CRTC's eyes, but sometimes you gotta grease the wheel that runs TV in Canada, even if you'd rather spit on it and call it useless.
 
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