[Tig] tig:CSI Latest UK Series !Quality!

[Ted Langdell]

On Apr 10, 2008, at 7:22 AM, Bob Kertesz wrote:

>
>> It seems that quite often video quality is intentionally degraded
>> (e.g. for major feature films) but there is not much reason to  
>> degrade
>> CSI except to free up some some bandwidth for yet another Pay Per  
>> View
>> (PPV) channel.
>
> I don't think that's where the bandwidth is going. PPV requires a  
> lot of work
> at the head end, keeping secure track of tapes, billing, watching  
> purchases to
> see when a feature is no longer drawing sufficient interest to be  
> kept in
> rotation, etc., whereas adding another shopping channel or another  
> Fox channel
> (how many damn Fox-owned channels are there, anyway? Seems like  
> DOZENS) paying
> for carriage is sooooooo much simpler.
>
> The other thing to keep in mind is that satellite services, in  
> general, have a
> menu of bandwidth options the originator can choose from, so if  
> they want
> nicer images, they have to pay more money each month. Guess how  
> that plays
> out.
>
> We'll be back to '60's standards of excellence in no time at all.
>
> --Bob
>
> Bob Kertesz


It's a case of quantity, not quality.

I wonder when there'll be a shakeout in the number of channels  
programmed?

How long can even big companies keep throwing up (perhaps a bad  
choice of phrasing) channel after channel that few people watch or  
pay for.

If FCC Chairman Kevin Martin is successful at forcing cable companies  
to offer their channels "ala cart," the shakeout could happen in a  
big way.

Whether that would free up bandwidth and improve picture quality...

There ARE FCC rules covering analog signals on cable systems.  
Unfortunately, there's not much like them regarding digital.  More  
fallout from the "let the marketplace rule" concept.  Unfortunately,  
many customers don't know great from good from crap, and they keep  
paying for whatever comes down the wire without complaint.

We can grump about this, or reflect about how nice things look in the  
suite or studio even off older Quad tapes and decades old film at  
lunch on Tuesday at NAB.

Hope to see folks there.  Seating area of the Lower South Hall food  
court.  12:30p-1:30 or as long as people want to stay.

Ted.

Ted Langdell
Ted Langdell Creative Broadcast Services
Marysville, CA
Main:   (530) 741-1212

tedlangdell.com. Storytelling through Broadcast Coverage and Creative  
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