Audio Video News

Long noted for its non-participation in the rollout of digital television, the cable industry is now making conciliatory noises about supporting the new format. But even with its support, the changeover from analog is going to take a long time, according to recent statements from Robert Sachs, president of the National Cable Television Association (NCTA).

"HDTV is key not only to the broadcasters' digital TV transition, but to cable's future growth," Sachs stated at an Advanced Television Standards Committee (ATSC) gathering held in late May in Washington. He said that cable providers have expanded their bandwidth by as much as 200MHz and are exploring how to make their offerings more compelling. Among new features are digital programming, video-on-demand, Internet access, and several types of interactive services.

Boosting features, however, isn't the key to making digital television work for all involved. Sachs said his industry believes that consumers ultimately have control over DTV's destiny—in particular, through their ability to purchase DTV equipment. Sales of digital receivers have to reach a certain critical mass for the format to succeed, his industry believes. Sachs put the number at 16 million new digital TVs. "More than half of the 32 million non-cable TV households in America would have to purchase integrated digital TVs or DTVs with set-top decoders in order to achieve 85% DTV penetration," he asserted.

Reaching that juncture won't be easy, and it won't happen overnight. Sachs mentioned that color television took a decade and a half to reach the same level of market penetration that will enable all players—equipment makers, broadcasters, and distribution systems—to profit. Upgrades made by cable providers to accommodate DTV cost an average of $1000 per subscriber, an investment that must be recouped through the sales of enhanced services in addition to high definition programming.

Sachs said his industry is ready to do its part in the launch of DTV by committing to carry HDTV programming. Beginning January 1, 2003, ten major cable companies will transmit signals from up to five commercial or public TV stations, or cable networks, that provide digital programming during at least 50% of their prime-time schedule. Cable providers will also provide digital set-top converter boxes to customers who request them, and have begun to advertise high definition and standard definition programming.

Members of the NCTA include AT&T Broadband, AOL–Time Warner, Comcast, Charter Communications, Cox Communications, Adelphia Communications, Cablevision Systems, Mediacom Communications, Insight Communications, and CableOne. Together, the companies deliver television signals to approximately two-thirds of American viewers. Broadcasters and equipment makers have long complained that cable's intractability was the major bottleneck in making the DTV transition flow smoothly.