Will the public demand more or less HDTV? How important will 3D-TV be? Will broadcasting be superseded by Broadband? Understanding the trajectory of public needs is important for all who work in the media or regulate it. More light was cast on this at the recent Astra Industry Days, in March 2010, reports David Wood Deputy Director, EBU TECHNICAL. The results of a study commissioned by Astra in different countries across Europe were outlined.
Public interest must be served
3D-TV doesn't yet appear in the public's horizon (but, hey, it is early for that), but a consistent pattern does emerge. European consumers want HDTV (in quantity and quality), they want to be able to watch one channel while they record another, and they want to be able to watch a different channel in another room in the house. It seems the old days of 'family viewing together' are passing? Astra estimates that to provide what the European public wants by broadband will need reliable and continuous broadband connections into every home of at least 16 Mbit/s.
Will the industry deliver the appropriate media to viewers' satisfaction?
The challenge to Europe’s politicians and industry is to make this possible. It is fashionable both in Europe and North America to see a future world of 'wireless broadband'. Engineers would say that, however, much we wish it were otherwise, 'wireless broadband', rather than the alternatives 'HFC' or 'Fibre' broadband, will be unable to deliver these kinds of bit rates individually to all European homes. Is a major miscalculation being made by those planning wireless broadband? You must be the judge.