Tuesday, February 27, 2007

IZZI gets the jump on HDTV

IZZI, the multi-services provider (internet, cable TV, wireless internet and mobile) has indicated it will make an announcement about High Definition TV (HDTV) on March 1. This means that the (not by so much) underdog has gotten the jump on market leader Baltcom TV and Lattelecom, which has yet to launch its IPTV for ordinary TV receivers service.
Two questions come to mind. First, what technology will be used to deliver the HDTV signal and in what parts of the IZZI network. Second, what HDTV channels will be available? I may be wrong here, but there aren't too many HDTV channels in Europe. There is one that is more or less a demo channel showing fluffy animals (count the hairs on their fur) and tropical fish (check out the facets of their scales).
To deliver HDTV apparently requires quite a few megabits, possibly the maximum that IZZI can deliver over cable. Here, Baltcom with its optical network in parts of Riga is perhaps better positioned. We shall see what IZZI has to say on March 1 and wait for Baltcom's countermove. Maybe that will be to do nothing until there is substantially more than fuzzybears and fish to show. That would be a step away from quantity (100 + digital channels) in favor of packaged quality (an HDTV offering with a few good channels, not the Poodle Channel and 99 others).
Anyway, IPTV (HD or otherwise) is hot, witness the bidding war for Tandberg Television between Ericsson and Arris Group of the US.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Nu Baltkoms jau IPTV neizmanto :-} vini (taapat kaa Izzi) izmanto DVB apraidi tikai pa kabeli. Lai saaktu raidiit HD vajag tikai kaadas 5 minuutes lai paarkonfigureetu multipleksorus, - jaaizdala no ienaakoshaas pavadonju DVB pluusmas kaads HD signaals un jaaiemultipeksee vinsh kabelju DVB signaalaa. Cits jautaajums protams ir par uztvereejiem (pagaidaam jau tiek daliiti tikai taadi, kas SD signaalus var apstraadaat), bet ja gribaas kaadu PR akciju, tad tas ir izdaraams dazu minuushu laikaa :-}

Unknown said...

Un ja runaa par kapacitaati, tad arii 100 HD kanaalus var raidiit kabelii bez kaadaam probleemaam - vietas pietiek un veel paari paliek ...

Anonymous said...

Prieksh HD tachu vajag atbilstoshu tuuneri! Kautkas pagaidaam neliimeejas kopaa. Jaagaida riits.

Anonymous said...

for anyone prepared to spend this much money on audio / visual equipment i highly recommend upgrading your kvm cables and switches in order to get the most out of your purchase!