Not a great channel list, but they are going to expand.
Wikipedia:
Quote:
USDTV filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in a Delaware court in July 2006, having about 14 million dollars in debt. Those owed money include the host TV stations it is leasing bandwidth from, as well as the networks which it carries. While chapter 7 provides for liquidation of assets, the judge in the case expects to secure funding to keep it running until it can be sold to an investor.
In my bedroom, I have a sd atsc reciver. The only extra channels are 2 local weather channels, 2 pbs channels, 1 music channel, and 1 public acsess channel. The us needs freeview.I've heard rumors of a abc 2 and abc news now coming to terrrestrial.
In my bedroom, I have a sd atsc reciver. The only extra channels are 2 local weather channels, 2 pbs channels, 1 music channel, and 1 public acsess channel. The us needs freeview.I've heard rumors of a abc 2 and abc news now coming to terrrestrial.
The problem is that ATSC is mainly aimed at delivering HDTV services - so ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX and PBS stations are using most of their ATSC channel space to carry an HD signal (which takes 4-6 times the bandwith of an SD service) leaving only space for around 2 SD services at low quality, and even then adding these SD services reduces the HD quality.
Given that ATSC was introduced to push HD OTA - only stations that don't have an HD network feed - I guess the PAX type stations that have a digital allocation but not an HD service to broadcast - could multicast 5 or 6 SD services in their digital channel.
ABC ran an experimental SD multicast news service (News Now I think) during the last US Presidential election - which whilst a popular information source was unpopular with HD viewers as it "stole" bit rate from the HD broadcasts, reducing the quality of the ABC HD signal.
There is also another fundamental problem. Freeview works in the UK because the 6 frequencies allocated to digital TV in each area are all run by a small number of almost entirely network based broadcasters.
The BBC have two frequencies in most areas - and they have control over the content of these nationwide. We have no affiliate based structure as in the US.
In the US there is a much more affiliate based system - so apart from the network stations that are O&O (Owned and Operated by the Network), the networks have no control over how the digital signal for each of their affiliates is used. (Whether SD or HD services are broadcast etc.)
Fox is the exception to this with their HD service - as they provide a pre-encoded network broadcast stream, and also provide equipment to stations to allow for HD broadcast, in return for a guaranteed level of access to around 75% of the stations digital TV bandwith.