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TELE-satellite International — The World‘s Largest Digital TV Trade Magazine
—
06-07-08/2012
— www.TELE-satellite.com
“Are there satellite receiv-
ers with digital video out-
puts?” This question was
recently asked by a TELE-
satellite reader. He actu-
ally has a point with this
question. Several receivers
already come with a digi-
tal audio output (AC3), but
what about a digital video
output? We still connect
our TV’s, VCR’s and Dolby
Surround systems with
analog signals. Because of
this we are still in the digital
Middle Ages.
We are already using a
digital receiver to receive
TV and radio programs in
MPEG2 standard. Providers
are boasting of their digital
quality, the LNB is “digital”
compatible; even the TV is
“fully digitalized”. But the
small connection between
the receiver and the TV is a
simple copper wire, some-
thing that was available
even to my grandmother’s
grandfather. What kind of
times are we living in? I
think it is high time that this
last piece of analog technol-
ogy is finally retired.
OK, if you really want
totally digital TV, you can
get it. The higher-priced
cards for PC’s already come
with a digital output so
that programs can also be
stored on your PC and then
digitally played back via the
monitor. But there isn’t a
normal standalone receiver
in sight with a digital video
output.
When you think about
it, what good is a digital
video output when a TV
with a digital input doesn’t
exist? But there is actually
something already happen-
ing on this front: terrestrial
TV in digital format, that is
DVB-T, is slowly becoming
a reality. This will naturally
lead to a change in the type
of connections found on a
TV. And when everything is
digitally connected, it would
no longer make any sense
to convert these signals
from digital to analog.
On the other hand, could
there a reason not to have
a digital video output on a
satellite receiver? Are the
owners of the rights to pro-
grams afraid that everyone
would then be able to record
them in original quality and
then become providers
themselves? It’s a fear that,
especially with PayTV, is not
exactly out of the question.
One person pays for the
program and then copies it
in original quality for all of
his friends. Something like
this has already happened
with digital audio.
Nevertheless, I am con-
vinced that the day will come
when satellite receivers
will include a digital video
output. And then eventu-
ally manufacturers will want
to save the expense of a
digital-to-analog converter.
It is just a question of time.
But I am patient.
Alexander Wiese
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