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TELE
satellite
TELE-satellite
International
The World’s Largest
Digital TV Trade Magazine
since 1981
Alexander Wiese
Publisher
alex@TELE-satellite.com
HQ in Munich, Germany
Address
TELE-satellite International, PO Box 1234, 85766 Munich-Ufg, GERMANY/EUROPE
Editor-in-Chief
Alexander Wiese, alex@TELE-satellite.com
Published by
TELE-satellite Medien GmbH, Aschheimer Weg 19, 85774 Unterfoehring, GERMANY/EUROPE
Design
Németi Barna Attila
Advertising
Hard Copy Subscription
Copyright
© 2012 by TELE-satellite
ISSN
1435-7003
TELE-satellite was established in 1981 and today is the oldest, largest and most-read digital tv trade
magazine in the world. TELE-satellite is seen by more than 350,000 digital tv professionals around the
world and is available both in printed form and online.
Dear Readers,
In addition to the newest top receivers and future-oriented
headends, we are also introducing to you in this issue of TELE-
satellite something that at first glance doesn’t seem all too
impressive: a display (a small monitor) that can be connected
to a receiver. The display can be configured in such a way that
it shows the logo of the currently received TV channel. Now you
could argue that there isn’t much that could be less exciting;
most channels already blend in their channel logo into the
video, in fact, most every receiver shows the channel name
on its display. So, what purpose does it serve to prominently
display the logo yet again?
If you’re asking this question, you’re overlooking one aspect
in today’s digital receivers that is being provided less and less:
that control center feeling. The integrated display is in most
receivers simply an alphanumeric display that in almost every
case only has a limited number of character places such that
most channel names can’t be fully displayed. The channel name
is either cut off or the display scrolls through the channel name.
With some channels this is not the case; a channel such as
The Entertainment Channel “E!” fits in every receiver display.
But I have yet to come across a display that can completely fit
channel names like “The History Channel”.
The argument is this: the display on a receiver really only serves
as an emergency function that lets you set up a receiver even
without a monitor. The on-screen menu provides everything
your heart desires and in most cases shows the channel name
in its entirety. So why should manufacturers include a large
display in their receivers?
But there is another motive to think about here regarding the
subject of receiver displays. On the one hand the user only
sees the wonderful on-screen receiver menu during installation
and then again in an abbreviated form (channel display when
switching between channels) for one or two seconds. Hmm,
what’s the use of a menu that will hardly be used by the user
in everyday use?
My take on this is that the whole approach is wrong. A receiver
menu that is only visible during the installation doesn’t have
to be visually appealing; it just needs to be functional. It’s not
a critical component of daily use. And if it isn’t important for
the user, then the value of the receiver is also reduced. The
receiver simply becomes a part of everyday life. It’s not all too
exciting to switch channels with the remote control.
A large display that can permanently show the more relevant
data, such as, channel logo, abbreviated EPG and the time, turns
the receiver into a real control center. Can you imagine how
much more fun it would be to enjoy an evening of TV with one
of these “pimped up” receivers? Pushing a button on the remote
control now takes on a completely new meaning now that you
can do more with it instead of just switching the channels on the
monitor. Now the information on the display changes along with
the actual channel – the effect of the remote control is much
more exciting.
Every manufacturer is amazed with a company like Apple that
can take products and turn them into something special. It’s
actually something that any manufacturer could do. Even digital
TV receivers can be made into something special if they are
turned into a true TV channel control center. I’m waiting for
the day when receivers will come with a lavish display rather
than an alphanumeric display (a technology that stems from
the earlier days of electronics from the last century). I want
to see receivers that give the user the feeling of being actively
involved in the programming control center of their living room.
Then, instead of typical everyday receivers, you’ll have an
exciting and emotional TV device that meaningfully speaks to
the user – and this is exactly what makes a manufacturer like
Apple so successful.
Alexander Wiese
Editor-in-Chief TELE-satellite International