Would you install an antenna to watch ESPN?

Post by **Shane** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 7:38 am

Many cable-only and satellite-only HDTV networks are owned by large media companies that also operate broadcast TV stations. Would you install an antenna to watch more off-air HDTV if your local network stations multicast additional HD channels that were previously only found on cable and satellite systems, such as ESPN?

(This question is among a batch of questions that were asked at the DisplaySearch HDTV Conference 2005. For more information, you can click the logo below.)

raycar · Post by **raycar** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 3:59 am

I am under the impression that the bit rate (if that's the right terminology) is not fast enough to provide 2 full HD programs in one 6 MHz channel.

akirby · Post by **akirby** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 5:27 am

Currently that's correct - IIRC you need at least 15 mbps for full HD out of a total of 19.2 mbps available. Anything less than 15 and you start to see problems (more so on sports than dramas or movies). So it's not really feasible to piggyback another HD channel on the existing DTV channels.

However - that may be possible with mpeg4 technology. I don't understand all the implications of switching OTA to mpeg4 but if satellite can get more HD channels in the same bandwidth the same should be possible with OTA. Maybe that's the plan.

Richard · Post by **Richard** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 6:42 am

LSI provides professional broadcasters with first High definition encoder supporting Full HD
http://www.hdtvmagazine.com/news/2007/0 ... des_pr.php

Roger Halstead · Post by **Roger Halstead** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 5:27 am

For ESPN, it's highly unlikely. Neither my wife nor I care for Football, basketball, or baseball, but we do watch the bike races on Vs .
OTOH even the stuff we watch, if it was going to be a subscription service the answer would be no as we get everything in one bunch on satellite.

ronnie · Post by **ronnie** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 8:19 am

I already have an OTA antenna and get great reception of broadcast channels and PBS. The only reason I have DirecTV is for the sports, news and movie channels. I also enjoy the recording capabilites with the DirecTV receiver. However, with NetFlix coming onboard with TiVo to a Blue Ray DVD player you can get all the movies you want without the high cost of HBO, Starz and Showtime. And with the TiVo I think you can probably record any thing you receive OTA. (If I am wrong about the recording please let me know.) If you could get some good sports channels like ESPN OTA and record, I would go strictly with the OTA even if I have to pay a small subscription fee for TiVo, NetFlix and the sports channels. It would still be considerably cheaper than the $110 I pay now. I don't know what the TiVo montly cost is now, it use to be about $12 bucks and the NetFlix is about $9 bucks. You purchase the TiVo receiver, but you do the same with the DirecTV receiver. Seems like a no Brainer.

HDTV Forum

Would you install an antenna to watch ESPN?

Would you install an antenna to watch more off-air HDTV if your local network stations multicast additional HD channels that were previously only found on cable and satellite systems, such as ESPN?

Would you install an antenna to watch ESPN?

Two HD programs on one channel?

Would I install an antenna to watch ESPN?