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High Definition Everything Hasn't Hit Home(s) Yet
Interesting piece in the New York Times about high definition whatever not taking hold yet: This was supposed to be the year of digital television, with consumers buying high-definition TV (HDTV) receivers. Oddly, while many sets were sold, the ability to watch actual DTV isn't the leading reason. Before this season about half of the buyers were looking forward to digitally encoded shows; only 25 percent of those shopping now apparently cite that reason. This is in part to how difficult it can be to get HD content from cable. The writer also notes that HD broadcast programming shows up with black borders on his set, for reasons that he can't figure out.
The writer goes on to wonder whether HD Radio can catch because people need to "invest in yet another gadget." But given that there are something like a billion radios in the world, I would cast his as--can people be convinced to trade out their existing radio? Eventually, HD Radio will be built into every radio that automakers put into cars (but every being maybe 2008 or even later), and every amplifier with integrated receiver (with every being probably by 2008).
The article notes that high-def DVDs are in a death spiral of their own making: two incompatible formats "bodes well for about anything but DVD sales."