HTNut

divxhacker

I'm scared by the lack of response here... It's a shame, really. However, CECB-style STB's are not profitable now, as the rules are really restrictive there. Recording capability is a top priority over just tuning in. Second, comes HDTV support.

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O-O

True that. I think we'll see more ATSC tuners popping up then anything, but I wouldn't expect a whole lot. Especially now that TVs all have to be built with ATSC tuners instead of the ones from 2002-2008 built as "HD Ready".

It's almost cheaper to go out and buy a new LCD TV, at least a smaller one than it is to buy a set top ATSC box.

Take a look at the CECB Wiki Non-elgible converter list. Half of them are true ATSC tuners that'll show HD, yet I can only find 2-3 of them actually for sale right now.

There should be a whole thread dedicated to phantom cecb's and tuners because I've never seen a lot of the CECBs at the CECB wiki either.

bicker

I think the issue here is that there was a narrow window within which devices are really needed in quantities worth supplying: With only very minor exception, if you had an old television that didn't have a converter box, so you could not receive OTA broadcasts on it, you either bought one already, or didn't need one. Very few people look at such boxes as a regularly-replaceable commodity, attached to the same television. Indeed, these boxes should "last" longer than the televisions they're mated with, and so the only real reason to buy a new one, at this point, is either that you didn't plan ahead before the DTV transition and/or you went "too cheap" on your first purchase of a converter box (in either case there isn't much profit to be made in satisfying you).

These boxes were gap-fillers, nothing more. I predict that the expectation will be either that you already have the box you need, will buy a used one off of eBay, buy a television that doesn't need such a box, or buy a high-end model (as there were before: I remember some ATSC tuners costing $180 a few years ago).

HTNut

Yeah but there has to be atleast one to two million TVs in American households that are "HD Ready". I don't have exact statistics but there has to be a market out there. Even if a ATSC tuner maker only makes and sells 80,000 units at a profit of $20 each, that's still a profit of $1.6 Million.

Piggie

I remember when I first heard about the converter box program several years ago, I went on the net looking for a box. All I found were in the $200 range. I thought what is the point of a $40 coupon until I found the stuff about CECBs.

They will be as rare as a UHF converter box is now. I really antique set would be one that needed a UHF tuner, into a CECB, then into a VHF only TV set. After all it wasn't until 1964 UHF tuners were required to be in all TVs.

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The more I understand, the less I know.

bicker

80,000 units? A profit of $20? Where did you get those numbers?

If this is such a profitable propsect, why don't you put your money up for such an enterprise?

Seriously, the lack of offerings is useful information about the reality of the financial prospects for such offerings.

HTNut

I guess so, but I still think it could be a profitable unit for a set top maker. I bet they could command at the least a 10-15% profit on each box they sell.

Aaron62

On the other side of the coin HT, how many people with HD ready TVs are subscribers of cable or satellite services which would negate the need for an HD OTA converter. Plus, I'm willing to bet that the bulk of HD ready TV owners who watch OTA have already ordered their coupons and purchased a CECB. Your "from out of my magic hat" projections might be a little high.

HTNut

For some reason, this one here seemed like a perfect response to your post.