[geeks] Is there such thing as a really cheap HDTV USB tuner?

[gsm at mendelson.com]

On Wed, Aug 26, 2009 at 10:10:05AM -0400, nate at portents.com wrote:

>There are claims that the IP around ATSC is higher - "FCC Opens Inquiry
>Into Patent Costs For Digital TVs":
>
>http://www.benton.org/node/22582
>
>"...say their TVs cost up to $50 more than they would if the patent prices
>they pay matched those in other countries."

That makes sense except for the zillions of decoder boxes sold for older TV's.
Maybe they use a subset of the patents or they were a one time special low
price to get people to convert?

IMHO it does make good financial sense to cut the patent license fees to 
something low, like $5 or even $1 per unit just to cut resistance to
the switchover. Sort of like, "HDTV, your first box is free" :-)

Geoff.

-- 
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel gsm at mendelson.com  N3OWJ/4X1GM