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19
The NII in the Home
D. Joseph Donahue
Thomson Consumer Electronics
A successful national information infrastructure (NII) strategy
must include a clear vision, plus an action program directed at
bringing NII usage in the home to the pervasive level at which we
use telephones and television today.
Fortunately, there is an approach that allows the unique
strengths of two large industry groups to be applied to the
introduction of extensive NII capabilities into a full cross
section of American homes. These two industries are broadly defined
as the computer and television industries. Neither alone can
provide the full range of services in response to the consumer's
interests and desires. Full utilization of the strengths of both
industries will yield a win-win strategy that could greatly
accelerate the introduction and acceptance of diverse NII services
in consumer households.
The powerful capabilities of PCs, combined with online services
and the Internet, have already provided the initial interest and
stimulus for the concepts of a comprehensive NII. The importance of
the continued growth and acceptance of these capabilities cannot be
overemphasized. One need only look at the sales of computers and
software—or the use of the Internet—to feel the
ever-increasing utilization in commerce and in the home. And there
is no end in sight for the dynamic expansion of the capability of
these products and services.
The television industry—with 99 percent household
penetration—can also make profound contributions to the
acceptance and growth of NII in the home. Until recently, the
television industry was solely based on analog technology, which
has many limitations when viewed from today's vantage point. The
current movement of the television industry to digital systems will
allow television to diversify and expand its capabilities in a
manner analogous to that of the products and services of the
computer industry.
Almost all of the new television systems are based on MPEG 2,
which uses flexible transport packets. New digital television
signals are thus no longer simply television signals—they are
MPEG 2 packetized bit streams that can be used to deliver any
desired mix of video, audio, and data. Interactive services over
television systems are now also a reality. For example, a Thomson
Consumer Electronics-Sun Microsystems partnership recently
announced an interactive operating system, "OpenTV," designed to
work over digital systems with interactivity interfaced through the
TV remote control or the PC.
The strong consumer interest in television will allow
interactivity to be introduced in a nonthreatening manner to the
broad segments of society not currently disposed to using a PC. As
a result, all members of society will be able to learn to use
interactivity with ever-increasing levels of sophistication.
Digital television, which will initially be purchased for its
entertainment value, can be a key vehicle that can be used to
attract consumers and help finance the installation of the digital
pathways to digital hardware in the home. Digital HDTV delivery
over any media will provide a 19.4-Mbit/sec service to homes. In
traditional one-way services such as terrestrial broadcast and
direct broadcast satellite, the telephone line is used for the
return path. This arrangement is standard in Thomson's Digital
Satellite System (DSS) now used to deliver DirecTv and USSB signals
nationwide.1
The dual evolution and penetration of computer and digital
television services and hardware into the home represents a major
win-win victory for all parties concerned. Both industries will use
many of the advances of the other. PCs are adding audio and video.
Television-receiving products will become digital with
microprocessors
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and interactivity. Both will stimulate the construction and
acceptance of improved interactive networks to the home.
Consumer interest will determine whether interactivity is first
introduced into homes through the PC or the digital television.
Over time, homes will contain a powerful PC capability in a den or
work location and a sophisticated digital television entertainment
center in the family room. Many of the communication networks and
software programs will serve both home setups. Full use of the
attractive services and products of both industry groups will
greatly accelerate the development and use of NII in the home.
Maximum implementation of digital television and
interoperability across all media require certain federal
government and industry actions.
•
What is key is the completion of the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) Advisory Committee on Advanced
Television Service (ACATS) process, with the FCC adoption of the
Grand Alliance (GA) HDTV standard as early as possible—late
1995 or early 1996—as recommended by the May 1994 NIST
Workshop on Advanced Digital Video in the NII and the recent report
by the NII Technology Policy Working Group (TPWG). FCC action must
include allocation of new 6 MHz transition channels to all
broadcasters. This ACATS-FCC action is moving along toward
completion.
•
Establishment of new infrastructure network rules
for the previously separate industries of local telephone,
long-distance telephone, cable, broadcast, and so on. for all NII
type services is vital. Maximum network development and investment
must await a clear set of regulations.
•
The more difficult government-industry challenge
is the establishment of an open interoperable infrastructure within
the digital video world. Closed proprietary systems and the
potential for many different video systems and interfaces will
retard consumer acceptance. Confusion over systems, standards, and
interfaces, as in the past, will cause consumers to delay
acquisitions. One key ingredient that would help is to provide
consumers with the option of buying all home hardware at retail
from competitive suppliers. Consumer decisions plus competition
will help to establish open and interoperable systems and
products.
A concern expressed in some quarters is industry's commitment to
commercialize systems and products. Commercial commitments will not
be a significant problem if the obstacles cited here can be dealt
with. As an example, the digital television actions of Thomson
Consumer Electronics are tabulated below. Every reasonable effort
in the areas of standards, product development, and promotion is
being supported, to accelerate the conversion of the home
entertainment center into an exciting new interoperable digital
center with uses far beyond those common today.
Thomson's digital video activities include the following:
•
Key participant in development of MPEG 1 and MPEG
2 standards.
•
Leading participant and early proponent of the use
MPEG flexible packets for the U.S. HDTV standard. Charter member of
earlier Advanced Digital HDTV Consortium and of the recent Grand
Alliance HDTV development team.
•
Developer, manufacturer, and marketer of the RCA
Digital Satellite System (DSS), the first high unit volume digital
video system ever implemented.
•
In cooperation with Sun, announced an interactive
digital operating system, "OpenTV," that is extremely economical
and that can be interfaced through a TV remote control or a PC.
•
Announced MPEG 2 encoder capability for SDTV
(1995) and HDTV (1997).
•
Announced capability to produce set-top receivers
with full microprocessor capability.
•
In cooperation with Hitachi, demonstrated and
announced commercial plans (1996) for a digital D-VHS VCR for the
home recording of the DSS signals.
•
In cooperation with Toshiba and others, announced
standard, manufacturing, and commercial plan (1996) for a digital
videodisc (DVD) player.
•
Chaired worldwide working group that reached
consensus on a digital recording standard (DVC) for the GA HDTV
system.
•
Announced plans for manufacture and sale of
digital television receivers with interactivity (1997).
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•
Announced plan for digital HDTV receivers with
interactivity (1997).
•
Announced program for a DVD-ROM product
(1997).
Note
1. As an aside, Thomson announced the
shipment of the one-millionth DSS home unit in less than ten months
from a standing start. No other consumer electronics or other major
product—color TV, VCR, CD, and so on—has ever been
accepted at a rate even approaching this level. Consumers are
prepared to accept the new digital television systems and
hardware.
Representative terms from entire chapter:
digital video
