RF Shorts – August 27, 2010

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  • •CNET.com author Marguerite Reardon writes Paid TV subscriptions dip for the first time as the slumping economy causes more consumers to look for ways to cut down monthly expenses. The article does not mention off-air TV as an alternative, and notes the significant increase in the median age of broadcast network TV viewers over the last 20 years, saying that "...some people are cutting the paid TV cord and instead are watching more video online. Some are watching it on mobile devices and laptops, while others are hooking devices to their TVs and streaming video directly to their TVs."
  • •In his Gadget of the Week column in Barrons, Jay Palmer says Goodbye, Rabbit Ears. He isn't talking about dropping off-air TV, but using ClearStream Micron and ClearStream 2 antennas from Antennas Direct indoors.

    "In this age of cable and satellite TV, it's easy to forget that signals are still being sent the old-fashioned way--over the air," said Palmer. "It's a lot cheaper than the alternatives, and the picture quality is a whole lot better than in the days of analog signals and set-top rabbit ears. It also can be a smart option if your cable service has frequent service disruptions or if you want a TV in a room that isn't wired."
  • •Anyone who has tried to use a cell phone on top of a tower or building roof top knows that more "bars" doesn't mean better service. PCWorld looks at this and more in Technology's Biggest Myths.
Doug Lung
Doug Lung
Contributor

Doug Lung is one of America's foremost authorities on broadcast RF technology. As vice president of Broadcast Technology for NBCUniversal Local, H. Douglas Lung leads NBC and Telemundo-owned stations’ RF and transmission affairs, including microwave, radars, satellite uplinks, and FCC technical filings. Beginning his career in 1976 at KSCI in Los Angeles, Lung has nearly 50 years of experience in broadcast television engineering. Beginning in 1985, he led the engineering department for what was to become the Telemundo network and station group, assisting in the design, construction and installation of the company’s broadcast and cable facilities. Other projects include work on the launch of Hawaii’s first UHF TV station, the rollout and testing of the ATSC mobile-handheld standard, and software development related to the incentive auction TV spectrum repack. A longtime columnist for TV Technology, Doug is also a regular contributor to IEEE Broadcast Technology. He is the recipient of the 2023 NAB Television Engineering Award. He also received a Tech Leadership Award from TV Tech publisher Future plc in 2021 and is a member of the IEEE Broadcast Technology Society and the Society of Broadcast Engineers.