back to article UK white space could fill up fast

The UK's white space spectrum could start filling up before the Digital Dividend comes around, but only if we're prepared to give Ofcom a lot more power, and only if we can all agree on what white space actually is. While the FCC is still dithering about who's going to run the American white space directory, UK players have …

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  1. lglethal Silver badge
    Thumb Down

    Ofcom pfffttt!

    Ofcom just want more spectrum under there banner so that in a few years time when white space actually finds a use then they can start selling it at ridiculous prices to people who really should know better...

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Happy

    Sounds very much like an answer...

    ...looking for a problem.

  3. TeeCee Gold badge
    FAIL

    "in-home distribution of HDTV"

    Would piss off SKY how exactly?

    They do the bit that gets it from their satellite to your house. How you get it from their box to your TV(s) is your business.

    "...thus not requiring a receiving box..." So where does your feed come from for in-home distribution in that case then? The HDTV fairies?

    Incidently, I've not noticed SKY leaping up and down over Panasonic flogging tellies with built-in freesat, which actually does piss on their picnic.

    1. Bill Ray (Written by Reg staff)

      DRM

      The arrangement would be a single decoder box, with one's white-space transmitter then sending an unencrypted DVB-T signal that other TV's in the house could receive without having their own Sky boxes.

      That would annoy Sky, and the singnal would have to be unencrypted too, which would annoy them further.

      While that might appeal to some, it's unlikely to happen any time soon.

      Sorry I didn't make that clearer in the piece.

      Bill.

  4. Ellis Birt 1
    WTF?

    Why can't they just leave it for PMSE

    We all want out telly programmes without unsightly wires and our singers dancing around freely with out tripping over loudspeakers - all this takes bandwidth - a huge chunk of which is being taken away in 2012.

    I have heard it said that X-Factor uses over 45 radio microphones, plus in-ear monitors. In the west end, the bands are so loud that everyone on the stage has to have a radio mic with a channel that is not in use in any other theatre up the road.

    Then, when someone wants to organise something in Trafalgar square - a celebration over winning the right to host a sporting event, that's more channels needed - then some for the world's press.

    The numbers are staggering and with the existing users being forced onto lower frequencies with a greater range, it's not going to be pretty.

  5. This post has been deleted by its author

    1. lglethal Silver badge
      Joke

      obligatory Blackadder quote...

      "If you give them an inch, they'll soon take a foot! And before you know it you wont have a leg to stand on... "

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