HDTV early adoption in other countries - What are your thoughts on this?

[formula_86]

Not sure if I have posted this in the right area, (if I have, please move this to the right area). OK.

The thing of us having a terrestrial HDTV service via DVB-T2 has made me think why did other countries have to rush into introducing terrestrial HDTV via DVB-T, then complain about being stuck with DVB-T whilst we are "ahead of them" by using a newer standard?

For example, my sources tell me that Australia have had HDTV ever since 2002, and I have read articles on the beeb's website, envying Australia and other countries etc having HDTV first and saying we lag behind in comparison. However, since DVB-T2 hardware was first out in the shops here, I have read articles in various Australian forums, complaining that they are stuck with DVB-T Mpeg-2, whilst we are ahead of them with DVB-T2 and that it was a mistake that they rushed into introducing HDTV to early.

Another example is France: they introduced terrestrial HDTV in about October 2008, using DVB-T Mpeg-4. If they had waited just a little while longer, they could've been using DVB-T2 like what we are using now.

So why is it then there are countries rushing into HDTV too soon then, whereas we are sensible by holding off for while, then introducing stuff using much newer standards?

Also, what do people here think in general of countries like Australia rushing into HDTV at an early stage?

[nodrogd]

The people that pioneer the technology are always at risk of this. The UK was the first to bring in DAB radio using the MP2 codec. This has now been superseded by the far more efficient AAC+ codec, which is the new world standard for DAB. We in the UK are now stuck with having sold millions of receivers that are not upgradeable to AAC+.

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by formula_86

Not sure if I have posted this in the right area, (if I have, please move this to the right area). OK.

The thing of us having a terrestrial HDTV service via DVB-T2 has made me think why did other countries have to rush into introducing terrestrial HDTV via DVB-T, then complain about being stuck with DVB-T whilst we are "ahead of them" by using a newer standard?

For example, my sources tell me that Australia have had HDTV ever since 2002, and I have read articles on the beeb's website, envying Australia and other countries etc having HDTV first and saying we lag behind in comparison. However, since DVB-T2 hardware was first out in the shops here, I have read articles in various Australian forums, complaining that they are stuck with DVB-T Mpeg-2, whilst we are ahead of them with DVB-T2 and that it was a mistake that they rushed into introducing HDTV to early.

Another example is France: they introduced terrestrial HDTV in about October 2008, using DVB-T Mpeg-4. If they had waited just a little while longer, they could've been using DVB-T2 like what we are using now.

So why is it then there are countries rushing into HDTV too soon then, whereas we are sensible by holding off for while, then introducing stuff using much newer standards?

Also, what do people here think in general of countries like Australia rushing into HDTV at an early stage?

It's a fact of life with technology, and a necessary part of it.

You will always get people adopting technology early, and you will always get others adopting better technology later, and paying less for it. This is because Technology is continually improving.

Take, for example, broadband. America leapt in first, and as a result, a lot of Americans get slower speeds than we do.

[TheDon]

If you always wait for the technology to mature you'll never get anything rolled out because there's always something better on the horizon.

[Maggy J]

Originally Posted by TheDon

If you always wait for the technology to mature you'll never get anything rolled out because there's always something better on the horizon.

I'll save a lot of my money though..