The Channel | 2003

he consumer electronics industry is

colossal,

with

than

US$300billion spent each year by

peoplewhowantthelatestgadgetstokeepthem

entertained at home and, increasingly, on the

move. Average consumers in the developed

world have a staggering choice of more than

20,000 different CD products, with an

additional 3,500 new products launched

annually. Every two years, the world of

consumer electronics goes to Berlin, for the

InternationaleFunkausstellung–or IFA– trade

fair that’s often the launching point for the

newestdevicesandforleadingedgetechnology.

IFA took place in Berlin at the end of

August, displaying the latest trends,

equipment and applications. With over 20

halls of displays, ranging from immense,

complex and show business-like exhibits

from the major manufacturers down to the

tiniest booths occupied by small-scale

manufacturers, IFA demonstrates that this

is a business that, despite the collapse in

the economies of many countries in recent

years, gives all the impressions of

continuing to enjoy success. Perhaps it’s

because overall the whole industry is tied

up in selling dreams to consumers.

The trends in this year’s show were

definitely towards innovation for viewing

and listening. On display was a considerable

range of flat screen televisions which until

recently have been regarded as expensive

and exotic. From now on, however, flat

screens are mass market products. Prices

have fallen and there is now a range of set

sizes from those suitable for the bedroom

or kitchen (with a 38cm screen) through to

home-cinema size devices with 150 cm (60

inch) displays. Watch digital television or a

DVDwith these devices and you’ll certainly

be enthralled – provided the content’s

worthwhile, that is.

The first prototypes and high-end products

for portable reception of digital terrestrial

television (DVB-T) were on show, ranging

from PCMCIA card receivers for notebook

PCs to portable integrated DVB-T television

sets. And forget about the portable TV

receiver needing to have a power lead. On

display from Sharp was a TV set with an

in-built lithium-ion battery that allows the

user to watch TV or a DVD anywhere, even

if there’s no mains electricity. Up to three

hours of viewing is possible – more than

enough for even the longest instalment of

Lord of the Rings

Back in the fixed market, the move towards

the Multimedia Home Platform (MHP) –

unveiled a couple of years ago at the

broadcasting trade fair IBC – was

demonstrated with a range of set top boxes

and TV sets which have the MHP protocols

as standard. MHP allows compatibility for

interactive functions of TV broadcasting,

avoiding proprietary systems that have

resulted in different digital TV platforms

having varying levels of interactivity, or

significant interoperability difficulties.

Networking the home may sound far fetched

and unnecessary, but at IFA the idea of

allowing different devices around the house

to see holiday pictures, TV recordings,

DVDs or to listen to MP3 files stored on a

computer was definitely on the cards.

Wireless LAN is believed by many to be

the solution to the home networking

problems – after all, few of us want the

hassle of installing network cables from our

living rooms to our bedrooms via the

kitchen, bathroom and study…

Wireless LAN interfaces for home cinema

systems, DVD players, hard disk video

recorders and a new breed of special media

receivers – which decode virtually any form

of multimedia content from radio to digital

TV – will be available by the end of 2003,

breaking down the barriers between

consumer electronics and information

technology.

Innovative satellite antennae will be of

particular interest to the international

broadcasting industry – anything that reduces

the barriers to reception of satellite TV and

radio is helpful in broadening the appeal of

international channels. A small German

company, IMC, demonstrated an A4-size

antenna that can even work through glass.

Simply set it up facing south, switch the

antenna on and within a minute or so it finds

the Astra satellite at 19.2

east. Clever stuff.

There is no doubt that the consumer will

embrace all these new ideas, perhaps not

all of them immediately, but certainly over

time many of these devices will become

commonplace. This means that every high-

tech consumer will have more choice than

ever before of what he or she wants to listen

to or to watch. For broadcasters, this is a

wake-up call on two fronts: firstly make

compelling, interesting and unmissable

content, secondly make sure that you let

consumers know that it’s there for them.

set for the challenges ahead

Consumers benefit from

technology –

can broadcasters keep pace?

I didn’t know there was so much in it

the

channel

www.aib.org.uk

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