How hard is it for ATSC receivers to do both 30fps and 29.97fps? (1 Viewer)

[Richard Paul]

Since an ATSC receiver has to be able to decode both integer frame rates of 24fps, 30fps, and 60fps along with their ratio modified (1000/1001) rates of 23.976fps, 29.97fps, and 59.94fps how much more expensive are ATSC receivers? If the ATSC standard had dropped the old NTSC frame rate and did just integer rates would the receivers be 50$ or even 100$ cheaper? Since the expense of sticking with the old NTSC frame rates will be on consumers while it would have been on broadcasters had it been integer only, it seems that the American public will have to pay for broadcasters cheapness. Is there some hidden benefit to having receivers that can do both that I haven't seen? I know there are numerous reasons why an integer frame rate is better with computers yet there seems to be no benefit of non-integer frame rates.

 

[Allan Jayne]

I am led to believe that most TV's will accept either 59.94 or 60 fps via their (analog) component jacks without any problem.

Historically, when NTSC went from 60 to 59.94 fields per second to accommodate color, there was hardly any problem with any TV set.

The ATSC set top box needs to accept both integer and ratio modified rates because either can come down over the air. The box probably puts out only one rate and it is anyone's guess which.

Video hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/video.htm

 

[Richard Paul]

I always thought that most HDTV CRT TV's went at 59.94hz (interlaced) since most are simply upconverted NTSC sets. It just seems to me as though the broadcasters were cheap and wanted to be able to keep the same NTSC style frame rates while making consumers pay for it. What I really want to know is how much more expensive is it for an ATSC receiver to be able to convert from 29.97fps to 30fps or from 30fps to 29.97fps? It seems to me since millions of Americans are going to be forced to buy it with their new TV's that they should have made it cheaper for consumers instead of broadcasters. Also can any flat panel televisions accept both 60fps and 59.94fps?