Checking in (one of the people actually working on the development of the RC-1978 receiver for Manhattan-Digital). An advance air shipment has arrived, providing enough units for dealers to test out and a lucky few early adopters that are in the loop. A full ocean shipment should be available by the 2nd week of February.
The RC-1978 was named to honor Robert Britt Cooper Jr (Bob Cooper), who should get the credit for starting the home satellite industry with a profile in TV Guide magazine in 1978, and the rest is history.
I have spent the last several days putting the receiver through its paces, and like the models RS-1933 and DJ-1997 before it, there are always little things that need improving, which is why we are not doing a general release until that ocean shipment, giving us some time to tweek software as required. My first impressions are extremely positive overall, and will comment that with the new processor (no this is not a cheap run-of-the-mill unit), we are getting results to be expected for a middle of the pack receiver--and more. It is faster in response, and menus are pretty user friendly once you are exposed to them. Picture quality is among the best that I have seen from ANY free to air receiver. I am working without the benefit of a channel editor right now, which is one of the drawbacks of being first with something. We could wait months for the Chinese to perfect the software, or we could accept something that has no mechanical issues and otherwise meets our requirements, with the ability to refine operation with software updates as improvements are made. The history of the Ali chipset used on the RS-1933 was that it was abandoned by the manufacturer by the time we wanted to make another run in 2012, so had to make do with what we named the DJ-1997, which may have been a step backward on the satellite side, with 70 IP channels available at first. Tweeks were made and we got 400 channel capacity IP coupled with about 3500 satellite channels. Since that time, very little noteworthy has come out of China in R & D, although you will find your bargain miniature units that sometimes work and sometimes do not. I find that there are many factories in China copying each other, and overall there is nothing really new. The Manhattan RC-1978 should change that, and it is only an intermediate receiver for the bulk of the market. They are claiming 10000 satellite channels and 3000 IP channel capacity. It does have H265 video. Also a strong IP section that includes You Tube, weather and game applications, with outstanding video and audio response as well as quick no-hiccup response from the remote control section. You can speculate all that you want about specifications with the knowledge of a Monday morning quarterback about what is already on the market, but should have no reason to be negative about anything without actually seeing one. I'll stake my reputation that this model will be a success after its introduction, simply because it provides everything and more that average users want and need, at a very reasonable price. If you want to learn more, drop me an Email at
globalcm@mhtc.net
We are even taking advance orders for those so inclined.
Now for the 4K unit and where is it?
The FCC auction has put a monkey wrench in development of our television distribution system. LG and Samsung seem to have the keys to getting ATSC 3.0 tuners to market, and we do not expect to see any 3.0 devices actually available before July. Manufacturers are in a waiting game to see how fast the deployment of these tuners actually is, and there is equal caution and confusion from the broadcaster side. Jeff Schumann has a question to pose to all of you.
Would you buy a 4K unit now, without a 3.0 tuner? Would you accept one now with an ATSC 1.0 tuner that would work for today's TV system, knowing that you would have to wait possibly 6 months or more for a receiver with either a 3.0 tuner or better yet a hybrid 3.0 and 1.0 TV tuner in a future version? Buying a receiver in the near term that is equipped for only ATSC 1.0 video means that you would have to purchase a 3.0 tuner later. There will be moderate cost 1.0/3.0 standalone boxes at some point, as well as standalone 3.0 boxes at some point. When do you plan on purchasing a 4K receiver, which we can have available in a few short weeks, provided that a consensus is made on what TV tuner to supply? Or should we produce a 4K unit at first with NO ATSC television tuner section, and concentrate on Internet only or combo satellite/Internet 4K box? Please comment here and also get back to Jeff at contact phone or Email found on
www.manhattan-digital.net
Sincerely,
Mike Kohl Global Communications Montfort, WI
EMail
globalcm@mhtc.net
