The government hasn't given cable companies any extra bandwidth. We'll never agree to that. Other broadcasters are equally indignant. But many of the smaller broadcasters are worried about being put out of business by cable systems that refuse to carry their signals. Broadcasters are worried about cable carriage because the FCC has approved more than a dozen digital TV formats, all of which offer different resolutions.
Formats also vary in the number of lines of resolution.
No one's quite sure how all those various signals will appear on TV sets hooked up to cable or whether cable operators will pass them through in full form. The more layers you peel off, the more tears you get. Broadcasters, television makers, and retailers are worried that all of this uncertainty will dampen initial sales of HDTV sets. Bill McCollough, president of the Circuit City retail chain and designated company rep at several Congressional hearings on HDTV, is optimistic. But I believe we'll work through it.