Exam Questions
(1)(a) According to the passage, which three companies are soon to invest in encouraging online console gaming? (6 marks)

Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft.

(b)Give three pieces of evidence from the passage which suggest that there will be a market for online console gaming. (6 marks)

Extension of broadband access, people have been competing in contests over local networks for years and IDC recons it will be worth $21bn (£14bn) by 2003.

(c)Outline the significance of broadband to the success of this project. (8 marks)

Broadband is a major contributor to the success of the project as the fast constant internet access means people will be able to play for long periods of time. It has speed, international dimension, it is always on, it is reliable and has multiplayer potential.

(2)(a)Explain what is meant by 'gain dominance of a market'. (8 marks)

It is the idea that one company will try to become the biggest in a particular area and thus control it, making it more profitable e.g. Microsoft and Apple.

We become an active audience

•Video on demand (VOD) allows us more choice
•VOD or timeshift technology such as Sky+ does allow us more choice and freedom

Scheduling

•Scheduling is even more important and competition is high for prime time viewing (7pm to 9pm)
•Schedulers employ a variety of techniques to create a sense of channel loyalty including hammocking new programmes between established shows

Proliferation

•Choice, choice and more choice; from 5 channels to a multi-channel environment with specialist, narrowcast channels for niche audiences
•Censorship has eroded – make your own “intelligent” viewing decisions
•Control over your own “schedule” – democratised the nature of television, rather than the “elite” public service broadcasting – with a moral duty to educated and inform the masses

HDTV-Who will pay?

The consumer… eventually
•Government funding for HDTV (taxes)
•Pay per view
•Investing in hardware to enjoy experience

Programme makers

•Having to revamp studios
•Heavily invest in cameras and upgrade equipment
•Broadcasters – more satellite time (expensive) to transmit the “larger” data files
•Actors are seriously concerned about viewers seeing “warts and all”

Quality

•Unprecedented level of sharpness and definition in picture quality
•Reduction in interference
•Digital quality sound
However…
•We have to invest in hardware (LCD/plasma) where the digital signal is decoded. Without this we only notice a slight improvement
•Compression of digital images which is necessary to multiplex the existing bandwiths might also effect the quality of the image
•They need to turn off “analogue” signal before there is enough bandwidth to provide HDTV more than a few channels