I assume they are doing something similar to Mux C and Mux D to create an extra channel stream.
It's not all negative actually - when the space is available there is no reason why BBC Parliament shouldn't be full screen.
However - and here comes the predictable bit - I strongly believe that when Parliament isn't in session and the BBC have other live interactive events (such as multiple sport streams) that the space would be better used by having the extra interactive stream.
I suppose also the reverse applies too - when the space is available having one live stream from the Lords in addition to the Commons would be justifiable too!
As for News Multiscreen - don't know how they'll use the extra space here. Personally again I'd rather see the 301/302 streams used for a full screen service (or additional streams) when not in use.
I don't think it's technically possible yet on Freeview to broadcast the 4 streams and then have your box select one to appear in a BBCi style window, but it would be great if you could view BBCi text alongside these streams.
Hooray! Can't wait for the next round of Election Night repeats. I'll be able to make decent recordings at last! (I bet, typically however, this now annual recess event gets given over to voxpop rolling programmes showing what the man in the street thinks of politics, to make "better use of the full picture the BBC now offers its audience". )
My guess is that they will squeeze this into Mux B - reducing the bit rate on CBeebes/BBC Four and the 301/302 full-screen feeds and the multi-screen quad. However this may not mean a massive drop in picture quality if they use new MPEG2 encoders and don't give BBC Parliament too high a bit rate (it hardly shows Glastonbury or Football)...
On the other hand - we have to hope they don't use the same horrible encoders that Five and the other channels on Mux C moved to. They use a horrid encoding system with longer GOPs and some nasty progressive/interlaced flagging that causes some PC codecs to judder quite badly. (Technically, when they were first introduced, they were outside the UK DTG recommendations ISTR)
I would expect Mux B to be the natural home - is this Mux is only coded in London, whereas Mux 1 (BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Three/CBBC, News 24) is encoded in different ways in multiple locations. In England Mux 1 contains a London encoded statmux of BBC Two, BBC Three/CBBC and News 24, whilst the regional variations of BBC One are dropped in at a fixed bit rate (around 5 Mbs last time I looked), whereas in Belfast, Cardiff and Glasgow they are all encoded locally into one big statmux AIUI.
A hint there that something will be happening to BBC News Multiscreen in the not to distant future.
I don't know if it's possible yet on Freeview, but there was some talk a while ago of there being an upgrade which would allow pictures broadcast in a quad screen layout to be moved around the screen, rather than having to create the MHEG around them.
(i.e. by selecting a stream each one would appear in a BBCi style box on the right, switching from one stream to another. I think this method is use on Sky and possibly Cable)
A hint there that something will be happening to BBC News Multiscreen in the not to distant future.
I don't know if it's possible yet on Freeview, but there was some talk a while ago of there being an upgrade which would allow pictures broadcast in a quad screen layout to be moved around the screen, rather than having to create the MHEG around them.
(i.e. by selecting a stream each one would appear in a BBCi style box on the right, switching from one stream to another. I think this method is use on Sky and possibly Cable)
There is an MHEG upgrade I believe - though I don't know how many boxes will cope with the new standard (particularly the few ex-ON/ITV Digital boxes that can't be upgraded for contractual reasons)
There is an MHEG upgrade I believe - though I don't know how many boxes will cope with the new standard (particularly the few ex-ON/ITV Digital boxes that can't be upgraded for contractual reasons)
As long as it works on the vast majority of Freeview boxes they should get away with it.
And frankly, anyone with an ON Digital / ITV Digital box still moaning about it should get around to investing in a new box!
Trub is i bought my OnDigi box for TUTV...which incidentally I've now cancelled....so i think i'll steal my old TUCT-20 back off my parents who stole it when i came back from uni
Trub is i bought my OnDigi box for TUTV...which incidentally I've now cancelled....so i think i'll steal my old TUCT-20 back off my parents who stole it when i came back from uni
Hooray! Can't wait for the next round of Election Night repeats. I'll be able to make decent recordings at last! (I bet, typically however, this now annual recess event gets given over to voxpop rolling programmes showing what the man in the street thinks of politics, to make "better use of the full picture the BBC now offers its audience". 
)
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