ITV1HD

Hi Stuart,

Just to ask you, do you think there will be a possibility that UTV (Ulster variant of ITV) will get a HD channel?

Thank you!

P.S. I'm only new, so please reply! thanks a bunch!

Does anyone know the frequencies for all the itv 1 hd regions to add on sky?

I was wondering in the next few years, if HD would become a standard - have the BBC and ITV stated that at some point in the future they will be 100% HD? Sorry about my lack of knowledge, I haven't been following HD TV's progress as much as I'd like to have done.

http://www.techeye.net/hardware/bbc-to-make-all-shows-in-hd-by-april-2011

Thanks for the reply. I didn't realise the change was going to be so soon.

I think that a recent announcement has been slightly misreported.

The BBC has announced that suppliers should expect all new commissions from the next financial year to be delivered in HD, and to discuss with commissioners if they plan not to. Not quite the same thing.

Some shows will probably remain in SD - but the shift is that HD is now the norm and SD the exception, rather than vice versa.

There don't seem to be any rumblings about a UTV branded HD channel.

Unless anybody knows differently?

From the Belfast Telegraph a little while ago:

Armchair football fans across the UK will be enjoying glorious high definition TV coverage of the World Cup in South Africa... unless you are trying to watch it on UTV. Disgruntled fans in Northern Ireland have criticised the local channel for failing to launch its high definition service in time for the World Cup, which kicks off tomorrow.
TV is broadcasting the tournament in HD this summer but Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own franchises, STV and UTV. While STV has announced its HD version will be operational in time for this Friday’s kick-off, UTV will not be launching its HD service on Virgin Media until autumn . HD, or high definition, is a development in digital TV which allows for clear, crisp pictures with brighter colours and up to five times more detail than ordinary standard definition TV.

The BBC and ITV have divided up the matches, with both networks broadcasting key games over the next four weeks. While Northern Ireland viewers can watch the BBC matches in HD, they will not be able to see ITV’s in HD.
These include the opening game between South Africa and Mexico, England’s first game against the USA this Saturday and Germany v Australia on Sunday. Football forums in the province have been swamped with angry fans complaining about the lack of HD coverage. One disappointed fan who contacted the Belfast Telegraph said: “It’s very frustrating that UTV has not been able to launch its HD service in time for the World Cup, especially as STV has. “So, basically, Northern Ireland is the only region to be missing out on this, which is really annoying. “I bought the Virgin Media package with the intention of watching the World Cup on HD, but of course this is not going to happen now. “Even if you subscribe to Virgin Media or Sky you won’t be able to get HD, yet UTV has been very quiet about telling us this.” The angry viewer, who did not wish to be named, added: “Football fans here are getting second class treatment because UTV didn’t get its act together in time.”

A spokesman for the Garrick Bar in Belfast, which will be showing every match during the tournament, said it was disappointing that UTV had not launched its HD service ahead of kick-off. But he said he had found a way around the situation, and that the bar would be showing all matches — on BBC and ITV in HD. "All you have to do is buy a Freesat box and programme in an English or Welsh postcode instead of a local one,” he said. “That’s what we’ve done, even if we do admit that we’ve shown a good degree of Northern Irish ingenuity. “But I do think UTV has missed out on an opportunity.”

Football fans have been posting on internet forums to express their frustration. One poster on www.cableforum.co.uk wrote: “Any more news about this? I doubt it will happen before the World Cup now. “So we’re being left behind again. “I just want to watch the World Cup in HD like the rest of the UK.” Another angry viewer wrote: “At least they’ll have it for Euro 2012.”

A spokeswoman for UTV confirmed: “UTV would like to be in a position to provide HD for our viewers for the World Cup, but technically there is not sufficient capacity on the Freeview service here until digital switchover takes place in Northern Ireland which is not due to happen until 2012. “Neither UTV nor STV are available on Sky HD due to capacity issues on that platform which we are working to resolve with ITV Network and hopefully we will be on Sky HD by 2011. “In terms of Virgin Media we will be available on this platform by late Autumn when UTV will be the first Irish channel to launch a HD service which represents a significant investment for an independent broadcaster.”

I suppose that means that Lookaround/NET will have to be watched on Channel 3. Minds me of the Press TV then 3 days

Have more HD regions appeared in the last couple of days? As I couldn't help but notice that the annoying 'Please change to ITV1' banner during Regional News programmes has disappeared.... I can finally watch Granada News upscaled....!

Still getting Central Tonight in Devon but the message has now gone telling me to turn over.

It's still 4 versions of ITV1 HD, just checked on Linowsat.