TV Home Forum

New HD channels - 10 more on Freeview, 5 from the BBC

(July 2013)

This site closed in March 2021 and is now a read-only archive
TC
TonyCurrie
chris posted:
On a side note, obviously NWT could be done in HD and I think Scotland is ready for HD.


BBC Scotland at Pacific Quay has been HD since day one; everything made here had to be downconverted until recently!!
GM
Gary McEwan
TonyCurrie posted:
chris posted:
On a side note, obviously NWT could be done in HD and I think Scotland is ready for HD.


BBC Scotland at Pacific Quay has been HD since day one; everything made here had to be downconverted until recently!!


So in theory then, could Reporting Scotland go out in HD?
TC
TonyCurrie
Reporting Scotland has been going out in HD since January!
GM
Gary McEwan
TonyCurrie posted:
Reporting Scotland has been going out in HD since January!


Hmmm that's interesting, usually if a programme has an HD equivalent, the SD channel would say 'Also in HD', and the HD channel would have in brackets 'HD' on the information page...both of them have neither.
MA
Markymark
DTV posted:

Markymark posted:
I suspect (and hope) the English regions will be DTT and Cable only.


Again the BBC would still have to offer it on all platforms. Even if this doesn't get the BBC Trust Green Light it will have to happen anyway as in about 10 years HD will be standard and they'll start to phase out SD. Eventually there won't be [Channel Name] HD as the standard version will be in 1080. And then soon it will all be about UHD.


The Beeb have always been rather 'selective' when it comes to platform neutrality Wink
TH
Thinker
DTV posted:
Markymark posted:
I suspect (and hope) the English regions will be DTT and Cable only.


Again the BBC would still have to offer it on all platforms. Even if this doesn't get the BBC Trust Green Light it will have to happen anyway as in about 10 years HD will be standard and they'll start to phase out SD. Eventually there won't be [Channel Name] HD as the standard version will be in 1080. And then soon it will all be about UHD.


The current duplication of BBC One on satellite is questionable as it is, there have already been discussions about dropping the Cambdrige opt-out to save money. Duplicating all (or most) BBC One regions on satellite once again in HD is not really the best use of tax payer money. Hopefully, they'll keep the Pan-England version of BBC One HD until they phase out SD or find a better solution.
OF
oflahertya
Gary McEwan posted:
chris posted:
DTV posted:
Richard posted:
Blake Connolly posted:
Worth just noting a difference between the five new HD channels, which are definitely happening and were approved by the Trust the other week, and One regions/Two nations which are proposals which will be put before the Trust.


Has it been confirmed whether these new channels (and bbc regional variations) will appear on Sky or not? An HD version of every BBC One region will be very expensive, especially in addition to SD versions.


The 5 New Channels will have to appear on Sky, any new BBC Channel has to appear on all Digital Platforms.

If the BBC One and Two Regions HD are approved they might not do it all in one go, I'd expect them to launch the BBC Two Nations HD first and maybe BBC One London HD just to trial it out, whats going to be more expensive than adding new channels is the fact that all the regions are going to have to be upgraded to HD, Only BBC London will be too my knowledge, I'm not sure about the Nations. This will include upgrading the galleries and buying new cameras for all of them - I expect the upgrades will happen in a similar way to the BBC Regional Set Updates between 2008 and 2013 spread out to spread the cost. I expect the upgrades would happen at the same time as a new set or something.


I don't think the point of having regional BBC One HD is so that the regional news is in HD - it's more the fact that we currently have to keep switching channels for regional content. I would be very surprised if regional newsrooms were upgraded to HD any time soon.

On a side note, obviously NWT could be done in HD and I think Scotland is ready for HD.


Is Newsline and Wales Today HD Ready as well?



Wales today is in HD since they upgraded their studio,gallery and cameras
TH
Thinker
Interestingly, there doesn't seem to be a provision in the license to only broadcast HD services, as Ofcom doesn't see this as necessary. The two multiplexes could carry about 40-50 new SD channels, and Arqiva could theoretically choose to use some of the space for new SD services.

Ofcom posted:
[We do not] intend to adopt more stringent obligations on the type of services which
must be provided on the interim multiplexes, as suggested by some respondents. As
set out in the Consultation, we believe the business case for exploiting the 600 MHz
spectrum within a short potential timeframe is likely to be marginal at best. As with
roll-out and coverage obligations, we believe the licence holder will be best placed to
make decisions on ensuring the most attractive consumer proposition. In such
circumstances, we do not feel it is appropriate to mandate the content that should be
carried.


http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/consultations/600mhz-award/statement/600_MHz_Statement.pdf
BR
Brekkie
I think in reality we might get 4 HD and 4 SD channels on each platform - and ideally any SD channel would be an existing Freeview channel moving in an effort to clear up more bandwidth for more HD in the future. It would be difficult to convince some broadcasters to do this, but ITV and C4 might be willing to move their +1 channels perhaps to secure more space in the future.
MI
Mike516
Brekkie posted:
I think in reality we might get 4 HD and 4 SD channels on each platform - and ideally any SD channel would be an existing Freeview channel moving in an effort to clear up more bandwidth for more HD in the future. It would be difficult to convince some broadcasters to do this, but ITV and C4 might be willing to move their +1 channels perhaps to secure more space in the future.


itv and C4 probably wouldn't want to move their +1 channels - their inclusion on the existing SD mux next to their parent channels means they can offer full regionality (or regional ads on C4), something that would not be possible with the extra multiplexes, which will only have one national version.
RI
Richard
coolalfieo posted:
Gary McEwan posted:
chris posted:
DTV posted:
Richard posted:
Blake Connolly posted:
Worth just noting a difference between the five new HD channels, which are definitely happening and were approved by the Trust the other week, and One regions/Two nations which are proposals which will be put before the Trust.


Has it been confirmed whether these new channels (and bbc regional variations) will appear on Sky or not? An HD version of every BBC One region will be very expensive, especially in addition to SD versions.


The 5 New Channels will have to appear on Sky, any new BBC Channel has to appear on all Digital Platforms.

If the BBC One and Two Regions HD are approved they might not do it all in one go, I'd expect them to launch the BBC Two Nations HD first and maybe BBC One London HD just to trial it out, whats going to be more expensive than adding new channels is the fact that all the regions are going to have to be upgraded to HD, Only BBC London will be too my knowledge, I'm not sure about the Nations. This will include upgrading the galleries and buying new cameras for all of them - I expect the upgrades will happen in a similar way to the BBC Regional Set Updates between 2008 and 2013 spread out to spread the cost. I expect the upgrades would happen at the same time as a new set or something.


I don't think the point of having regional BBC One HD is so that the regional news is in HD - it's more the fact that we currently have to keep switching channels for regional content. I would be very surprised if regional newsrooms were upgraded to HD any time soon.

On a side note, obviously NWT could be done in HD and I think Scotland is ready for HD.


Is Newsline and Wales Today HD Ready as well?



Wales today is in HD since they upgraded their studio,gallery and cameras


Think Newsline is still SD.
SN
Silver Nemesis
Richard posted:
coolalfieo posted:
Gary McEwan posted:


Is Newsline and Wales Today HD Ready as well?


Wales today is in HD since they upgraded their studio,gallery and cameras


Think Newsline is still SD.


As is Wales Today - definitely not broadcast in HD yet. The breakfast and late bulletins still come from a slightly dodgy CSO set as well - one of the only regions to still do this as far as I know.

Newer posts