Re: SD and STB's to go by 2020 claims David Elstein.
 

It doesn't require any technology that doesn't already exist. But current copyright law may prevent it.

The difference between network PVR and VOD is vague. It's just a matter of whether you or someone else decides what gets recorded.

I don't think they are saying that. But anyway, as long as most people are watching broadcasts rather than on demand content, most of the bandwidth can be shared.

Re: SD and STB's to go by 2020 claims David Elstein.
 

All programmes are kept - it's just a matter of where and how we would access them. This is in effect the prediction of the demise of linear TV. Live events will simply be available at the time they happen, and accessible from that point onwards.

Even "live" news would simply be updated at intervals through he day, you would just go to the News and view it when you can.

I can't see any practical reason for linear TV to continue. It's a very noisy way to run programming - ie just pushing stuff out when it might not even be looked at.

There will no need to record, as every programme will exist somewhere.

For the record, cloud is just a nice way of saying someone else's computer! :)

How all this is managed, charged, how good is quality, etc, will depend on improvements to come.

As for connection - you're reliant on your cable connection, aerial, satellite, etc. Ok, more could possibly go wrong, but internet reliability is getting better.

Re: SD and STB's to go by 2020 claims David Elstein.
 

With Tivo if the VOD is down you can still watch programming you've recorded (usually) but if everything is kept on remote servers then that breaks. Also we keep some programmes for a long time (more than a year easily) if they are of special interest to us. There is no way anyone is going to store every programme ever broadcast.

Re: SD and STB's to go by 2020 claims David Elstein.
 

A few years ago this was my thinking as well, ie linear tv will end and it will all be VOD. Now that Netflix is here and is doing what VM's VOD service never did, ie giving a decent selection of stuff instantly available for a good price, I can see how most people think linear will die off.

Except, after "feasting" on numerous tv boxsets and films on Netflix in recent times, in my household we have gone back to old fashioned telly viewing habits. Where we don't have to choose what we watch all the time, its done for us. And we have to wait a week for the next episode of whatever show we are currently watching, which makes it more interesting than watching several episodes of the same show all in one sitting.

So, in my house at least, linear isn't quite dead yet.

---------- Post added at 21:37 ---------- Previous post was at 21:26 ----------

As for SD and STBs going by 2020, me thinks not. Perhaps on Sky, it could happen as they were the ones that axed analogue first.

I may be wrong on this, but for cloud based tv services, I think you still need some form of stb, ie for encryption?? And as for SD, there will still be many people that will not have HD tvs by 2020, especially those on Freeview. So I don't see the demise of SD yet. What VM and others may do is launch new channels only in HD and start to remove SD+1 channels in favour of HD+1 channels instead. And using six times more bandwith in the process.

Re: SD and STB's to go by 2020 claims David Elstein.
 

Technology can mean an STB is not required. Ziggo in the Netherlands offers a cloud service for customers who have TVs with built-in cable receivers which several do. Encryption is by means of a CI+ card.

Re: SD and STB's to go by 2020 claims David Elstein.
 

Running analogue and digital in parallel doubled Sky's carriage costs, so they had a big incentive to drop analogue quickly (compare with cable where the bandwidth was already paid for so effectively free). They will have to use STBs as long as they stick with satellite delivery because of the intricacies of decoding satellite signals. Will they rebrand as 'Land' eventually?

That will be built into TVs. Smart TVs already have enough DRM capability for the likes of Netflix.

Re: SD and STB's to go by 2020 claims David Elstein.
 

Isn't that why they co-developed SAT>IP , as I understand it the satellite feed comes into a gateway in the house allowing the ability to use any IP device for example tablets/smartphones , games consoles , smart TV's etc.

Re: SD and STB's to go by 2020 claims David Elstein.
 

But you don't need an HD TV to watch HD channels. They can be viewed on SD sets, but obviously won't be in HD (but, apparently, the picture will be better because the source is of a better quality).

Re: SD and STB's to go by 2020 claims David Elstein.
 

Although that's dependent on the box having a SCART connection - if they do go purely HD, then all that would be required is an HDMI connection.

Re: SD and STB's to go by 2020 claims David Elstein.
 

UPC said the next generation Horizion version will roll out in the next 30 to 45 days. It will put the user interface in the Cloud and there are plans to locate the linear channels there too.
http://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2014/...-to-the-cloud/

Re: SD and STB's to go by 2020 claims David Elstein.
 

Perhaps that will eventually replace TiVo and V boxes on VM?

It would make sense for LG to have a unified system for all their markets.

All the benefits of TiVo would be made redundant with the introduction of a cloud based system. Wishlists and suggestions could simply morph into an email/text being sent by the system to say X programme is now available for viewing!

---------- Post added at 03:57 ---------- Previous post was at 03:00 ----------

I can watch HD channels on my SD TV that is connected with a scart lesd, but it won't let me watch HD VOD programmes. I get a message saying that I need an HDMI connection, why does it require this :confused:

If we do go onto a cloud based HD only system, will this mean that my current set up won't work at all?

Re: SD and STB's to go by 2020 claims David Elstein.
 

Yes, but it's still basically a STB. It has the satellite-specific gubbins that phones and TVs don't have.

But you do need a HD-capable STB.

The content providers require HDCP copy protection on HD content, and this is only available on HDMI.

Yes. But I wouldn't worry about it for a few years.

Re: SD and STB's to go by 2020 claims David Elstein.
 

Legacy STBs may exist for older tech. However, a simple app on a smart TV will provide the interface to "TV" with no additional hardware, just a BB connection.

As for HD / SD - streaming services like Netflix assess the best picture based on internet speed. If your TV can handle HD or higher, then it'll display it. No need for HD or SD channels.

If linear TV needs to exist, then it could simply be a "playlist" of programmes. I think even on demand will release episodes gradually to promote anticipation, discussion and shared viewing.

To tweetiepooh - With regards to storing programmes - every programme is stored somewhere. That's how we get so many repeats! Programme storage isn't necessarily the responsibility of the broadcasters, it's the people who create them. Which then leads again to no need for linear broadcasters - studios who create programming, which is usually bought by a channel, could be made available directly. Bidding wars wouldn't need to exist, so consumers won't get ripped off. It might suit some programme makers to group under a single umbrella provider to make their content available widely.

All of this is simple and doable if the infrastructure is improved and the technology gets cheap. Which it will...

Re: SD and STB's to go by 2020 claims David Elstein.
 

Yes, I could only get the BBC HD channel (at that time the only HD channel on VM) after getting a V+.

Thanks for the info. Spiderplant, I often wondered why I couldn't access HD VOD content.

My question was academic really, hopefully I should have a new TV by 2020 :D

Re: SD and STB's to go by 2020 claims David Elstein.
 

Presumably, the viewer's recordings will also be kept in the cloud, resolving the problem of limited recording space on Horizon devices.