Freeview-HD to launch in 2009
 

Ofcom says Freeview will launch a High Definition service in 2009. ITV has committed to peak-time broadcasts in HD; Channel 4 says its entire 4HD service will be available, while BBC is yet to make an announcement.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7675785.stm

Receiving this service will of course require a HD-ready TV, and a new Freeview STB. Sickening news for all those people who have bought a Freeview-integrated HDTV that only has a SD Freeview tuner built in.

What they're not trumpeting so loudly is the major shake-up of the multiplexes that will be required to make room for this. It's the beginning of the end, I tells ya ...

Re: Freeview-HD to launch in 2009
 

Even worse is that they stopped SKY from bring new services to freeview because it needed a new box.
Fine for the BBC to require viewers to upgrade to a new box.
but rejected when SKY wanted it.
If this does not show the double standards of the Freeview system then what will....
o well may be sky can now re interduce it as they can not object now that the BBC is forcing a new box on users....
So we might see a SKY branded freeview again soon with more channels only if you get that box.

Re: Freeview-HD to launch in 2009
 

Sky's Picnic service had its own thread recently, in which all those arguments were tossed back and forth in some detail.

It might be worth your while reading that thread and continuing your line of argument in there, rather than forcing me to repeat my rebuttal of it here. ;)

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/64...nic-plans.html

Re: Freeview-HD to launch in 2009
 

Well, it only means buying a new STB (though I'm not sure how costly they will be). What I do find sickening is that I spent £200 on a freeview PVR a year ago, as for me it would mean upgrading the PVR, which would be considerably more expensive. Instead, I think I'll wait a while until this baby has come down in price a bit, and go for freesat. You'd be mad to invest in Freeview equipment these days, imo. (Unless you can't have a wok on your house that is)

Re: Freeview-HD to launch in 2009
 

I have a Panny Viera 42" TV, this is supposed to be HD/freeview ready, do i still need a new STB for HD? I'm confused.com :D

Re: Freeview-HD to launch in 2009
 

I'm just wondering how reliable the signal will be for HD? Although I have cable, I have a friend with Freeview, and during the summer some of his channels disappear (C4 is one that goes intermittently).

Re: Freeview-HD to launch in 2009
 

Yep which is why Freeview HD wont be available untill they switch the old analogue of in your area. Which will free up power in the Transmitters resulting in better signals, per Freeview matrix

look here http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/ for when your switch happens.

Current freeview HDTV are unlikely to support Freeview HD just like most can't support Topup TV this was the reason behind SKY being rejected/moaned at when it suggested changing freeview to MPEG4 just for its channels and keeping MPEG2 for others.
Users would need to upgrade, but ofcom under pressure/influence from the BBC rejected the MPEG4 system.
So SKY changed its plans to Picnic on Mpeg2. If the BBC releases specs to show that the HD will be Mpeg4 HD like freesat HD and not MPEG2 HD its going to be the biggest muck up ever ;) in freeview and SKY could also force the MPEG4 upgrade though for its services as the MPEG4 is there for HD it wont take much to add broadcast from SKY in Mpeg4 ending TopupTVs and setantas monopoly on freeview.

Re: Freeview-HD to launch in 2009
 

hasn't it been confirmed that the HD on freeview will not only use mpeg4 but also a different broadcast method (DVB-T2 vs DVB-T) so anythinng that currently supports freeview will *not* support HD on freeview.

Re: Freeview-HD to launch in 2009
 

All the ofcom documents are available on their site along with things like submissions for what the 3 plan to do with their channels. A summary of the DVB-T2 test is knocking around somewhere too. Bit puzzled about this thread, none of this stuff is new news, it has been known for yonks that freeview would be on in the granada region from November 2009 but I suppose all is good as few people seem aware of this, so this thread is a good thing.

More interesting was the noises recently about getting other regions on early e.g. London.

Re: Freeview-HD to launch in 2009
 

I believe the plan is for them to use DVB-T2 as this lets them have a bit more space for more channels. It's a shame because i've just bought a tv that has DVB-T tuner in it which most of Europe already use.

Re: Freeview-HD to launch in 2009
 

Well they have to. The multiplexes currently use 18Mbs or 24Mbs depending on which QAM. They'll all be 24Mbs post switch over. By using DVB-T2 you can get it upto 31Mbs and noises coming out recently make it sound like the figure may even be 35Mbs. It has to be this figure as on 24Mbs you couldn't possibly get 3x High Definition channels on there. BBC HD would be screwed (they already use poor codecs as it is). Even for 35Mbs I wonder about quality on MPEG-4.

Re: Freeview-HD to launch in 2009
 

What a mess, the same as DAB V1 versus V2.

With freesat HD already launched, terrestrial HD could be too little, too late.

It would have been better to scrap the analog switch-off plans until terrestrial HD could be planned for launch, with DVB-T2 ready equipment.

Re: Freeview-HD to launch in 2009
 

No need to be puzzled - the purpose of the thread was to discuss the news item linked in post 1. ;)

Re: Freeview-HD to launch in 2009
 

People complained about it in much the same way when DVB-S2 was introduced for H.264/AVC High Definition satellite broadcasting. That required an upgrade of hardware, and is still prohibitively expensive, even for PCs. It was only inevitable H.264 and HD would make its way to Terrestrial, and only inevitable that there will be early problems because the standard (DVB-T2) has either only recently been ratified, or is due to be before the end of the year. But at least it's backwards compatible with DVB-T.

Stockists are still selling analogue TVs even though the signals are being switched off in the next 3 years, and I think the UK should pass similar legislation to the US when they moved from analogue to digital; they outlawed the selling of analogue TVs in all commercial stores to avoid confusion among consumers.

If companies can make DVB-T2 devices affordable, I can see the uptake being wider than Freesat HD.

Re: Freeview-HD to launch in 2009
 

But it's not really news as I pointed out, but it is always good to bring this up.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7328029.stm

http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/05...service_in_uk/

etc.

Originally when I saw the thread I thought it might also be talking about http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/oct/22/television

With regards freeview HD and demand/supply of DVB-T2 boxes Granada region alone is 2.5 million homes which is not a very big number initially and the ofcom document (which I can't find right now) does pretty much say they don't expect too many boxes available till a fair way into 2010. Which is a bit of a problem as presumably all this stuff is trying to get it rolled out to millions of homes in time for the 2010 football world cup.