Cable Forum - View Single Post

**Chris** · 12-03-2007, 12:07

I have no info on that but personally I'd be surprised. Most of their viewers tune in to free-to-air signals via analogue or Freeview and neither of those sources support HD. It's not going to be commercially viable for them to switch to HD for some time yet, I wouldn't have thought. Look at who else is doing it - Sky, because they rake in extra subscriptions for it by the million and can therefore afford for it, and the BBC, because part of their public service remit is to push UK broadcast technology forwards (and they receive the licence fee, so can therefore afford it).

Mainstream commercial broadcasters are having a torrid time as it is getting by on ad revenues, without having to invest in HD capability as well.

Of course, if Sky is allowed to effectively set up a 'Freeview v2' service with an MPEG4 STB, things might change. I really think we need the regulator to take a lead on this and stop Sky from jumping the gun, and I think we need legislation to open the way for a HD Freeview service on some of the spectrum freed up after analogue switch-off. That way, the mainstream commercial broadcasters might be able to get into HD without too much pain.

12-03-2007, 12:07	#2
Chris Trollsplatter Cable Forum Team Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: North of Watford Services: Humane elimination of all common Internet pests Posts: 38,287	Re: ITV, C4 & C5 in HD I have no info on that but personally I'd be surprised. Most of their viewers tune in to free-to-air signals via analogue or Freeview and neither of those sources support HD. It's not going to be commercially viable for them to switch to HD for some time yet, I wouldn't have thought. Look at who else is doing it - Sky, because they rake in extra subscriptions for it by the million and can therefore afford for it, and the BBC, because part of their public service remit is to push UK broadcast technology forwards (and they receive the licence fee, so can therefore afford it). Mainstream commercial broadcasters are having a torrid time as it is getting by on ad revenues, without having to invest in HD capability as well. Of course, if Sky is allowed to effectively set up a 'Freeview v2' service with an MPEG4 STB, things might change. I really think we need the regulator to take a lead on this and stop Sky from jumping the gun, and I think we need legislation to open the way for a HD Freeview service on some of the spectrum freed up after analogue switch-off. That way, the mainstream commercial broadcasters might be able to get into HD without too much pain.