Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010) Vol. IV

[Chad]

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

Now that Sky issue HD boxes to new customers as standard (like VM), more and more customers will be able to view the HD variants (even without an HD TV).

I can see Sky closing the SD channels that have a HD variant and dropping the HD charge.

I would assume that the lost revenue would be more than offset by the savings in transmission costs and payments to Astra.

As VM own their transmission system, they wouldn't save as much by doing this, but it would free up capacity and EPG space.

It's going to take years, and years before the whole of the UK is HD ready. I remember reading recently that only 47% of UK homes have a HDTV. SKY and Virgin will eventually drop SD channels as I'm in no doubt that every UK TV channel will broadcast in HD. Give it 10 years and HD will be the only format.

[colin25]

i'm still waiting for personal hovercrafts..someone told me years ago that would happen..been disappointed every year that passes

[DJ-SWITCH]

Originally Posted by Chad

It's going to take years, and years before the whole of the UK is HD ready. I remember reading recently that only 47% of UK homes have a HDTV. SKY and Virgin will eventually drop SD channels as I'm in no doubt that every UK TV channel will broadcast in HD. Give it 10 years and HD will be the only format.

What about all the +1 channels do you think they will be +1HDs

[colin25]

Originally Posted by DJ-SWITCH

What about all the +1 channels do you think they will be +1HDs

Yup...but they will be called double Ds...more opportunity to see what you want, or..more than you can handle

[Lew]

Originally Posted by Chad

It's going to take years, and years before the whole of the UK is HD ready. I remember reading recently that only 47% of UK homes have a HDTV. SKY and Virgin will eventually drop SD channels as I'm in no doubt that every UK TV channel will broadcast in HD. Give it 10 years and HD will be the only format.

I think the point Richard was making though is that once most of the STBs are HD capable (which will probably happen as older STBs are decommissioned and replaced with HD boxes) it won't matter if people have HDTVs as they'll be able to watch the HD channels downscaled by their STBs, rendering the SD channels surplus to requirements.

[John Logie Baird]

Does anyone know if the upcoming BBC One HD will have a constant DOG digital on-screen graphic similar to BBC HD ?

My tv does not like them.

[virginruinedntl]

it'll take years until virgin replace all the SD boxes, they've only recently started or are just about to start giving hd capable boxes to new customers. When older boxes get faulty hopefully virgin will replace them with new hd boxes, then we'll be left with say 30% of all virgin boxes being SD, virgin will then have to decide whether to bite the bullet and replace them all with new boxes, that way they can close the SD channels and also move over to mpeg4 instead of mpeg2, there would be room for probably all channels to be in HD if that was to happen. Can't see if happening for 4+ yrs though. The sooner new customers are given hd boxes the lower the cost in the long-term will be in upgrading all their customers to new boxes.

Can't believe virgin still have their menu still in fullscreen, lets hope that goes widescreen soon.

[sherer]

Originally Posted by virginruinedntl

it'll take years until virgin replace all the SD boxes, they've only recently started or are just about to start giving hd capable boxes to new customers. When older boxes get faulty hopefully virgin will replace them with new hd boxes, then we'll be left with say 30% of all virgin boxes being SD, virgin will then have to decide whether to bite the bullet and replace them all with new boxes, that way they can close the SD channels and also move over to mpeg4 instead of mpeg2, there would be room for probably all channels to be in HD if that was to happen. Can't see if happening for 4+ yrs though. The sooner new customers are given hd boxes the lower the cost in the long-term will be in upgrading all their customers to new boxes.

Can't believe virgin still have their menu still in fullscreen, lets hope that goes widescreen soon.

I would expect Sky would be the first ones to go ALL HD. They have more money and can afford to go all HD first although with them the customer buys the box

I know you can almost get VM cable tv for free on the lowest subscription with just paying line rental, but I feel most people who pay for their tv viewing through VM or SKY probably have HD tellies in the next five years so what will be the point of having a SD channel variant!

The problem platform for HD is Freeview, there will never be ever enough bandwidth to go completely HD.

[mersey70]

Even if all the SD broadcasts were closed they would have to find a lot more bandwidth to provide a HD only service. The US have had HD for 8 years and are nowhere near getting rid of SD, it will be quite some way off yet.

There are shed loads of channels particularly on Sky that don't even broadcast in widescreen yet let alone HD.

[Media Boy UK]

Originally Posted by John Logie Baird

Does anyone know if the upcoming BBC One HD will have a constant DOG digital on-screen graphic similar to BBC HD ?

My tv does not like them.

I think we will see on November 3 unless I get told if they appear on Tests on Virgin or Sky.

[DeejayAJ]

Originally Posted by mersey70

Even if all the SD broadcasts were closed they would have to find a lot more bandwidth to provide a HD only service. The US have had HD for 8 years and are nowhere near getting rid of SD, it will be quite some way off yet.

There are shed loads of channels particularly on Sky that don't even broadcast in widescreen yet let alone HD.

It can all happen very quickly, when someone does it the second person can do it alot quicker & more effciently so when the US does it I can't see the UK being far behind.

[John Logie Baird]

thanks MB

I would like all to see all D.O.G.S. removed from all channels as my nice HD box has an epg
telling me what channel/and any info im on.
Maybe time for me to purchase a new tv that doesnt have logo retention, having to zoom in on the picture on some channels is getting a bit annoying.

[mersey70]

Originally Posted by DeejayAJ

It can all happen very quickly, when someone does it the second person can do it alot quicker & more effciently so when the US does it I can't see the UK being far behind.

Sky will need to get Astra or whoever to launch a few more satellites before they can do it, or compression will have to come on leaps and bounds. Can you imagine the cost of renting transponders for a full HD service?

I cannot see the endless shopping, religious or any low budget broadcaster for that matter having any urgent need to go HD. 405 line VHF was around for 15 years+ after 625 line UHF was introduced and we were only talking a handful of channels not hundreds.

[Andrewcrawford23]

Originally Posted by mersey70

Sky will need to get Astra or whoever to launch a few more satellites before they can do it, or compression will have to come on leaps and bounds. Can you imagine the cost of renting transponders for a full HD service?

I cannot see the endless shopping, religious or any low budget broadcaster for that matter having any urgent need to go HD. 405 line VHF was around for 15 years+ after 625 line UHF was introduced and we were only talking a handful of channels not hundreds.

3 new satillete all dvb-s2 with enoguh capicty to launch in the regiosn off 800+ hd channels will be online by 2014 and the satillete are owned by itv/bbc as with astra so expect a freesat boom aorund then but dnt expect hd switchove then it will still be some time away