Future of TV?

Originally Posted by SMHarman

Is my assumption about analogue bandwidth usagen in anywhere near the right ballpark? If so the initial BBC HDTV, Sky Sports HDTV, UK Drama HDTV and Sky Movies 1 HDTV will all fit easily into the vacated space.

The 8 MHz space vacated by each analogue cable TV channel can hold a digital multiplex of 38Mb/s.
I think HDTV is a long way from our screens. I know of one single HDTV channel available to the UK, from Astra 1.

Originally Posted by andygrif

Sad? No! Can I come round your house? I'll bring the popcorn!

Do you have the TV that can view HD broadcasts too?

I looked at it using an MPEG analyser at work. I didn't look at the pics as I don't have a HDTV capable reciever or monitor.

Altho I have just thought of a way I might be able to which I'll try tommorow!

[Richard M]

All you really need is a high spec PC monitor capable of either 1280x768 (must be widescreen) or 1280x1024.
Most LCD TVs do that resolution anyway and are 720 HDTV ready.

Originally Posted by Richard M

All you really need is a high spec PC monitor capable of either 1280x768 (must be widescreen) or 1280x1024.
Most LCD TVs do that resolution anyway and are 720 HDTV ready.

Yep I'm going to use a laptop with a USB satellite reciever feeding it pictures.

[Richard M]

Can we get HDTV via any form of Sky?
If so, I'd seriously consider getting it - my apartment block has the connectors already in place. (and BT! but no NTL... )

No, the only HDTV transmission available that I know of is on Astra 1H.

[SMHarman]

Originally Posted by Richard M

Can we get HDTV via any form of Sky?
If so, I'd seriously consider getting it - my apartment block has the connectors already in place. (and BT! but no NTL... )

I was just hypothosysing about what would be a good selection of launch HDTV channels as PPUTB says Astra only at the mo, and he should know.

[Richard M]

No doubt , shame though...

[andygrif]

Originally Posted by erol

As far as costs go there of course massive costs in TV production to go to HDTV. Not just the filiming and editing equipment either. As it produces a higher definition sets that look ok on 'normal' TV show up all sorts of 'flaws' in HDTV and thus set production etc is much more expensive as well.

Quite true, there would have to be a huge investment in the whole broadcast chain to go hi-def. But this is what we pay the licence fees for!

As far as I know the Beeb are already filing some stuff in HD, I think Walking with Dinosours, or Blue Planet or one of these was - so they're already starting to build a library of content.

Originally Posted by andygrif

Quite true, there would have to be a huge investment in the whole broadcast chain to go hi-def. But this is what we pay the licence fees for!

As far as I know the Beeb are already filing some stuff in HD, I think Walking with Dinosours, or Blue Planet or one of these was - so they're already starting to build a library of content.

Those sorts of programmes are shot on film rather than video, AFAIK, so the Master version of the programme will lend itself nicely to a repeat in HD, when the time (eventually) comes.

[keithwalton]

hmm seems strange them mentioning the need for better compression when it already exists !! normal digital tv in the uk uses upto 8mbit/s and is mpeg-2 as said average is about 4mbit/s
Hdtv in america still uses mpeg-2 and requires around the 20mbit ballpark per channel.
As the switchover to hdtv will require new hardware why dont they go the whole hog and move to mpeg-4 ??? it is far superior in terms of compression and is the basis of the latest, windows media 9, quicktime 6, real 10, as well as divx 5 and xvid.
As microsoft have from there demonstrations the high end hdtv can be done at 6mbit with ease. Which would put it at 1.5x a current channels space. if theye used 720p they could use 4mbit which is the same as a normal tv channel.

Could someone please make the beeb wake up and smell the coffee. Sufficent compression does exist already it can be done NOW.

As for analogue switch off terrestrial will only gain 5-6 channels room. Unsure about cable, and sattelite analogue is already off

K

Edit - and yes there is already a large amount of programs being recorded in high def in order to sell them to the states etc. Things like wimbledon and the snooker etc are all hdtv recorded

[andygrif]

Originally Posted by towny

Those sorts of programmes are shot on film rather than video, AFAIK, so the Master version of the programme will lend itself nicely to a repeat in HD, when the time (eventually) comes.

I can't remember which one it was, but there was some PR about it being the first BBC programme to be shot in hi-def. I'll do some snooping and let you know.

[Jerrek]

With higher compression of MPEG-2, you can fit 2 HDTV channels into a 6 MHz slot. HDTV is about 19.5 Mbps compressed, and a 6 MHz slot can support about 40 Mbps.

[SMHarman]

Originally Posted by keithwalton

<snip>
Could someone please make the beeb wake up and smell the coffee. Sufficent compression does exist already it can be done NOW.

As for analogue switch off terrestrial will only gain 5-6 channels room. Unsure about cable, and sattelite analogue is already off

K

Edit - and yes there is already a large amount of programs being recorded in high def in order to sell them to the states etc. Things like wimbledon and the snooker etc are all hdtv recorded

Has Europe already set its HDTV standards? As such the MP2 route might be set into EU legislation?

[Richard M]

Originally Posted by keithwalton

Could someone please make the beeb wake up and smell the coffee. Sufficent compression does exist already it can be done NOW.

*ahem*
http://www.bbc.co.uk/rd/projects/dirac/overview.shtml
http://developers.slashdot.org/artic...id=141&tid=188
and it's Open Source!