BBC HD programmes?

[QwertyBerty]

Looking to buy a new HD-ready telly with integrated Freeview tuner. Are the BBC transmitting HD content terrestially or via satellite? Bit confused... I know the Dan Cruickshank architecture programme is currently broadcast in HD

QB.

[PAH]

They were doing a trial in the london area IIRC, not sure if they still are. Most people will only be able to get BBC HD on Sky for the foreseeable.

I think they're considering a HD channel on freeview when the digital switchover is complete and there is more bandwidth available, probably a good few years away.

[VectraMan]

Sky only at the moment, but planned to start being phased in from 2009 on Freeview.

Recent Ofcom announcement:

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/media/news/2008/04/nr_20080403b

I'm not sure if Freeview TVs you buy now are going to be compatible, in which case it might be worth holding off. If you care about Freeview that is.

[MrsGoof]

Freesat !

details can be found on avforums.com

[PAH]

Freesat !

details can be found on avforums.com

Save us a walk and copy/paste the essential details here. The taxis round my way are a nightmare.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Save us a walk and copy/paste the essential details here. The taxis round my way are a nightmare.

You buy a sat box that can receive the free HD signals from BBC - cost approx 300 sheets.

[VectraMan]

All existing Freeview boxes will be obsolete overnight when it's introduced...

Which should keep the punters happy.

They won't be changing the existing SD system, so the boxes won't be obsolete. You'll still get all the same stuff you get now, you'll just need a new box if you want HD.

Personally I don't think they should waste Freeview's limited space on rebroadcasting the same channels in HD. Leave that to satellite/cable where there's the bandwidth to cope.

[QwertyBerty]

Personally I don't think they should waste Freeview's limited space on rebroadcasting the same channels in HD. Leave that to satellite/cable where there's the bandwidth to cope.

The same can be said for +1 channels. And there's quite a few of those.

QB.

[PAH]

Yep, give us a box for freeview that offers similar recording capability as Sky+, then ditch all the +1 channels to make way for some HD ones.

Also, instead of duplicating channels for SD and HD, just have HD and allow the box to downscale to non-HD viewers if necessary.

[VectraMan]

Yep, give us a box for freeview that offers similar recording capability as Sky+, then ditch all the +1 channels to make way for some HD ones.

Pleanty of them.

Also, instead of duplicating channels for SD and HD, just have HD and allow the box to downscale to non-HD viewers if necessary.

Which would require everybody to have a new box. And that aint going to happen.

I guess you could say that there aren't exactly lots of quality free channels waiting to go onto Freeview, so you may as well use the space for HD. But Freeview is meant to be lowest common denomonator digital: everybody has an aerial, everybody has a telly, so everybody ought to be able to get it for not very much. That doesn't really sit with an premium service.