HD Channels

[westland]

There seem to be more channels that are now becoming available as HD.  Could anyone tell me if it is likely that there will come a time when we will be unable to receive the standard BBC and ITV channels via our sky digibox. Will we have to do anything when it all changes over in 2009?  Thanks Kate.

[Tim]

Well, I'm not sure what you mean when you say 'it all changes in 2009' unless you have knowledge about something I know nothing about.

As far as I'm concerned, the existing system of transmission that we are all using will continue for some considerable time to come. There will, I'm sure, be more HD channels appearing over the coming years, and it's likely that there will be more dual compatable boxes for sale that will receive normal and HD channels. In fact, the start of the BBC and others Freesat system which is due to launch shortly will promote a new range of receivers and I'm sure there will be a range of HD receivers amongst them.

In short, I shouldn't worry about it - not for the time being, anyway.

Regards - Tim

[westland]

Many thanks Tim, I think that I got the 2009 date from publicity on ITV stating that they were going to be informing viewers in the UK how to make sure that they are HD ready for then.  Hopefully we will just be able to continue to use the sky digibox and card as we have done since we arrived in France.

[osie]

A side question:

Can you see in HD if you have a HD ready tv with a Sky digi box or do you need an HD box to see it properly.

Thanks

osie

[Tim]

No, you won't see it - the transmission standard for HD requires a box designed to receive it. An HD box, though, should be able to receive the current system ok.

Tim

[osie]

Hi Timco.

What current system can an HD box receive? As in Sky?

If so, is there such an HD box that can receive sky on free view.

I think that some BBC1 programs are broadcast in HD, but which box could be used to view them in HD.

Thanks

osie

[Tim]

I'll try to keep it simple, for my sake as well as yours.[:)]

Currently, most people in the UK who want to be able to watch HD channels go the Sky route. That means you have to take up a Sky subscription - or if you already have one, increase it for the HD channels and then you get a new box.

So, even though the BBC HD channel is FTA (free to air) you have to pay Sky to watch it.

There are a few non-Sky boxes on the market, but not many, and the reviews have been mixed.

BUT, if you are interested in getting HD TV I should wait - this is because for some time now, the BBC have been trying to get a satellite system running that gives a similar choice of channels as terrestrial Freeview does in the UK. They went FTA three or four years ago - sometime later ITV joined in and it is hoped that Channel 4 will do so too, later this year. 5 remains a mystery!

With this in mind, it is expected that a 'Freesat' system will be launched in the next few months and it is hoped that a new range of digital boxes will also appear, some with an HD facility.

When this happens it should be possible to buy a box without going through Sky. I, and a lot of others, also expect there to be PVRs (personal video recorders) launched as well, because, at the moment, the Sky+ box is only available to those with a Sky subscription.

If you didn't know, a Sky+ box has an inbuilt hard drive for recording programmes - so it's a PVR.

So, hold on for a bit - the choice should be bigger over the next few months.

By the way, don't get 'Freeview' confused with 'Freesat' - Freeview is the system in the UK for receiving digital TV through your TV aerial, Freesat is via satellite.

Hope I haven't 'muddied the waters' too much.

Regards - Tim

[osie]

Thanks... I have understood some of that.

What has confused me is that on BBC1 it said 'this program is in HD' while being watched via Sky FTA.

So, from your answer I presume it meant 'this program is in HD assuming you have a HD box you can watch it in HD'

I main reason for asking was just to confirm if what I was watching was in fact HD or not.  I think the conclusion is that it was not, however it did have a fair bit of depth to it.

A non sky option sounds quite appealing... can wait to see it in action

Thanks again

osie

[Tim]

Yes Osie - you've understood correctly - if you go to channel 143 on your Sky box, you will see the dedicated BBC HD channel, but only an HD box will be able to 'make sense' of that channel.

I will also be waiting to see what the future holds as far as new boxes is concerned.

Hope this clarifies things a little for you.

Regards - Tim

[microwave mike]

[quote user="Timco"]

 So, even though the BBC HD channel is FTA (free to air) you have to pay Sky to watch it.

  

 [/quote]

Not  true. You can watch BBC HD via one of many free-to-air HD satellite receivers on the market and you do not have to pay Sky at all or even purchase any equipment from Sky. It's a great shame that you have to mention 'free-to-air' and 'Sky' in the same sentence .

[Martin963]

I think it would help if you named a few of these many FTA HD boxes mike.  From what I've read their performance is often patchy,  and (as is the case with the Sky HD box) the boxes most readily available to the non-technical public are part of -  and "tied" to - a specific subscription, and specifically designed NOT to accept (or at least make a great fuss about) incoming signals from other bouquets (CSat HD etc).

I'd certainly be interested in your recommendations for the future.    Have you got one?

However,  you are of course absolutely spot on for pointing out that nowadays (since 2003 in fact ) you do NOT need to go via Sky to pick up the BBC from satellite, a happy state of affairs which will become much more widely-known when the "freesat" service from BBC/ITV officially launches inthe next few months.

Mind you I'm sticking with CRT's for a while yet so I am most certainly NOT "HD ready".

[Tim]

[quote user="microwave mike"][quote user="Timco"]

 So, even though the BBC HD channel is FTA (free to air) you have to pay Sky to watch it.

  

 [/quote]

Not  true. You can watch BBC HD via one of many free-to-air HD satellite receivers on the market and you do not have to pay Sky at all or even purchase any equipment from Sky. It's a great shame that you have to mention 'free-to-air' and 'Sky' in the same sentence .

[/quote]

 

Yes, I did, in fact, refer to that in one of my previous posts, although I did suggest, from the reviews I've read, it is probably best to wait two or three months to see what comes on the market with the launch of Freesat.

And also YES, it is a shame on the situation with Sky and FTA - but, over the years I've helped many people get started with satellite TV and one thing has become very obvious, and that's that generally people just want a box they can plug in and go, they are not concerned with the issue of having to re-tune when a channel moves, or changes it's parameters in some other way. I expect Freesat boxes will be as easy to use as a Sky box for the general public.

Regards - Tim

[microwave mike]

[quote user="Martinwatkins"]I think it would help if you named a few of these many FTA HD boxes mike.  From what I've read their performance is often patchy,   [/quote]

Topfield TF7710 HDPVR

Technomate TM6800 HD

Technomate TM6900 Combi

Humax HDCI2000

I would be interested to learn exactly what is 'patchy' about their performance. Can you give us a link to the source?

[Martin963]

I think your list shows that things have progressed since I read about the patchy performance of some of the earlier HD models.   I myself have two Technomates (although they're not HD of course!).    And Humax are normally extremely reliable.

I can't quote you chapter and verse from here but there were reviews in the French sat press about some of the early problems with HD boxes,   and of course the early TNT par sat HD-capable  boxes were anything but - they had been deliberately crippled by Canalsat.

If you want that particular "quote" you'll have to wait 'til April when I can lay my paws on the magazine which is in France!

You obviously are involved in the field - are we allowed to know how?