When is HD coming?

[JJ]

This question must have already been asked, but I was unable tofind anything suitable on the search facility.

I have just purchased a TV which says it is HD ready, I know that there are some transmissions via the BBC.

But my questions are when will these be available via the Sky digibox,or will we need to get a new HD digibox?

Many thanks.

[Tim]

Yes, the BBC are transmitting some programmes in HD. Officially, these are still test transmissions. To receive them you must have an HD digital satellite receiver. Most people in the UK will almost certainly go for the Sky HD box, although there are alternatives.

 

Tim

[JJ]

Tim,

Many thanks for that.

Is there a timescale that you know of?

 

 

[tel]

Hi,

Sky are already transmitting 12 HD Channels, however the downside is the cost - £299 for the digibox and installation plus £10 per month if you subscibe to 2 other sky packages.  Check out the info on http://www.sky.com/portal/site/skycom/home

 

Regards

 

[Anton Redman]

First question is how big a TV do you want. I have good eyesight but cannot tell the difference on less than a 30 inch screen. I suspect Europe will get TNT / Freeview installed before they try to push it through. If it was going to be an issue in the next five year they would have reduced the of  number of digital terrestrial channels so they had the band width available to improve the quality.

When colour TV launched in the UK they were very careful to configure the system so that monochrome was still capable of being received. The people whose opinions I respect on technology seem to be saying that HD ready on a TV means rather less than GT on the side of a car in the late 60s.

Interrested to see what other people think.   

[Ron Avery]

This was discussed some time back and I posted what I was told by a SKY installation Engineer doing my daughter's HD installation, he told me that you will not be able to get SKY HD in France.  The changeover of the boxes has to be done by a SKY appointed engineer and they have to activate the HD box via the phone line, not via the satellite, also the phone has to be connected 24/7 to continue to receive the HD transmissions.

Now this may be poo pooed by some, but he was an installer and not a SKY rep so as far as I was aware he was providing genuine information,  and as Martin says at £299 a time and extra subs for the HD, might be worth asking the question before signing up from a UK address.  At the time of these posts a French based English satellite installer posted to say that that SKY HD was available and could be opbtained from them, but a check of their website found only HD ready TVs and no mention of HD boxes being available for use in France, though it might be possible via phone number transfers.  HD will be available via the French cable system at some stage, don't know about CANAL + though.