HDTV trial starting

Charles Slane

According to Adam Maguire in the Sunday Business Post -

"Ireland’s terrestrial television broadcasters are expected to start a high definition (HD) trial in July as part of the government’s digital terrestrial television pilot."

Full story -

http://www.sbpost.ie/post/pages/p/story.aspx-qqqt=MEDIA+AND+MARKETING-qqqs=mediaandmarketing-qqqid=23180-qqqx=1.asp

steveon

About time but I wonder how much RTE will request from us TV License payers to fund it lol

watty

It's Noel's Dept funding it. After May there may be a new Government.

Solair

To be honest, I don't think RTE deserve a licence fee increase. I would like to see better productivity before one is sancationed.

Their committment to regional coverage is still pathetic, their % of true public service broadcasting also leaves a lot to be desired.

I don't think they should have to foot the bill for the infrastructural investment, perhaps this should be partially taken on by the state in some kind of public private partnership arrangement, but I don't think RTE deserves an on-going licence fee hike ahead of inflation.

musa

Charles Slane wrote:

According to Adam Maguire in the Sunday Business Post -

"Ireland’s terrestrial television broadcasters are expected to start a high definition (HD) trial in July as part of the government’s digital terrestrial television pilot."

Full story -

http://www.sbpost.ie/post/pages/p/story.aspx-qqqt=MEDIA+AND+MARKETING-qqqs=mediaandmarketing-qqqid=23180-qqqx=1.asp

I picked up HD symbol on my little maplin 8.4" monitor a couple of weeks ago in Annalong Co.Down.

Ulsterman 1690

Solair I agree with your comments RE: the quality of RTE's output but dont why they shouldnt have to pay towards the setting up of a DTT/DAB network

After all who paid for Irelands original analouge network, the switchover from 405 to 625, the switchover to colour, The introduction of teletext and NICAM etc etc etc ?

Why should an organisation like RTE have their distribution subsidised by taxpayers (including non-TV owning taxpayers) especially when
Long term the switchover to digital will bring savings to RTE in that running costs for digital transmitters are lower and A lot of the analouge gear RTE own will be reaching the end of its working life in the next few years and would need replacing anyway.

watty

Actually a some of the "relay" and main TX are not that old and will transmit digital. Anything replaced recently. A lot of circuits for distribution are now already DIGITAL microwave or fibre. I think most of the analogue TX TV network is now digitally fed.

remlap

What is actually produced in HD for RTE these days?

Anything done by RTE themselves?

I guess a few indie productions for RTE have been produced in HD since History Channel HD UK a documentary called Ireland's Nazi's is about to air about Ireland giving refuge states to German high level Nazi's after WWII which I believe was originally aired on RTE One or Two correct?

Im guessing RTE does not handle the distribution of indie made shows, similar to what BBC's situation today.

And I guess its an asect to flog if its in HD to PBS stations or something state side.

watty

just because it is on an HD channel doesn't mean it's really HD source either.

Anything on 35mm film, even from 1920s can be transfered to HD.

16mm film is just standard TV quality. 8mm is worse than VHS.

remlap

I know 35mm film and tv shows can be transferred to HD, I have seen one 35mm filmed show The Saint in HD myself in German mind you and stretched to 16:9.

Think Poriot and Space 1999 were shown this way on ITV-HD too.

And well nearly all the movies on SKY Movies HD except the odd few shot on HD Cameras are all transfers .

flogen

Apparently The Clinic was filmed in HD (but obviously not broadcast like that for Ireland - just sold abroad at that definition).

Other than that, nothing is produced in HD by or for RTÉ (that I know of) at the moment - that will begin to change, God knows at what pace though. I imagine it'll take a fair while before everything that should be HD will be HD, though.

Charles Slane

I think RTE might be quite quick to make the move to HD. Once they committed to widescreen they seemed to move pretty fast (or has my memory gone completely?)

Mossy Monk

The only thing that took it's time from what I remember was news. but they do show an awful lot of American programmes which are mostly made in HD.

flogen

Charles Slane wrote:

I think RTE might be quite quick to make the move to HD. Once they committed to widescreen they seemed to move pretty fast (or has my memory gone completely?)

Would that not be a slightly easier transition, though? I mean, even make up is an issue with HD, and sets etc.

Charles Slane

flogen wrote:

Would that not be a slightly easier transition, though? I mean, even make up is an issue with HD, and sets etc.

I absolutely agree that it was an easier transition, but I mean that it shows their progressive attitude and willingness to move quickly and invest in new technologies. Actually I found the Irish terrestrials' quick move to widescreen pretty impressive given that many of the big UK satellite/cable channels are still going out in 4:3 (UKTV, Discovery, MTV etc).

If RTE have the content to support a digital terrestrial HD trial, it's probably just a matter of time before it appears on Sky as well. I'm sure Sky would be very happy to see an HD version of RTE on their platform to drive up sales of Sky HD boxes in Ireland.

watty

Actually their move to Widescreen is a kick in the teeth of ordinary Licence fee paying non-payTV viewers. They now get reduced quality picture. Of course lack of Government planning on DTT and lack of Government & RTE vision on Satellite means Widescreen is a PayTV only for RTE, and those "FTA" get a degraded service.

Ironically RTE don't get a penny from Sky or UPC either.

Mossy Monk

watty wrote:

Actually their move to Widescreen is a kick in the teeth of ordinary Licence fee paying non-payTV viewers

What about their license fee payers who have pay tv? Should they be stuck with 14:9 because the government didn't take the finger out over DTT.

watty

Then Sky & NTL should pay for the feed and not have it free


I agree Mossy, We are in a hole. This should all have been sorted 7 years ago. Maybe the new Governement will have more cop on about Broadband, Schools, Health, TV, Sewage & Water treatment etc.

JHMEG

watty wrote:

Maybe the new Governement will have more cop on about Broadband, Schools, Health, TV, Sewage & Water treatment etc.

Unless the new government is from Denmark, I wouldn't hold out much hope...

taung

Yesterday's Irish Times reported RTE's Glen Killane (Head of Sport) that RTE will broadcast its first ever HDTV pictures when broadcasting this year's Leinster Football Final (15th July) on the trial DTT network.

flogen

taung wrote:

Yesterday's Irish Times reported RTE's Glen Killane (Head of Sport) that RTE will broadcast its first ever HDTV pictures when broadcasting this year's Leinster Football Final (15th July) on the trial DTT network.

Yeah - figured as much... RTÉ weren't saying anything to me at the time of the above article, but they did say it would be a live event in Dublin during June - I later found out it was definitely a sporting event, and the Leinster Final is the only one of any real relevance happening during that month.

Now all I need is a HDTV and the right DTT box to watch it on

taung

Now all I need is a HDTV and the right DTT box to watch it on

....and a subscription to the DTT trial service (I presume these types of braodcasts are encrypted).

watty

It's encrypted, free and invite only for 500 + 500 people.

RTE arn't even running this trial.

atlantean

watty wrote:

It's encrypted, free and invite only for 500 + 500 people.

RTE arn't even running this trial.

If not RTÉ who is then?

watty

Demsey's Fish & Chip Shop. AKA DMCNR