UPC Cable HDTV ?

Solair · 22-09-2007 11:06pm #1

Just wondering if anyone has any idea of when UPC plan to rollout HDTV. I've heard vague rumours of late 2007. Does anyone else have any idea when it's likely to happen ?

GerardKeating · 23-09-2007 12:33am

Solair wrote:

Just wondering if anyone has any idea of when UPC plan to rollout HDTV. I've heard vague rumours of late 2007. Does anyone else have any idea when it's likely to happen ?

In the year 2525...

Mossy Monk · 23-09-2007 3:02pm

I would say it is worth it. It looks magnificent.

Mossy Monk · 23-09-2007 3:50pm

To each their own I think would apply in this situation. I am sure there are things you are interested in that I would find wasteful.

Simi · 23-09-2007 7:24pm

GerardKeating wrote:

In the year 2525...

I was just thinking of that program recently. Tried explaining to my friends what it was about but all I could think to say was it had lesbian strippers in the future.

P.S. No HD on UPC until the analogue is switched off at least. There simply isn't the room for HD, SD digital, analogue & broadband all in the same spectrum. Oh & Cookies is right u'll only get 5-10 HD channels if even!

Rosser · 23-09-2007 8:02pm

Simi wrote:

P.S. No HD on UPC until the analogue is switched off at least. There simply isn't the room for HD, SD digital, analogue & broadband all in the same spectrum. Oh & Cookies is right u'll only get 5-10 HD channels if even!

Given that most people probably only ever consistantly watch 5-10 channels it may well be worth it, the difference is that good. UPC are saying end of 2007 or early 2008 and they were (UPC not NTL) roughly accurate in their DVR launch dates so I'd give them the benefit...

Solair · 23-09-2007 8:40pm

There are a lot of HDTV ready tvs out there at this stage, and I suspect if UPC can get any kind of HDTV offering out cheaper than Sky HD they'll have an immediate uptake.

Sky HD's way overpriced.

If you've a 40" LCD HD tv, it's well worth it as you've made the investment in the TV, so you might as well get the full resolution images. Even if it's just a few channels, it'll make a difference.

lensman · 23-09-2007 9:11pm

Don't belive all of the hype you hear about HD transmissions,.even some of the sky HD output is upscaled from the original SD format so their cheating a bit & screwing their customers for more money as well,

Mossy Monk · 23-09-2007 10:11pm

I didn't realise that was a big secret that not all programs on the HD channels were in HD. The EPG even tells you what programs are HD. The way you put it you would think that Sky are deceiving everyone.

lensman · 23-09-2007 10:47pm

Mossy Monk wrote:

I didn't realise that was a big secret that not all programs on the HD channels were in HD. The EPG even tells you what programs are HD. The way you put it you would think that Sky are deceiving everyone.

Who said it was a big secret ? my point is this, I own a €60 dvd player with HDMI output that upscales regular dvd movies to 720 or 1080pi, thats means that the player is interpolating the resolution or (adding pixels) for the great unwashed among us,..now thats not real HD,...sky also do this with some of there advertised HD content, some programs were never shot in HD to begin with so it is a bit disingenuous of them to lead people to think there watching 100% genuine HD on some on the programs.

Mossy Monk · 23-09-2007 11:10pm

But they aren't leading people into thinking that. The EPG states what programmes are HD and what programmes aren't.

DingDong · 23-09-2007 11:24pm

Mossy Monk wrote:

But they aren't leading people into thinking that. The EPG states what programmes are HD and what programmes aren't.

I see what your saying Mossy, but i think what lensman is trying to say is you would expect all programs to be proper HD after paying the extra for HD channels.
I've never really be sold on the whole HD thing, a few people I know who have it said its nice but not really necessary. I'd still probably would go for it all the same.

flogen · 24-09-2007 12:02am

Going by their DVR set up I'd imagine UPC will offer the box for free and put something like €20 on top of the monthly fee.

They're saying late 2007/early 2008 too - although I'd imagine it's the latter at least.

Given that I don't have a HDTV I wouldn't be bothered, and even still I can't imagine being too pushed about it as, going by the Sky offerings, there's not much of interest to me (Maybe sky movies and to a small extent national geographic but not enough to draw me in).

The biggest draw would be sport but I'm not a soccer fan - so maybe when the GAA goes fully HD (as does the rugby) I might re-think it!

lensman · 24-09-2007 10:19am

DingDong wrote:

I ses what your saying Mossy, but i think what lensman is trying to say is you would expect all programs to be proper HD after paying the extra for HD channels.
I've never really be sold on the whole HD thing, a few people I know who have it said it nice but not really necessary. I still probably would go for it all the same.

Correct DingDong, you seem to have correctly interpreted what I was saying, mossy monk chose not to

Mossy Monk · 24-09-2007 11:08am

Actually no. You said that Sky upscaled content and declared it HD.

lensman · 24-09-2007 1:01pm

Mossy Monk wrote:

Actually no. You said that Sky upscaled content and declared it HD.

this fact has been well known for ages has been discussed at length on many forums,
http://www.avforums.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-267453.html
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=17768352
It's not important whether or not sky label a program HD SD or UPSCALED, paying sky for genuine HD content is one thing but customers are paying for upscaled content as well, you can't watch the upscaled stuff unless you buy a HD box & pay the extra subs, this is the slick bit,...
Do you know when your watching genuine HD or upscaled programs on sky ? does an logo say "upscalled" or "HD" or "SD" ?

Mossy Monk · 24-09-2007 1:44pm

Interesting link to a thread on Digitalspy there. Here is a post from it

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/showpost.php?p=17948530&postcount=21

All HD programming is shown as being HD on the EPG. Nobody ever claimed all the programming on the Sky One HD channel was HD.

paulm17781 · 24-09-2007 1:49pm

Mossy Monk wrote:

All HD programming is shown as being HD on the EPG. Nobody ever claimed all the programming on the Sky One HD channel was HD.

I think his point is that a lot of the advertised HD stuff is in fact SD upscaled and not HD at all.

lensman · 24-09-2007 2:01pm

paulm17781 wrote:

I think his point is that a lot of the advertised HD stuff is in fact SD upscaled and not HD at all.

pauim17781, MM is playing an auld game here,;) he knows well what I mean he also knows I'm correct in what I stated, I do hope he's not one of those folk who trawl the forums looking for something or someone to pick an argument with :eek: :eek:
here's an even more interesting link
http://www.burnyourbonus.info/hdtv-faq/faq3.html
& a paragraph form it below.
How can different standards be displayed on the same display?
Upscaling, deinterlacing and motion compensation can be used to convert from one standard to another.
Upscaling is used to increase the number of lines, e.g. from 576i to 1080i. This can be done crudely by interpolating or it can be done better using image processing techniques. Some DVD players and HDTV sets can do this but don't expect great results. It currently requires very expensive hardware to do this well. Some of the content broadcast on HD channels is actually standard definition pictures upscaled. The broadcaster will do this with much better technology than you can find in a home DVD player or HDTV but no upscaling technology can create detail that is not in the original. Sky have said that their HD channels will include some upscaled content, but they will label clearly so that we know when it is true HD.

Mossy Monk · 24-09-2007 10:47pm

lensman wrote:

pauim17781, MM is playing an auld game here,;) he knows well what I mean he also knows I'm correct in what I stated, I do hope he's not one of those folk who trawl the forums looking for something or someone to pick an argument with :eek: :eek:

You know me oh so well :rolleyes:

lensman · 25-09-2007 8:34am

Mossy Monk wrote:

You know me oh so well :rolleyes:

der ya ar now !

Maximilian · 25-09-2007 10:41am

I have no problem paying extra for only 5-10 HD channels. I have a 60 inch TV in my living room thats just begging to show HD. The BRD/HDDVD war is not helping that either. I just wish UPC/NTL would hurry up already.

Freddie59 · 26-09-2007 10:22pm

Mossy Monk wrote:

I would say it is worth it. It looks magnificent.

So does Angelina Jolie........but she isn't very good when you get right down to it!:D

Calibos · 26-09-2007 11:17pm

One wonders even with Sky HD whether there is enough HD programming on their 5 or 6 HD Channels to keep one interested once one has caught up with everything. What I mean is, is that the schedules are loaded with repeats which is grand for a few weeks for new customers because they haven't seen the repeats yet!! Once you've caught up there isn't apparently a huge amount of new HD programming shown on any of the channels on a day to day basis.

.....And thats Sky HD!! My fear is that the NTL/UPC HD offering will be more akin to the UK's Virgin HD service. Its a lame duck. You are lucky if there is a new film or documentary available in HD once a week!!

I just can't see SKY doing themselves out of direct subscriptions by licensing their HD channels to UPC and like I said even SKY HD ain't any great shakes nevermind the HD service we'll probably get like Virgin

Freddie59 · 28-09-2007 8:10pm

Calibos wrote:

One wonders even with Sky HD whether there is enough HD programming on their 5 or 6 HD Channels to keep one interested once one has caught up with everything. What I mean is, is that the schedules are loaded with repeats which is grand for a few weeks for new customers because they haven't seen the repeats yet!! Once you've caught up there isn't apparently a huge amount of new HD programming shown on any of the channels on a day to day basis.

.....And thats Sky HD!! My fear is that the NTL/UPC HD offering will be more akin to the UK's Virgin HD service. Its a lame duck. You are lucky if there is a new film or documentary available in HD once a week!!

I just can't see SKY doing themselves out of direct subscriptions by licensing their HD channels to UPC and like I said even SKY HD ain't any great shakes nevermind the HD service we'll probably get like Virgin

There appears to be a definitive lack of content according to posters here. But that has to change in time. HD is the future - just like colour superceded B&W and Digital first complimented, and will eventually phase out, analogue. It's progress. Plain and simple.

ianhobo · 02-10-2007 10:43am

Lensman - etc
1. your assuming that SD television isnt already scaled/changed before you receive it! PAL SD is a standard, with a set quality. Boradcasters will produce their content in a format which is better than normal SD tv. They have to reduce the quality of it to send it to you!
2. 720 is a HD standard. So changing from 720 to 1080 isnt cheating, they are both HD, settings the settings on a box and tv correctly would ensure that any changes didnt occur
3. "Standard SD tv" that broadcasters recive is pretty much near 720 HD quality anyway...........
oh, and UPC already offer HD services on their other networks like in the Netherlands, and the box supports it..... so its more a matter of content, and people subscribing to it ( one HD channel takes up about the same bandwidth as two "SD" channels. 5Mbit Vs 10Mb)

UPC Cable HDTV ?

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