***BBC1 HD simulcast starts transmissions this autumn.

mrdtv2010

The BBC will have two HD services from this autumn, BBC1HD and BBCHD. Via all platforms: Freesat, Freeview HD, Sky and Virgin so this will be available in RoI via Freesat and Freeview HD overspill. Really puts the pressure on RTE1 now.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2010/05_may/28/hd.shtml

slegs

Not that i wouldnt like to see RTE HD and this is obviously good news but I find it hard to see any link whatsoever between this and RTE. Can you explain?

Sam Russell

Because BBC did not launch DTT with HD, they and ITV have to broadcast an HD version at the same time as a SD version. When will they switch off the SD version?

RTE have the opportunity to go HD from the off, and not be left with a residual problem of when to stop the simulcast. No-one has an SD version yet because no-one has any version yet. No SAOURview boxes or iDTVs yet. No-one to be disappointed that the equipment they have will not work.

If they launch with SD, to be upgraded there will be people who will claim their non-SOAURview eqipment 'used to work, and now it will not get the new HD service, what can RTE do about it!' HD from the off avoids the UK problem with upgrades for Freesat and Freeview. Particularly Freeview.

This problem is the same as the 405/625 line dual standard simulcasts in 1961. RTE, do not make the same mistake again.

slegs

slegs wrote: »

Not that i wouldnt like to see RTE HD and this is obviously good news but I find it hard to see any link whatsoever between this and RTE. Can you explain?

Quite simple really.
Loads of programmes in common including sports in HD.
Movies in HD.

Come Xmas-are you going to watch the same movie in crappovision when you can watch the hd version?

Ghost Train

Good to hear that there's an extra channel coming. Don't think it will effect rtes schedule but I guess the more mainstream HD becomes the more channels we'll get. I guess HD is an extra incentive to watch. Rte could go HD from the start, but if its just upscaled content branded as HD it might actually be seen as a worse option than just switching to digital and then HD down the line, when they produce more content.

Sam Russell

Most imported stuff is HD, or will be soon. Some home produced is also HD, or will be. Sport can be HD, and benfits from it. When colour was introduced, it was ages before everything was in colour on RTE, much behind the BBC and ITV.

We have waited this long, let us jump ahead when we can.

slegs

Still dont see the connection between BBC launching a HD channel and anything RTE are doing.

We need to get a digital service launched first...one step a time.

You don't see why people preferring to watch movies and sport in free hd might hurt RTE advertising revenue?
The advertisers will notice eventually.

SPDUB

Deleted User wrote: »

You don't see why people preferring to watch movies and sport in free hd might hurt RTE advertising revenue?
The advertisers will notice eventually.

A They don't broadcast movies at the same time so people will consider either RTE transmission a preview or repeat of the movie

B No ads on the BBC is already an attraction to the BBC transmission and no stupid censorship is an attraction to the RTE transmission

C If you're that much a fan of the film that you care enough whether you see it in HD then you probably already have the Blu Ray of it

Sport will come down to whether they actually transmit the same event ( can't see that happening for GAA ) and possibly how well you can stand the commentators .

watty

- point: Graeme Norton

STB

I am beginning to wonder what the point is myself Watty.

RTE have the encoders both SD and HD MPEG4 encoders. Infact we have been broadcasting using the MPEG4 codec terrestrially for some time now which the BBC or indeed Freeview havent been. Infact if I am not mistaken 90% of Freeviews output remains in MPEG2 for the forseeable future.

I still dont see the point in knocking something that isnt actually launched as yet. BTW. AFAIK all of RTEs Sport is actually shot in HD anyway and has been for some time. I'd imagine the test channel that is on is for some sort of HD output for matches for example in the future. We dont have the luxury of a high TV licence base and the associated cash that the UK have from which to broadcast whatever we want.

I took watty's comment to mean graeme norton and the eurovision on bbchd versus rte's coverage.
The bbc hd picture was markedly better-in fact rte looked blurred in comparison.

No rte advertiser on that show got a look in at this house.

If it takes as long to get rte hd up as it has done dtt,some of us will have the free tv license.

If uk t2 hd is backwards mpeg5 compatible,the theres no issue for ni aso or roi aso.

STB

Deleted User wrote: »

I took watty's comment to mean graeme norton and the eurovision on bbchd versus rte's coverage.
The bbc hd picture was markedly better-in fact rte looked blurred in comparison.

No rte advertiser on that show got a look in at this house.

If it takes as long to get rte hd up as it has done dtt,some of us will have the free tv license.

If uk t2 hd is backwards mpeg5 compatible,the theres no issue for ni aso or roi aso.

I took it that the comment was ala Graham Norton. And your point is ?

Eitherway whatever about the PQ the commentary was certainly better ala Graham.

MPEG5 ? You mean MHEG5 yes well its the same version in 1.06.

MPEG4 decoding of the signal is much more an issue presuming that the manufacturers for the UK spec dont follow the DBook standard rather than ETSI that they have been following to date ie sticking rigidly to what it defines in the Service types and also its behaviour towards country codes.

I meant backwards mpeg4 compatible.. DOH ! at the typo.

Also I'd be annoyed if it was RTEnl that decided to unnecessarily implement something technical that made their mpeg4 unviewable on uk freeview hd equipment.

Tv3 would be the losers after NI dso in that case if RTE is on NI muxes as it would be a no brainer for huge swathes of leinster down to Dublin to get the uk spec equipment and point aerials north.

JDxtra

Eastenders is a big ratings winner for RTE and as such brings in much needed advertising revenue. No adverts on the BBC probably draws a small percentage of viewers away from the 101 default. But, the picture quality of the show on RTE is just dreadful. So, along comes the HD version with a big advertising push from the BBC. RTE can say bye bye to an even larger percentage of viewers. Advertisers cant ignore this if the ratings systems accurately reflect a shift.

Sam Russell

Unless of course RTE1 is also in HD.:)

STB

Deleted User wrote: »

Also I'd be annoyed if it was RTEnl that decided to unnecessarily implement something technical that made their mpeg4 unviewable on uk freeview hd equipment.

RTE is concerned with DTT rollout not whether overspill is received from Freeview with Irish spec'd equipment! The Irish spec has been in the public domain some 2 years now (which is on the RTE NL website - thats what they will follow).

It may have been intentional by those manufacturing products for the UK market shutting off certain avenues that otherwise would be defined in accordance with ETSI standards. Again they are not concerned about Irish DTT standards (some might say they werent concerned about ETSI standards either).

Eitherway up till now manufacturers have being interpreting the UK spec differently. Of course DVB-T2 should be backward compatable but so far the Irish experience has not been good with the UK Dbook being followed by some manufacturers(Panasonic) and ETSI standards by other(LG).

Those issues of course arose with Fressat HD and DVB-T bundled products although having the correct MPEG4 H264 level chip for Ireland, UK contraints stopped Irish DTT reception that would not have happened if ETSI standards had been followed (I.E. full service types not being defined - ie skipping anything that is not defined just as Digital Television Service normally used for MPEG2 transmissions).

The use of country descriptors with UK boxes and LCDs has also been an issue in the past. With some receivers ignoring ALL signals if it doesnt see the GB flag.

These are contraints put in previous UK products not Irish broadcast standards and certainly not caused by the Irish broadcaster.

I hope now that MPEG4 on DVB-T2 is clearly defined that there is no room for shortcuts to be taken for the reception of Irish DVB-T in the UK firmware. But I wouldnt second guess it till I see confirmed reports (especially with advanced codec flag broadcast).

It can only benefit us as DVB-T2 prices come down (not to mention pleasing those who want it all now ) .