SKY unveils HD set top box details

Robert

From Digitalspy

t the DVB World conference in Dublin today BSkyB's Chief Operating Officer, Richard Freudenstein revealed that Sky had appointed Thomson as the initial manufacturer of the set top box for its forthcoming High-Definition (HDTV) service. He also revealed that the STB will have similar functionality as Sky+.

Mr Freudenstein said: "More than 600,000 customers already enjoy the control and flexibility of our Sky+ product. Offering PVR capability as a standard in the HDTV arena will ensure that they can continue to enjoy these benefits in association with our highest-quality programming."

Confirming that BSkyB was on track to launch HDTV in 2006, Mr Freudenstein added that the step change in picture quality would help BSkyB to achieve its target of 10 million customers in 2010. "Innovation and technology leadership are at the core of the Sky brand," he said. "By introducing HDTV, our ambition is to raise the bar again. We want to re-affirm that the digital satellite platform is the home of the highest-quality viewing experience available."

Current strong growth in sales of flat-screen television sets indicates rising consumer demand for a high-quality viewing experience in the home. BSkyB expects that sales of “HD Ready” TV sets will accelerate as equipment prices continue to fall and the availability of HDTV programming grows.

Although BSkyB's HDTV box can be connected to any kind of TV set, customers will require an “HD Ready” TV set with a flat-screen display of 26” or more to enjoy the full benefits of HDTV picture quality. BSkyB estimates that almost two million “HD Ready” sets will have been sold in the UK by the end of 2006.


About BSkyB's HDTV plans
· Sky's HDTV channel line-up will include a combination of sports, movies, entertainment and documentary programming. Full details of content and pricing will be announced in due course.

· Sky's HDTV system will support both 720p and 1080i picture formats. Broadcasters will be able to choose the format which is most appropriate to their individual requirements.

· Sky will use the advanced compression coding system MPEG-4 for its HDTV broadcasts.

· BSkyB's HDTV box will be equipped with an HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) as its primary means of connecting to an HD display. HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection) will also be required to view BSkyB's HD content using an HDMI connection. HDMI can also be connected to DVI equipped displays that support HDCP using a suitable adapter cable.

· “HD Ready” is a labelling scheme that is being introduced by the TV manufacturer's organisation EICTA. The “HD Ready” logo will appear on an increasing number of TV displays in shops over the coming months. Any TV set that carries the “HD Ready” label will work with Sky's HDTV service.

dmeehan

will HDTV just have improoved pic quality, or will there be other benefits?

Round Cable

dmeehan wrote:

will HDTV just have improoved pic quality, or will there be other benefits?

It will have a higher picture resolution, and 5.1 surround sound.

Capt'n Midnight

Will they be providing extra transponders / more bandwidth for this - or stealing it from other channels ?

Zaphod

There is still some spare capacity on the Astra birds at 28E and with the launch of 1KR, 2C will be able to move from 19E to 28E, its original intended destination. Eurobird is also available.

They can't keep adding sats continually to 28E, as there are a limited number of frequency slots on the Ku band and there's a possibility of interference with neighbouring birds (eg Arabsat 26E)
http://www.satsig.net/spectrums-europe.htm

So ultimately they are faced with 3 choices:

1) Launch birds with tighter footprints (e.g 2D) to allow for frequency re-use.
2) Start transmitting in the Ka-band.
3) Move to a new orbital position.

watty

And you will only see the 1080i better quality on a suitable HD monitor about 40" or bigger.

One HD channel is same bandwidth as 4 or 5 ordinary channels.

Most of the channels on Sky don't even use the full quality of regular definition TV.

The 720p mode is of great interest in Japan and US as their regular TV is 30% lower definition than ours and in US they have much bigger screens than us.

720p is a smaller increment of quality.

Almost no TVs under 32" even display regular TV at best quality. A few at 36" do.

Expect to pay €3000 for TV. Note that most plasmas do not do true HD.

Best value are video projectors. Under €1200 will get one that will do 36" to 72" (or bigger, but dimmer) and full 1080 HD or PC UXGA.

Ulsterman 1690

At the DVB World conference in Dublin

Anyone else see the irony in those words :rolleyes:

d-j-k

Using MPEG-4 will also mean they can squeeze a lot more picture into the same bandwidth.. it's light years ahead of their current MPEG2 streaming used for sky digital and most of the other digital tv systems on air / on cable at the moment.

It's a *FAR* better codec. It's already in use in media players like Apple Quicktime 6 and you can see massive improvements in how it streams internet content.