Historically SECAM was adopted by France, for political reasons, inorder to protect the French television manufacturing companies.
France keeps doing things like this, and it keeps stinging them in the end.
Another example: Was there any real advantage to their entire "minitel" escapade? Granted it was prestigious at a time when other countries had little or nothing as an alternative, but now that the internet's here it's pretty much swept away any advantage Minitel gave the French.
It's like the French government has difficulty accepting that when dealing with standards, it's better for everyone to be as global as possible in their outlook.
Now they're off on another scheme along these lines by trying to set up a government-backed French rival to Google, without ever explaining why exactly this needs to happen.
France keeps doing things like this, and it keeps stinging them in the end.
Another example: Was there any real advantage to their entire "minitel" escapade? Granted it was prestigious at a time when other countries had little or nothing as an alternative, but now that the internet's here it's pretty much swept away any advantage Minitel gave the French.
It's like the French government has difficulty accepting that when dealing with standards, it's better for everyone to be as global as possible in their outlook.
Now they're off on another scheme along these lines by trying to set up a government-backed French rival to Google, without ever explaining why exactly this needs to happen.
I think you will find its more the case of the UK doing things different.
405 lines instead of around 625 lines in 1946.
first of all 405 line NTSC
then 625 lines Pal with different audio 6Mhz (Europe 5.5Mhz).
No VHF transmissions so more transmitters needed for shorter range UHF.
Digital TV (Satellite or Freeview) no teletext.
MPEG 2 when MPEG 4 gives better bandwidth saving.
Selling off VHF and UHF frequencies for the governments digital dividend!
Totally agree Television2004 - its the British that have the inferior picture quality from what I can see.
The French use 2 systems - MPEG2 for their FTA channels and MPEG4 for the PAY TV channels - this is true although cannot see the advantages and merits of why.
I didn't realise the STB could work for PAL also - but its not something I can test over here as we have no freeview at all.
Satellite usage is nearing 85% incidentally in the islands, making it one of the most watched regions who own a satellite system in the world.
As mentioned earlier, all French TV origination when in analogue is done in PAL, as it is not possible to do frame-accurate editing with SECAM, neither can you vision-mix SECAM.
However, with the advent of digital, I would imagine (I don't have definitive knowledge) that French TV will be using PAL SDI (It only exists in NTSC and PAL flavours).
And as a light aside - here's the insiders names for the systems:
NTSC - Never Twice the Same Colour
PAL - Perfection At Last
SECAM - System Essentially Contrary to the American Method
I think you will find its more the case of the UK doing things different.
405 lines instead of around 625 lines in 1946.
first of all 405 line NTSC
then 625 lines Pal with different audio 6Mhz (Europe 5.5Mhz).
No VHF transmissions so more transmitters needed for shorter range UHF.
Digital TV (Satellite or Freeview) no teletext.
MPEG 2 when MPEG 4 gives better bandwidth saving.
Selling off VHF and UHF frequencies for the governments digital dividend!
Aah! but the French had an 819 line system on their VHF transmitters which could generally be resolved on a 405 line receiver. Sound still a problem but modification not too difficult with knowledge.
Isn't SECAM transmitted with low threshold =black as opposed to PAL with low threshold =white - thus interference tends to white rather than black ?
Well, strictly speaking those are characteristics of System L, which is used for French SECAM, but not for SECAM in the middle east, where system B/G is used.
System L uses +ve video and AM sound, both potentially more susceptible to interference, although I haven't seen much evidence in reality.
NTSC has colour changing problems - the whole point of Phase Alternating Lines is to eliminate these NTSC colour distortions. Just think about it when you next watch analogue with interference - PAL has the right colour (assuming the right colour was transmitted!!) - or none. SECAM doesn't have these hue problems either.
SECAM doesn't combine the two U & V colour signals into one subcarrier (which is what causes the NTSC problems).It sends each signal independently on consecutive lines, so the receivers require a delay line. That used to be an expensive component, which is one reason SECAM wasn't popular. Allegedly the French government of the De Gaulle era subsidised SECAM sets so that they wouldn't have to adopt a Germsn system (PAL) - understandable in the immediate post-war period.
Aah! but the French had an 819 line system on their VHF transmitters which could generally be resolved on a 405 line receiver. Sound still a problem but modification not too difficult with knowledge.
Except that you ended up with two pictures side by side!
And nobody has mentioned that the SECAM colour system was also used by the USSR and the communist bloc (it might even have been a joint French/USSR development).
Im going to Jersey next week for a few days. Dont think where im staying will be able to get French Freeview. Can they get the odd french analouge TV. Not that I will watch as I was in Paris just over 6 years ago and the odd French TV channel looked crap but was just wondering.
The Australians use DVB-T, just the same as us, and it's been around for a couple of years as least.
The basic hardware is the same - in fact, the Topfield 5800 PVR sold in the UK uses the same main board as the Australian equivalent, the TF5800 PVRt.
But, the UHF channels are organised slightly differently, so you will likely need to update any box with Australian firmware to successfully tune in any channels.
EPG data is limited to now and next (with the exception of one channel, apparently), and there's no interactive stuff. There is, however, some MPEG2 HD (though some of that's only 576p).
Im going to Jersey next week for a few days. Dont think where im staying will be able to get French Freeview. Can they get the odd french analouge TV. Not that I will watch as I was in Paris just over 6 years ago and the odd French TV channel looked crap but was just wondering.
Darren
Most of the French analogue TV channels are receivable across the more eastern and southern parts of the island. Quality if reception varies with location and weather but on the whole its pretty good. You'd probably be less likely to have access to these channels in smaller hotels and guest houses but a few of the larger hotels may carry one or two along with the usual 4 channels, CNN, etc, etc.
From what I understand, TNT is not yet available in the Boulogne/Calais area, but will be from later this year. If anyone can get it in the UK, it will be people like me living in Folkestone and Dover I would think! Anyone looking to move to get reception should consider St Margaret's Bay, just to the East of Dover - English mobile networks don't work there, but the French ones do!
Does anyone know if/when they plan to launch DTT in Belgium and the Netherlands? We often pick up RTBF 1 & 2, and in extreme weather conditions (very high pressure in the North Sea) we lose BBC2 and pick up Dutch TV instead.
I read somewhere that TNT has launched or about to launch in Belgium. You should pick something up in SE England.
TPS Star is a subscription channel, but do broadcast up to 2 hours an evening in the clear, alongwith Paris Premier, Canal + and even Canal + Sports (late night sports discussions)
Local Bretagne channels (as well as other French regions) are now also about to launch on TNT. Bretagne channels will most probably consist of TV Rennes and Bretagne language channel TV Breizh.
As far as hotels are concerned - they may have some French channels at hand - most probably have TV5 (which is of course available via Sky EPG's.
In another development - the French are also about to emabrk on HD though their TNT channels. I think it will apply to channels like TF1, France 2 & France 3 and maybe others. It will transmit in MPEG-4 format and should give an outstanding picture even better and unbelieveable picture quality.
I paid little attention to either when I lived there, but exactly which French TV and radio channels are available from where in Jersey?
Going back three times this year (two weddings and a birthday!) so will try to pay more interest when I'm next at the flat although seldom get the chance to watch TV when I'm there.
Channels I get include TF1, France 2-5, M6, Arte, Direct8, W9, NT1, NRJ12, iTele, BFMtv, Paris Premier, TPS Star, Canal +, TMC, Gulli and LCP and a couple of others like TV Europe 2 and
You should be up a signal for these in the south and east of the island, alongwith the higher ground in the north.
I can verify if Guernsey is able to pickup these channels, but would imagine Alderney could by picking up Cherbourg's TNT transmitter.
Comments
France keeps doing things like this, and it keeps stinging them in the end.
Another example: Was there any real advantage to their entire "minitel" escapade? Granted it was prestigious at a time when other countries had little or nothing as an alternative, but now that the internet's here it's pretty much swept away any advantage Minitel gave the French.
It's like the French government has difficulty accepting that when dealing with standards, it's better for everyone to be as global as possible in their outlook.
Now they're off on another scheme along these lines by trying to set up a government-backed French rival to Google, without ever explaining why exactly this needs to happen.
405 lines instead of around 625 lines in 1946.
first of all 405 line NTSC
then 625 lines Pal with different audio 6Mhz (Europe 5.5Mhz).
No VHF transmissions so more transmitters needed for shorter range UHF.
Digital TV (Satellite or Freeview) no teletext.
MPEG 2 when MPEG 4 gives better bandwidth saving.
Selling off VHF and UHF frequencies for the governments digital dividend!
The French use 2 systems - MPEG2 for their FTA channels and MPEG4 for the PAY TV channels - this is true although cannot see the advantages and merits of why.
I didn't realise the STB could work for PAL also - but its not something I can test over here as we have no freeview at all.
Satellite usage is nearing 85% incidentally in the islands, making it one of the most watched regions who own a satellite system in the world.
Jersey_Boy
However, with the advent of digital, I would imagine (I don't have definitive knowledge) that French TV will be using PAL SDI (It only exists in NTSC and PAL flavours).
And as a light aside - here's the insiders names for the systems:
NTSC - Never Twice the Same Colour
PAL - Perfection At Last
SECAM - System Essentially Contrary to the American Method
Aah! but the French had an 819 line system on their VHF transmitters which could generally be resolved on a 405 line receiver. Sound still a problem but modification not too difficult with knowledge.
System L uses +ve video and AM sound, both potentially more susceptible to interference, although I haven't seen much evidence in reality.
SECAM doesn't combine the two U & V colour signals into one subcarrier (which is what causes the NTSC problems).It sends each signal independently on consecutive lines, so the receivers require a delay line. That used to be an expensive component, which is one reason SECAM wasn't popular. Allegedly the French government of the De Gaulle era subsidised SECAM sets so that they wouldn't have to adopt a Germsn system (PAL) - understandable in the immediate post-war period.
Except that you ended up with two pictures side by side!
And nobody has mentioned that the SECAM colour system was also used by the USSR and the communist bloc (it might even have been a joint French/USSR development).
DaveB
Darren
Will UK DTT receivers work in Aus.
I know analogue televisions don't as the Audio is at different frequencies.
The basic hardware is the same - in fact, the Topfield 5800 PVR sold in the UK uses the same main board as the Australian equivalent, the TF5800 PVRt.
But, the UHF channels are organised slightly differently, so you will likely need to update any box with Australian firmware to successfully tune in any channels.
EPG data is limited to now and next (with the exception of one channel, apparently), and there's no interactive stuff. There is, however, some MPEG2 HD (though some of that's only 576p).
More information in the Digital Broadcasting Australian (dba) forums, at http://www.dtvforum.info/
Nigel.
Does anyone know if/when they plan to launch DTT in Belgium and the Netherlands? We often pick up RTBF 1 & 2, and in extreme weather conditions (very high pressure in the North Sea) we lose BBC2 and pick up Dutch TV instead.
http://www.digitenne.nl/
Not sure about the Belgians [on so many levels... ]
http://www.vrt.be/vrt_master/vrt_homepage/index.shtml
http://www.rtbf.be/rtbf_2000/bin/view_something.cgi?id=0087916_pagefiche
TPS Star is a subscription channel, but do broadcast up to 2 hours an evening in the clear, alongwith Paris Premier, Canal + and even Canal + Sports (late night sports discussions)
Local Bretagne channels (as well as other French regions) are now also about to launch on TNT. Bretagne channels will most probably consist of TV Rennes and Bretagne language channel TV Breizh.
As far as hotels are concerned - they may have some French channels at hand - most probably have TV5 (which is of course available via Sky EPG's.
In another development - the French are also about to emabrk on HD though their TNT channels. I think it will apply to channels like TF1, France 2 & France 3 and maybe others. It will transmit in MPEG-4 format and should give an outstanding picture even better and unbelieveable picture quality.
Jersey_Boy
Going back three times this year (two weddings and a birthday!) so will try to pay more interest when I'm next at the flat although seldom get the chance to watch TV when I'm there.
You should be up a signal for these in the south and east of the island, alongwith the higher ground in the north.
I can verify if Guernsey is able to pickup these channels, but would imagine Alderney could by picking up Cherbourg's TNT transmitter.
Jersey_Boy
What's digital reception like? Analogue reception on the hill above Gorey (where I lived) was pretty good.
Jersey_Boy
<http://www.digitale-televisie.BE/modules/dtv/?id=4>
has been reported numerous time by Digital Spy members throughout the South East during the summers of 2004 and 2005.