I suspect when the BBC management wake up and realise the contradiction in their plans, children's programmes will be back on BBC ONE & BBC TWO especially as they have no watershed problem.
When I get home, I must tot up the number of BBC 3 and 4 programmes that are shown in HD on BBC HD. I don't think it's actually that many, is it ? (I exclude repeat showings)
One example close my heart was the HD-remastered version of 'Civilisation' which was shown only on BBC HD (though I suppose at a push you could call that a repeat showing...) I guess I'll just have to hope that content of that nature (if they can ever afford to do any more) would be aired on BBC Two in future.
Are you being serious? I've never been able to justify the extra HDD space which would be required to record the HD broadcasts of block-coloured cartoons like 'The Simpsons' and 'Family Guy'!
That is totally incorrect for two reasons, everything on BBC2 HD will be in HD
Reason 1
The BBC has already stated that they are moving slowly to all HD Production from 2012, so after 2012 everything will be in HD on BBC1 and BBC2
and maybe other channels too, we'll see
Reason 2
It is mentioned in the BBC Arial Article that BBC2 HD will be solely in HD meaning only HD programming will be on their until there is another Switchover,
whereby everyone will need new TVs or set top boxes to watch in HD or not as the case may be, as I do not think a lot of people can afford new TVs,
just to watch things in HD unless the Price comes down a lot with high demand - unlikely
In addition, you cannot watch HD programmes in HD from a CRT TV that a lot of people I know still have to this day,
so they will be needing to upgrade their TVs to watch things properly in HD
and Scart Leads and Sockets will need to be replaced with the HDMI equivalent
Hi-Def Tv's are becoming cheaper as are HD boxes/recorders. You can get some excellent deals on them.
its the new 3D smart Tv's that can be expensive but if u just want a 32inch HD screen then shop around.
One example close my heart was the HD-remastered version of 'Civilisation' which was shown only on BBC HD (though I suppose at a push you could call that a repeat showing...) I guess I'll just have to hope that content of that nature (if they can ever afford to do any more) would be aired on BBC Two in future.
It Was stunning - But I can imagine if it was made now the outcry as it was shot on 35mm film ( about the only BBC TV programme shot in this format) rather than the usual 16mm
at some tremendous cost ... and the shooting was done episodically not all shots from one place at one time - so a lot of travel expenditure
But Am I glad that they made it .. and that the BBC has restored it.
It could replace Pages From Ceefax during BBC 2's down time ?
Pages from Ceefax "in vision" is finishing in April 2012 with the teletext version closing with analogue in October of that year (Northern Ireland will be the last place to shut down Ceefax).
So they'll need to put something in its place. But I don't think it could be a static Test Card due to burn-in concerns. It'd have to be like the current BBC HD preview loop.
Pages from Ceefax "in vision" is finishing in April 2012 with the teletext version closing with analogue in October of that year (Northern Ireland will be the last place to shut down Ceefax).
I HATE the "press red" graphics. Fortunately, I don't get them with my HTPC but every time I go to a friend's house I have to press the Green button pretty much every time a programme starts.
So will there only be the HD version of BB2 running or will it run along side the SD version?
May seem a stupid question but the responses don't seem, to me, to clearly state which situation will the case.
As a general additional question if I was to get a Freeview HD PVR and hook it up to an old analouge TV via a scaret lead would I be able to view HD channels, I know if I could view them they would be in SD, but would I be able to view them?
I currently watch via an old TV hooked up to VCR which is inturn hooked up to a DTR for TopUp TV. The TUTV box is linked to the VCR via a scaret lead.
I have asked in one or two shops and not got a valid response
As a general additional question if I was to get a Freeview HD PVR and hook it up to an old analouge TV via a scaret lead would I be able to view HD channels, I know if I could view them they would be in SD, but would I be able to view them?
So will there only be the HD version of BB2 running or will it run along side the SD version?
The intention is to have a HD only playout (As for BBC one) - saving the costs of playing out BBC HD...
and to not have any National variations - thus saving 3 playout suites.....in Belfast Cardiff and Glasgow.
As a general additional question if I was to get a Freeview HD PVR and hook it up to an old analouge TV via a scaret lead would I be able to view HD channels, I know if I could view them they would be in SD, but would I be able to view them?
YES ...... and a Freeview HD receiver is very clever at dealing with retunes as well...
The intention is to have a HD only playout (As for BBC one) - saving the costs of playing out BBC HD...
and to not have any National variations - thus saving 3 playout suites.....in Belfast Cardiff and Glasgow.
BBC Two in SD will continue for the immediate future. There are specific requirements in its service licence for providing the Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales services; the BBC Trust would surely have to consult on removing these. In the BBC Executive's DQF summary for Scotland, they say "BBC Two Scotland will be maintained in SD until at least 2015 while we review its long-term future." Similar statements appear in the Wales and Northern Ireland documents.
BBC Two HD will be a simulcast of BBC Two England, much as BBC One HD is currently a simulcast of BBC One London, except in periods set aside for regional opt-outs (generally news). Or, rather, the SD services are a simulcast of the HD sustaining service from London. All that will happen is that the sustaining SD stream, from which the nation or region opts out, is or will be derived from the HD stream, rather than being a separate SD playout.
BBC One HD is soon to get Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales variants, to allow those nations to run their own schedules in HD. That means an upgrade of the sustaining service sent to the nations, to make it HD, and carriage of the modified service back to the central multiplexing centre for distribution. On Freeview, it's statmuxed with BBC HD/BBC Two HD, ITV1 HD/STV HD or in future UTV HD, and 4hd or S4C Clirlun in Wales. There's also satellite back-up distribution where currently all services on BBC A and BBC B multiplexes - except Sky Sports, for Mux B before switchover - are transmitted on the same transponder, in case the fibre-optic feeds break down. For satellite viewers, BBC One HD and BBC HD are currently on the same transponder and combined with an ITV1 HD variant; the BBC will need more capacity for BBC One HD national opt-outs and may still need to share with someone. 4hd is currently looking pretty lonely on its transponder on Astra 1N, which is running at 42 Mbps, enough for four HD services.
Practically speaking, any switch to HD-only transmission has to wait until a sufficient number of people have voluntarily purchased HD equipment - that is, equipment that can decode the newer DVB-T2 standard and MPEG-4 AVC video encoding. Even if you only have an SD TV set, you should now strongly consider getting a DVB-T2 Freeview HD box, if you haven't already bought a box, or if you need to buy a replacement.
For analogue switch-off, the government set a threshold of 50% of viewers switching to some form of digital TV, and widespread availability of equipment before announcing a compulsory timetable. That was reached, and the plan announced, in 2004. It would still take 8 years for the compulsory switchover to complete, after that point. The PSBs' HD services should be approximately equal in coverage to their SD equivalents, so the problem of availability doesn't arise, but there may be greater resistance to buying yet more replacement equipment just a short time after the first switchover. In addition, many surveys indicate that picture quality is actually less important to the majority of viewers than variety of content; HD might have trouble 'crossing the chasm' as, at least on Freeview, it only duplicates services that are already available to everyone in SD. Relying on natural turnover of equipment may take a very, very long time.
Comments
As the BBC has ALL new programming HD - why is there not enough to fill the HD channel?
But you will have "Pages from Ceefax" in High Definition to look forward to instead. The BBC have no money to put anything else on.
Hi-Def Tv's are becoming cheaper as are HD boxes/recorders. You can get some excellent deals on them.
its the new 3D smart Tv's that can be expensive but if u just want a 32inch HD screen then shop around.
It Was stunning - But I can imagine if it was made now the outcry as it was shot on 35mm film ( about the only BBC TV programme shot in this format) rather than the usual 16mm
at some tremendous cost ... and the shooting was done episodically not all shots from one place at one time - so a lot of travel expenditure
But Am I glad that they made it .. and that the BBC has restored it.
It could replace Pages From Ceefax during BBC 2's down time ?
Pages from Ceefax "in vision" is finishing in April 2012 with the teletext version closing with analogue in October of that year (Northern Ireland will be the last place to shut down Ceefax).
So they'll need to put something in its place. But I don't think it could be a static Test Card due to burn-in concerns. It'd have to be like the current BBC HD preview loop.
How predictably London-centric of them !
No more or less risk of burn in than from news channel tickers, 'PRESS RED' DOGs, or those MHEG captions for the non 24/7 channels ?
Source?
May seem a stupid question but the responses don't seem, to me, to clearly state which situation will the case.
As a general additional question if I was to get a Freeview HD PVR and hook it up to an old analouge TV via a scaret lead would I be able to view HD channels, I know if I could view them they would be in SD, but would I be able to view them?
I currently watch via an old TV hooked up to VCR which is inturn hooked up to a DTR for TopUp TV. The TUTV box is linked to the VCR via a scaret lead.
I have asked in one or two shops and not got a valid response
Yes,this will work.
The intention is to have a HD only playout (As for BBC one) - saving the costs of playing out BBC HD...
and to not have any National variations - thus saving 3 playout suites.....in Belfast Cardiff and Glasgow.
YES ...... and a Freeview HD receiver is very clever at dealing with retunes as well...
BBC Two in SD will continue for the immediate future. There are specific requirements in its service licence for providing the Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales services; the BBC Trust would surely have to consult on removing these. In the BBC Executive's DQF summary for Scotland, they say "BBC Two Scotland will be maintained in SD until at least 2015 while we review its long-term future." Similar statements appear in the Wales and Northern Ireland documents.
BBC Two HD will be a simulcast of BBC Two England, much as BBC One HD is currently a simulcast of BBC One London, except in periods set aside for regional opt-outs (generally news). Or, rather, the SD services are a simulcast of the HD sustaining service from London. All that will happen is that the sustaining SD stream, from which the nation or region opts out, is or will be derived from the HD stream, rather than being a separate SD playout.
BBC One HD is soon to get Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales variants, to allow those nations to run their own schedules in HD. That means an upgrade of the sustaining service sent to the nations, to make it HD, and carriage of the modified service back to the central multiplexing centre for distribution. On Freeview, it's statmuxed with BBC HD/BBC Two HD, ITV1 HD/STV HD or in future UTV HD, and 4hd or S4C Clirlun in Wales. There's also satellite back-up distribution where currently all services on BBC A and BBC B multiplexes - except Sky Sports, for Mux B before switchover - are transmitted on the same transponder, in case the fibre-optic feeds break down. For satellite viewers, BBC One HD and BBC HD are currently on the same transponder and combined with an ITV1 HD variant; the BBC will need more capacity for BBC One HD national opt-outs and may still need to share with someone. 4hd is currently looking pretty lonely on its transponder on Astra 1N, which is running at 42 Mbps, enough for four HD services.
Practically speaking, any switch to HD-only transmission has to wait until a sufficient number of people have voluntarily purchased HD equipment - that is, equipment that can decode the newer DVB-T2 standard and MPEG-4 AVC video encoding. Even if you only have an SD TV set, you should now strongly consider getting a DVB-T2 Freeview HD box, if you haven't already bought a box, or if you need to buy a replacement.
For analogue switch-off, the government set a threshold of 50% of viewers switching to some form of digital TV, and widespread availability of equipment before announcing a compulsory timetable. That was reached, and the plan announced, in 2004. It would still take 8 years for the compulsory switchover to complete, after that point. The PSBs' HD services should be approximately equal in coverage to their SD equivalents, so the problem of availability doesn't arise, but there may be greater resistance to buying yet more replacement equipment just a short time after the first switchover. In addition, many surveys indicate that picture quality is actually less important to the majority of viewers than variety of content; HD might have trouble 'crossing the chasm' as, at least on Freeview, it only duplicates services that are already available to everyone in SD. Relying on natural turnover of equipment may take a very, very long time.
I think the BBC announced it at some point, but of course it carried on!