[technologist]

Originally Posted by Mark C

There's no real distribution required, beyond a circuit (and standby provision etc) from whoever wins the slot, to the BBC C&M centre..

That could easily take 3 months given some of the telcos ...
.depending on where the other end is!!!!!
... also if the SD options are taken up that would require a bit more work!

[Mark C]

Originally Posted by technologist

That could easily take 3 months given some of the telcos ...
.depending on where the other end is!!!!!
... also if the SD options are taken up that would require a bit more work!

Yea, fair point

[jj20x]

Originally Posted by Mark C

There's no real distribution required, beyond a circuit (and standby provision etc) from whoever wins the slot, to the BBC C&M centre.

Which is precisely what I meant by distribution, it won't happen overnight.

[Mark C]

Originally Posted by jj20x

Which is precisely what I meant by distribution, it won't happen overnight.

Well, calm down, you actually said 'distribution network'
which does conjure up the notion of multiple circuits all over the UK ?

[jj20x]

Originally Posted by Mark C

Well, calm down, you actually said 'distribution network'
which does conjure up the notion of multiple circuits all over the UK ?

Does it? maybe that's how you saw it but that wasn't what I had in mind. A network can be relatively simple.

[prking]

Odd that there still doesn't seem to be any news on this.

Is it possible that, for the second time, there were no successful bids?

[Dansky+HD]

Originally Posted by prking

Odd that there still doesn't seem to be any news on this.

Is it possible that, for the second time, there were no successful bids?

Obvious choice is for the BBC to launch more HD but the won't.

[DragonQ]

Originally Posted by prking

Odd that there still doesn't seem to be any news on this.

Is it possible that, for the second time, there were no successful bids?

Seems likely to me. We already know they plan on using "some HD capacity" in November for a 3D broadcast. I reckon they'll just go with 301 HD (red button) when needed (e.g. during Wimbledon). It'd be a lot cheaper than BBC HD is now and would still allow all the flexibility that channel provides.

[prking]

Isn't it strange that at the same time that broadcasters seem indifferent to launching on Freeview HD (Ofcom had two attempts at selling the space and BBC now seem to have had two unsuccessful attempts) that there is effort being put into two more HD muxes?

[Mickey_T]

My feeling is that the slot will remain empty until the eventual arrival of CH5-HD, which could still be years away. As DragonQ says it'll probably just be used occasionally by the BBC for 3D and perhaps extra HD content now and again in the meantime.

Can't see anyone launching SD on it either as you'd effectively be missing out on a large portion of viewers who don't have DVB-T2 boxes yet.

[technologist]

Originally Posted by prking

Isn't it strange that at the same time that broadcasters seem indifferent to launching on Freeview HD (Ofcom had two attempts at selling the space and BBC now seem to have had two unsuccessful attempts) that there is effort being put into two more HD muxes?

Not really - who is interested in the space on the extra muxes -
the PSB who have no shareholders and have more HD services than the one spare slot!
also the cost of the other muxes being only 20 site 63% is not taht great... but is not universal access.....
the pity is that the BBC is loosing out on income ..... which will be rolled over into completing HD emission.

[Paddy C]

The BBC should just keep the space and use it for BBC TWO HD. They can then keep BBC HD the way it is, but have it running 24 hours and use it during daytime hours to show content from CBBC and CBeebies mixed in with any content from any other BBC channel (but with a preference for 3 & 4 shows suitable for daytime broadcast), and then after 7pm use it only for simulcasts of BBC 3 & 4 shows and if no simulcasts are required for a timeslot, a repeat of previous HD shows from 3 & 4. Then everyone can have access to HD shows from 3 and 4, and not have to rely on iPlayer downloads.

[technologist]

But that cost £2M pa for play out and rights which the BBC cannot afford ....
while the two (or three) slots on the extra mux are not likely to cost that much - because the play out comes free!

BBC HD Has served its purpose ..... and we should be looking to all channel being simulcast
- but it is a cost which the BBC may not be able to afford now - particularly as it has lost two + year income from the fifth slot.

[mossy2103]

Originally Posted by technologist

But that cost £2M pa for play out and rights which the BBC cannot afford ....
while the two (or three) slots on the extra mux are not likely to cost that much - because the play out comes free!

BIB - how come?

[Radiomike]

Originally Posted by technologist

BBC HD Has served its purpose ..... and we should be looking to all channel being simulcast
- but it is a cost which the BBC may not be able to afford now - particularly as it has lost two + year income from the fifth slot.

Good point. It is worth noting that very little of the current BBC HD channel is given over to anything from BBC Three or Four, CBeebies or CBBC. That sort of mixed bag channel is no longer the way forward.

[Ste30yo]

So what´s the latest on this, it´s gone very quiet... surely would the bbc rather lose income on this (ie not selling it) as opposed to agreeing a reduced deal with say, CH5? I wonder how much they were asking for it?

S

[technologist]

There seem to be many reasons why Ch5 is not interested - and the non filling of the space is costing the BBC money - when it was planning on getting money in which was to be used to fund more HD emission.

But it is NOT cheap with 1000++ site PSB coverage .... which rather limits the likely interest!

the temporary 600Mhz muxes are a lot lot cheaper as they are only 20 to 30 sites!

[peter_sharp1uk]

The EPG for 301 is now showing welcome to BBC Red Button HD. So no takers at the moment.

[Paddy C]

As Wimbledon starts soon, I'm guessing the BBC are gonna keep the slot for now and offer an extra HD stream for everyone?

[AngusMast]

303 in Scotland has a video stream back again. It had had an MHEG caption for months (since before the launch of BBC1 Scot HD). I don't know when the latest change happened.

The EPG entries for now are "303" - "This is 303"
From 0600 30th May they are "This is BBC Red Button HD" - "This is BBC Red Button HD."

[DragonQ]

Originally Posted by Paddy C

As Wimbledon starts soon, I'm guessing the BBC are gonna keep the slot for now and offer an extra HD stream for everyone?

I guess the BBC listened to my idea.

[tomee]

Sounds good but why not have a different match on that channel?

[DragonQ]

Because it makes sense to have the best matches in HD (if you can't have them all in HD), but then those without access to HD channels would be missing out on one of the better matches. If you did it the other way around, you'd have a better match only in SD and a worse match in HD.

Basically the only sane thing to do is simulcast and give everyone 2-3 tennis matches to choose from in both SD and HD.

[tomee]

Originally Posted by DragonQ

Because it makes sense to have the best matches in HD (if you can't have them all in HD), but then those without access to HD channels would be missing out on one of the better matches. If you did it the other way around, you'd have a better match only in SD and a worse match in HD.

Basically the only sane thing to do is simulcast and give everyone 2-3 tennis matches to choose from in both SD and HD.

That a good point but it won't make people upgrade to HD freeview.