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HD upgrade for existing TVs

LankyLanky Posts: 252
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in Technical #1
Many of us have spent a lot of money buying HD TVs with integrated freeview tuners. If we want to view HD on terrestial we will have to buy a separate box. Rather than add to the clutter around our TVs, is it not possible for TV manufacturers to produce a unit that can be added to, or replace, the tuner already in the TV? I would much rather pay for this than a separate box.

Comments

  • NightdeamonNightdeamon Posts: 3,806
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    #2
    would a cam be able to do this??
  • prkingprking Posts: 9,793
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    #3
    Some of the better brands do have modules which are swappable (by a service engineer). I don't know of any plans yet to produce any FreeviewHD. Probably because of the need for a network connection.
  • reslfjreslfj Posts: 1,832
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    #4
    Lanky wrote: »
    Many of us have spent a lot of money buying HD TVs with integrated freeview tuners. If we want to view HD on terrestial we will have to buy a separate box.

    YES - There is NO business case for upgrades.
    (well maybe - just maybe- for newer £4000+ B&O or Loewe models).
    Nightdeamon wrote: »
    would a cam be able to do this??

    NO way.

    Lars :)
  • Nigel GoodwinNigel Goodwin Posts: 58,515
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    #5
    Lanky wrote: »
    Many of us have spent a lot of money buying HD TVs with integrated freeview tuners. If we want to view HD on terrestial we will have to buy a separate box. Rather than add to the clutter around our TVs, is it not possible for TV manufacturers to produce a unit that can be added to, or replace, the tuner already in the TV? I would much rather pay for this than a separate box.

    It's not practical or cost effective - expect to add £200 (or more) on the price of a TV to include the capability, and then £300-400 for the Freeview HD upgrade.

    Makes lot's more sense to buy a separate box (preferably a PVR), or buy a new TV.
  • StuartPlymouthStuartPlymouth Posts: 1,583
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    #6
    Lanky wrote: »
    Many of us have spent a lot of money buying HD TVs with integrated freeview tuners.
    I thought almost all TVs now came with a built in (SD) Freeview tuner as standard?

    However, most people want PVRs these days, so the fact that the iDTV's built-in tuner can't pick up the DVB-T2 signal is largely irrelevant, although I appreciate it's frustrating for those with HD ready TVs.

    The PVRs will come down in price quickly enough once demand increases. I suspect that they'll be down to around £150 by the end of the year. People would still have the ability to turn to the SD channels using the in-built tuner while recording two programmes on the PVR, so it's no great hassle.
  • PeterBPeterB Posts: 9,487
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    #7
    prking wrote: »
    Some of the better brands do have modules which are swappable (by a service engineer). I don't know of any plans yet to produce any FreeviewHD. Probably because of the need for a network connection.

    Any examples?
  • prkingprking Posts: 9,793
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    #8
    For example, Loewe models. See their website.
  • Colin_LondonColin_London Posts: 12,716
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    #9
    Just had a search on Sonys site for 'Freeview HD' and 44 UK models in their new range will be equipped with DVB-T2, from 32" through to 60" :eek:

    http://www.sony.co.uk/search/Search.action?site=odw_en_GB&shortcut=false&section=ODW+SS+en_GB+Search&sectiontype=Search&advanced=true&locale=en_GB&allSections=false&sections=Products&query=freeview+HD&brand=default&audienceSrc=consumer
  • Nigel GoodwinNigel Goodwin Posts: 58,515
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    #10
    Colin_London wrote: »
    Just had a search on Sonys site for 'Freeview HD' and 44 UK models in their new range will be equipped with DVB-T2, from 32" through to 60" :eek:

    http://www.sony.co.uk/search/Search.action?site=odw_en_GB&shortcut=false&section=ODW+SS+en_GB+Search&sectiontype=Search&advanced=true&locale=en_GB&allSections=false&sections=Products&query=freeview+HD&brand=default&audienceSrc=consumer

    Yes, it's been mentioned here before - Sony are widely assumed in the trade to be the first to release a Freeview HD IDTV - but we'll have to wait and see.
  • MikeCMikeC Posts: 203
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    #11
    After being disappointed by my Freesat HD "upgrade", I'm going to wait for Freeview HD to be up and running for a couple of years and all 4/5 channels are in place before investing in any more so-called upgrades.

    Unless the broadcasters get their finger out in the picture quality area and/or more spectrum is released for DVB-T2, I can't see Freeview HD being worth it.
  • marceljackmarceljack Posts: 633
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    #12
    Nightdeamon wrote: »
    would a cam be able to do this??
    No, it's by principle not possible to do it with a CAM, for 2 main reasons :
    -the CAM is behind the DVB-T demodulator, and HDTV in UK is using DVB-T2 which requires a new type of demodulator,
    -the MPEG-2 decoder which is behind the CAM is unable to handle HDTV signals, even if they would be transcoded from MPEG-4 to MPEG-2.
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