Com 8 ( ? )

tvmad-alan · 25/08/14 - 23:48

New Com channels 7 & 8 were planned back in 2012 and today we have just managed to get com7 in most areas and it's now full, so we need HD space to bring TV companies to freeview now.

As it's coming to peak TV viewing times ( autumn & winter ) TV companies will be looking for viewers and one place is to be on all platforms and to bring out a plus 1 hour along with HD channels.

So why is there hold up with Com 8 ?

Should it not be as simple as to switch it on at the transmitter if there put the gear at same time as Com 7 as both were planned together ?

technologist · 26/08/14 - 07:39

If there is nothing to transmit..... Why emitt anything ?

I am sure that Arqiva will light it up when they have paying customers..
And they did allow the temporary UHD 1ph1 experiment .

Who are likely customers?
The main users of mux7 are the publically owned PSB's .

Greebo · 26/08/14 - 20:58

technologist wrote: »

...And they did allow the temporary UHD 1ph1 experiment ...

Apologies if I'm commenting on a typo, but could you elaborate on what "1ph1" means - it's not something I'm aware of and have failed to find with google, and I do learn a lot from your posts - and the UHD trial was fascinating to see happen semi-publicly.

technologist · 26/08/14 - 22:25

UHD 1. Phase 1 which means 8 bit,50/60 fps and bt709 colorimetry
I,e as HD with more pixels.

Broadcasters are looking to introduce 10 or may be 12 bit 100/120fps bt2020 colorimetry

If you want more down load the SMPTE report https://www.smpte.org/standards/reports
Or David wood at the ebu on you tube https://tech.ebu.ch/news/david-wood-explains-high-dynamic-range-u-07jul14

Mickey_T · 26/08/14 - 22:29

It wouldn't surprise me if the first thing to broadcast publicly on Com8 is some crappy SD channel.

mossy2103 · 27/08/14 - 07:15

I've got a suspicion that COM8 will remain dormant

Mickey_T · 27/08/14 - 08:59

They should rename it Halley's Com8, because you wont see anything from it for another 75 years.

Greebo · 27/08/14 - 13:18

technologist wrote: »

UHD 1. Phase 1 which means 8 bit,50/60 fps and bt709 colorimetry
I,e as HD with more pixels.
Broadcasters are looking to introduce 10 or may be 12 bit 100/120fps bt2020 colorimetry
...

Thanks, I understand now. There was a short period of Main10 profile broadcast at the very end of the UHD test- I think after the Glasgow site had packed up and they no longer cared about the interoperability problems that a BBC blog said some kit was having (I'm guessing some of the prototype firmware on the various UHD demo screens didn't like it).

The source appeared to be a BBC HD demo loop - could that have been native 10 bit, or would they have had to upconvert the colour? I don't think I have a way of telling what colorimetry they were using, though I do still have a sample transport stream so could go back and have another look if anyone has any suggestions.

mossy2103 · 27/08/14 - 16:54

Mickey_T wrote: »

They should rename it Halley's Com8, because you wont see anything from it for another 75 years.

.....

leslie123 · 31/08/14 - 00:45

If there is an intention to use Com 8, then it should be fired up albeit with a test transmission for the benefit of aerial installers. When installing a new aerial, one wants to make sure one gets it right first time without a callback. Down here in London, Com 8 is supposed to broadcast on Ch.35, for many years outside the receiving range of a Group A receiving aerial prior to the launch of Channel 5 in analogue on Ch37 when Group A aerials were modified to take in this area of the band. Even after that reception in this part of the band could be poor. This coupled with the fact that ERP is expected to be considerably lower than that of the other multiplexes.

DWA9IS · 31/08/14 - 01:40

If no takers come forward for com 8 they should rejig things so that com 7s range could be increased even if it is just using the same 30tx sites and moving some com 7 sites to the frequency given for com 8 on those sites. They could then up the power at the 30 sites so many more people are in range.

Then com 6 could also be forced to become DVB-T2 which could take all the +1s and shopping channels that reside between COMs 5 & 6 currently.
With DVB-T1 now capable of 14 544*576 low bitrate streams and the 14th one not yet allocated its a good time to force COM 6 to be DVB-T2, as com 5 could take on an extra off of com 6.
com 4 could also actually take on another channel from com 6 but the contract would have to be switch to SDN instead which would be tricky!

technologist · 31/08/14 - 07:25

Remember that these muxes are temporary ..... And as a result built from spares from DTT low power operations ..
. Because their purpose is to encourage the take up of freeview HD kit so that dso2 will be include an emission change to T2 and coding change to AVC /AAC

Thus action by vince cable to"tick" only HD kit would help.....

Broadcasting in thse muxes to just over 70% population is cheap as far as DTT goes

The right answer is to move to dso2 at a time that makes financial sense to most major PSB broadcasters ....

leslie123 · 16/10/14 - 00:05

Any news when Com 8 might start broadcasting in the near future.

Colin_London · 17/10/14 - 08:49

leslie123 wrote: »

Any news when Com 8 might start broadcasting in the near future.

Is your real name Alan?

[Deleted User] · 26/04/15 - 14:45

Com 8 is now transmitting QVC +1 HD on LCN 111 and QVC Beauty HD on LCN 112 from Sutton Coldfield and Winter Hill, if anyone knows if there is going to be anything that users may actually want to watch, please let us know, Film 4 HD would get my vote

Hey there!

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