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BBC to launch five new HD channels on Freeview
BBC News HD, BBC Three HD, BBC Four HD, CBBC HD and CBeebies HD are to launch by early 2014. Great news.
However BBC News HD, BBC Four HD and CBeebies HD won't be available to all Freeview homes.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2013/bbchdchannels.html
However BBC News HD, BBC Four HD and CBeebies HD won't be available to all Freeview homes.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2013/bbchdchannels.html
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"On digital terrestrial television (Freeview HD and YouView), BBC Three HD and CBBC HD will use capacity on the BBC’s existing HD multiplex, which has 98.5 per cent coverage of UK homes. BBC News HD, BBC Four HD and CBeebies HD will use new HD capacity, which will cover part of the UK and grow in coverage over time."
Given that the BBC couldn't find anyone to take the current 'spare' HD channel, what are the chances of finding seven broadcasters willing to pay for HD?
Try this: http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2013/bbchdchannels.html
And from the Ofcom press release:
"Arqiva has indicated that the new channels will be broadcast to up to 70% of the UK population – above the minimum requirement of 50%."
http://media.ofcom.org.uk/2013/07/16/new-hd-channels-on-terrestrial-tv/
Also this space is only available until 2018, what happens to the HD services then?
However BBC Three HD and CBBC HD will presumably be using the space that the BBC have been trying to sell off for some time, which is currently being used for BBC Red Button HD.
Presumably by then everyone will have realised that broadcasting over the airwaves is sooo 20th Century and the great IPTV Switchover will be underway!
I make that two 24 hour slots from the new 600MHz interim mux for the BBC: 1/ BBC News HD, 2/ BBC Four/CBeebies HD leaving 8 slots.
This was a joint Arqiva/BBC/Channel4 bid though ( http://www.a516digital.com/2012/11/bbc-c4-propose-more-hd-channels-on.html )- lets see how many Channel 4 announce.
If they don't fill the mux, we might end up with quite a few 'temporary' red button streams.
Channel Four will be taking at least one or two, I think ITV were not interested (they have their minor HD channels behind a paywall anyway). Maybe Channel Five will at last step up to the plate with one or maybe two?
http://media.ofcom.org.uk/2013/07/16/new-hd-channels-on-terrestrial-tv/
I don't expect to live to see that, and despite my advancing years I have every hope of being around for a few decades yet.
I can't imagine them going to the cost of a second "switchover" so soon after analogue-switchoff - at least not for another 10 years, hoping that most STBs/TVs will come with T2 tuners by then. Even then, I suspect most people will have moved to IP-based TV by then, so I'm not sure if one last broadcast change will be squeezed in.
Channel 4 list of HD channels that are coming soon to freeview HD.
Not going to happen but I can dream.
I don't expect it to ever happen - but it's such a 'good' plan, let's find the most expensive. limited and unreliable transmission method and get rid of the cheaper more reliable existing systems.