See today's blog from Alix Pryde, Director, BBC Distribution.

Please note the special details regarding series recordings settings etc.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/aboutthebbc/posts/BBC-Two-HD

Or they could put a stop to the obscene golden hand shakes paid out to departing senior executives and stop showing days and days of elitists sports to satisfy the few.

Why does taking two channels of different programming, one of which is already an HD channel, and changing them into one HD channel, need to be made 'affordable'?
Surely this is a cost cutting exercise, not higher expenditure.
As has been said already, this is part of how the BBC is finding the millions to hand out to execs to leave the BBC for being useless at their jobs.

Its because the BBC "Haz the Dumb"

Last night I watched the recording of the HD version of BBC4's 'Wodehouse in Exile'. As with much of BBC4's output it was simulcast on the BBC HD channel, or if not simulcast then transmitted late into the early hours on the BBC HD Channel,

So with this change, all the wonderful programming on BBC4 that had been available in HD will now be restricted to SD. This is a woeful retrograde step simply to bring a complete simulcast of BBC2 into HD. Much of BBC2, as with much of BBC1 is simply not worth HD transmission.

BBC4's output is the only thing that makes the license fee worthwhile. This loss of much of it's output in HD is a backward step.

<BBC4's output is the only thing that makes the license fee worthwhile. This loss of much of it's output in HD is a backward step>

Hear, hear....well almost!

The Senior Service alone is worth the license fee...Radios 2,3,4,5 and the World Service. We have the best radio service in the World...bar none.

Regards to all

I totally agree.

Might want to check any series links as I had the zombie flesh program on bbc3 and hd on link on bbc hd but has just disappeared after two of the three episodes, I have had to set up again but not in hd, it might be in hd on I player I suppose but if you have any links it might be worth checking

From BBC blog:

"Perhaps Sky's implementation of BBC iPlayer should be the future? Sky use progressive download which stores the content to the STB's hard drive and lets you view it once it's calculated that you can finish the programme without interruption/buffering.

Sky also provides BBC content in broadcast quality1080i too, not the 720p that the BBC offer.

And because they use progressive download, anyone regardless of internet speed can get the full HD content (albeit with a wait for slow connections), which streaming can't offer." - derek500

Is this true?

I believe so, but the service isn't free, nor is the latter statement. Slower connections can also buffer content just not to a permanent file.

I could give you chapter and verse on Sky's On Demand service used in conjunction with their traffic management policy when used with Sky Connect. In a word 'rubbish', I had to change ISP in order to use BBC iPlayer. With Connect it was constant buffering.

And the folly of this change is already apparent. Next Saturday BBC4 starts a Swedish crime thriller series, Arne Dahl, which will attract the fans of previous Scandinoir series, and no space on the 'spare' HD channel to put it out in merited HD format.

Later this year or early next, the 3rd series of Borgen is due on BBC 4 which, no doubt, was watched by a substantial if not majority segment of its audience in HD on the HD channel.

Not next time unless it's scheduled for BBC2 HD.

Add your comments on this to Janice Hadlow, Controller BBC Two http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/abouttheb...-to-BBC-Two-HD

I have done. More than once. But the Beeb usually turn a deaf ear to this sort of complaint

Interesting: I have never ever known the BBC ignore a Complaint when I've asked for a reply.

I've sometimes disagreed with their reply, but never felt disregarded.

(I know you mean turn a deaf ear as a figure of speech.)

You failed to mention the most eagerly awaited programme of them all - the return of 'The Bridge'?

That one, too.

The fundamental reason for many changes to BBC output is caused by the need to make savings. Why?- the BBC has a frozen income for many years. You have to ask why the government pressed the BBC to do this. Did anyone persuade the government?
The less the BBC does the more scope for commercial interests to gain and make profits.

And don't forget that BBC Worldwide which provides a lot of income to the BBC has had to absorb a loss of nearly £80 million on the sale of Lonely Planet. They had already written off £67 million on its value over the last 6 years leaving a loss of £12 million in the current year.

Hope is on the way ....

http://recombu.com/digital/news/bbc-...ar_M11399.html

I wouldn't hold out much hope for native resolution. Iplayer HD is MP4 720p25 (1280 x 720). The original content is 1920 x 1080 either interlaced or 1080p25.

No mention about Dolby Digital 5.1 sound though?

But presumably it will be better than iPlayer SD.

It is much better iplayer-HD has been around for a while, the article referred to just means a lot more content will be available in HD.

It's available on Humax HDR FOX T2, HDR-1000/1010S, PS3 and many smart TV's