COM8 is now up and running with services from Winter Hill - and I presume other sites as well.

Two initial LCNs -

111 QVC + 1 HD
112 QVC Beauty HD

Looks like it may be a timeshare between the two.

Yep, getting the same from Sutton Coldfield.

111 QVC + 1 HD (on air).
112 "QVC Beauty HD (off air).

now getting these two channels from Crystal Palace.

No sign of anything at Tacolneston yet.

2 new channels I will not be bothering to retune for...!

Oh wow, so exciting, QVC in HD and it is +1

High Definition crap oooooooh!

At the risk of defending QVC, if I was relying on a tv channel to help me choose purchases and they were things that were visually important like jewellery, make-up, clothes etc, then I would think HD would be very important.

I think the most interesting thing is that COM8 is now running and has lots of empty space. Maybe we'll get some extra pop-up red button (HD?) streams for Wimbledon assuming the bandwidth hasn't been snapped up by then.

Nothing on Mendip yet.

QVC +1 hd off air on channel 111
QVC Beauty hd on air on channel 112 here in Sutton Coldfield

They are on a time share thankfully, so that's about five HD slots up for grabs, or around 15 SD slots?
Let's hope we see some more Channel 4 channels and maybe even 5 HD if the new owners are feeling kind.

What a waste of bandwith - NO need for a HD shopping channel

Sorry if I've missed something but can anyone explain why there's no QVC HD, seems a bit strange to launch the +1 without the main channel being HD.

I use Sudbury & Dover and nice to know I am not missing much or worth turning the aerial round.

Alright some of us don't watch shopping channels but if no one else is claiming the bandwidth isn't it better to be used for something instead of nothing, at least this way Arqiva gain some more money and the bandwidth is being used for something instead of Ofcom saying we don't need it and selling it off for other ourposes.

Indeed, I don't see how anyone can say it is a waste of bandwidth when no-one else wants it!

What a complete waste of space. What on earth is the point of a timeshifted shopping channel? Everything will be out of stock by the time you are able to watch it!

Stupid!

Timeshifted and timeshared. Only one slot being used.

What are the hours of each?

1AM-1PM QVC+1HD
1PM-1AM QVC Beauty

I don't think you have missed anything DigiMan, I've not seen an explanation for QVC +1 HD but no QVC HD anywhere either. My only guess is that it makes it easier to know which channel is generating each sale, assuming products are onscreen for much less than an hour.

I think the sense is that they aren't duplicating anything but covering as many audiences as possible. Having QVC+1HD gives people a second chance to watch content, which having just QVC HD wouldn't. It kills two birds with one stone instead of having QVC HD and QVC+1
Also if you care enough about HD to go from 16 to 111, then you probably won't mind waiting another hour or recording the content.

My theory -

QVC HD may be lined up for a full slot on COM7, but only once BBC Three closes and BBC Four and BBC News move to BBCB. QVC Beauty may move to COM7 for a full time slot or become full-time on COM8.

They don't want to launch QVC HD with off-peak hours only, so QVC+1 HD is just holding the LCN 111, which is great number.

In order to keep costs down, there may not be a full rollout of COM8 until more channels come on board.

Great theory, probably very likely.
Just one point, did you mean BBC Four and Cbeebies moving to BBCB or do you think BBC News will also move over and BBCB will have 6HD channels and 1SD with future encoder improvements? I know COM7 is running more services than that but probably at a lesser quality.