[mythtv-users] OT: Do we have HD in the UK?

[Another Sillyname]

2009/9/6 Richard Morton <richard.e.morton at gmail.com>:
> Unfortunately, as I understand it, it is more complicated than that; I
> have pieced this together from many sources as the commercial
> contracts seem to be a little secretive.
>
> The channels (Dave for instance) that are on Sky that are also
> available on free-to-air Freeview, if they are contained within a
> chargeable package on Sky they get a payment for the subscribers of
> the package or a lump sum.
>
> Those channels which are unencrypted on Sky (BBCOne etc) have to pay
> to be listed in the Sky EPG. Some of those channels have an
> exclusivity even if they are free-to-air on Sky.
>
> However; the same channel transmission within a MUX can supply both
> Sky and FreeSat set top boxes; although the EPG data would be
> completely different transmissions. This is because the satellites
> used for FreeSat and Sky are in the same celestial position.
>
> So as a hypothetical example if Dave was part of a chargeable on Sky
> package: for Dave to go from Sky to FreeSat (&Sky free-to-air) would
> likely entail losing their subscriber payment from Sky, being charged
> for Sky AND FreeSat EPG inclusion; and also the bandwidth used for the
> transmission of signal through a mux on a satellite.
>
> Because the number of viewers on FreeSat is so low currently this is
> not a good commercial move. I suspect the big 5 channels all had
> agreed before launch of FreeSat to be broadcast over FreeSat.
>
> I truely hope that FreeSat gets more HD channels but to get there they
> are likely going to need many more subscribers to create the business
> case. It can hardly be called FreeSatHD when there is only two
> part-time HD channels)
>
> With regard to FreeView (terrestrial) HD channels; OfCom is looking to
> sell so much bandwidth to non-tv uses after the digital switchover,
> even with a switch to a more efficient H.264 codec from MPEG2
> (requiring at best a firmware upgrade of set-top boxes but more likely
> a replacement set-top box for everyone). there would only be enough
> bandwidth for 4 or 5 additional HD channels in addition to the current
> SD lineup (even if the current SD lineup was transmitted in H.264 at
> standard definition).
>
> R
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Standard chicken and egg.

While Sky continue to dominate the satellite platform (and lock-in
channels through payments) there will be less channels on Freesat and
therefore less people will buy Freesat.  However as the Digital
rollout of Freeview continues the intent is to transmit 4 HD channels
using DVB-T2 (see wikipedia) at this time the 'likely' HD Channels are
BBC HD, ITV HD, Channel 4 HD or then either Film 4 HD or Channel 5 HD.

Once these channels are transmitting it's possible more people will
say "I'm not paying £50 per month for repeats, Freeview/Freesat is
enough for me" and then perhaps we'll get more HD channels on Freesat.
 Whether this is likely or not you'll have to decide for yourself.

Of course you don't have to have Freeview OR Freesat, you can combine
them into one mythtv system, have a read of this thread for example.

http://www.gossamer-threads.com/lists/mythtv/users/375444

Have fun.