BBC HD on Freeview: rollout dates
There's a press release that's appeared today on the BBC press office website that outlines the planned roll out of Freeview HD. I've pulled out a couple of interesting paragraphs but it's worth looking at the full release as it has the dates for different bits of the country:
Today the BBC has confirmed the timetable that will make HD services on Freeview available to 50% of the population in time for next June's World Cup, and to 98.5% of the population by the end of digital switchover in three years' time.
and
New DVB-T2 technology will deliver an increase in capacity of 67% to the BBC's Multiplex B, efficiently creating the space needed for UK public service broadcasters' HD transmissions. The UK will be the first country in the world to launch this new standard, and its successful implementation is the result of pioneering work by the BBC in collaboration with partners including Ofcom, Arqiva, Siemens and receiver manufacturers. To view Freeview HD, audiences will need equipment containing this new technology. Freeview HD receivers (set-top boxes, digital television recorders and integrated televisions) will be available from early 2010.
Paul Murphy is the Editor of the Internet blog.
Some coverage so far:
- CNET: BBC HD on Freeview: Rolling out across UK in 2010
- TechRadar: BBC confirms Freeview HD 2010 details
- Computer Shopper: BBC announces timetable for Freeview HD
- Digital Spy: BBC unveils Freeview HD rollout timetable
Comment number 1.
At 16:25 16th Nov 2009, Briantist wrote:Ah, the list I had for ages. Nice to see it confirmed.
Freeview HD - final dates - ukfree.tv
Any chance of knowing what the channel numbers and ERPs will be for the "early service" transmitters?
Last time BBC HD at Crystal Palace was on C27 (522.0MHz) and it took out Multiplex A for everyone using Bluebell Hill...
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Comment number 2.
At 16:31 16th Nov 2009, KernowChris wrote:Thanks for this at last. We wont have to look at dubious amateur sites anymore.
Next on Freeview ... BT buying capacity from the DSO dividend to launch pay channels (as intimated in the 2009H2 results presentation last week). It keeps developing.
At least I can now decide on whether to wait for a Canvas box or going in in August for a DTT HD only device.
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Comment number 3.
At 16:33 16th Nov 2009, KernowChris wrote:... that should of course refer to the BT 2009H1 results presentation.
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Comment number 4.
At 17:32 16th Nov 2009, Briantist wrote:ChrisCornwall: I presume you mean the Interleaved Frequencies?
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Comment number 5.
At 18:28 16th Nov 2009, KernowChris wrote:#4 It was unclear.
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Comment number 6.
At 18:52 16th Nov 2009, Chris wrote:Why is it going to take so long to roll out? Those of us in the south (but outside London) will miss out on the service for up to three years. No chance of a reduction in the license fee during that period I assume?
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Comment number 7.
At 18:54 16th Nov 2009, _Ewan_ wrote:So, given the state of play with OfCom, can we assume that the ill-conceived DRM plan is actually dead, or are you still hoping to resurrect it?
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Comment number 8.
At 19:08 16th Nov 2009, Darren Steadman wrote:I can see that this could cause all kinds of problems with the general public.
At the moment everyone is going out to buy new televisions etc to get ready for the digital switch over. This will mean that thousands of people will now be buying equipment that won't be compatible with HD services.
A lot of people just won't get the difference between the two, they will think that they have bought a HD ready TV that is freeview compatible and would therefore expect to be able to receive freeview HD.
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Comment number 9.
At 19:38 16th Nov 2009, Mr Maff wrote:Absolutely Darren!
We went through the Digital switchover during the summer on the Isle of Man, and I replaced my old CRT telly for a nice new HD ready TV with digital tuner - as did most of the Island judging by the number of old TV's at the local tip.
As from next year this will be obsolete.
If I actually want to watch Freeview HD I will need to go and buy yet another box to go under my TV, and yet another remote control.
I'm sure this is the real plan to bring us out of the recession - force everybody to switch to digital and replace their kit, and then a few months down the line get everybody to go and buy more kit so that we can watch what we thought we would be able to in the first place.
Digital Britain = Disposable Britain.
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Comment number 10.
At 20:21 16th Nov 2009, GaryB007 wrote:Will this be real HD or the reduced bitrate, reduced resolution "HD Lite" service that the BBC are currently offering on satellite?
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Comment number 11.
At 20:41 16th Nov 2009, Jesus the Teddy Bear wrote:HDLite.
Its one of the reasons (I suspect) they lowered it to HD-Lite on satellite.
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Comment number 12.
At 20:50 16th Nov 2009, HD wrote:Could the BBC tell us in what year the 1080p50 capable Freeview HD boxes will be rolled out? And when broadcasting in this format will start on Freeview HD?
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Comment number 13.
At 14:23 17th Nov 2009, Mo McRoberts wrote:So, er, when’s Digital UK going to be updated with the new info? Surely this should’ve happened before the press release? ;)
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Comment number 14.
At 22:40 17th Nov 2009, Mark T wrote:#1 Unless i've got my wires crossed, here is more detailed information regarding frequencies etc: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv/ifi/tvlicensing/muxlicensees/mb/
This time it seems Crystal Palace will broadcast on UHF C31 (ERP 10kW) and the license is valid from 30th November 2009 to 30th June 2012.
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Comment number 15.
At 11:46 18th Nov 2009, citizenloz wrote:Even though I live in the Thames Valley and not some remote corner of the British Isles, I cannot yet receive Freeview, yet alone Freeview HD, and will not do apparently until the 2012 switch over.
So I am stuck with satellite as my only access to digital TV.
Can the BBC reassure me they will do everything in their power to provide the best possible HD picture quality on satellite? Or is my HD PQ via satellite going to be continued to be reduced in quality in order to bring it down to the level of Freeview HD, even though I can't even receive that?
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Comment number 16.
At 14:34 18th Nov 2009, KernowChris wrote:Would Graham Plumb care to comment here on this article, in which he is quoted, discussing the format of Freeview HD ...
https://crave.cnet.co.uk/televisions/0,39029474,49304310,00.htm
BBC: We may do 1080p on Freeview HD
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Comment number 17.
At 22:36 18th Nov 2009, Hastings wrote:The shame about this whole HD thing is that on HD flat screens, the picture quality is still no where near as good as the original analogue HD played on 1175 line CRT monitors.
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Comment number 18.
At 00:36 19th Nov 2009, HD wrote:In 16, ChrisCornwall referenced the link about 1080p.
It's very bad that we can't have 1080p50. Graham Plumb says "If we were to get 1080p on Freeview HD, it would be 1080p25", :(.
Does that mean if we did get 1080p on Freeview HD it would be a mix of 1080p25 and 1080i25 (the latter being 50 fields per second - ie. superior motion), or would everything have to be at the really low juddery, stroby and jerky, low motion/temporal resolution frame rate of 1080p25?
Please reconsider, BBC. If you are going to add 1080p to Freeview HD, please make sure it is capable of 1080p50, like is in the recommendations by the EBU and the BBC. Please read what the project manager of the EBU has said about 1080p50, and also Richard Salmon of the BBC and others. And if we can't have 1080p50, please ensure we can have both 1080p25 and 1080/50i (ie. 1080i25 - twice the motion samples of 1080p25). In fact, at low bitrates, 720p50 may be higher quality for some content than 1080i25 so perhaps this should be included as an option as well.
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Comment number 19.
At 18:48 21st Nov 2009, Squegg wrote:I concur with HD1080 (again)
50Hz Motion is NECESSARY for accurate motion portrayal.
25P is only required for film transfer. EVERYTHING else should be either 50 fields or frames.
Otherwise 720p50 ought to be reconsidered.
Judder is an unacceptable picture artifact for a modern television system.
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Comment number 20.
At 17:44 6th Dec 2009, William Reid wrote:I live in an area listed for 2012 changeover. If I purchase a new Freeview HD box/TV will it work as a current freeview box i.e. will it pick-up existing freeview until then?
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Comment number 21.
At 11:09 15th Feb 2010, Sagem Freesat wrote:I'm wondering will this work if I purchase a new Freeview box e.g.
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I heard that Humax have an HD box as well?
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Comment number 22.
At 14:58 26th Feb 2010, HD wrote:Yes William. I have been doing research into this and according to https://www.hdfreeviewbox.com if you get a Freeview HD box it will also receive the normal (non HD) freeview channels.
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Comment number 23.
At 11:27 27th Feb 2010, TV Licence fee payer against BBC censorship wrote:#22, HD, you 'found' your own website?...
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Comment number 25.
At 05:11 12th May 2010, U14460911 wrote:All this user's posts have been removed.Why?
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Comment number 26.
At 07:48 7th Sep 2010, Jasmine wrote:Has the Freeview HD been implemented yet? I think this is a pretty good move... :)
Jasmine of Top 100 Web Hosting
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