BBC4 HD et al due in time for Christmas

[Anna]

no 54" plasma for us either Anna. 20" 2nd hand flat screen and a 10 year old sky box, which I can't record on, set with my "smartphone" or anything. Not even sure if my phone IS smart.

Gosh, someone else on these MBs who is also poor, but happy, and who cares not a fig, a jot, a tinker's cuss, or a toss for the latest technology .....

[Ferretfancy]

I'm sure that the second episode of the BBC 4 documentary on Byzantium tonight will be enhanced by HD. It's funny how people will spend a small fortune on audio equipment, but resist a new TV. A really good LED set will last a long time, and take up less space. I used to think that the colour on a cathode ray tube was better than flat screen if properly adjusted, but not any more.

[Mr Pee]

I'm with you all the way on simple technology.

There's nothing complicated about a HD telly. You plug it in and switch it on.

[teamsaint]

There's nothing complicated about a HD telly. You plug it in and switch it on.

and when it doesn't work, you kick it, like all other techno stuff.

Thing is, I and others manage just fine without HD, smart tellies, recordable boxes, 54" screens, apple TV, and all the rest. Its good for me.
Honestly, if I thought an HD TV would make my life better, I would buy one.

And switch it on.

Occasionally.

(I'll keep the debate that there is to be had about being in the pockets of technology companies for some other time.)

Anyway, I got SKY sport and Sky Arts for £11 a month for the next year, so I'm out of here.

Happy holidays.

[mangerton]

Oh, Whoppee!
Am I the only one here with an old fashioned telly that has valves and other stuff and who prefers to be fashionably Retro and not have this HD nonsense on 54" plasmas?

Actually, my sitting room is only 12' x 15' (gosh, how the poor live!) so 54" of HD would have me cowering in the doorway, too frightened to enter

I honestly cannot see what all you geeks are getting excited about. It's all repeats over Christmas or a typically lame Downton Abbey. The only thing I am excited about is the new Sherlock on NY day, and I'll miss it, being in deepest Lancs, where By 'Eck Gladys, that Sherlock, well I'll go to foot of my stairs if he ain't, him and Watson, a reet pair of ..... Well, you get the drift! Basically, I embrace non-technology!

You have a TV with valves? Really? I have an amplifier with valves, and very good it is too.

I have Virgin cable, not through any desire to swell Beardie's coffers, but because, as I said on one of these threads recently, it's the only way I'm able to get the channels I want to watch.

You're right about Christmas TV. I don't want to miss Sheerluck either, and don't forget Dr Who on the 25th!

[Nick Armstrong]

A really good LED set will last a long time, and take up less space. I used to think that the colour on a cathode ray tube was better than flat screen if properly adjusted, but not any more.

There's nothing complicated about a HD telly. You plug it in and switch it on.

Yes. The automatic set-up, tuning etc is SO much easier than I remember it on old sets. And the flatscreen, though a larger screen size, is far less intrusive being thin, which makes the room seem much bigger. And I find that HD adds significantly to the pleasure of viewing. It's one area where as far as I'm concerned, progress has equated to improvement, big time.

[Sir Velo]

And I find that HD adds significantly to the pleasure of viewing. It's one area where as far as I'm concerned, progress has equated to improvement, big time.

Only problem is I find I can no longer tolerate watching programmes broadcast in normal resolution!

[Stunsworth]

I have an amplifier with valves, and very good it is too

So do I!

[Bryn]

Having made enquiries, I am advised that I am effectively out of range of the Crystal Palace transmitter when it comes to the lower powered channel 33 used by BBC FOUR HD. The other main transmitter which is available to me (Hannington) does not start broadcasting BBC FOUR HD until some time next year, and I will most likely need an aerial system upgrade since BBC FOUR will be using a Group A channel and I am currently not set up for it. Otherwise it's a wait until 2018 for the Crystal Palace upgrade in power.

[Gordon]

Having made enquiries, I am advised that I am effectively out of range of the Crystal Palace transmitter when it comes to the lower powered channel 33 used by BBC FOUR HD. The other main transmitter which is available to me (Hannington) does not start broadcasting BBC FOUR HD until some time next year, and I will most likely need an aerial system upgrade since BBC FOUR will be using a Group A channel and I am currently not set up for it. Otherwise it's a wait until 2018 for the Crystal Palace upgrade in power.

Yup!! March 2014 for most of the country. CP has only 3 of its relays on COM4-6 and none yet for these new HDs. The power for COM7 and 8 is 12dB down [more than 10 times] on the level of PSB1 which is at 200kW. There are plans to increase it. Getting these new services up to the coverage of PSB1 will also need a lot of spectrum which is being given away to the mobiles.

Here are two plots of how often the UHF channels are used in London and then in the country as a whole. In the latter you can see that each UHF channel available to DTT is used many times. The red ones are those that will almost certainly be given to mobiles from about 2015. The hole around channels 30-38 is because it is not fully allocated to DTT and the new HDs are in there pro tem. IF mobiles take the top end [red ones] this hole will have to absorb it all somehow. It is obvious from this diagram that that will be a challenge.