BBC and ITV to give us Freesat in HD

[Funkstar]

Next year should see the BBC and ITV launch their no-subscription satelite service to cover the areas of the UK that aren't going to be covered by Freeview. It will also be HD capable.

BBC, ITV to launch free satellite HDTV in UK by 2008
http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/28/b...in-uk-by-2008/

BBC, ITV to launch Freesat in 2008
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/digitalt...t-in-2008.html

I think this is a good thing. I don't agree with the government selling off the old analogue frequencies to the highest bidder, but also there isn't enough room for HD content in even if they do retain it all for TV.

[directhex]

If I can get a satellite fitted, then receive broadcasts via a PCI DVB-S card without breaking all sorts of T&Cs, then i'll be more than happy

[unrealrocks]

I'm about to move house and don't really plan to stay on cable, been looking into freesat a bit - do Sky (or anyone) do a HD box which I can use SD till HD comes in on freesat?

[directhex]

Originally Posted by unrealrocks

I'm about to move house and don't really plan to stay on cable, been looking into freesat a bit - do Sky (or anyone) do a HD box which I can use SD till HD comes in on freesat?

a skyhd box will do sd - but will cost you about sixty quid a month in subscription charges on top of the box cost and installation - and won't work with the beeb's new service since sky boxes are designed not to give you access to open satellite services such as most of astra

[chrestomanci]

Originally Posted by directhex

If I can get a satellite fitted, then receive broadcasts via a PCI DVB-S card without breaking all sorts of T&Cs, then i'll be more than happy

Up until now, the BBC transmissions (including HD) have been in the clear, so you could receve them on a DVB-S card in your PC (or a non sky set top box), so unless the BBC change their policy, you should be fine with the new service, though you will probably need a DVB-S2 card to support the S2 modulation scheme. These are currently around £150, though the price will probably drop.

Originally Posted by unrealrocks

I'm about to move house and don't really plan to stay on cable, been looking into freesat a bit - do Sky (or anyone) do a HD box which I can use SD till HD comes in on freesat?

If you want to watch sky services, you need a sky box. It is very hard to do it any other way. In theory you could buy a Sky HD box from eBay for around £140, and not subscribe to HD services, but I think it would be a waste of money, seeing as you can get a non HD box free if you subscribe.

If you don't want to subscribe, you can pay £150 for a freesat sett-up, or buy a used sky box from eBay for around £50, and then add a freesat card (about £10) and install your own dish.

The BBC HD transmitions are in the clear (not encrypted), but sky HD boxes won't let you view it without an HD subscription. There are 3rd party boxes costing around £300 that will decode it for you, but they don't have PVR functionality or decode any other sky subscription channels or you could use a DVB-S2 card in a powerfull Media centre PC.

[directhex]

Originally Posted by chrestomanci

Up until now, the BBC transmissions (including HD) have been in the clear, so you could receve them on a DVB-S card in your PC (or a non sky set top box), so unless the BBC change their policy, you should be fine with the new service, though you will probably need a DVB-S2 card to support the S2 modulation scheme. These are currently around £150, though the price will probably drop.

i was under the impression it was FTV, not FTA - so still required some kind of card to descramble (even a free one)

[Funkstar]

I'm guessing that Freesat will be FTV as you will need to be a license fee payer to recieve it from what i've read. They will also be using existing satelite systems like Astra so the signals will be available over most of europe and scandinavia. I presume they will hand out the cards on production of a valid license.

[directhex]

Originally Posted by Funkstar

I'm guessing that Freesat will be FTV as you will need to be a license fee payer to recieve it from what i've read. They will also be using existing satelite systems like Astra so the signals will be available over most of europe and scandinavia. I presume they will hand out the cards on production of a valid license.

they've made mention of IDTV, which means CAMs

and if they're handing out CAMs, then that's enough for me, since i already have a CI daughterboard

[directhex]

http://www.dvbshop.net/product_info....Budget-CI.html

there you go, 80 quid for everything you need. in theory. maybe. perhaps. and you absolutely can't use the above combined with http://www.pulsat.com/satellite/site...product_id=145 and a bunch of effort to receive sky. nope, no siree.

[chrestomanci]

Originally Posted by directhex

i was under the impression it was FTV, not FTA - so still required some kind of card to descramble (even a free one)

With the existing BBC satelite services, you can view them using a sky box without a viewing card in, so it is not encrypted.

Officially, you are only supposed to do that if you are in the UK, and have a valid TV licence, but there are plenty of British ex pats, watching statelite TV from their holiday homes in France, Ireland or the low countries.

[Funkstar]

Good links directhex

By the time Freesat is available, we should be seeing some more integrated cards and CI slots. Like the Twinhan Sat-CI and Fire/FloppyDTV.

FloppyDTV
http://www.digital-everywhere.com/cm..._11_09_11.html

Twinhan Sat-CI
http://www.twinhan.com/product_satellite_1034.asp

Twinhan DVB-S2 CI
http://www.twinhan.com/product_satellite_s2_CI.asp

[Nick F]

I was actually thinking about HD and the other non-sky channels yesterday.

Now that Sky and BBC has lost the right to show some football games next year and Seneta and ITV have won some of the share will they transmit any in HD?

I tend to watch all the games that Sky and the BBC show in HD and it makes such a massive difference and it would be a shame to loose it all.