FreeviewHD (DVB-T2) starting 2nd December

TwoSaints · 3 Dec 2009 at 08:36

Looking forward to this, I can't get a signal from sky due to a tree

Abraham · 3 Dec 2009 at 08:51

Virdi said:
is there a site where we can check to see which Freeview boxes and TV (Tuners) do have 'DVB-T2' ?

...As when I bought my Sony W3000 - I'm sure 'What HiFi' Magazine Stated that it had a Freeview HD Tuner???

From what I understand it can probably support HD over DVB-T but is unlikely to support DVB-T2 because it's a standard that's only just been released. There is next to no hardware that currently supports it, the first pvr is to be released this month

Admiral Huddy · 3 Dec 2009 at 09:55

Interesting article. Is the Freeview HD 720p or 1080p?

Greebo · 3 Dec 2009 at 10:05

Don't know what you are all complaining about. We don't even get normal digital until 2012 never mind HD :eek:

mrk · 3 Dec 2009 at 10:12

http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2009/12/03/freeview_hd_launch_report/

With the launch today of the Freeview HD service, the UK can claim to be at the forefront of digital television - though most punters won't be able to receive the service until spring 2010.

Today’s launch saw services switched on at the Crystal Palace and Winter Hill transmitters, between them providing coverage for around 22-23 per cent of the UK’s population. It’s described by engineers and telly executives as a "technical launch", however, with the consumer launch not taking place until late Q1/early Q2 next year.

Glaucus · 3 Dec 2009 at 10:12

Virdi said:
is there a site where we can check to see which Freeview boxes and TV (Tuners) do have 'DVB-T2' ?

At the moment NONE.

Admiral Huddy · 3 Dec 2009 at 10:14

Greebo said:
Don't know what you are all complaining about. We don't even get normal digital until 2012 never mind HD

I think the point is that people have bought "HD ready" TVs when clearly they may not be able to receieve HD freeview signals.

titchard · 3 Dec 2009 at 10:21

Admiral Huddy said:
I think the point is that people have bought "HD ready" TVs when clearly they may not be able to receieve HD freeview signals.

But the television is HD ready, you can play HD footage off of different sources (bluray, games consoles, sky, freesat) it's not Freeview HD ready which is an entirely different matter altogether.

Rich

Glaucus · 3 Dec 2009 at 10:22

titchard said:
But the television is HD ready, you can play HD footage off of different sources (bluray, games consoles, sky, freesat) it's not Freeview HD ready which is an entirely different matter altogether.

Rich

Remember public is generally ignorant to technology. If people are making mistakes on this website. Imagine the confusion in the public.

NeilMick · 3 Dec 2009 at 10:23

It is HD ready when you attach a HD Freeview box to it.

titchard · 3 Dec 2009 at 10:25

AcidHell2 said:
Remember public is generally ignorant to technology. If people are making mistakes on this website. Imagine the confusion in the public.

I know, I know I work in a naan bread side dish competitor - being quizzed why these TVs have hard drives in them (HD = Hard Drive to them) does drain you after a few hours of it.

Rich

Westyfield2 · 3 Dec 2009 at 11:18

Westyfield2 said:
Do we know any timescale for availability of DVB-T2 receivers?

I'd guess it's going to be:

DVB-T2 Set top Box

DVB-T2 PVR

Integrated DVB-T2

Integrated DVB-T2 & Integrated Freesat (e.g. Panasonic G10 but with DVB-T2 instead of DVB-T) <--------- That's what I'm really waiting for!

Bit of an update:

DigitalSpy said:
Freeview has commenced technical transmission of high definition broadcasts towards a full commercial launch in spring 2010.

Freeview HD is now being beamed from the Winter Hill transmitter group in the North West and the Crystal Palace group in London following the world-first adoption of the DVB-T2 standard and MPEG-4.

During a briefing at the BBC Media Centre, BBC head of broadcast infrastructure James Jackson demonstrated live HD transmissions on digital terrestrial television.

Using brand new IDTVs manufactured by Panasonic and Sony, Jackson showed afternoon promos of BBC HD and ITV HD coming live from Crystal Palace and Winter Hill.
Jackson also showed Freeview HD on set-top-boxes manufactured by Pace and Vestel, although he stressed that all the products are still in the testing phase at the Digital TV Group
....

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/digitaltv/news/a189609/freeview-hd-begins-uk-transmissions.html

Yes it's Digital Spy :rolleyes:

, but that's the first I've heard of integrated DVB-T2 tuners :cool:

.

nikebee · 3 Dec 2009 at 13:25

PDF Rollout Plan here
http://www.freeview.co.uk/freeview/content/download/2800/16413/file/Freeview HD roll out.pdf

http://www.freeview.co.uk/freeview/Services/Freeview-HD

How will I get Freeview HD?

Freeview HD will offer an enhanced TV viewing experience so you can make the most of your HD ready TV. All you need to do is:

Step One: Check when Freeview HD is available in your area

Check the rollout plan above to see when your TV region gets Freeview HD. In January 2010 we will launch a Freeview HD coverage checker that will give more detailed information at your address.

Step Two: Buy a Freeview HD receiver

Freeview HD box – available early 2010

Freeview+ HD recorder – available Spring 2010

These products connect to a HD ready TV, but if you don’t already have an HD ready TV this is your chance to upgrade to a Freeview HD TV.

Freeview HD digital TV – available Easter 2010

Look out for the Freeview HD logo to ensure you have an approved product. Not only will you get the standard and HD Freeview channels but the product will be easy to use giving you an all-round enhanced experience.

Looks like we'll be expecting Freeview HD to be transmitted around April or so around here since we pick up the Carmel and the Preseli transmitters

Sam098765 · 3 Dec 2009 at 13:37

Dammit 2011 for me. Oh well I'm enjoying having working Freeview again from fixing my ex-crappy Thomson freeview recorder.

Will tide me over!

Sam

ic1male · 3 Dec 2009 at 13:46

So I guess we'll miss out on the Winter Olympics in HD? That's a bummer. I think the first major event to come up will indeed be the FIFA World Cup.

Westyfield2 · 3 Dec 2009 at 14:13

nikebee said:
PDF Rollout Plan here
http://www.freeview.co.uk/freeview/content/download/2800/16413/file/Freeview HD roll out.pdf

http://www.freeview.co.uk/freeview/Services/Freeview-HD

Looks like we'll be expecting Freeview HD to be transmitted around April or so around here since we pick up the Carmel and the Preseli transmitters

My transmitter is the Mendip one, which is Wednesday 7th April 2010 for the new DVB-T2 multiplexes. Good job I don't live down in Bath City Centre as that transmitter doesn't get normal FreeView until Wednesday 7th April 2010 and that's not even all the multiplexes! No date set of FreeView HD there!

muon · 3 Dec 2009 at 20:11

Admiral Huddy said:
Interesting article. Is the Freeview HD 720p or 1080p?

I think they're still deciding. There's limited space at the moment, and then theres the bitrate vs resolution tradeoff.

Knowing some other forums, if they go 1080p but not high bitrate, they'll get slated for poor picture quality and if they do the opposite get slated for not being "full" HD.

ic1male · 3 Dec 2009 at 20:13

I think they'll all be 1080i. They certainly won't be 1080p.

muon · 5 Dec 2009 at 00:06

ic1male said:
I think they'll all be 1080i. They certainly won't be 1080p.

Yep sorry. Thats what I was meant to say.

Westyfield2 · 10 Dec 2009 at 13:50

Just to bump this, details of the DVB-T2 STB from Humax (Fox-HD-T2) were announced yesterday. There was a live blog on Which? here http://www.which.co.uk/news/2009/12/humax-launches-uks-first-freeview-hd-set-top-box-190017

Buried in the middle of what seemed to be a generally not too informative exercise were the words & figures - availability Q1 2010, which was expected; price about £170.