Future high definition broadcasts

[deemaitch]

I and 26 other flat residents live in a block which is Grade II listed so can not have satellite dishes all over the place.

Can high definition signals only be transmitted via satellite.

If not are there plans to eventually transmit through say, Freeview, or BT vision? Thanks in advance for replies>

[deemaitch]

Thank you In a Picklle for your helpful reply.

Thankfully I now have a new Hi definition telly.

i will log on to the link to find out BT's info later

[LCDMAN]

InAPickle, there are currently NO HD broadcasts on the UK DTT (Freeview) platform. They are muted for around a year or so, but they take up a much greater bandwidth than SD broadcasts and require a different encoding/decoding solution than current SD signals - which will mean that current Freeview receivers (stand alone boxes or built-in)will not be able to receive them (not even with a software upgrade) and you will need new equipment to access them.

Read more about this here;

http://crave.cnet.co.uk/televisions/0,39029474 ,49296378,00.htm

To get HD broadcast signals today you need either Sky-HD, FreeSat or cable.

BT Vision just gives you the current Freeview channels (via your aerial) but does give you access to some HD movies - although these are downloaded via your broadband connection, not received as broadcasts.

[anotheoldgit]

Can one recieve HD on a 'HD Ready' TV, without further equipment?

[LCDMAN]

Quick answer - NO. Unless you have one of the new Panasonic Viera TVs with a built -in FreeSat receiver (with which you can receive the BBC & ITV HD channels {and a few others} broadcast on FreeSat).

Built-in Freeview (DTT) doesn't get you any HD broadcasts as there are no HD channels on Freeview.

To receive broadcast HD signals you need either Sky-HD, FreeSat or cable - in all cases (except the one above) a separate external box.

"HD Ready" just means it will display a minimum of 720p HD signal and accept a 1080i HD signal, from whatever HD system/receiver you have/use with it (and has HDMI connection supporting HDCP and a few other things to meet the minimum "HD ready" spec).

More here;

http://www.hdready.org.uk/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HD_ready