FREESAT FUTURE?

[swiftmick]

Ok the Freesat platform will be around for a long time, lets get that old chesnut out of the way.

Freeview HD will probaly have five HD channels when up and running, Great!

But not so great for Freesat who only has one and a bit HD channels. Yet the Freesat platform is capable of including a lot more HD channels than Freeview can only dream about.

Time for Freesat to start pulling its finger out me thinks? Its about time Whathifi? Or any one else who can speak on joe public's behalf start asking the question where are the HD channels we long for?

 

[daveh75]

swiftmick:Freesat who only has one and a bit HD channels. Yet the Freesat platform is capable of including a lot more HD channels than Freeview can only dream about.Not currently, it isn't.

 

[Tonya]

Technically speaking, there are two and a bit HD channels, lest you forget LuxeHD.
Some of the stuff they transmit is pretty good and I think I'm correct in saying that they were one of the first European channels to broadcast in HD.

 

[landzw]

If you checkout the sales figures of freesat over the last year its clearly that its becoming highly recognised , it was only a couple of years ago that not many people had heard about freesat and only the the people who can't get a reception through ariel would of considered freesat .

Channels are slowly being added to feesat ,which i believe there to be more channels the freeview . When you say about freeview will have more HD channels , that will only be when sky have lost the rights and then things may change for freesat too

But things like BBC iPlayer are being added to freesat / freeview boxes which if you have the bandwidth you will be able to stream HD content

But there is talk of combining freesat HD boxes with Freeview HD boxes for best of both worlds

 

[motley]

Lots of chat in this months magazine regarding the additions of C4HD and 5HD for freeview but does anyone know when these will arrive on Freesat??

 

[Anonymous]

I would also like to know if/when we get Ch4 HD (Film 4 HD, More4 HD) channels on Freesat. If freeview gets all the 4HD channels, then where would that leave Freesat?

 

[The_Lhc]

AAJ:I would also like to know if/when we get Ch4 HD (Film 4 HD, More4 HD) channels on Freesat. If freeview gets all the 4HD channels, then where would that leave Freesat?

Quite handy for those people with an existing dish or that can't get Freeview?

 

[daveh75]

AAJ:I would also like to know if/when we get Ch4 HD (Film 4 HD, More4 HD) channels on Freesat. Given that it's just been announced Film 4 HD will launched "Exclusively on Virgin" i wouldn't expect it anytime soon, i also suspect if/when More4 HD launches that will propably under some exclusivity deal or another.

Plus there's the added problem of current lack of satellites with spot beam transponder capacity-which any channels wishing to be on Freesat need to be on- This isn't likely to change much before the middle of next year.

If freeview gets all the 4HD channels, then where would that leave Freesat?It wont.

DTT/Freeview only has the capacity to support a maximum of Five HD channels, so without another major advancement in DVB standards and even more efficient compression methods, it just isn't going to happen.....

 

[JamesOK]

landzw:
But things like BBC iPlayer are being added to freesat / freeview boxes which if you have the bandwidth you will be able to stream HD content

Is iPlayer and the like destined for Freeview too? I love the fact I can now watch iPlayer without having a PC on. This is an interesting price too.

 

[landzw]

It looks like it will support iPlayer as it has an ethernet network port , and basically you will go to channel BBC 1 and press the red button and type in 5483 like your wanting to use teletext and you get BBC iPlayer . Make sure your connected to the net though , if you don't want wires around the house then a home hub / powerline will use your sockets for a network to your router

Also mentioned on what HiFi is project canvas which the likes of ITV , C4 and C5 are all joining web based TV . I also assume when C4 and C5 launch there HD channels it won't be long before its on there web based TV on demand so if you have the bandwidth , its an extra bonus