Future of digital TV- have your say!

[Clare Newsome]

Tomorrow i will be taking part in the a conference on the future of digital TV, along with TV manufacturers, broadcasters and top Government policy makers.

I intend to represent you, the consumers, and relay what your concerns/needs/wants are for the future of both TV hardware and services.

Here are some of the key themes/points I intend to address:
[*]Average screen size and resolution of TVs gets bigger/higher while broadcast bitrates get lower. Who cares about quality? [*]What level is the dialogue between hardware manufacturers and broadcasters?[*]Again, where's the communication when you can have Freeview HD products that don't support Dolby Digital 5.1 broadcasts? [*]What consideration is being given to broadband bandwidth issues in the rush to provide online TV services? There's an updated BBC iPlayer that promises better video quality, but what percentage of the UK will be able to enjoy that higher quality?[*]Where's the free-to-air HD content? Number vs quality of channels?[*]3D - why/when?[*]What happens after the digital switchover finishes in 2012? How's that final transition going to be managed?

So, what questions/issues would you ask/raise? I will quote the best ones to the great/good tomorrow....

 

[Frank Harvey]

As we're moving towards a high definition future, HD broadcasts should have a larger bandwidth. What's the point in going HD when the channels may eventually not look any better than we had with CRT televisions?! It's all very well adding more HD channels to make more money, and in the process taking up more 'digital space', but what's the point in that if they're showing SD programmes as well?

 

[Clare Newsome]

Indeed. Especially as the most popular screen size in UK is edging up to 37in+ - bigger than any CRT ever was! (And that's before resolution is taken into equation....)

Keep the feedback coming, please.

 

[chebby]

No-one else is going to say this (probably) but...

Thank the BBC for iPlayer and Freeview radio and Freeview HD and urge them not to take their eye (or their budget) away from the quality and variety of content.

Apart from minor 'niggles', I am a - generally - happy licence payer and at least one person ought to say it at this gathering.

(Please make it clear it is the BBC and NOT any Government policy makers that this thanks goes out to. Just in case any Government bods there tomorrow think they can share the praise!)

 

[Frank Harvey]

Clare Newsome: Indeed. Especially as the most popular screen size in UK is edging up to 37in+ - bigger than any CRT ever was! (And that's before resolution is taken into equation....)

We're selling more 50" and 60" than anything else, and that went for the old Pioneer Kuros as well.

 

[Clare Newsome]

chebby:
No-one else is going to say this (probably) but...

Thank the BBC for iPlayer and Freeview radio and Freeview HD and urge them not to take their eye (or their budget) away from the quality and variety of content.

Apart from minor 'niggles', I am a - generally - happy licence payer and at least one person ought to say it at this gathering.

(Please make it clear it is the BBC and NOT any Government policy makers that this thanks goes out to. Just in case any Government bods there tomorrow think they can share the praise!)

I will do!

There are also representatives from ITV, Ofcom, Freeview, etc.

I was also going to ask Ofcom why there is no quality threshold that has to be reached by a broadcaster offering an 'HD' channel....

 

[jamesbub]

Hi,

what plans are there for the current licence fee TAX?

 

[laserman16]

Clare Newsome:

I was also going to ask Ofcom why there is no quality threshold that has to be reached by a broadcaster offering an 'HD' channel....

Good idea. As long as they don't set it to low else it would be somewhat self-defeating.

 

[f1only]

Clare Newsome:

[*]Average screen size and resolution of TVs gets bigger/higher while broadcast bitrates get lower. Who cares about quality?

Are we ever going to get 1080p resolution Freeview HD / Freesat HD / SkyHD viewing?

Regarding the sound any chance of DTS in the future?

 

[Clare Newsome]

Thanks all - other suggestions coming in via Twitter include 3D without glasses and HD streaming.

Any more thoughts?

 

[Anonymous]

All very interesting. We personally never watch any BBC programs. So I think it is indeed time to get rid of the License fee. Why does the BBC not encrypt their content? This way nobody would have to pay for the incredible waste that is going on within the company. Unless they are silly enough that is.

 

[sonycentre]

Hi Clare,as i work in retail myself would be good to find out if there could be a better understanding to customers,as many get confused,We have to explain what freeview/the digital switchover means for them.i think we should be educating the public as many that we talk to don't even know what freeview is,let alone hd.Think we should be addressing that.

 

[motley]

Clare, I would ask if the government is really committed to Freesat?, as in terms of content, are we really much further forward than at launch, especially regarding HD content. At this rate 3D will arrive on Freesat sometime in the next century rather than decade.

Thanks

 

[Oldboy]

Hi Clare,

A few things for you to consider, can we have some sort of common agreement regarding the DD 5.1 on freeview HD as alot of equipment (my new 2010 tv included) won't support it, i find this stupid at best! Also the complete lack of HD content on Freesat is an issue to me too, as with no DD on Freeview HD meant i was looking at Freesat HD as an alternative but the problem with that is there are only 2 channels! Both formats have problems that need ironing out because most customers will be completly un-aware of these issues, no!?

I'm also concerned that many older people may get left behind with the switchover, for example my parents are both in their 60's and they are finding it very difficult to understand, with there now being Freeview, Freeview HD, Freesat and Freesat HD on free to air and then it get's even more complicated with the pay to view services. I'm concerned many will not understand what digital sevice to get for their needs.

Many thanks

 

[hammill]

ramazotti:All very interesting. We personally never watch any BBC programs. So I think it is indeed time to get rid of the License fee. Why does the BBC not encrypt their content? This way nobody would have to pay for the incredible waste that is going on within the company. Unless they are silly enough that is.Thank you for your carefully considered argument Mr Murdoch.

 

[Clare Newsome]

Thanks for all your input, which was all put to the great and good today. I will be summarising the reactions in a blog to follow...but in short, I was the only person all day to mention bit-rates of TV channels (SD or HD) as an issue. Quality really was the elephant in the room - and I pointed out Nelly very clearly

 

[AEJim]

Clare Newsome:Thanks for all your input, which was all put to the great and good today. I will be summarising the reactions in a blog to follow...but in short, I was the only person all day to mention bit-rates of TV channels (SD or HD) as an issue. Quality really was the elephant in the room - and I pointed out Nelly very clearly

It's a point that should be made strongly too - since in many cases we have to pay more for HD in particular, what's the point if the quality is compromised!

 

[Clare Newsome]

Oh, I made the point strongly. And repeatedly

 

[AEJim]

Clare Newsome:
Oh, I made the point strongly. And repeatedly

Thank you on behalf of all of us!

 

[f1only]

Thanks Clare, lets hope we get some results then!!

 

[chebby]

Clare Newsome:Thanks for all your input, which was all put to the great and good today. I will be summarising the reactions in a blog to follow...

Any blog forthcoming Clare? (I know it's been busy lately

)

 

[Clare Newsome]

It's on my (very long) to-do list

Nothing that's time-sensitive, so it'll keep. Hopefully things will quieten down a little soon

Incidentally, i'll be taking part in a similar session in December on the future of radio - will canvass opinions on that nearer the time...

 

[chebby]

Clare Newsome:It's on my (very long) to-do list.

Nothing that's time-sensitive, so it'll keep. Hopefully things will quieten down a little soon

No problem. Thanks.

Clare Newsome:Incidentally, i'll be taking part in a similar session in December on the future of radio - will canvass opinions on that nearer the time...

Ooh! Where's my very long list of DAB objections? No. Better not. It will take too long to delete the expletives

(Actually there won't be any 'list' left after deleting the expletives!)

 

[Anonymous]

What is needed is better quality/higher bitrates on SD as well as HD channels. And get rid of the overflowing number of +1 channels to help free up bandwidth!!! As far as I'm concerned the +1 channels should be classed as catch up services and stuck on the internet instead.

With all the drive towards higher definition displays it's ridiculous that broadcast quality is being driven the other way.

The same thing happened with DAB (not that started off as good as FM!) and that's part responsible for it's lukewarm uptake.

As far as I'm concerned we should have a 2 tier license fee: The current cost for access to all the current Free to air content, and a lower rate for people who just want Core Channels (BBC 1(HD)/2/3/4 - ITV1/2/3/4/HD - Channel4/HD - Five). Technically easy to achieve and hopefully a way of making the rubbish channels close down by people voting with their wallets!!

 

[chebby]

Err, a bit late with that s.t.

Clare wanted our questions/suggestions about TV back in September. The next session in December is about the future of radio.