UK - Freeview HDTV trial 'successful'

[BGonaSTICK]

A trial of high-definition television (HDTV) on Freeview boxes was "a success", four major broadcasters say.

Participants were overwhelmingly positive about the trial, a report by the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Five added.

There is not usually enough bandwidth to watch HDTV via Freeview so 450 customised boxes had to be made.

HDTV broadcasts are already available to Sky and Telewest subscribers - via a set-top box - as space on the frequency spectrum is less of an issue..

The trial featured programmes from all four broadcasters, including the football World Cup, nature series Planet Earth and crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

When the participants were questioned about their experiences, all but 5% reported that the enhanced pictures were "as good as or better" than they hoped, the BBC spokeswoman said.

"As far as the process of getting a high-quality signal out to television sets, it's really gone remarkably well," she added.

[BGonaSTICK]

More:

The BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Five have issued a joint statement calling their first trials of high definition television on the digital terrestrial platform a success.

A closed sample group of around 450 households in the London area were equipped with HD-capable digital terrestrial receivers in June to test the feasibility of carrying HD broadcasts on the platform.

Feedback from the sample group indicated an expectation for HD services to be delivered on digital terrestrial, with the triallists on average calling for six or seven HD channels to be made available on Freeview. 98% of the triallists said it was "important" to have HD services on the platform, with 90% saying that the public service broadcasters should be "at the forefront of HD developments."

"It's clear even from this small trial that audiences increasingly expect us and the other major broadcasters to offer high quality HD programming on Freeview in the future," said the BBC's head of high definition TV, Seetha Kumar. "All trialists experienced our HD programmes first hand. Many of them liked what they saw, and wanted more of it.

"We would like to be able to provide that level of quality to Freeview viewers, alongside other platforms, in years to come."

[Analoguesat]

Originally Posted by BGonaSTICK

The BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Five have issued a joint statement calling their first trials of high definition television on the digital terrestrial platform a success.

A closed sample group of around 450 households in the London area were equipped with HD-capable digital terrestrial receivers in June to test the feasibility of carrying HD broadcasts on the platform.

Feedback from the sample group indicated an expectation for HD services to be delivered on digital terrestrial, with the triallists on average calling for six or seven HD channels to be made available on Freeview. 98% of the triallists said it was "important" to have HD services on the platform, with 90% saying that the public service broadcasters should be "at the forefront of HD developments."

"It's clear even from this small trial that audiences increasingly expect us and the other major broadcasters to offer high quality HD programming on Freeview in the future," said the BBC's head of high definition TV, Seetha Kumar. "All trialists experienced our HD programmes first hand. Many of them liked what they saw, and wanted more of it.

"We would like to be able to provide that level of quality to Freeview viewers, alongside other platforms, in years to come."

No surprise at all there than. I could have predicted this result with my eyes shut

You give 450 (specially chosen) households no doubt with above average technical abilities & expectations HDTV terrestrial for a few weeks. Of course they are going to say they want more terrestrial HDTV. I would have been astonished if they had sais "hah - its pish - we want to go back to wonky standard vision ta."

This is just the first salvos in the 2012 spectrum landgrab..

Or am I just a dreadful cynic....

[BGonaSTICK]

Originally Posted by Analoguesat

wonky standard vision

:roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:

Right, that's it - I'm starting a new 'Tell-it-as-it-is Glossary'