FreeSat Launch date

[boot1973]

Has anyone heard any rumours as to when Freesat will be launched. I can't believe there hasn't been any leaks as to when we can expect it. Has anyone seen and promo information sent to retailers?

[matthewcarlrose]

There is little / no concrete information on this at the moment, I have been told by one of the STB developers (humax) that they are looking for launch 'Around Easter' but wont launch untill the platform is there

Even this I take with a pinch of salt!

Matt

[shadows]

its getting close to say theres no details bit strange isnt it

[boot1973]

Seems very strange that it's touted as available in the next couple of months but there is no further details are available yet and no firm dates published.. i have a feeling it's going to be even later.

[amd mad]

even on bbc site no firm launch date,i expect a big advertising push just in time for summer olimpics well excited about the prospect of the lotto draws in HD

[Bilbob]

lotto draws?
LOTTO???

gimme cash in the attic HD any day!!!!

[Blackmage]

lotto draws?
LOTTO???

gimme cash in the attic HD any day!!!!

Homes under the hammer:clap:

[Lakeuk]

Only period I've heard is Spring, so could be any time during Apr/May/Jun

Apparently some test of the guide is currently happening on satellite, the developer on MythTV is seeking extra info about it so he can attempt support of it in the open-source MythTV

[derek500]

i expect a big advertising push just in time for summer olimpics

Don't know where they're going to get the money from!! It's a non profit making organisation. When you look at ITV's total spend in 2008 on Freesat/ITV HD is only £10m (Sky are bringing £4.5m a month on the HD sub alone!!) and the BBC haven't got a budget large enough to make more than a few shows in HD, let alone for advertising!!

[Starburst]

Don't know where they're going to get the money from!! It's a non profit making organisation. When you look at ITV's total spend in 2008 on Freesat/ITV HD is only £10m (Sky are bringing £4.5m a month on the HD sub alone!!) and the BBC haven't got a budget large enough to make more than a few shows in HD, let alone for advertising!!





The BBC can plaster Freesat advertising across it's entire output just as they did with Freeview, they are not under any restrictions in terms of commercial advertising of the product. ITV can also use their own airtime, they won't have to spend money but obviously they would lose the revenue from a advertising packages which wasn't taken for the slots used.
Secondary advertising packages for shops would probably be fairly cheap and who knows some stores (if a selected launch happens) may be in partnership promotion wise as the price for getting first dibs.


In terms of out and out funding of HD it's not quite as clear cut as saying only X amount extra since normal production upgrades would not be counted in the extra budget, same for playout suites and OB units. In terms of imported content than getting hold of HD masters may only cost an extra 10% of what they pay now, suddenly a few million goes a long long way:)

[sikejsudjek]

The BBC have already announced they will be moving most of their output to HD over the next 2-3 years. Many US series are now made in HD.

The BBC and ITV actually make plenty of programs unlike Sky. Hence there isn't likely to be a shortage of HD longer term on the Freesat platform.

[Stephen Neal]

The BBC have already announced they will be moving most of their output to HD over the next 2-3 years.


Yep - BBC Resources, who provide the facilities for quite a few BBC shows, now have two decent HD studios, and a lot of documentary and in-house BBC drama is now shot HD. (Some in-house drama is still shot on Super 16 - as is quite a lot of the Kudos stuff, as well as other indies - and Super 16 is NOT deemed HD by the BBC so this stuff is still commisioned and delivered in SD)

I would be surprised if the News and Sport studios went HD "in studio" before they move to Central London and Salford - though Sport have some facilities to upconvert their studio content into HD events. (OB studio presentation can obviously be in HD)


Many US series are now made in HD.


Yep - the number of scripted shows (i.e. drama and sit-com) still made in SD in the US is minimal (Scrubs and The Wire are notable exceptions and still SD)


The BBC and ITV actually make plenty of programs unlike Sky. Hence there isn't likely to be a shortage of HD longer term on the Freesat platform.

Yep - the budgets for Sky HD, BBC HD and C4 HD only cover the incremental cost difference between SD and HD production - they don't fund the full production costs...