BBC HD - What is the point

[gperkins1973]

Hi there,

What is the point of BBC HD when it hardly plays the problems that are on normal BBC1.

Cheers

Graham

[Broadz]

What problems? What are you talking about?

[cockney]

Originally Posted by gperkins1973

Hi there,

What is the point of BBC HD when it hardly plays the problems that are on normal BBC1.

Cheers

Graham

I know what you mean, there are lots of problems on BBC1 but i'm not sure how the BBC HD channel could solve these, maybe Dear Deirdre may be better suited to help

[Gliese 581c]

Originally Posted by gperkins1973

Hi there,

What is the point of BBC HD when it hardly plays the problems that are on normal BBC1.

Cheers

Graham

I wonder that too, all these HD channels need to give themselves a good bloody shake and either be HD or not. When I turn on an HD channel thats what I expect to see, not some SD crap that I can watch elsewhere, and yes there's all these low bitrate Nat Geo HD channels that are constant HD, but as I said, low bitrate, poor quailty and probably cost 2p a meg to stream.

Not just BBC HD, but all the channels need a good shake up. I'm quite fed up with sky saying they have lots of HD channels when hardly any of them play Hd content. Sky 1 gave us a taste of the Simpsons in HD a few weeks back and its not been HD since, so they can show it but for the only reason has to be down to £.

Anyway, thats my rant over.

[newboy2008]

Originally Posted by Gliese 581c

Sky 1 gave us a taste of the Simpsons in HD a few weeks back and its not been HD since, .

Simpsons was in HD last night

[Gliese 581c]

Originally Posted by newboy2008

Simpsons was in HD last night

missed it then

Well thats my point, either HD or not.

[prettyvacant]

Originally Posted by Gliese 581c

missed it then

Well thats my point, either HD or not.

And the week before that. And the St Patricks Day Special.

The new season being shown right now is the first to be rendered & broadcast in HD.

Plenty of other HD content at the moment to keep you going

[jezzer256]

Surely Sky's worst crime in recent times is the Sky Arts HD channels. There used to be a single channel that ran throughout the day - they have since split this into a daytime channel (Sky Arts 2) and an evening/night channel (Sky Arts 2) - AND THEY CALL IT TWO CHANNELS!

Total scam.

Jez

[mjn]

Originally Posted by Gliese 581c

I wonder that too, all these HD channels need to give themselves a good bloody shake and either be HD or not. When I turn on an HD channel thats what I expect to see, not some SD crap that I can watch elsewhere, and yes there's all these low bitrate Nat Geo HD channels that are constant HD, but as I said, low bitrate, poor quailty and probably cost 2p a meg to stream.

Not just BBC HD, but all the channels need a good shake up. I'm quite fed up with sky saying they have lots of HD channels when hardly any of them play Hd content. Sky 1 gave us a taste of the Simpsons in HD a few weeks back and its not been HD since, so they can show it but for the only reason has to be down to £.

Anyway, thats my rant over.

In that case, DON'T watch Sci-Fi HD.....utter rubbish. Upscaled picture in 4:3 complete with stereo sound.....not worth the bandwidth.

[gperkins1973]

Hi guys,

As you've probably guessed I'm meant programs. It's Monday!.

Cheers

Graham

[gperkins1973]

HI there,

Also I have noticed that there is quite a bit of judder on various HD and non HD programs. Watching formula one on sunday the cars kept juddering.

Really annoying.

cheers

Graham

[Broadz]

Originally Posted by gperkins1973

As you've probably guessed I'm meant programs. It's Monday!.

So, the original question should have been:-

What is the point of BBC HD when it hardly plays the programmes that are on normal BBC1.

First, BBC HD is not supposed to mirror BBC1. It is supposed to show high definition versions of programmes from all four BBC TV channels, and does.
Second, the BBC have openly stated that they refuse to show upscaled SD transmissions of their programmes the way Sky One and Channel 4 do. So, if a programme/movie is available in high definition, they will show it. If not, they can't. That is why they have a preview loop running when not transmitting real high definition broadcasts. This is what other channels would also have to do if they didn't show upscaled SD broadcasts, that or do it the History channel way, which is repeat the same programme two or three times a day.

That's the point of BBC HD.

[Gliese 581c]

Originally Posted by prettyvacant

And the week before that. And the St Patricks Day Special.

The new season being shown right now is the first to be rendered & broadcast in HD.

Plenty of other HD content at the moment to keep you going

I take it these are just one off weekly sunday 30 min episodes on Sky 1 HD channel ? Thats my point.

[Jonstone]

Originally Posted by Broadz

Second, the BBC have openly stated that they refuse to show upscaled SD transmissions of their programmes the way Sky One and Channel 4 do.

I have never understood this attitude. One of the main reasons we all want hd is because sd broadcasts are awful, a fact more and more people are noticing as large screen tv's become more commonplace.

Sd broadcasts on bbchd and especially itvhd transmitted at a good bitrate whether they had been upscaled first or not would be hugely better than their normal bitrate starved counterparts.

They are using the bandwidth anyway so it wouldn't cost them anymore to transmit decent sd than to transmit a preview loop or a title screen.

Part of me wonders whether they worry that too many people would not be able to see the difference between very good sd and average hd which would further highlight just how poor normal sd transmissions are

[Broadz]

Originally Posted by Gliese 581c

I take it these are just one off weekly sunday 30 min episodes on Sky 1 HD channel ? Thats my point.

Your point is that you don't want any episodes of The Simpsons to be transmitted on Sky 1 HD unless it is a true high definition episode? When only the latest series, starting with the St Patricks Day episode, is in high definition?

What are Sky supposed to do about all the older episodes which they keep showing over and over and over again? Wave a magic wand and create high def versions of them? Not show the upscaled episodes on Sky 1 HD, even though Sky 1 is showing the SD version? Instead show a loop or a sign saying "Sorry, the current Sky1 transmission is not available in true high definition, so we're not going to let you see it" ? Not really fair on people who have the HD Pack but don't have the Variety Pack is it?