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View Full Version : Winter Hill transmitter will switch to HD.



billy2
05-07-2009, 01:54 PM
Will switch on Dec 2nd 2009 my question is will a LCD TV with built in Freeveiw be able to diplay the HD signal.

little_pob
05-07-2009, 02:23 PM
Current Freeview broadcasts (DVB-T) are in MPEG2. Freeview HD broadcasts (DVB-T2) will be made in MPEG4.

So unless your TV is able to decode MPEG4 you will only be able to get the current, SD, freeview channels from the built in tuner and will therefore need a Freeview HD set-top-box. It is possible that some sets might support DVB-T2/MPEG4 via a firmware update, but there is no guarantee of this. Even if they do, you are relying on the manufacturer to be willing to do this (rather than wanting you to go out and buy a new TV set).

I'm also in the Granada region so I've been looking into this since I found out that we were going to be one of the first regions to fully switch over and that Freeview HD was rolling out behind the digital switch over (DSO).

In addition; Ofcom believe there is only 'air space' space for a maximum of four HD channels. When Freeview HD was first mooted I read that there should be 3 HD channels at launch with the fourth once the DSO was complete. The BBC has been 'gifted' one of the HD channels leaving 3 for commercial broadcasters.

We shouldn't have the farce Freesat has had with ITV, Channel4 and Five, but there is no guarantee that they'll bid in the auctions for one of the HD channels. So we could just as easily end up with HD bid.tv :(

billy2
05-07-2009, 03:25 PM
Thanks for the info i will wait and see nearer Dec my TV is 3years old so I will probably need a STB