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20080627 Friday June 27, 2008

BBC tests DVB-T2 for Freeview HD

The BBC has started test transmissions of new technology which will make HD on Freeview a reality within 18 months.

They're using DVB-T2, a cutting-edge successor to the standard DVB-T system used for Freeview, which increases transmission capacity by up to 30 per cent.

BBC Research & Innovation has developed a prototype DVB-T2 modem to pick up the new signals - they won't work with any existing Freeview or DVB-T receivers.

Justin Mitchell, leader of the DVB-T2 modem development team at the
BBC, said: "We are delighted that our team in collaboration with our
partners has been able to deliver such a key piece of technology in
such a short timescale. This is a big step forward in enabling the
introduction of full HD terrestrial on Freeview by the end of 2009."

DVB-T2 was only finalised by the European DVB engineering group in March this year, but Ofcom and BBC hope to start broadcasts on Freeview by the end of 2009.

We'll be bringing more on the DVB-T2 story when DVB demonstrates it at IBC in September.


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Posted by Alex Lane
Friday June 27, 2008


HD | Permalink | Comments [7]

« UK pubs get European foot... | Weblog | Kangaroo told to hoppit »
Comments:

With very little space to put HD channels on Freeview (max of 3 or 4) and with a requirement of a different receiver to view them, it might be better if the BBC spent more time and money on Freesat which has a huge capacity to carry HD viewing.

Lets get one service right and start advertising it before starting on the next. I personally think freeview with its limited space is best left for SD channels. If Ofcom wanted a good HD service on freeview they should have allocated a good chunk of spectrum for it.


Posted by Lee Branch (127.0.0.1) on June 27, 2008 at 12:38 PM BST #

While on my soap box, I also think it would be a crime for Sky to take a chunk of the limited space on freeview to launch their own encrypted pay TV service. Let's hope Ofcom judge against it, after all its called "Freeview" not Sky. The more space on Freeview that gets encrypted means a poorer service for the people who refuse or can't afford pay TV.

Posted by Lee B (127.0.0.1) on June 27, 2008 at 12:43 PM BST #

"which increases transmission capacity by up to
30 per cent."............. The increase in more like 45% in the UK (compared to QAM64 CR2/3)........... If large SFN's are used an increase of 65% is likely.

Posted by reslfj (127.0.0.1) on June 28, 2008 at 05:18 PM BST #

HD has to be freeview asap...We are so way behind HD on dtt anyway compared with the USA and Australia etc. The UK maye have been the first to launch a digital terrestrial service but could be the last to start the HD version of it at this rate....Also Why not use VHF for HD, better coverage than UHF

Posted by Dave (127.0.0.1) on June 29, 2008 at 04:11 PM BST #

I was all for HD on freeview originally, but now Ofcom are selling the spare spectrum created by the switch off, all it's ever going to be is a limited service with only 10 mbps available to each of the 3 HD channels - BBCHD on freesat currently uses 16 mbps! and Sky sports 19 mbps.

Plus to create this limited service they are going to rob bandwidth from existing channels, thus reducing the existing picture quality of SD freeview channels.

Surely freesat is the best way to go, with massive bandwith for SD and HD channels, plus proven S2 technology and cheap and available receivers.

Posted by lee b (127.0.0.1) on June 29, 2008 at 10:09 PM BST #

I am against HD on Freeview, because there is no bandwith available, since Ofcom is selling-off all the available bandwith.

Posted by joshua welby (127.0.0.1) on July 01, 2008 at 03:45 PM BST #

I do not think it is a good idea to make HD available on Freeview, as Ofcom is selling-off all the Spectrum anyway. There will not be enough bandwith for HD services on Freeview.

Posted by joshua welby (127.0.0.1) on July 02, 2008 at 12:33 PM BST #

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