Friday 5 February 2010

10 things about Freeview HD

ON THE BEEB: The BBC HD channel features a full roster of programming in high definition

1. Freeview HD is already broadcasting

Freeview HD transmissions were switched on in December 2009. But the availability of the service was limited to the Winter Hill TV transmitters in the North West (covering Preston, Blackburn, Bolton, Manchester and Liverpool) and the Crystal Palace group in London.

2. Up to four HD channels will be available

The initial Freeview HD service carries two channels – BBC HD and ITV1 HD. These will be quickly followed by Channel 4 HD and S4C HD for viewers in Wales. There are also plans to add an HD channel from Five later this year.

The BBC HD and ITV1 HD channels are already available on rival service Freesat, although the ITV content is currently limited to one or two token HD shows per night. When ITV1 HD fully launches on Freeview HD in the Spring, it will take the form of an upscaled simulcast of the standard-def ITV1 channel.

3. Good news! The World Cup will be shown in HD

By the time South Africa kicks off against Mexico on June 11th, almost 50 percent of UK telly-watchers will be able to enjoy the 2010 World Cup in high definition. You'll be able to see the individual ginger hairs in Wayne Rooney's beard. Ugh.

4. Bad news! You might not get Freeview HD until 2012

Beyond the first outposts in the North West and the area surrounding Crystal Palace, Freeview HD will be switched on in the rest of London, Glasgow, Newcastle, Leeds, Bradford and Birmingham by the end of March 2010.

Manchester, Cardiff and Swansea are also expected to receive Freeview HD at this time as the digital switchover process continues. So when will you get it? If you live in Exeter, you'll get switched on in April 2010; but Norwich won't get HD until 2011.

Check the Freeview website and the rollout map to see when your area will be HD-capable. By the time the digital switchover is completed in 2012, 98.5% of the UK should be able to receive Freeview HD.

5. Freeview HD uses the new DVB-T2 standard

DVB-T2 is the second generation of digital terrestrial TV and uses the H.264/MPEG-4 format. The UK is the first country in the world to adopt DVB-T2 for an over-the-air HD service.

6. So your existing Freeview box can't receive HD

The existing Freeview (DVB-T) platform is based around compressed MPEG-2. The change of video format means that existing Freeview boxes and HD TVs with integrated digital tuners won't be able to decode Freeview HD broadcasts. You'll need all-new DVB-T2 gear.

7. So Freeview HD isn't entirely free...

Like Freeview, Freeview HD won't require a monthly subscription or a contract. But you will have to stump up for a new Freeview HD-compatible set-top box, which (initially) could cost as much as £180. The steep cost of the new DVB-T2 hardware has led the Daily Mail to moan about what it calls "The Freeview HD con."

8. Freeview HD boxes spotted in the wild

Aren't DVB-T2 boxes already available? According to the Freeview HD website, there are no certified Freeview HD boxes officially on sale. But Humax is close to releasing its Fox-HD T2 box, which features an MPEG-4 decoder, HDMI output, Ethernet jack and a USB port. Price? Argos currently lists it for £180.

9. Freeview HD boxes will support the BBC iPlayer

An Ethernet port is mandatory on Freeview HD boxes, enabling future access to current online catch-up TV services including the BBC iPlayer, ITV Player and 4OD.

10. It's not your only free-to-air HD option

Freesat already carries over 70 hours of HD content from the BBC HD and ITV HD channels in addition to providing over 140 digital TV and radio channels. Set-top boxes and HD TVs are both available with integrated Freesat tuners. Prices start at £100.

Saturday 30 January 2010

If you thought Bob de Bilde's Poly-blogging was stupid...

Then what about BSkyB? More needless crap as French car maker inspired Renault TV was launched yesterday. Remember Audi TV? It lasted five minutes. I dont see Renault TV staying viable that long...

What will they promote? More Renault Kwangos?

(Q: What do you call a Red Renault Kwango? A: An abortion)?

Will they feature the overpriced, under equipped Renault Espace?

And who will watch the channel more than once?

Renault TV launches on Sky TV

The French car maker Renault has launched a television channel on Sky TV in the UK and on CanalSat in France.

Renault TV will be used by the firm to showcase new models, technology and news.

There will also be features and even the possibility of some entertainment too.

According to Renault this channel has the potential to reach around thirty million viewers, which would give the company some great coverage.

However it should be noted that Audi did the same thing in 2005 and the channel on Sky TV closed down last year.

Renault can build on the success of the online TV channel www.renault.tv , which is ten months old.

This site has been attracting a lot of viewers and the average viewer stays on the site for fifteen minutes.

A new challenge...

I've just agreed to 'ghost write' the David Wilson blog for my old school mate, Dave 'Snooks' Wilson. The URL is http://thedavidwilson.blogspot.com/ and although I have a free hand in what I report, I have been given strict boundaries including a must inclusion of Aston Villa at least once a week. As we, along with Phil Finney and Richard (1099) Phillips were the only Villa fans in our year at school, then that shouldn't be too hard.

in reference to: Bob De Bilde (view on Google Sidewiki)

Thursday 28 January 2010

Virgin Media Faces Hiccup in Plans to Monitor Internet Traffic

Virgin Media has been criticised by human rights groups over it proposed use of Cview, a software programme that would allow it to monitor and analyse the browsing activity of its customers.

Virgin Media has been in talks with record labels for some time, seeking to draw up a deal whereby customers could download unlimited quantities of music for a monthly fee.

It’s plausible that during these negotiations the internet provider has agreed to crack down on illegal file sharing via peer to peer networks. The declared intention to focus on internet traffic to three P2P index websites (BitTorrent, eDonkey and Gnutella) certainly suggests that illegal file sharing is the main motive behind the introduction of Cview.

Emma Hutchinson, a spokesperson for Virgin Media, defended the plans:

“CView works at a core-network level, and simply analyses, entirely anonymously, the percentage of data that flows across the network that is copyrighted and being shared unlawfully.”

She went on to say that they would not gather information about individuals, and that “at no point” would this data be passed onto a third party.

“We’ve engaged with all the relevant bodies, including Ofcom, the ICO and the EC, to ensure they have the information they need to make an informed judgement about our planned trial”.

Speaking to the BBC Alexander Hanff, head of ethical networks at Privacy International, said:

“Under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (Ripa) intercepting communications is a criminal offence regardless of what you do with the data.”

Privicy International has requested that the EC investigate the proposed use of Cview.

Was it my multi-blogged moan?

Was it my multi-blogged moan that un-locked my new blog http://sequels-and-trilogies.blogspot.com/ ?
I know that blogger took the full 20 days to un-lock a blog of a friend of mine. Now his block WAS highly political but there should be no difference.
Perhaps it was my genuine threat to move to wordpress?

Who knows?

Thank You blogger for acting quickly

Bob de Bilde

in reference to: Prequels, Sequels & Trilogies (view on Google Sidewiki)

Wednesday 27 January 2010

New Vbox installed by TWO technicians

A morning appointment from Virgin media was made last Sunday and promptly kept at... wait for it... 1310 hours (Ten past one in the afternoon).

Replacing the 'old' PACE V-box with a newer SAMSUNG V-box my Virgin media technicians were very polite AND they wore plastic overshoes each time they entered and exited my house.

They? Yes there were two of them, apparently according to them a commonplace thing with customers deemed to be verbally abusive to the Indian call centre staff...

Hmmmmmmmm? That was quite a specific revelation by the boys, for whom I made coffee, tea biscuits and offered hot buttered toast (with Marmite or marmalade) but all of that was refused.

"Verbally abusive to the Indian call centre staff"?

Now I don't like talking to people who give themselves an English sounding name and then cannot speak "my" English. There is always something lost in the conversations when I add a colloquial phrase and they respond "excuse me?"

It was always said that America and Britain were divided by a common tongue, and the other overused phrase "lost in translation" too comes to mind.

Perhaps if Mr Branson and his executives (Virgin media) and Mr Murdoch and his executives (BSkyB) and The BT shareholders and executives (BT Vision) took smaller cuts from our excessive fees then the companies could all employ 100% British based staff in a British based call centre!

The song "Dream the impossible dream" springs to the forefront. Or did I see Don Quixote on FREEVIEW 4 Film channel 15?

LOL