Freeview HD on SKY? - UPDATE

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TomAckroyd

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#20243 17-Mar-2008 19:46

Someone was trying to tell me that SKY will eventually carry Freeview HD channels. This can't be true. Can it? I mean, maybe TV3 might consider allowing it, but TVNZ?

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#117217 17-Mar-2008 19:55

I think it would be unlikely given the bandwidth required to beam down HD from a satellite. Sky will be concentrating on HD channels that subscribers will pay extra for, ie sport/movies. I can't imagine anyone wanting to pay extra to get HD freeview via Sky when it is free in the first place.

TomAckroyd

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#117220 17-Mar-2008 20:05

SKY might consider it if it meant not losing subscribers to Freeview. "Watch Lost AND the rugby in HD!".
And Freeview isn't "free" (at the moment) - you have to fork out for a fancy HTPC setup, or a decoder, or (later) a PVR, or (much later) a Freeview-capable TV. Only then is it free.

marmel

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#117222 17-Mar-2008 20:12

You do have to buy a decoder for freeview true, but you would also have to buy another decoder for Sky to receive HD.

I just don't think that Sky would have the bandwidth available to beam down 3-4+ channels of freeview whilst keeping their own HD plans and all SD channels intact.

I'm pretty sure this is the reason that Freeview is going HD via UHF because of the bandwidth cost via satellite.

BarTender

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#117227 17-Mar-2008 20:25

TomAckroyd: SKY might consider it if it meant not losing subscribers to Freeview. "Watch Lost AND the rugby in HD!".

And Freeview isn't "free" (at the moment) - you have to fork out for a fancy HTPC setup, or a decoder, or (later) a PVR, or (much later) a Freeview-capable TV. Only then is it free.

Sky have quite a bit of spare capacity on D1 for their disposal, so they may choose to carry 1,2,3 HD as part of their "MySky HD" upsell project.
HD will only be available as part of an MySky HD subscription, and the cost of upgrade for existing MySky customers to HD is one thing, as will the setup price of MySky HD.
And back on the ole chesnut of "Freeview not being free" give me a break, To watch satellite TV you need a decoder, since the DVB-T is going for the latest technology (some for, some against, I am for dual casting myself) you also need a decoder as well.... Once you buy the box there is no on-going costs, much like buying a TV, or a Microwave, or a Walk-around-Telephone for home.... Thankfully Freeview have got with the program a bit and improved their advertising "Make monthly subscriptions a thing of the past"... which is exaclty what Freeview does. Plus offer Digital quality TV.

And as for a Satellite PVR, I am doing a one time deal to bring them in for $300, can't say that isn't cheap (in comparison to the $$$$ many on this forum are spending for HTPC). Well then you need to buy a $200 HDD as well, but I never said my box was free :P

spazz

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#117283 18-Mar-2008 09:32

I want to watch Prison Break in HD pls Sky ^_^

http://walkingisoverrated.com

TomAckroyd

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#117287 18-Mar-2008 09:44

It would appear my friend had his wires crossed. My contact at Sky says there are no such plans.
But - 5 years from now when everyone is HD, can you imagine Sky NOT carrying the major free-to-airs in HD?
It'll be interesting to see how things shake down. Sky are launching their HD box in July.

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#117296 18-Mar-2008 10:50

Spazz: download it then, i have the whole latest season in HD. It finished in the states about 3 weeks ago, season picks up intensity nicely :)

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sbiddle

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#117297 18-Mar-2008 11:06

Within the next year it will be reasonable to expect that most large screen TV's sold in NZ will all have DVB-T tuners built in. The need for the likes of Sky to duplicate the HD programming becomes worthless since 75% of the population which will more that likely increase to 87%) have access to a digital terrestrial signal.

hairy1

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#117302 18-Mar-2008 11:29

So wouldn't that effectively dilute Sky's market share? If they are unable to provide HD services on a par with freeview then would we see a market shift back towards freeview? Kind of like what has happened in the past 10 years with sky offering a superior picture quality (in most cases) with digital DVB-S compared with terrestial analog VHF/UHF? Surely Sky are going to have to try and match the market with freeview and HD.

My views (except when I am looking out their windows) are not those of my employer.

TomAckroyd

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#117303 18-Mar-2008 11:50

sbiddle:
Within the next year it will be reasonable to expect that most large screen TV's sold in NZ will all have DVB-T tuners built in. The need for the likes of Sky to duplicate the HD programming becomes worthless since 75% of the population which will more that likely increase to 87%) have access to a digital terrestrial signal.

Only if 75% of the population suddenly decides to go out and buy a new TV!

hairy1

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#117304 18-Mar-2008 11:53

According to the Reserve Bank that is exactly what we have all been doing!

My views (except when I am looking out their windows) are not those of my employer.

TomAckroyd

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#117307 18-Mar-2008 12:04

Think of it like this - in the long term, Freeview will be just the same as analogue free-to-air now: everyone will have a TV with a tuner and an aerial. Difference is they will be getting a DVB-T signal, not an analogue.

The reason people have Sky now, in addition to analogue FTA, is a combination of getting a better picture and having access to more channels, including exclusive subscription channels.

So people will still have a reason to subscribe to Sky as well as having Freeview for nothing. And Sky won't have an economic reason to carry FTAs. Unless of course advertisers who baulk and say "We need Sky to carry FTAs for the Sky viewers that don't want, or don't have, Freeview".

The fly in the ointment is the PVR element. As an ordinary TV viewer (not a HTPC user), I want to watch nice pictures, both off-air and off DVD/BluRay, and be able to record and keep off-air programmes. Ideally this will be possible with just three pieces of kit: a UHF aerial, a TV with a built-in DVB-T tuner, and a PVR/DVR/DVD-recorder/BluRay-player/whatever all-in-one box. (Like the PlayTV-enabled PS3 I guess.) Ideally the thing that records will also have a DVB-T tuner so I can watch one thing and record another, like the glory days of VHS.

Tom.

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#117308 18-Mar-2008 12:10

The only reason the in-laws are getting Sky moved from their old place is for the rugby. If that was on Freeview I wouldn't bother working on that...

old3eyes

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#117311 18-Mar-2008 12:43

TomAckroyd:
The reason people have Sky now, in addition to analogue FTA, is a combination of getting a better picture and having access to more channels, including exclusive subscription channels.
Tom.

With the exception of some of the movie channels a better picture is very debatable compared to the analog feed because of screwing down the bitrate to about the same as SVCD which looks terrible on a large screen TV.. Macroblocks everywhere..

More content. Yep..

Regards,

Old3eyes

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#117332 18-Mar-2008 14:39

Forget the 75% who will be able to get FreeviewHD.
What about the rest of us who live outside the "nine main centres"?
When will we get free-to-air HD TV?

Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer.

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