No more Analog TV...

[raybak]

Would be nice to get One HD here in in Canberra. We are the nations capital but can't get the HD feeds that the rest of the country gets. One HD had all of Le Mans live. Plays ARC and NASCAR live but we can't get it. At least I can watch the Tour de France live on SBS 2

Ray

[Langdale Forest]

completely pointless IMO as when there is interferance with an analog signal you can still see some of the picture, interferance on digital means turn it off and read a book.

I agree with that because the squeaking noises that the digital makes when there is interference is almost suicidal.

[Brown, Jon Brow]

Our switchover is in November/December.

A question about American TV. Why are some of the American shows that are shown in the UK broadcasted in 4:3 instead of 16:9 ? Pretty much everything in the UK is 16:9 (widescreen)

[Mark]

Our switchover is in November/December.

A question about American TV. Why are some of the American shows that are shown in the UK broadcasted in 4:3 instead of 16:9 ? Pretty much everything in the UK is 16:9 (widescreen)

Much of American television destined for home consumption, that just happens to appear on our screens is still made in 4:3. However drama series and the like which are made for export are done in 16:9.

You'll notice that American dramas on UK TV are usually shown in 16:9, same as the rest of the stuff, however some of the minor cable/satellite channels still don't have widescreen capable equipment, so will show the 4:3 versions of American shows.

I believe the relative lack of widescreen in the USA comes from them not having standard definition widescreen like we've had here. They've basically gone straight from 4:3SD to 16:9HD, without that 16:9SD step inbetween. So a programme which isn't shot in HD is likely to be 4:3.

[Langdale Forest]

For some reason the only way i can watch BBC2 without throwing at rock at the TV is when the video recorder is on.

[PuddleJumper]

I read a few weeks ago that when the digital TV signal goes live in the North West (our signal comes from Winter Hill) it will include the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 HD channels. Great, I thought, now's the time to buy a HD TV. They all come digital ready these days so come the switch on date I can watch things like "Defying Gravity" in HD.

However, I found out this week that a digital ready TV will not be enough to get the HD channels and you will need additional equipment which isn't even available yet. :\

[Dave B]

Freeview HD will be a gigantic waste of time. It'll only support four channels initially, at dismal bitrates and resolution, and will suffer even more when a fifth HD channel is squeezed into the same space.

If you want HD bite the bullet and get Sky, Virgin or Freesat. Freeview was only ever designed to be a basic service to replace analogue.

[Langdale Forest]

HD is pointless, it is not even that good.

[christophulus]

Freeview HD also has the added annoyance of having to compress all the other channels' bit rates, and getting rid of most of the BBC red button streams. Waste of time.

[Valve Bounce]

I don't know what stage we are at in Oz; we do have digital and HD, and I was able to give my 20 year's old Sony to the maintenance guys.

But the advantage here is that I get F1 live on Channel 1 HD, the Sports Channel, which also has other motorsports, Gridiron football (College as well as NFL), NBL, Soccer, Baseball, and other sports. That alone is good enough for me to be happy we've gone digital and I have a digital TV. In addition, I get "The Wire" on ABC2 and Unit 1 on SBS2 and The Eagle also, which are just about the best shows I have ever watched on TV, all on Digital.

For those in Melbourne, COSTCO has great prices in TV's and if you are not satisfied, you have three months to return it. Can't beat that!!

So yeah! contrary to guys above from elsewhere, Digital TV in OZ is one helluva blessing.