Our hopes of free-to-air HDTV were given a shot in the arm yesterday when the latest research conducted by Ofcom suggested that at least four HDTV channels could be supported by the Freeview digital terrestrial platform.
Paula Guest, strategy manager of Ofcom's Digital Dividend review, said that the regulator had undertaken detailed research and was now in discussions with public broadcasters over their findings. "Our current view is that at least four HD channels could be provided within the six existing multiplexes," she said.
Guest continued to state that the four HD channels would be universally available while a possible fifth channel would have 90% coverage.
The public broadcasters backed my members of the HD For All campaign have been lobbying for capacity to be reserved for terrestrial HD channels but held fears that the platform would be auctioned off to mobile phone companies.
The prospect of terrestrial HD now seems more likely and last week Ofcom CEO, Ed Richards, said the regulator was ready to "do everything we can to help public broadcasters create an HD presence on the DTT platform using the existing spectrum."
Public broadcasters are arguing that the debate over HD on Freeview was based on consumer choice. Freeview general manager Ilse Howling unveiled research showing three quarters of consumers with HD-ready TVs expected HD on Freeview. "Freeview consumers value HD more than they would value additional television channels. It seems a great shame now, five years on, that we would disappoint those people and not offer them what they think is a brilliant way of watching TV. Consumers want high quality digital television with HD which they can get through their aerial, not a dish, and without subscription," he said.
Via
Digital TV Group
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The Freeview logo changed about eighteen months ago now...
As I understand the Ofcom research, when they say they can fit in 4 HD Channels, what they mean is if all the existing channels transfer to Mpeg 4 there will be enough space created for the 4 HD Channels.
To me this seems to be as big a change for everyone as the one we are going through at the moment. as it would require everyone to replace thier digiboxes with a new digibox that could cope with H264. I doubt many people would relish that prospect.