Foxtel to introduce 1080i mid year.

[warbo]

With the implementation of 1080i via both Sat and Cable this year it might be time to trade in the old dreambox.

With no release date in sight for the DM8000 I was wondering what HD boxes are out there that can do similar things. A big bonus would be the ability to install a hard drive.

This is huge for big screen owners where foxtel doesn't look so crash hot.

[fandtm666]

there is no way in the world they will set it at 1080i several reasons.

1: not every one has a tv that can display it and are not forced to for another 3 YRS

2: they do not have enough bandwidth on their sat transponders to serve that much bandwidth.

they say HD i say it will be the lower end of the scale

The Standard Definition picture resolution of 576 lines x 720 active pixels @ 50Hz interlaced (576i).

WHY

because it will play on a normal tv now as it does with a free to air set top box


I feel its just a play on words as it was with the all NEW DIGITAL paytv

[z80]

They will compress the crap out of it and produce digitized 1080i images.

BUT they will never transmit 1080p which is where it all happens.

"i" is interlaced, p is progressive scan...720p is progressive scan.

I suspect it will in fact be foxtels version of 1080i compatible which will be compressed 720p.

They always exaggerate their product.


Remember when they changed to "Digital" ? funny that.....

[warbo]

Well, I know Foxtel are usually full of crap so nothing would surprise me.

This is one of the places I read about it anyway.



And yes Z80 you're right, 1080p broadcasts are much more bandwidth hungry. However a lot of people will argue that on a 42inch plasma sitting 2 meters or more away it's impossible to tell the difference between 1080i and 1080p.

[checkitout]

There is a mention in that blog that there will be 4 HD channels coming probably mid year.

1. Does this mean the Subs STB will need to be changed out to get the HD features?
- Yes, I would expect so.

2. What about the existing Cable and Satellite infrastructure? Would there be a need for a major change or hardware changeout for all those subs out there (similiar to the cable analogue to digital conversion) ??
- No, I do not think so
... and if so another another massive task with $$$$ and lots of time to change once again to suit.

3. What has been happening with HD overseas (in Europe for example) ?? This could be a pointer to what might happen here.

4. Any international Austech members feedback would be good ??

My input anyway ...Time will tell of course.

[dryfry]

You can get High definition already on satellite.
There is the ABC's 720 progressive scan HD on Optus D1 in MPEG2 and Luxe TV and Voom tv on Asiasat 2 and Measat 3 in 1080 interlaced lines MPEG4 HD.
A pc card or a new HD sat box from Europe should do the trick.

[z80]

You can get High definition already on satellite.
There is the ABC's 720 progressive scan HD on Optus D1 HD.

Absolutely correct, and the dreamboxes try real hard to display it.

[Keepleft]

HD satellite services, including those by the exciting Foxtel provider, will be to DVB-S2's MPEG4 Specification.

Some boxes are on the market bearing that, we'll see more of them over the months.

[nathj]

well guys i saw an advertisement on foxtel last night stateing that they are going HD

[xlnt]

you don't honestly expect this "additional service" to be free do you?

[nathj]

you don't honestly expect this "additional service" to be free do you?

they will incorperate it into the poor souls who pay there monthly subscriptions,,,,

or

jamm more adds into the basic chanells

[custom]

I would say that you will have to pay extra per month for the new deocder similar to the MYs**r decoder.

[warbo]

Foxtel launched their HD campaign today.

Come May there will be a new HD box with twin tuners and a 320gb hard drive available at an extra cost.

To start with there will be a select amount of channels in full 1080i res.
Discovery HD, National Geographic, BBC HD (australian content supposedly), Fox Sports (min of 1000 hours per week) inc NRL, AFL etc, ESPN and last but not least all Box Office Movies.

HD content will be available via both Sat and Cable.

[Lazer]

Actually its got Quad Tuners

you can record 2 channels while watching another channel

the fourth tuner will be used exclusively to push VOD stuff to the HDD without interupting viewing for the user

[jok11n]

Foxtel launched their HD campaign today.

More details here

[mandc]

More details here

I think the heading was wrong

Foxtel unveils Australia's "most expansive" HD offering

It should be


Foxtel unveils Australia's "most expensive" HD offering

[jok11n]

I think the heading was wrong

Foxtel unveils Australia's "most expansive" HD offering

It should be


Foxtel unveils Australia's "most expensive" HD offering

I'm not sure how they think the few channels they will offer qualifies as expansive, I'm sure you are right though and it will be expensive

[weirdo]

Foxtel launched their HD campaign today.

Fox Sports (min of 1000 hours per week) inc NRL, AFL etc, ESPN .

Will be hard to fit that many into a week

[fandtm666]

7 days a week
5 sports channels ( fox 1-2-3 espn-setanta
2 sports news channels (fox news - eurosport )

so
7 x 5 x 24 = 840
7 x 2 x 24 = 336
total = 1136

looks like they are doing almost every hour on every channel every day at a 1080i

yeah right and i just won lotto

[pheggie]

"The new iQ2 set-top-unit, pitched as a rival to the forthcoming TiVo, features a 320GB hard disk drive* allowing subscribers to record approximately 30 hours of HD programming or 90 hours of standard definition (SD)"

From this am I right to assume that each HD channel will take up 3 SD channels
on the transponder (30 to 90, 3 times the space) ?