HDTV for 2010 World Cup

[arf9999]

You must realise that it is not just a switch that they can turn and then there is HD. It is quite a big infrastructure change that needs to happen. And with everything going digital in the next year, we are at least moving closer.

QFT

At this stage SABC owns 3 (maybe more by now) HD OB vans, but all this means is that they can send HD signals overseas.

Well no, actually only one. But with two more planned AFAIK.

I was at a conference earlier this year where SABC had a test HD broadcast running, which I was hoping would show me that we are getting there, but unfortunately it showed me that we are further away than I thought.

The real issue with HD broadcasts is a shortage of available spectrum on the terrestrial transmitters. Because Sentech needs to keep the analogue channels running in addition to the same channels on DTT, there just isn't enough frequency available for HD broadcasts. After the analogue switchoff (in 2012?) there will be additional spectrum available for HD on DTT.

Multichoice can roll out HD more easily because there is satellite capacity available, but it will require a new decoder. multichoice is currently upgrading their broadcast systems to handle HD, but it won't do the consumer any good in the short term because they'll need to wait for the new IRDs that are MPEG4 capable.

 

[Ivork]

Digital television broadcasting will be switched on on 1 November 2008 .

Aah, so if you have a DVB digital TV wot's the problem.....

What part of the plot am i missing??

 

[bwana]

Aah, so if you have a DVB digital TV wot's the problem.....

What part of the plot am i missing??

Digital broadcasting isnt the same as High Definition broadcasting.

 

[getafix33]

And rugby

Not if we have to watch that dribble the boks produced last night.

 

[ripclaw]

Most of the cable providers in the US are broadcasting in HD.

Edited to add that 720p is considered the minimum of HDTV standard.

480i (which is an NTSC interlaced signal) is regarded as standard definition (SD)
576i (which is a PAL interlaced signal) is regarded as standard definition (SD)
480p and 576p are progressive versions of the above and are regarded as enhanced definition (ED)

720p/1080i/1080p are all considered to be HD, with 1080i/p considered to be Full HD.

 

[Tns]

it would be nice if you can pick your own set of channels.say pick 10 channels and pay a small fortune.

Isn't this typical,everyone else will see HDTV but the "poor" locals will get the same crappy tv.o wait you'll have to pay for that too!

 

[Meisteral]

it would be nice if you can pick your own set of channels.say pick 10 channels and pay a small fortune.

Isn't this typical,everyone else will see HDTV but the "poor" locals will get the same crappy tv.o wait you'll have to pay for that too!

Off course you'll have to pay for it - even here in Europe it is subscribers only and that being separate subs on top of a normal bouquet.
But the quality is unbelievable! you won't want to go back. (excuse the pun)

 

[milomak]

Just imagine what value for money your DSTV would be if you just embraced soccer. I know mine is.

 

[LCBXX]

Don't you just love the way these marketing people say things. Big headline "2010 IN HD" with the very last two paragraphs detailing that South Africans would not be watching any 20-something is HD.

Nice. I feel that if South Africans can't get it, neither should the rest of the World. Oh...but that would lead to the 2010 WC being taken away from us....

Alas, the show must go on - Screw the SAfrican public

 

[titeroper]

Give Multichoice some time guys

Multichoice are working hard on an hd decoder as we type.
The infrastructure is being put in place for mpeg 4 (h.264) codec ingestion/transmission, just a matter of arriving at a good mix btw mpeg2 and mpeg4 bandwidth on the same channel on launch.

All I can say is - next year is going be a good one for those waiting for hd broadcasts, particularly rugby.

 

[ToxicBunny]

Be nice if they launched the HD decoder... or at least let people know it was coming, as well as didn't charge the earth for it. I'm looking at getting a PVR, but would also like to have HD as an option at some point in the future...

 

[Meisteral]

Be nice if they launched the HD decoder... or at least let people know it was coming, as well as didn't charge the earth for it. I'm looking at getting a PVR, but would also like to have HD as an option at some point in the future...

And if Nocoice does not get the license? The planned pvr decoder is only going to have 720i ability and not full 1080i or am I wrong?

Regardless - start saving now as a HD tv (decent 1) plus Hd decoder is what - R20k (now and in 3 years?)

 

[arf9999]

And if Nocoice does not get the license? The planned pvr decoder is only going to have 720i ability and not full 1080i or am I wrong?

Mchoice has a license already... they don't need a new one. There's no such thing as 720i. Mchoice will transmit 720p or 1080i or a combination of the two depending on the source footage. Most american HD footage is 720p, but sport from Europe is 1080i at the moment. If Mchoice wanted, they could broadcast 1080p... it's just heavy on bandwidth.

 

[Meisteral]

Mchoice has a license already... they don't need a new one.

Misunderstanding - I see SABC has the rights for all FIFA competitions 2007 to 2014 and not Mchoice. (You're perhaps talking about a general broadcasting license)

 

[arf9999]

SABC will sell on the rights to Multichoice for WC.

 

[Meisteral]

SABC will sell on the rights to Multichoice for WC.

Can't be a bad thing! let the experts rather handle such an event. But bringing HD to the Locals will be the real challenge. How much can they subsidise the new PVR to handle HD is the question.

 

[arf9999]

The PVR won't necessarily be much more expensive. The real issue for HD is decoding an MPEG4 stream. The hardware to do that is now around the same price that MPEG2 hardware was at the time that Mchoice launched the first PVR.

It seems likely (from rumours in the industry) that the new PVR will have HD capability, HDMI output, and four tuners (current PVR has 3 AFAIK - watch 2 record 1).

 

[Farquaon]

Multichoice would be able to stream HD, as they would charge a premium for HD over their crappy mpeg2 compression. On some channels you can see pixelation of the movie or show.

 

[capetownguy]

Just to make something clear, FIFA has its own people to broadcast matches, so don't worry about SABC commentators during 2010 or low quality camera work by SABC.

 

[milomak]

Doesn't FIFA normally sell seperate rights for terrestrial and satelitte TV?