BBC considering datacasting for delivering HDTV

The BBC think they have a solution for broadcasting HDTV programming in areas where there are no HDTV channels: datacasting. At least that's what it sounds like they're proposing. The blurb in New Scientist isn't exactly chock of full of detail, but what they're thinking about doing is using unused parts of the spectrum (we're guessing TV spectrum that'll be freed up in the transition to digital broadcasting) to transmit data to a digital video recorder with a special receiver in the days and hours before a show is scheduled to air. Then when it's time for a show to air, a trigger signal hidden in the broadcaster's TV signal would make it possible to watch the saved program. Sounds a little convoluted for sure (a couple of datacasting companies have already gone out of business and Disney pretty much killed off MovieBeam, their recent experiment with datacasting movies), but it's actually not a terrible way to deliver high-def programming.

[Simon @ Dec 19th 2005 12:17AM]

Surely a great way to get pre-air torrents out again.

That 'hidden' trigger signal will only stay hidden until it's used the first time or until someone takes one of those receivers appart. Whatever comes first.

Why don't they get it over with and start distributing torrents themself?

[Paul @ Dec 19th 2005 12:17AM]

Its likely they mean some form of DRM, so that pre-air trigger would change for each show and you would probably never be able to get pre-air copies of shows.

Im not sure how much this is needed though. As I understand it, freeview (dvb-t) supports hdtv, so most areas should be able to get hdtv anyway. I guess at least the BBC can invest in this without worrying about profits.

[M A T T A @ Dec 19th 2005 12:17AM]

GO AUNTIE BEEB! Commercial broadcasters would never bother with that kind of thing over here unless they could make hela-millions from it (which wont happen for many many years yet). Anyone who complains about the BEEB or its licence fees can suck my hood and be dammed to an enternal hell of celebrity love island! You taloid loving a-holes.

[Permanent4 @ Dec 19th 2005 12:17AM]

How does something like that compare to Akimbo? Aside from the HD part, they sound fairly similar.

[The Jeremy @ Dec 19th 2005 12:17AM]

Great. How about shooting *Doctor Who* in HD format natively for Season 28 (err, Season 2)... :0

[Zach @ Dec 19th 2005 12:17AM]

Sounds kinda cool, but two concerns:

1) No live TV in HD, obviously.
2) It seems like they would just be begging people to break into one of these and catch that all-important season-finale a week or so early, and maybe get it on the net for everyone else (maybe sans commercials, too!). Maybe!

[Samuel Lago @ Dec 19th 2005 12:17AM]

Don't you think that those who really wanted HD TV would have purchased the hardware so that they could just get it. What about all the other interactive and HD sound quality features they are not getting, aren't people doing this on the cheap going to get less of a HD experience.