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BBC HD quietly begins broadcasting in 1080p, but not all Sony HDTVs can handle it
We'd pretty much given up waiting for broadcast 1080p, since other than some video on-demand services you'll generally need to stick to Blu-ray to tick that box, but around the end of March BBC HD changed all that. It's taking advantage of a part of the Freeview HD spec that allows the broadcaster to dynamically select between 1080p / 25fps and 1080i / 25fps transmission and the boxes are mandated to be able to output 1080p / 50fps. The reasoning for the decision is to provide better picture quality on material that was shot that way, unfortunately it's coming to light now because some HDTVs are having trouble handling the switch and causing an audio dropout when the format shifts, as mentioned by UK buyers guide What Hi-Fi. As if Sony didn't have enough to deal with, the overwhelming majority of complaints appear to center around its TVs and the company has promised more information in the next 7 - 10 days about a fix that will take care of the problem.
BBC expands iPlayer support on TiVo, Popcorn Hour and Freeview HD devices
The BBC has a few updates to share about its iPlayer service -- no, nothing yet about the international rollout that's due later this year -- as it has recently become available on even more devices. That includes living room connected entertainment options that support HTML and Flash like the Virgin Media TiVo, Popcorn Hour players from Syabas, and new HDTVs from Panasonic and Sony. Other areas of increased availability include users with BT Vision set-top boxes and Freeview HD users; the latter thanks to a recent spec update that supports the MHEG-5 standard the app is built upon. Now it operates just like other Red Button interactive TV services, and the first device shipping with support is a Freeview+ HD DVR from Sony (as seen above.) It doesn't look like the Where to Get BBC iPlayer page has been updated with all the new devices yet, but it should be sooner rather than later, although we're still wondering when the Xbox 360 will join the crowd.
Report: UK couch potatoes switch to HD in growing numbers
According to Ofcom's latest Communications Market Report, 24 million HDTV sets were sold in the UK over the past 12 months, meaning about 20 percent of the population took home a new box in the past year. Yet despite watching nearly four hours of "telly" a day in 2009, in first 3 months of 2010, nearly a third of all households with internet access used on-demand catch-up services like the BBC's iPlayer, which represents an 8 percent growth over the same period last year. This data isn't all that surprising though considering the how much HD content has been made available in the UK over the last few years through free options such as Freeview HD, or premium services like Sky HD or Virgin Media. It's also still far behind US HDTV penetration, which stood at 33 percent back in 2009 and saw 5.5 million HDTVs sold during the 2008 / 2009 holiday season alone. That fact shouldn't stop electronics manufacturers from diving Scrooge McDuck style into their newly acquired money bags, or prevent newly minted British HD households from marveling at how ugly Jeremy Clarkson is in 1080p.
3view launches first hybrid Digital/IPTV HD DVR with DVB-T2 tuners
Considering our frustrations with the closed nature of most DVRs stateside, now that 3view has started shipping pre-orders of its first £299 [$472] Hybrid Digital / IPTV HD DVR set- top box, we're certainly jealous. That's because for starters, it performs all of the basic functions of a 500GB HD DVR and provides viewers with access to 50+ TV channels, as well as all free OTA HD channels, thanks to partner MaxLinear's dual MxL5007T DVB-T2 broadcast tuners. There's also integrated support for YouTube and IPTV sources like BBC's iPlayer, with Sky Player slated to join the mix soon. If that wasn't enough to make you pity your recorder, UK owners can even view digital media content via the box's HDD, external USB storage, or DLNA networks, and easily rub in their gleeful media freedom via Twitter or Facebook. No, it may not be fair, but it seems remembering that we don't have to pay a license fee just to get basic national news is the only cheap shot worth clinging to for solace in this situation.
Sharp's 46-inch Quattron LE821E HDTV and its integrated Freeview HD DVR make reviewers gush
Now this is more like it. Instead of chewing on another underwhelming 3D display, the Tech Radar crew have pulled in one of Sharp's hot new Quattron sets -- distinguishable, if you look really really closely, by the addition of yellow to the standard RGB colors in each pixel -- and their experience has certainly been something to write about. Describing the LE821E's color response as "utterly spectacular," they go on to praise the LCD's improved brightness thanks to the yellow sub-pixel's higher transparency, confident upscaling of standard def pictures to Full HD resolution, and "inspired onscreen menus." Counteracting the good stuff were mildly disappointing black levels and a £2,000 ($3,053) price for the 46-inch model. Sure it's steep, but with Freeview HD and an 8GB HDD built into the box, we can think of a few ways to justify the expense. As ever, the source link will give you the unabridged verdict, so read on. [Thanks, David]
LG announces LD950 passive shutter 3DTV for UK market
Just like everybody else in the display business, LG is trying to figure out exactly how they're going to position themselves to benefit from the upcoming 3D Explosion! Since almost-sorta-not really pulling out of a deal with Sky TV to supply British pubs with 3D televisions, the company has announced that it will be offering its first 3DTV sets that uses polarization technology (as opposed to that active shutter stuff like NVIDIA's 3D Vision) to consumers. Presumably cheaper than its active shutter counterparts, the LD950 supports HDMI version 1.4, 1080p HD, external storage via USB 2.0 (with DivX HD, MP3, and JPEG support), and comes bundled with four pairs of polarized glasses. There's no word on a price or release date, but if it makes you feel better we can reveal that two new active 3D displays, the LX9900 (47-inch and 55-inch) and LX6900 (42-inch), featuring 1080p, Freeview HD, Netcast widgets (YouTube, Skype, Accu Weather, Picasa), and wireless AV link, will be available in May for a price yet to be determined.
Humax HD-FOX T2 and Panasonic TX-P42G20B become the first Freeview HD tuners on sale in the UK
Slowly but surely Freeview HD is making its entry into UK homes. The well-reviewed Humax HD-FOX T2 is living up to its promise of being the very first Freeview HD tuner around, and is now available to buy via the company's online store or at your local electronics outlet. Priced at £180 ($281), its listing on the Humax Direct Sales site has an amusing "this is NOT a recorder" blinking message to inform people that it lacks the PVR functionality that the forthcoming Toshiba HDR5010 will bring. If your disposable income stretches a bit further and you want your tuner integrated, Panasonic will happily exchange its 42-inch TX-P42G20 plasma for £1,100 ($1,717). It's the successor to the TX-P42G10 and boasts a 600Hz refresh rate along with a 5,000,000:1 contrast ratio and the prerequisite 1080p resolution. There's nothing we can do about the dearth of Freeview HD programming for the moment, but at least the hardware is finally out there.
International HD news roundup
Here at Engadget HD, we'd prefer not to just focus on high-def happenings in the US of A. Thus, we round up the best of the best from the international front each week and present it here, bundled together in a single, easy to digest list. If something went down in your corner of the globe over the past seven days, let the rest of the world know it in comments. 'Til next week, Até a vista! Read - Virgin Media Customers to Get Discovery HD Channel and More HD Programmes on Demand (UK) Read - Watch IPL in cinemas, pay normal rates (India) Read - Germany's WDR to kicks off HD broadcasting using Quantel Read - Dutch DTH platform adds HD channels Read - J: COM, VOD content delivered by the 3D starting in April (Japan) Read - M7 Group contracts two new transponders on Astra for HDTV expansion (India) Read - Freeview coverage checker reveals when Freeview HD is coming to you (UK) Read - HD sports season kicks off with Super 14 (South Africa) Read - Which is the right UK HDTV service for you? Read - CRTC Approves Free HD (Canada) Read - FreeHD Canadian service cleared for launch
Toshiba HDR5010 marries Freeview HD to a PVR in time for the World Cup
When Humax introduced the UK's first Freeview HD set-top box last week, quite a few of you were understandably disappointed that it didn't come with PVR functionality. Well, you can now strike that off your list of worries, as Toshiba has just gone official with its own Freeview+ HD PVR box that packs a healthy 500GB of internal storage alongside two HDMI inputs and one output, a duo of USB ports and Ethernet connectivity. Equipped with dual tuners, it'll allow you to record a pair of simultaneous broadcasts, while the internal hard drive -- good for storing 120 hours of video -- should be augmentable with external variants. Toshiba makes sure to include DivX and MP3 playback support in the HDR5010, so it should also make for a decent media streamer when it makes its admittedly distant debut in June for £349 ($545).
Humax HD-FOX T2 is first Freeview HD box in the UK, garners positive review
When you think back to the dark ages of the nineties -- just four terrestrial channels and the inevitable snowflakes on your screen if you were in a poor reception area -- it just wasn't a very good time for free television in the UK. Fast forward to today, and dirt-cheap Freeview boxes are getting their inevitable, in fact somewhat belated, upgrade to HD. The Humax HD-FOX T2 will cost a predictably hefty £170 ($270) at launch, but as its kind starts to infiltrate the market that price should suffer an equally appropriate precipitous fall. Offering decent media streamer capabilities via wired Ethernet, the T2 stands out with its attractive GUI and blisteringly fast channel scanning, while giving you pretty much exactly the performance you'd expect from a high-quality Freeview HD box. The UK HD rollout is set to start in earnest this March and you can learn more about it at the links below. [Thanks, Dave]
Freeview HD on the air, OTA & IPTV combo boxes prepare to flood the UK market
Just as planned, Freeview HD has come online with a "technical launch" and manufacturers already showing off boxes expected to hit shelves next spring for the consumer launch. Right now only residents in the Liverpool and Manchester area will probably be picking up the signal, but The Register has even more details on when and where DVB-T2 broadcasts will be popping up over the next several months. Likely related to the IPTV requirement placed on Freeview HD set-top boxes, 3view is already showing off an OEM design that includes a box with support for OTA, IPTV and a web browser with Facebook, YouTube and Twitter apps included. According to Pocket-Lint, it also does the job of home media server and 320GB DVR, we'll keep a few pounds handy to check it out once the box arrives in March.
Freeview HD sets a date: December 2
Finally, after much delay, we have a date to expect Freeview HD service in the UK, at least for those in range of the Winter Hill transmitter (Manchester & Liverpool for sure,) it will go live December 2. elsewhere, you'll be waiting until at least 2010 to experience the joys of OTA HD as has been promised, but keep an eye out and the Beeb, ITV and Channel 4 should be coming your way. Anyone know if those New Zealand PlayTV Freeview HD adaptations will be back-compatible to the UK?
Sharp bringing dual Freeview tuning HDTVs to Australia
Details are frustratingly sparse at the moment, but Smarthouse has it that Sharp is gearing up to offer HDTVs in Australia with a unique Freeview tuning system. Specifically, these sets will boast MPEG4 and MPEG2 tuners which will allow consumers to continue receiving their digital TV signals "without the threat of their TV recording being restricted." You see, the MPEG4 tuners would be used to restrict recording and limit ad skipping, but apparently no such strings can be attached to MPEG2 processors. It's said that the sets should be available "soon," but details like size, features and price have yet to be revealed. Patience, mates.
Ofcom's road to Freeview HD gets explained
We'll warn you -- if you venture down to the full story on this one, you'll be wading knee-deep in some fairly technical hoopla. That said, those interested in exactly how Ofcom plans to get Freeview HD up and rolling when the 2012 digital switchover occurs in the UK will certainly find it of interest. As the story goes, the first three Freeview HD channels (BBC, ITV and Channel 4) are expected to go live in late 2009 when the Winter Hill transmitter is switched to digital-only. There are a grand total of six multiplexes to work with, and Ofcom has it planned to shuffle things around and use the now-empty PSB3 for high-def content. Sadly, the story ends with you needing a new set-top-box to digest the new signals, but hey, at least you can keep the same antenna. More technobabble awaits you in the read link.
Freeview HD coming sooner than anticipated?
Freeview HD could be coming to London and other locales sooner than expected, thanks to the Beeb. It's trying to work out a deal with Ofcom to use alternate frequencies make sure OTA HD is available in all areas until analog TV shuts off for good. So, good news for the fam in Ulster, Tyne Tees, Anglia and more, potentially waiting until 2012 is not a favourable option.
Discovery to launch Freeview channel in UK next year
Now that we all know at least four high-def stations are set to launch on the free-to-air Freeview HD service during 2009 - 2010, we have a feeling we'll see a whole host of newcomers joining the fold (or, at least we hope). As fate would have it, Discovery has decided that it'll launch its first FTA channel in the UK "early next year" after securing capacity on multiplex A, which is operated by ITV subsidiary SDN. Unfortunately, there's no sign of Discovery HD following suit, but surely it's not too far behind, right?
HD versions of ITV, Channel 4 and BBC coming to Freeview HD in 2009
Let us speak for all of the UK when we inhale a deep breath of fresh air and say: "Finally!" After hearing earlier this year that plans were in place for Freeview to take the HD plunge in the UK, Ofcom has just made it official. Beginning next year, ITV, Channel 4 and BBC will launch high-def channels on the platform, with an expected go-live date of "late autumn" 2009. It was also confirmed that a fourth HD channel was expected to launch by 2010. As for coverage areas, it's slated to be available in the Granada region next year, followed by Wales, Scotland and the West Country in 2010; Central, Yorkshire, Anglia and Meridian in 2011; and London, Tyne Tees and Ulster by 2012. Oh, and we hate to burst your bubble somewhat, but an all-new set-top-box will be required to juggle both the MPEG-4 and DVB-T2 standards -- bugger![Thanks, Ruaidhri]
New Zealand's Freeview HD grabs ChineseTV8 in high-def
Barely a month after hearing that New Zealand's Freeview HD was facing somewhat of a bandwidth crisis, now we're seeing that at least one additional high-def station can fit. ChineseTV8 will be added on slot 28 this October, and it'll bring along "news and current affairs from mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, popular drama series, variety shows of diverse formats, documentaries with an Asian emphasis and a wide range of Asian focused infotainment." For those unaware, there are quite a few (150,000 at last count) ethnic Chinese living in New Zealand, so we'd say the interest level should be pretty high.
BBC's DVB-T2 Freeview HD trials deemed a success
We're not quite sure what this means for the immediate future of OTA programming in the UK, but we suppose a "huzzah!" is in order either way. Reportedly, those complicated DVB-T2 Freeview HD trials that were underway have been successful, with Auntie Beeb achieving the "world's first reception of HD pictures over DTT using DVB-T2." If you couldn't guess, DVB-T2 is a successor to the existing DVB-T broadcasting protocol which provides additional bandwidth and more swagger to TV signals. In theory, the switch to DVB-T2 (in conjunction with the move to MPEG-4 from MPEG-2) will enable more high-def content to be available in the UK. Of course, when we say "more," we basically mean "any" -- estimates assert that just three HD stations will be available OTA in the UK by 2009, one of which will be owned by the BBC and the other two by ITV, Channel 4 or Five.
Bandwidth restraints hindering New Zealand's Freeview HD expansion
Oh noes! Merely months after Freeview execs were celebrating the surprising uptick in Freeview HD users, in flies word that bandwidth is already becoming an issue. You see, Freeview was initially launched as a "satellite only service using MPEG-2 video compression software," while the HD terrestrial component uses MPEG-4. Transponder space on the Optus D1 satellite is "rapidly being used up, and any further expansion of data bandwidth would require Freeview broadcasters to purchase more space from Optus." If the old MPEG-2 system was suddenly canned and replaced with MPEG-4, every last satellite Freeview user would be forced to buy a new set-top-box. We shouldn't have to explain the glaringly obvious problem with that scenario. Thus, the only stop-gap solution is to simulcast the signals, which obviously requires oodles of bandwidth. Unfortunately, broadcasters are gun-shy about dropping even more cash to expand the available space without assurance of a good return on their original investment, so as of now, expansion plans wait while bigwigs figure out where to get more funding.
