HDTV but no HD programming!

My 12-year-old television blew up a few weeks ago. So we decided to buy ourselves a belated Christmas gift: a 26" Philips LCD HDTV with built-in Freeview tuner. After-Christmas sales rocked!  But as I've now discovered, there is "F**K ALL" in terms of HDTV programming. In otherwords, nothing.  I have Telewest for digital television, internet and phone.  I cannot get Sky HD in my neighborhood. So my choices are limited to what HD programming is available on Telewest or Freeview, which is not much. First, I would need to upgrade to an HD receiver (15 pounds a month from telewest), but I have not done so because of the lack of programming. 

So my questions: aside from buying a Playstation 3 with Blu-Ray DVD player, is there any other way I can view HDTV programming here in the UK? Or am I forced to wait until 2008, 2009 or whenever they finally make the switch?   

I could be wrong but some DVDs are HD, aren't they?

Hiya APstyle!

Yep, currently you're in bit of a grey area in terms of HD programming if you've not got access to Sky HD in your area - I'm a little 'suprised' to hear that though, I know you're around London somewhere and cannot think why your unable to get Sky HD in this area?!

anyway, I don't think Freeview will broadcast HD currently - possibly in the future? (will freeview signals have the dynamics for HD transmission? - I don't currently know) so that sounds unlikely. PS3's are currently *cough* available in the UK as imports so that is one way (or just wait 2 months for the UK release of PS3s') and then getting HD/DVD or Blu Ray disks of pre-recorded material is the other issue, it's growing, but there's not alot of content/variety at the moment.

Personally, I really wanted a nice 47 inch LCD for christmas at 1080i resolution as our current LCD rear projection is on it's way out - but I've decided to wait till 07 after christmas sales to see if the panel sizes have gotten bigger & if 1080p is more readily available for the outlay I'm willing to put down now. HD programming I can wait for, and if I 'really' want it I cn upgrade to Sky HD anytime

Could you explain why currently you're unable to recieve sky HD at this stage?!

Cheer mate!
DtM! West London & Slough UK!

I don't think Freeview will broadcast HD currently - possibly in the future? (will freeview signals have the dynamics for HD transmission? - I don't currently know) so that sounds unlikely.

The broadcasters are already compromising the quality of existing "standard" 625-line pictures in order to cram as many channels on each multiplex as possible.  Frankly, I don't hold out much hope of HDTV getting a good foothold on digital terrestrial.  If it ever does, it probably won't be until the existing analog transmissions are closed down and there's some spare spectrum available -- But that's already been ear-marked to sell off for more mobile services. 

I was told by a neighbor that Sky HD requires a dish, and because I live in a "historic" building we're not allowed to put satellite dishes on the roof. And even if I did, there are so many buildings around me that I don't have a direct line of sight to the satellite.

ApStyle,

I see, that makes sense. I presume you are renting and have the limitation of putting up dishes etc.

There must be many people like you then who are currently denied recieving these broadcasts by way of historic/listed building restrictions. Just throwing out an idea, would one of those 'larger' dishes get enough of a signal from the rooftop, pass it to a distribution amplifier to be fed to all the individual apartments? if the restriction means no dishes whatsoever on the rooftop then maybe it is a lost cause - quite how much 'environmental' and 'spoiling the lines of the building' a dish right up top away from main view can cause is beyond me - but hey.

Drastic solutions - not sure, do Slingboxes transmit HD level content? get a mate to share his connection with HD and you slingbox it into your telly via the web?!! - if a building nearby has sky HD, buy a round of drinks for the person in charge and at night, covertly hook a cable across the street/path into your place?!!

Failing all, sounds like you should return yer new 'HD' LCD telly and just go on ebay and buy a normal def telly and save a bundle!! or move into a less restrictive apartment !!

Good luck matey!

DtM! West London UK!

Drastic solutions - not sure, do Slingboxes transmit HD level content? get a mate to share his connection with HD and you slingbox it into your telly via the web?!!

I don't think you'd be able to achieve a fast enough bit rate to see the benefits of HD.

There must be many people like you then who are currently denied recieving these broadcasts by way of historic/listed building restrictions.

That does pose some interesting issues for anyone in that position.  Maybe ask permission from a neighbor (in a non-listed building) to install a dish on his property, with the offer of a 2-way distribution amplfiier so that he can benefit as well by just buying a receiver and hooking up to your dish/amp?

Yeah I may have to wait until I get a Playstation 3 with Blu-Ray!  I'm definately NOT going to sell my TV. One of the reasons I got HDTV set was so I would not have to be forced to upgrade in a year or two...and also for the resale value if we decide to move back to the US and sell all our UK electronics...

APStyle,

The 26" Philips telly you got, is it 720p, 1080i or 1080p HD resolution? I have a feeling at that size screen it's a 720p. Pixel resolution wise, is it a 1366x720/768 res? if so, you've got one of the 'basic' HD telly's and in a couple years time, it wont be 'very' desirable in terms of resale (although more than a standard res telly of course!)

If it's a higher resolution, say 1920x1080 then you've got one of the highest/potentially best HD screen spec telly's. As you say, there's not much content even on Blu Ray or HDDVD discs at the moment to show that resolution but the list is growing. Currently, for LCD screen's the 'best' is 1080p for which there aren't many screens on the market and cost alot of wedge!

My matey picked up and just installed one of the top end Sony 1080p 46 inch LCD telly's for around £3 grand and we watched some HD content via Sky HD and it was phenomenal! although as it's not 'true' 1080p quality, we were able to pickout some of the pitfalls of pushing non 1080p res content through a 1080p screen - these show up as tiny 'black dots' and to further test, sometime soon he's going to get hold of a true 1080p encoded DVD of one of the better releases of a film. Overall, this level is the most far reaching 'I'm ready for HD' you can currently buy.

It's sad becuase there's alot of people out there buying 'HD Ready' tv sets thinking they're getting true HD when they are not, if you look at some of the top end Plasma screens, they only offer 1366x768 pixels which is quite a long way off the 1920x1080 needed for 'current' true HD

even so, if yer happy with yer set then all is good!  and although I haven't got time for gaming, I'll probably still get a PS3 just to play Gran Turismo 5 which will offer true 1080p HD output !!
I was very impressed with GT4 on PS2, so GT5 on a PS3 should be astounding!

Hope you can get some sort of HD signal to watch TV !

DtM! West London & Slough UK!

This is my TV:



Panel resolution: 1366 x 768p

And dammit, it's gone down 40 quid since I bought it two weeks ago!

It's sad becuase there's alot of people out there buying 'HD Ready' tv sets thinking they're getting true HD when they are not, if you look at some of the top end Plasma screens, they only offer 1366x768 pixels which is quite a long way off the 1920x1080 needed for 'current' true HD

And I think it's important to emphasize the key word there -- "current."

Standards for HDTV are still very much subject to revision, so even if you bought the best possible now on the understanding that it's "HDTV ready," you might still need to upgrade in a couple of years if a change is made in the specifications.

Check out this company called a2btv.com - they provide 255 channels of American Programming.

Ali

unfortunately, none in hd.

I saw the ad on this site. It's horrendously expensive.

unfortunately, none in hd.

You'd need a blindingly fast connection to actually appreciate HD even if it were available.  Most people's speeds achievable over the internet don't even get anywhere near doing justice to a regular 525-line picture.

And yes, it certainly seems to be rather expensive, then if you look in the terms they state that the satellite provider used requires a minimum 24-month contract period with high penalties for early termination.  (They say that the provider even wants to know your SSN!).