| British TV & Radio News 2011 |
| NHK World HD to launch on Freesat |
| Friday, April 1 2011 |
Japan's NHK World HD will become Freesat's fifth high defintion TV channel in May 2011. The English-language news channel will join BBC1 HD, BBC HD, ITV1 HD and C4 HD, which will arrive later this month.
As well as news, NHK World HD carries programmes about music, art, cooking, travel, science and technology, making it a true window on Japan.
Makoto Harada, head of international broadcasting at NHK said: 'We would like to convey our great appreciation to those broadcasters who have co-operated with NHK to convey the hugely tragic news in Japan.
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'I feel proud that our channel, NHK World has been able to contribute to the world coverage. 'It is also our great honour that we will soon be able to show our HD channel to viewers in the United Kingdom on Freesat.'
NHK World HD will be on Freesat channel 209 (also in standard definition on the same channel for Freesat SD viewers).
NHK World HD is currently broadcasting FTA on Eurobird1 at 28.4° east on 11224 vertical polarization, SR 27500 FEC 2/3. |
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| Wimbledon in 3D on Freesat |
| Monday, April 4 2011 |
The BBC is preparing to screen Wimbledon matches in 3D, with Freesat HD rumoured to be the platform of choice.
The BBC is working with Sony to deliver 3D coverage of this year's Wimbled tennis tournament.
Sony has already announced that it will distribute a 3D feed to selected cinemas and hospitality suites around Wimbledon, of the Men's Singles Semi-Finals, and the Ladies' and the Men's Singles Finals.
The BBC said: 'We are delighted to confirm that we are working in partnership with Sony and the All England Lawn Tennis Club on bringing 3D technology to our Wimbledon coverage for this year's Championships.
'As the host TV broadcaster for almost 75 years the BBC has a strong tradition for innovation at the Championships, including most recently: Hawkeye in 2003 and HD for the first time in 2006. |
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'Further details on this activity will be announced in due course.'
Freesat said: 'Freesat HD boxes and TVs are able to receive 3D so this is an exciting prospect which we very much hope becomes a reality.'
Industry newsletter TVBEurope said the signal will be carried on BBC HD over Freesat, but didn't name Sky, Virgin Media or Freeview HD.
Sky HD is already a 3D-ready platform, carrying side-by-side half-HD 3D programmes, transmitted as a split-screen standard 1080i HD picture.
It seems unlikely to us that the BBC would broadcast a different version of BBC HD on different platforms, particularly is the matches are also being shown in 2D on BBC One HD.
The side-by-side format would enable Freeview and Freesat HD TV receivers to pass the signal direct to a 3D-ready display without any extra processing. Non-3D TVs will simply display a split-screen with the left and right views. |
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| Sky Arts HD channels coming to Virgin |
| Thursday, April 7 2011 |
Virgin Media has announced that the two Sky Arts high definition channels will become available on its cable TV platform later this month.
From April 26, Virgin subscribers will be able to enjoy Sky Arts 1 HD and Sky Arts 2 HD, offering a range of cultural programming in HD detail, such as Songbook, The Book Show and Sky Arts Cinema With Mike Figgis.
The channels are the latest from Sky's stable of HD networks to launch on Virgin Media, following the Sky Sports and Sky Movies channels, along with Sky1.
The launches have been made possible by HD carriage agreements between Sky and Virgin Media as part of the satellite broadcaster's £160m acquisition of Virgin Media Television last year.
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Virgin Media now offers its subscribers access to more than 30 HD channels, including Eurosport HD, FX HD and Discovery HD.
Cindy Rose, executive director of digital entertainment at Virgin Media, said: "All of our XL TV customers, including those enjoying our new TV service powered by TiVo, will be able to watch these great Sky channels in stunning HD.
"We'll continue to develop our next generation digital entertainment platform, with more HD channels and on-demand content to be announced throughout the year."
John Cassy, director of Sky Arts, added: "We're pleased to be joining the Virgin Media platform in HD, to bring the arts to a new audience."
Virgin Media attracted more than 600,000 new customers to its high definition TV service last year, bringing its total HD customer base to 1.5m, according to the company's results statement for 2010. |
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| London DSO dates announced |
| Thursday, April 7 2011 |
London will go digital on 4 April 2012, in time for the London 2012 Olympic Games. Analogue BBC Two will disappear in London and neighbouring parts of Berkshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent, Middlesex and Surrey on 4 April 2012.
The remaining analogue channels, BBC One, ITV1, Channel Four and Channel 5, will then be turned off on 18 April 2012.
London's switchover will be the biggest in the UK, affecting nearly twelve million viewers and extending Freeview coverage to all parts of the capital and neighbouring areas for the first time.
There is 1 transmitter group in the London TV region (Crystal Palace), that will switch from analogue to digital TV in 2012.
Crystal Palace, Guildford, Hemel Hempstead and Reigate will have the full complement of commercial multiplexes.
Crystal Palace, Guildford, Hemel Hempstead and Reigate will have the full complement of commercial multiplexes.
The London transmitter group includes the main transmitter at Crystal Palace, and the following relays at:
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Alexandra Palace, Assendon, Biggin Hill, Bishops Stortford, Cane Hill, Caterham, Chepping Wycombe, Chesham, Chingford, Croydon (Old Town) , Dorking, East Grinstead, Edmonton, Farningham, Finchley, Forest Row, Gravesend, Great Missenden, Greenwich, Hammersmith, Hampstead Heath, Hemel Hempstead Town, Henley-on-Thames, Hertford, High Wycombe, Hughenden, Kenley, Kensal Town, Lea Bridge, Marlow Bottom, Micklefield, Mickleham, New Addington, New Barnet, Old Coulsdon, Orpington, Otford, Poplar, Skirmett, St Albans, Sutton, Walthamstow North, Welwyn, West Wycombe, Wonersh, Wooburn, Woolwich and Worlds End.
The two Channel 5 analogue transmitters at Croydon and Chelmsford will no longer be providing television services. |
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| Astra 1N launch date announced |
| Monday, April 11 2011 |
The Astra 1N satellite, which will be positioned at 28.2° east is scheduled to launch on June 29 2011 from Kourou in French Guiana. the satellite will be copositioned at 28.2° east with Astra's other satellites.
The satellite will provide additional narrow beam capacity for broadcasters in th the British Isle.
Astra 1N is expected to remain at this position until the arrival of Astra 2E in 2013.
Astra 1N satellite will have 55 transponders.
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| YouView releases final tech spec; confirms device partners |
| Thursday, April 14 2011 |
YouView has published its final core technical specification for launch and announced further device partners.
The YouView Core Technical Specification references the Digital TV Group's D-Book 7 and provides a set of technologies to enable the delivery of broadcast and IP enabled content onto a television set via a broadband connected device.
According to YouView any manufacturer will be able to use the specification to bring products to market sharing the same underlying technologies as a YouView device. It will also give those manufacturers interested in developing and deploying a device under the YouView brand a broad understanding of what will be required.
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YouView has also announced a further group of device partners, Huawei, Manhattan, Pace and Vestel, that are involved in developing YouView devices, following its call for expressions of interest in August 2010.
These device partners join Cisco, Humax and Technicolor, who have already committed to developing YouView set top boxes.
"All of these companies have demonstrated expertise in bringing consumer electronics products to market, with wide reach and strong brands. I look forward to working with them all as we continue to strengthen the YouView ecosystem to bring more choice to consumers." said Richard Halton, CEO, YouView. |
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