BBC One HD to launch in the autumn...

10 replies [Last post]
StevenBagley
Offline
Joined: Aug 14 2000

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/tv/2010/05/bbc-one-is-going-high-definiti.shtml

Including an HD version of EastEnders, amongst others.

Steven

stuart621
Offline
Joined: Oct 24 2001

Brilliant. I thought they were going to have to practically rebuild Albert Square for HD, though.

Alan Roberts
Alan Roberts's picture
Offline
Joined: May 3 1999

They don't need to rebuild, but it would help. I've been involved with HD testing for East Enders several times, and the sets don't look as good as they'd have to be for a top end drama, but they still work pretty well in HD.

Get my test cards document, and cards for 625, 525, 720 and 1080. Thanks to Gavin Gration for hosting them.
Camera settings documents are held by Daniel Browning and at the EBU
My book, 'Circles of Confusion' is available here.
Also EBU Tech.3335 tells how to test cameras, and R.118 tells how to use the results.

stuart621
Offline
Joined: Oct 24 2001

Presumably it'll need more than just a lick of paint, then?

infocus
Offline
Joined: Jul 18 2003

The Eastenders lot is overdue for a rebuild, HD or not. There have been rumours for a long time of moving the location, and the obvious course was to wait, then combine any move with the set rebuild and a move to HD. (Or make a decision to stay at Elstree, then do a rebuild there and move to HD.)

The launch of BBC One HD seems to have forced the issue. Phil Mitchell in HD, I can't wait ....

Alan Roberts
Alan Roberts's picture
Offline
Joined: May 3 1999

Quite right. the original plan was to hold off HD until the change of site, when a new set would have to be built anyway. I don't know how all this is supposed to happen now, but there was talk of moving it to Pinewood, which would still be a good idea anyway.

With big changes happening inside the BBC, no plan lasts long. TV Centre is probably going to be sold off, with the BBC renting back facilities as needed, and allowing the sort of development that's happened at Pinewood and Teddington, with lots of small companies doing their thing. I'd rather that than pulling it all down, although some parts will have to go because they're falling down of their own accord.

Get my test cards document, and cards for 625, 525, 720 and 1080. Thanks to Gavin Gration for hosting them.
Camera settings documents are held by Daniel Browning and at the EBU
My book, 'Circles of Confusion' is available here.
Also EBU Tech.3335 tells how to test cameras, and R.118 tells how to use the results.

Michael Wade
Offline
Joined: Jun 22 1999
HD and sub titles.

My ageing relative wants to know if when BBC One goes to HD whether he will be able to have sub-titles. At present he says none of the HD channels cater for the hard of hearing.

Alan Roberts
Alan Roberts's picture
Offline
Joined: May 3 1999

Good question. I'll ask my spies.

Get my test cards document, and cards for 625, 525, 720 and 1080. Thanks to Gavin Gration for hosting them.
Camera settings documents are held by Daniel Browning and at the EBU
My book, 'Circles of Confusion' is available here.
Also EBU Tech.3335 tells how to test cameras, and R.118 tells how to use the results.

Bob Aldis
Offline
Joined: Mar 7 2001
Michael Wade wrote:
My ageing relative wants to know if when BBC One goes to HD whether he will be able to have sub-titles. At present he says none of the HD channels cater for the hard of hearing.

Although I have HD on my Virgn V+ box I tend to only watch documentaries and non drama stuff as the subtitles are a bit hit and miss when they do have them. Looking on line it seems that it is a Virgin problem so I assumed that Sky, Freesat and Freeview all had subtitles. I await Alan's reply with interest and anything else to do with HD Freeview.

Bob Aldis

stuart621
Offline
Joined: Oct 24 2001

BBC HD certainly carries subtitles (and audio description) on Sky.

Alan Roberts
Alan Roberts's picture
Offline
Joined: May 3 1999

My spies tell me that BBC HD is the feed sent to Sky, and that Freeview's carrying of it is only a matter of a different EPG. So, subtitles are there now. And the plan is that BBC ONE HD will also have subtitles. So, if you have problems with the subtitles now, nothing will change in the new channel because it must be your decoder.

P.S.: later... I tried subtitles tonight. BBC ONE (Ross show) and the subtitles were fine.Then tried on BBC HD and they ran for only a few seconds, then dried up. Tried other channels (SD) and all's fine. I don't now what's going on. BUT, the channels that work well are all prerecorded/scripted, while JR's obviousy free range, but recorded, so it should be fine, and works ok in SD. Hmmm.

P.P.S: much later...

I've found that Ross subtitles fail after about a minute, both on my Panasonic PZ41 (the one with Freesat built in) and on my Humax Freesat box, no difference. BUT, I've also found that both decoders work just fine on SD material, and on HD material that's scripted. It seems to be only unscripted stuff that goes wrong, and only on HD. You can tell the scripted material, because the subtitles keep up with the spoken dialogue to better than a second, but the unscripted stuff is several seconds late and has comical mistakes in it due to the automated software that 'reads' the sound and transcribes it.

I don't know what the solution is, but I now know what the problem is.

Get my test cards document, and cards for 625, 525, 720 and 1080. Thanks to Gavin Gration for hosting them.
Camera settings documents are held by Daniel Browning and at the EBU
My book, 'Circles of Confusion' is available here.
Also EBU Tech.3335 tells how to test cameras, and R.118 tells how to use the results.