BBC HD picture quality - now it gets personal

There's been considerable, and at times heated, discussion about the technical quality of the BBC HD channel, primarily related to changes in the Freesat feed (lower bitrate, change of encoder) - the general tenor of the discussion being that these have been downward steps in quality.

A group of the leading contributors (to the BBC's HD - since relocated to Internet - Blog) were invited to meet the BBC group they've been arguing with, and participate in technical tests.  You can read a first report of their meeting at http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/bbcinternet/2010/06/picture_quality_on_bbc_hd_a_vi.html

It's worth noting the several references to tightening up on production companies to meet the specs (ie in camera / coding choices).   We'll see how this develops.

What they don't talk about is the choice of transmission standard for satellite feeds of HD - in the UK we use a standard known as DVB-S which is an MPEG2 transport stream.   Elsewhere, in Germany for example, DVB-S2 is the standard.   As you'd expect from the numbering, it's a later (and improved) development, and can include MPEG4 (aka AVCHD) streams.   It would appear that Sky and Freesat are moving towards DVB-S2 - and I'd assume that any receivers marketed as 'Freesat' will be dual capable.   If you want to see the results, the two German HD channels (Das Erste HD and ZDF HD) are currently transmitting in the clear on the Astra satellite system (19.2 E).

Freeview HD on show tonight

Since the digital TV changeover in our region, the Mendip transmitter has been carrying the Freeview HD channels.   If you'd like a preview before the boxes and sets hit the shops, there's a chance at tonight's RTS meeting.

Guests and RTS members welcome to
Conference room A, BBC Bristol - usual backdoor entrance

Tuesday, 20th April - 730pm  (715pm for RTS members attending the AGM).

The Dec 2008 meeting - links and photos

Quite a night, we'd all agree. Thanks to our contributors, Donald Sievewright of Matrox, and Richard Mills from Onsight.

Congratulations to Hugo, the lucky winner of the Matrox MXO2, seen here grasping Donald's hand firmly (but not as firmly as he's grasping the Matrox box!)

As the other photos show, the bit after the presentations was worth staying for, when we got the chance to lay hands on the kit that Onsight assembled.

There'll be another chance to live the evening again in the next podcast: both Donald and Richard gave interviews and reprised their presentations.

Richard also gave me permission to pass on that very useful slide showing HD cameras, their specs, and how acceptable the various commissioners and broadcasters find them. The doc, which is a pdf, is downloadable here (link to file on the podcast site).