Freeview HD Standards

[naffer]

Given that the analogue transmissions are now being switched off and
bandwidth will become available to provide HD on Freeview, I
understand that this will be transmitted with MPEG4 & DVB-T2.

Are there any DVB-T2 set-top boxes available yet?

Everywhere you can buy LCD & Plasma TVs which are "HD-ready" or "Full-
HD" and have internal Freeview tuners but it seems that none will work
together (so as to provide HD) in conjunction with the new Freeview-HD
service.

Is my understanding correct?

Any ideas when DVB-T2 TVs will come available?

(An amusing note is the Irish Govt. is also switching off analogue but
plan to go straight to DVB-T2 since they don't have the legacy of a
Freeview service today. Their website warns that no UK sourced
Freeview TVs or set-top boxes available today will work with their new
transmission standards!)

Anyway, I'm pleased with Freeview, don't want the sport & movies on
Sky, but need to buy a new flat TV. Ideas?

[Paul Martin]

Post by naffer
(An amusing note is the Irish Govt. is also switching off analogue but
plan to go straight to DVB-T2 since they don't have the legacy of a
Freeview service today. Their website warns that no UK sourced
Freeview TVs or set-top boxes available today will work with their new
transmission standards!)

I don't *think* they're going to use DVB-T2, but MPEG4 is a definite.

That said, the RTE test transmissions weren't receivable yesterday
through the fog in the Irish Sea. I was blaming the weather, but it
*might* be that they've changed the modulation in the last few months.

[h***@gmail.com]

Post by Paul Martin

Post by naffer
(An amusing note is the Irish Govt. is also switching off analogue but
plan to go straight to DVB-T2 since they don't have the legacy of a
Freeview service today. Their website warns that no UK sourced
Freeview TVs or set-top boxes available today will work with their new
transmission standards!)

I don't *think* they're going to use DVB-T2, but MPEG4 is a definite.
That said, the RTE test transmissions weren't receivable yesterday
through the fog in the Irish Sea. I was blaming the weather, but it
*might* be that they've changed the modulation in the last few months.
--

RTE are using MPEG4 with DVB T (8K), they did use MPEG2 for a
government sponsered test which ran from 2 transmitter sites up to
September 2008. The present transmissions are now being rolled out
across the country though there is no official launch date yet. The
mux carries RTE1, RTE2, TV3, TG4 and RTE radio.

[SpamTrapSeeSig]

In article

Post by h***@gmail.com
RTE are using MPEG4 with DVB T (8K), they did use MPEG2 for a
government sponsered test which ran from 2 transmitter sites up to
September 2008. The present transmissions are now being rolled out
across the country though there is no official launch date yet. The mux
carries RTE1, RTE2, TV3, TG4 and RTE radio.

Am I right in thinking that you have to transcode to get MPEG2 into an
MPEG4 container (Div-X or H264)? Or can you just repackage into the MP4
container?

If transcoding there's a lot of potential for stuff to look pretty nasty
by the time it reaches the viewer.

[Paul Martin]

Post by SpamTrapSeeSig
In article

Post by h***@gmail.com
RTE are using MPEG4 with DVB T (8K), they did use MPEG2 for a
government sponsered test which ran from 2 transmitter sites up to
September 2008. The present transmissions are now being rolled out
across the country though there is no official launch date yet. The mux
carries RTE1, RTE2, TV3, TG4 and RTE radio.

Am I right in thinking that you have to transcode to get MPEG2 into an
MPEG4 container (Div-X or H264)? Or can you just repackage into the MP4
container?

RTE is broadcasting using H.264 video compression now (in an MPEG2 TS,
just like BBC HD does). Before August, they were broadcasting pure
MPEG2.

[SpamTrapSeeSig]

Post by Paul Martin

Post by SpamTrapSeeSig
In article

Post by h***@gmail.com
RTE are using MPEG4 with DVB T (8K), they did use MPEG2 for a
government sponsered test which ran from 2 transmitter sites up to
September 2008. The present transmissions are now being rolled out
across the country though there is no official launch date yet. The mux
carries RTE1, RTE2, TV3, TG4 and RTE radio.

Am I right in thinking that you have to transcode to get MPEG2 into an
MPEG4 container (Div-X or H264)? Or can you just repackage into the MP4
container?

RTE is broadcasting using H.264 video compression now (in an MPEG2 TS,
just like BBC HD does). Before August, they were broadcasting pure
MPEG2.

The implication being that they're transcoding MPEG2 (video) to H.264,
presumably. If that's real-time (and it must be for most content) they
either live with nasty artefacts or have something with some serious
horsepower doing the work, I assume.

I really ought to get a dish and try the HD stuff, to see what it's
like...

[Paul Martin]

Post by SpamTrapSeeSig

Post by Paul Martin
RTE is broadcasting using H.264 video compression now (in an MPEG2 TS,
just like BBC HD does). Before August, they were broadcasting pure
MPEG2.

The implication being that they're transcoding MPEG2 (video) to H.264,
presumably. If that's real-time (and it must be for most content) they
either live with nasty artefacts or have something with some serious
horsepower doing the work, I assume.

Huh? Why should there be an MPEG2 stage? Surely they'll be going
straight from SDI to H.264.

[SpamTrapSeeSig]

Post by Paul Martin

Post by SpamTrapSeeSig

Post by Paul Martin
RTE is broadcasting using H.264 video compression now (in an MPEG2 TS,
just like BBC HD does). Before August, they were broadcasting pure
MPEG2.

The implication being that they're transcoding MPEG2 (video) to H.264,
presumably. If that's real-time (and it must be for most content) they
either live with nasty artefacts or have something with some serious
horsepower doing the work, I assume.

Huh? Why should there be an MPEG2 stage? Surely they'll be going
straight from SDI to H.264.

Sorry: brainstorm.

[Paul Martin]

Post by h***@gmail.com

Post by Paul Martin
I don't *think* they're going to use DVB-T2, but MPEG4 is a definite.
That said, the RTE test transmissions weren't receivable yesterday
through the fog in the Irish Sea. I was blaming the weather, but it
*might* be that they've changed the modulation in the last few months.

RTE are using MPEG4 with DVB T (8K), they did use MPEG2 for a
government sponsered test which ran from 2 transmitter sites up to
September 2008. The present transmissions are now being rolled out
across the country though there is no official launch date yet. The
mux carries RTE1, RTE2, TV3, TG4 and RTE radio.

I've confirmed my receiver still works (on Winter Hill DVB-T). There
was probably very poor UHF propagation from Three Rock on Saturday
last. It's also possible that they've put in more directional senders
for DVB-T since Christmas.

[Paul Martin]

Post by Paul Martin
I've confirmed my receiver still works (on Winter Hill DVB-T). There
was probably very poor UHF propagation from Three Rock on Saturday
last. It's also possible that they've put in more directional senders
for DVB-T since Christmas.

Parameters for the Three Rock transmission are:

* Frequency: 738MHz
* Bandwidth: 8MHz
* Transmission mode: QPSK
* Carriers: 8k
* Guard interval: 1/32
* FEC: 2/3 & 2/3

Programmes:

SID Name VPID APID
1101 RTE 1 1101 1201
1102 RTE 2 1102 1202
1103 TV3 1103 1203
1104 TG4 1104 1204
1226 RADIO 1 1226
1227 2 FM 1227
1228 LYRIC 1228
1229 RnaG 1229

MPEG TS encapsulation, with video as H.264 (3Mbps peak) and audio as
MPEG1 Layer 2 (TV = 128kbps!!!!, Radio = 192kbps, discrete stereo)

There's about 10Mbps of padding on the 24Mbps bandwidth available.

The reason I couldn't get a signal before is that I was using a cruddy
flylead with moulded-on connectors.