[discobay]

Not too sure what you mean grungerock but maybe you are referring to the cabling used to pick up HD broadcasts? I would be interested to know this too. Will our existing antennas be able to receive HD broadcasts?

[Grungerock]

Discobay: Yes, that's what i mean.

Do we need an TV encoder for use on my Recordable DVD Player so that I can record TV shows.

[climber07]

Originally Posted by discobay

Not too sure what you mean grungerock but maybe you are referring to the cabling used to pick up HD broadcasts? I would be interested to know this too. Will our existing antennas be able to receive HD broadcasts?

Speaking from experience with HDTV in the U.S.: Any regular TV antenna can pick up "over'the-air" transmitted HD (digital) signal (In fact depending on how close you are to the location of the transmitting antenna - even regular set of UHF "rabbit ears" will work just fine). The main issue is not the antenna, but whether your TV has a digital decoder already built-in (in which case all you don't need any additional equipment), or if your TV is what is know as "HD Ready" in which case it would require a separate converted box (for over-the-air programs), or if you are an exisitng cable subscriber I would assume they will upgrade your box to a new one with an HD decoder which should connect to your TV set via (HDMI Cable - ideally) or via Component Cable. If you have an HD-DVD recorder, I would assume the connection from the converter would feed that first and then the DVD-Recorder would feed the signal to the TV set. However, if you are planning on recording a show other than what you're watching, you would most likely need a second box. I would assume that once HDTV becomes widely available in HK market, most of the cable providers will begin including a DVR combined with the HD decoder box (which could be scheduled to record other HD content while watching another channel...at least that's how it was done in the states.)

[CarterTG]

In a strange bit of luck, I was channel-surfing through my stateside DirecTV when I chanced across a TVB show talking about the progress of HDTV in HongKong... the on-screen info guide reports the show name as Financial Magazine. This is a weekly HK program broadcast in cantonese.

This is the promo webpage of the very episode:
http://news.tvb.com/financemag/promo/2007/0603/

The streaming videoclip on that page is only a commercial for the program.

Thanks to DirecTV's tendancy to repeat their programming ad nauseum, I was able to watch it again that evening and create this pathetically translated transcript:

FINANCIAL MAGAZINE
June 3, 2007 episode

At this gaming cafe, the proprietor has installed eight sets totalling $40000hkd in high-definition displays for its customers. How's the experience?

Gamer1: There had previously been numerous instances where I wasn't able to see details resulting in a quick end to the game. That's no longer the case now.

Gamer2: "It's my first time I'm actually seeing things in high definition. ..A normal tv doesn't look as good as in <this> high definition."

Proprietor: Everyone's been repeating the same thing lately.. "Awesome!"

Does this picture now look blurry? In truth it's not your screen or your eyes. It's the effects we've added.

How's this? Any better? We all wish for a nice picture, but have you considered there can be further improvements in the future? Soon it won't be just my hair detail, but the very material of my outfit will easily be discernable.

Typical television has a resolution of 720x625. That is, there are 625 display lines across the screen. Compare this to high-definition which has a resolution of 1920x1080.

In a high-definition broadcast, snow and ghosting is no longer an issue.

Stone: High definition displays a more detailed and colorful picture. On the left half of this image, the lobster looks more realistic.

Producer Stone works for this company which has recently invested 30 million dollars in obtaining the latest equipment.

Stone: The videotape you are currently using <to shoot this interview> compared to our high-definition videotape has a mere third of the resolution.

Here Mr Stone and his crew are preparing equipment for a music concert. Today they are using twelve high-definition cameras. Concert promoters are more willing to employ this technology. High-definition production costs are twice that of standard definition.

Stone: In concert situations, high quality audio and video are mandatory. I believe this is where high-definition will flourish.

Mr Stone hopes that episodic television will also adopt high-definition. He guesses the industry will do this within the next half-year.

Stone: The <current> end-user models haven't advanced far enough yet. These LCD and Plasma models will continue to plummet in price with the release of more models. At some ignition point, consumers will begin to quickly adopt high-definition television sets, players, and accessories.

Last month, south Korean manufacturer Samsung introduced three lines of high-definition television sets ranging from $9000hkd to $37000hkd.

According to the government, the two major broadcast companies will need until the end of the year to transmit 14 hours of high-definition programming each week.

In next year's coverage of the Beijing Olympics, the committee has determined it will be shot entirely in high-definition.

What does this home theater consultant wish to point out?

Consultant: As of now, the current available HDTVs are not actually capable of receiving HDTV broadcast channels, they can only display a high-definition picture. Such sets will require a set-top-box.

Consultant: I'm figuring that by the middle of next year, we will have sets imported that can both receive HDTV broadcasts and display its high-definition picture.

Consultant: 1920x1080. Those are the numbers you need to remember when purchasing a high-definition television. Just be aware that some sets labeled as "high-definition compatible" or "high-definition ready" might ONLY be capable of displaying a picture but might not have a tuner to receive a HDTV broadcast signal.

[BenderBends]

another month goes by and no more news of quality TV yet, huh?

[climber07]

They are worthless

-----Original Message-----
From: now TV Customer Service [mailto:cs@now-tv.com]
Sent: Friday, July 13, 2007 12:21 PM
Subject: Re: HDTV (KMM3198434I1L0KM)

Our Reference:1576165/KMM3198434I1L0KM


Thank you for emailing now TV.

From your message, we understand you would like to inquire when HDTV
will be available on now TV. It is with regret that we do not have the
information at this moment and please kindly keep an eye on our
announcement in different promotional channels.

If you have any further enquiries, please feel free to email us again or
speak with our Hotline representatives directly at 1833-888.

Yours sincerely,

Cherrie Cheung
now TV Customer Service
PCCW IMS Limited
(for and on behalf of PCCW Media Limited)

Hotline - 1833888 (24 hours)
Fax No. - 28880700
Email : cs@now-tv.com
Web Site : http://www.now-tv.com
************************************************** ***************

[Boris]

Maybe PCCW don't read the SCMP.
According to Media Eye ( Business section Page B4 - Todays edition ) Now TV will be introducing HDTV on The NOW Sports Channel for Premier League football matches from tomorrow !!! Using the IPTV format ( no idea what that is ) you have to sign up to a new premium service.

Movies to follow.

[climber07]

Originally Posted by Boris

Maybe PCCW don't read the SCMP.
According to Media Eye ( Business section Page B4 - Todays edition ) Now TV will be introducing HDTV on The NOW Sports Channel for Premier League football matches from tomorrow !!! Using the IPTV format ( no idea what that is ) you have to sign up to a new premium service.

Movies to follow.

What a bunch of horse's asses. You'd think they would tell the news to their Customer Service reps first. I guess I'm not really surprized.

[William06]

Originally Posted by Boris

Maybe PCCW don't read the SCMP.
According to Media Eye ( Business section Page B4 - Todays edition ) Now TV will be introducing HDTV on The NOW Sports Channel for Premier League football matches from tomorrow !!! Using the IPTV format ( no idea what that is ) you have to sign up to a new premium service.

Movies to follow.

I'm sure members who have already subscribed to the footie in the last 6 months, WILL enjoy HDTV images.
I'll be most unhappy if i have to pay yet another fee to these roaches!

[William06]

HONG KONG – Now TV will Thursday unveil Hong Kong's first high definition broadcast channels when it launches Now Sports.
Company, which is part of tycoon Richard Li's PCCW phones to Broadband Internet conglom, will use English Premier League and Barclays Asia Trophy soccer to attract viewers to the premium price channels.
Service is believed to be the world's first commercial HD operation using Internet Protocol TV standards. In addition to having a compatible TV set and a Now TV decoder, subscribers will have to upgrade their broadband connections to access the 11 Megabytes per second feed.
PCCW, which aims to have HDTV coverage available to 1.6 million homes, is also readying other channels. In March it signed a carriage deal with Rainbow Media's Voom HD (Variety, March 23, 2007.)

varietyasiaonline.com