Debate: Does it annoy you that RTE are only Broadcaster on HD on Saorview?

Hotblack Desiato

It only took them ten years.

The HD testcard on 51 is now audio only.

The Cush

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119943887#Comment_119943887

Likely explains the reason they switched to an mheg5 generated testcard on LCN 50 recently, reclaiming capacity for the TG 4 HD.

G10B

Finally TG4 in HD.

Note to 2rn, since change this morning you broke Audio Description on TG4. The nar channel is set up incorrect. The "nar" audio channel needed to be appened/mixed with "iri" audio channel. Currently "nar" is set up as a separate audio channel.

This same mistake was made on tv3/tg4/3e for years. You have fixed this before...

Glaceon

I think someone on here before said that 'iri' was the wrong language code and they should be using 'gle' instead. But on topic, send that off to nmc@2rn.ie and maybe someone will tend to it!

FRIENDO

That's great news about TG4 in HD on Saorview, about time, looking forward to seeing some of its movies in HD now

downburst

I live in Dundalk. I obviously grew up with the TV tuned for BBC1, 2, UTV, C4, RTE 1 and 2 and so I am used to that. With free to air digital I select UK as region and again I have the 100 odd channels from the UK in the correct order, with RTE etc floating seemingly at the end of the channels, like 900 odd etc. It's ok as after each retune I find the channel and it goes into my shorcut for watching RTE news or whatever. However reading here and I realised I miss the TG4 and the odd movie and now it's on HD I wouldn't mind checking it out. So I just retuned and selected Ireland as the region and sure enough I have the Saorview channels first and the UK channels after them, with BBC , C4 and ITV probably moving around. My question is, what region am I supposed to pick? What's best?

FRIENDO

Doesn't really matter, what ever you prefer really, I'm used to having the Saorview channels first followed by the English channels.

mackersdublin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119943752#Comment_119943752

Excellent news. And my Samsung TV didn't need a retune although I wonder if people with cheaper brand TVs like NordMende and Walker etc have now lost TG4 with this change overnight? A retune is always needed when new channels join Saorview

StreetLight

This change now begs a question: If an SD test pattern had to be dropped in order for TG4 to transmit in HD, how is the seperate Cúla4 channel now meant to launch on Saorview in 2023 if we assume there is no more capacity?

Are we looking at the possibility of a third multiplex to cater for future expansion?

Glaceon

Looking at digitalbitrate.com it seems very tight. I'm not sure how they'll squeeze another channel in there.

mackersdublin

Any update on Saorsat? Is TG4 stil SD?

mackersdublin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119945467#Comment_119945467

Also, what has happened to the Original TG4 HD test channel that was hidden on LCN 14?

Hotblack Desiato

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119945467#Comment_119945467

It was a HD test card channel dropped (still there but audio only) so no change in bitrate.

Testcards are more than a bit pointless in this day and age and, as they've shown, can be generated in the receiver anyway

mackersdublin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119945181#Comment_119945181

Just found an old NordMende TV and no retune was needed which is good news

StreetLight

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119945863#Comment_119945863

My Walker TV detected the TG4 change without issue, but still cannot display the test on Channel 50.

Mickey Mike

Well isn't it about time, 10 years in the making, this will rise in the numbers of viewership. TG4 HD is carried on Mux 1. Will we have Virgin Media scrambling for a place on the HD bandwagon?

Hotblack Desiato

Repeats of The Chase in HD - can't wait...

Doubt they're bothered and they can use HD as a selling point for their own service. Are they in HD on Sky?

In the unlikely event of any regulatory pressure being applied, presumably they'd only have to make VM1 HD on Saorview.

dublinman1990

Oh wow. That is great news about TG4 going HD on Saorview. I really didn't expect that to come up today.

The good news for me here is that I got it automatically on my Triax TSC 114 combi box. What a nice early Christmas present.

I am watching Hector's programme on the Baltics right now. The picture quality looks really good on it.

The question that I want to ask here is how did it get the money to go HD only on Saorview?

I would have thought from their own opinions on this discussion not so long ago in the past that it was too expensive to go on the platform.

What changed their mind?

Mickey Mike

Virgin Media 1&2 are in HD on sky, VM3 only on SD, VM4 not available.

Mickey Mike

It won't be long when TG4 hd will be made available on Saorsat.

RTE1 HD is now available free to air on the Sky satellite platform, so viewers across Britain can access Irish TV without any subscription.

Hotblack Desiato

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119946760#Comment_119946760

That's a test, almost certainly a mistake, and will be gone in a day or two.

swoofer

Is this one big mistake, no official news, would be great to see hurling final tomorrow in HD, my poor eyes. Now if they will only tone down that DOG we would be in business for those old movies.

Hotblack Desiato

Do you not have Saorview?

GAA will have a fit if they get wind of this and it'll be down in a flash.

TAFKAlawhec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119945467#Comment_119945467

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119945489#Comment_119945489

Picture quality issues for SD channels on Saorview are mostly down to the resolution being used (544x576 in the majority of cases) rather than the video streams being starved of bits. Mux 1 is carrying 2 HD & 4 SD services (exc. the SD test card) and Mux 2 is carrying 1 HD & 6 SD services. If they're using efficient encoders they could certainly get away with either 2 SD or maybe 1 HD more services on each mux before a third potential multiplex would be worth considering (which would open up a new can of worms over service fees, presumably).

Nevertheless, good to see TG4 finally being HD on Saorview. Better late than never.

Hotblack Desiato

Now if they'd only give us an English commentary option on the rugby like BBC Alba 😁

G10B

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119949508#Comment_119949508

English soundtrack is same as Audio Description:- Silence!!

marclt

Still in glorious 576i

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119943752#Comment_119943752

Woohoo!! At last! Rugby looks lovely it has to be said. Right VM1, heres looking at you now……

Mickey Mike

No its not glorious in 576i, they might be just about enough room for one more HD channel, so Virgin Media don't let it slip up, start negotiating.

Mickey Mike

You are right, I don't like things like that.