Really hope it’s not just for the football and it goes back to MPEG-2 once the season is over. If this shows no drop in ratings, 7 and 9 should strongly consider doing the same - perhaps 7flix and 9Rush to begin with.
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So now SBS, 9, 7, and 10 have switched a multichannel to HD.
ABC, we’re looking at you.
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Don’t think the ABC wants to change that, they want as many viewers watch programs as possible on as my tv sets as possible.
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Ideally the ABC would add ABC HDTV HD Plus HD ABC TV Plus HD as a multichannel, with it being full time an ‘ABC TV Plus’ channel, and then allow the SD channel to have more of the day as ABC Kids - with it eventually resulting in a full time ABC Kids channel, and a HD only full time TV Plus channel.
Perhaps right now that’d mean the normal ABC TV daytime schedule could move to TV Plus HD while the never ending news pre-emptions happen.
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In deciding to switch a multichannel to HD, the commercial networks have all opted for the multichannel which has previously been available in HD (albeit in previous branding incarnations with some cases): 7mate, 9Gem, 10 BOLD.
To me it’s pretty obvious that the first multichannel the ABC will upgrade to HD will be the News Channel, especially now it’s actually being produced in native High Definition.
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SBS?
The ratings may even go up, eventually (I avoid SD channels on my UHD [4k] TV, but I’m not exactly representative of the overall TV viewing audience).
The networks’ issue isn’t really about HD vs SD, it’s MPEG-4 vs MPEG-2, so yes I imagine ABC News channel could go MPEG-4 HD without losing many viewers.
But when will the regional affiliates match the HD switch the metros have done?
Still no 7mateHD from Prime and 9GEM is still SD via WIN, so I’m not holding my breath for SCA to switch 10Bold to HD.
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ABC News is 480p on YouTube.
Isn’t the ABC News channel iView stream at least 720p?
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Yes, I completely forgot about Vineland 
Second in this case 
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While SBS VICELAND (which probably should’ve launched in HD anyway) successfully transitioned to an MPEG4 HD-only channel, I’d argue that their audience base is a fair bit more likely to have MPEG4-capable equipment than the people who tune into 10 BOLD for repeats of NCIS, etc.
That said…if the audience of 10 BOLD remains about the same despite only being available in MPEG4 HD, then I’d eventually like to see other multichannels (excluding infomercial ones, no major loss if they remain SD! ) switched to MPEG4 HD.
You’d hope so, although I’d imagine there’d still be a fair few complaints if the ABC made any of their channels MPEG4 HD-only since these services are meant to be available to all Australians.
Not for a while, if recent actions have been anything to go by. Let’s be realistic here, the regional networks just getting all the local versions of their main channels in MPEG4 HD was probably an incredible achievement!
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All FTA streams are 720p except channels from 10, as well as SBS Food and NITV.
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and the two remaining community TV channels are at 480p.
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Well, we all know there not capable of simulcasting any channels now they’ve used all available channel spaces, except for the ABC’s 200’s channels.
Technically challenged question:
For all the multi Channels (abc +, me, news, 7two, 7flix, 10peach, 10ahake, 9rush) etc to go HD…
Do the laws have to change, or the technology needs to be expanded and upgraded?
In many countries in Europe the networks have all their Multis in HD
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If you ask me, which means nothing, all SD channels should be moved into the '000 range.
IE, ABC HD, 7HD, 9HD, 10HD, SBS HD should be 2,7,9,10,3. (If SBS and ABC were ever merged, SBS would be 28).
And ABC SD, 7SD, 9SD, 10SD, SBS SD should move to 202, 707, 909, 110, 328.
Too sensible of course.
The ABC uses the 200x range for at least some of their radio stations though. Ditto, SBS with the 300x range.
Wouldn’t think they have enough ‘bandwidth’.
My suggestion would be to swap LCN’s, not use extra bandwidth.
Ok then 20 and 2 swap, 70 and 7 swap, 90 and 9 swap, 10 and 15 swap, and 3 and 30 swap?
The sooner mpeg2 SD dies the better.
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To use '000 LCN’s as TV or radio streams not locked in stone.
People with MPEG-2 only TV’s wouldn’t be happy with that, even myself.