You would think the networks would be keen to go all MPEG4 as well.
Means every channel could be HD.
Only downside might be having to upgrade playout systems with more encoders etc.
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Nah, the TV stations couldnāt care less about HD. Most of the people working in them donāt even know whether things are SD or HD. Execs even more so. Most wouldnāt have a clue.
Itās sad, but thatās the attitude at the broadcasting end.
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Not true about the āmost people inā¦ (tv)ā
Execs though, spot on.
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The news that Seven looks to be squeezing yet another multichannel into their spectrum has some implications, I think, for HD broadcasting.
Firstly I would say it rules out a second HD channel for Seven in the next few years.
I also think it suggests the outcome of any legislated change to MPEG4. I canāt see any future regulation that mandates a switch to MPEG 4 having anything to say about SD or HD or even minimum bit rates. Rather than that resulting in multichannels being available in HD, I think it would just mean extra multichannels in SD.
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Nine has proven that itās technically possible to fit five MPEG2 SD services on the multiplex (even if the quality of āYour Moneyā doesnāt look too crash hot), so I could see this as a possibility:
Seven - MPEG2 SD
7TWO - MPEG2 SD
7mate - MPEG2 SD
7Flix - MPEG2 SD
7Food - MPEG2 SD
Seven HD - MPEG4 HD
RACING.COM - MPEG4 SD
Although personally, Iād prefer to see the network do the following:
Seven - MPEG2 SD
7TWO - MPEG2 SD
7mate - MPEG2 SD (Letās be realistic here, they wonāt MPEG4 their first three channels in a hurry)
Seven HD - MPEG4 HD
7Flix - MPEG4 SD
7Food - MPEG4 SD
RACING.COM - MPEG4 SD
I agree that 7Food would rule out a 2nd HD channel sometime in the next few years, but I think the network will still keep their current HD channel at a reduced bitrate and maybe downscale it to 720p from the current 1080i service.
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Seven HD - MPEG4 HD would be a better idea! 
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Took a quick sample of 7 Melbourne -
7HD - 5.6Mbps
7SD - 4.1Mbps
7Two - 3.8Mbps
7Mate - 3.1Mbps
7flix - 1.35Mbps
Racing - 1.35Mbps
Nulls - 1.9Mbps
On a previous multiplex sample I took while 7flix was a placeholder, their nulls were only 400kbps, and Nine operate currently with about that level. So it looks like the space is already set aside, or at least, they could find the space from there and operate it at the same quality as 7Flix in MPEG2.
Otherwise, I think it would be wise to reduce the 7SD bitrate. People who care about PQ can watch the HD channel - thereās no reason to prioritise it that high.
No massive reductions need to happen.
Additional crazy possibilities you can skip below
With two pre-conditions - 7flix is fine at 1.35Mbps and people can watch HD if they care about quality, you could turn 7SD and 7Mate into that level of SD quality, and gain enough space to add a HD simulcast of 7Mate.
These would be averages, and donāt quite add to the above because audio and other overheads would be needed.
7HD - 5.0Mbps
7Mate HD - 4.0Mbps
7Two - 3.5Mbps
7Mate SD - 1.35Mbps
7flix - 1.35Mbps
7Food - 1.35Mbps
7SD - 1.35Mbps
Racing - 1.35Mbps
Nulls - 0.5Mbps
They obviously wonāt do this, but itād be niceā¦
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There isnāt anything too special about 5 multichannels as Ten also has 5 SD channels with TVSN and Spree TV. With the addition of 7Food, Seven will have 6 SD multichannels.
As far I see it, Seven will leave their existing line-up as is, it is just a question of how to fit a 6th SD channel into their line-up - MPEG2 or MPEG4. I think they are too conservative and wonāt risk going with MPEG4.
Seven do run some crazy bitrates at times though. When I checked an hour ago the SD channel with the highest bitrate for them in Brisbane was the MPEG4 Racing.com at 4.3! 72 was at 3.2 and 7 SD was just 2.9. 7Flix was the lowest at 2.3 with 7Mate at 3.6.
Hi all. Iāve just moved to Warwick QLD which appears to utilise the Toowoomba channels. After doing a scan Iāve noticed there seems to be no high definition channel for 7. Can anyone confirm this? Thanks 
There is no 7HD in regional Queensland. You will notice that 7Mate on 73 is in HD though
I was thinking Seven might take the opportunity to introduce HD to regional Queensland in association with the start of 7Food since they will have to provide new feeds to carry that new channel.
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Does iShopTTV screen in metro markets? if so, that is where a possible new channel could pop up in same way as Nine deleted its infomercial channels
No.
I thought the reason 7 HD doesnāt exist in regional Qld is because of equipment and something to do with Mediahub and it was going to change in the next year or two ā¦ there was a post on here months ago about it I thinkā¦
Yes, Sevenās playout facility in Melbourne is at capacity, so much so that the playout of 7flix had to be outsourced to MediaHub.
This will change when they move into the 7/9 shared facility next year. Presumably (and I think an insider may have confirmed this) 7HD will become available for 7QLD after the move.
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One presumes that 7Food Network will launch out of MediaHub then
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Its great up here in Toowoomba as you can get both 7 Toowoomba and 7 Brisbane soā¦ You watch 7mate HD via Toowoomba and 7HD via Brisbaneā¦ Best of both worlds 
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I used to have that here in Newcastle with 7mate HD via Prime7 and 7HD Sydney.
Yeah works well heyā¦Butā¦ Sorry I tell a bit of a lieā¦ I donāt even have a antenna at home ;-)ā¦ So any free to air watching is done here at workā¦ Most of my TV watching at home is done via IP (Stan, Netflix)ā¦
Tho HD TV now compared to when MPEG2 HD launched is a disgraceā¦ BUT far better then SD thats for sure
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Same for the southern half of the Sunshine Coast, where both 7 Sunshine Coast (7mate HD) and 7 Brisbane (7HD) transmit from Bald Knob.
Mandurah is another example, where 7 Perth has its main channel in HD, while 7mate via GWN7 is available in HD.
This was also the case for the Gold Coast, as well as parts of Sydney, Blue Mountains, Illawarra & the Southern Highlands, as well as the outer south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne & West Gippsland.
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And conveniently 7QLD there operates on the 6xx range of LCNs as opposed to 7xx elsewhere.