2009/9/30 Kieran Kunhya <[email protected]> > > > >> Generate a mountain of e-waste, because manufacturers won't be able to > >> produce set-top boxes that downsample the HD signal and feed it through > >> a digital output to existing SD tuners and recorders. > > No idea what he's talking about here. If an STB could decode the H.264, why > would downscaling be a primary function of the device? What digital output > is he talking about? >
With the Freesat boxes, the BBC HD and ITV HD channels only output the HD in HDMI, the other connections, including the HD composite signal, is blocked. This means you can't record anything HD onto another device in HD quality. I suspect the idea is that Freeview HD boxes will not be able to record some programmes. I guess there could be then some type of offical "TopUp TV Anytime" box that could have overnight-delivered premium content. This facility, like Top Up TV, won't work with "generic" receivers. IMHO it would be better to ban content that requires copy protection from the public airwaves and leave encrypted systems to the net. -- Brian Butterworth follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/briantist web: http://www.ukfree.tv - independent digital television and switchover advice, since 2002
