BBC And ITV In HDTV Alliance: Hell Freezes Over After All

I realise there’s a lot of acronyms in that headline but bear with me. The BBC has just gotten permission from its overlords – the BBC Trust – to do a deal with a minor demon (ITV) in an effort to claw back some of the fledgling high-def TV market (HDTV) market from the Lord of Darkness itself (Sky).

The service, called Freesat, will launch next Spring and will offer consumers 200 channels of standard and high-def material with no subscription fees. Woo-hoo! Consumers will have a choice of equipment including both SD and HD receivers, a HD personal video recorder and an integrated digital television. This is good news and provides at least some form of future-proofing for Freeview. The Freesat service promises to fill any current Freeview coverage gaps and, as mentioned, will have no subscription charges.

Since I’m just about to pop my HD cherry with pricey Sky HD, I just wish they could have moved a bit quicker. How much the Freesat dish and installation will cost though, is still a mite fuzzy.-Martin Lynch