ABC HD

Started by wambo, June 15, 2009, 06:58:19 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

mikeathome

#15
QuoteMikeathome is yet to show an example where that policy isn't being followed on the commercial broadcasters IceTV guides, which was my challenge.


The argument that I have previously read on this forum, from ICE staff, explaining why the ABCHD guide is blank, was based on the logic that the entries that were there signified programs that were broadcast in true HD or which were different in content to the programs being broadcast on the associated SD channel. Blank entries were to be read as suggesting that the same program was being shown on ABCHD as on the associated SD channel.

All programming on the commercial HD channels is not native HD content, nor is it all different in content to its associated SD channel. So, if ICE's stated logic as applied to ABCHD was being applied to the commercial channels, then parts of the commercial channel guides would be blank. This is not the case, so there must be a difference in the way they are treated.  Greats slabs of vacant guide in one case compared with no vacant guide in the other, seems like a glaring difference to me.

Again, elsewhere in this forum, it was acknowledged that it was just too hard to define which parts of the commercial offerings were native HD and which were not, and so it was decided to adopt the current policy where the commercial channels are being treated differently.

Ticking a box to eliminate the problem, as suggested, does not solve the problem unless you have chosen to redefine the problem to suit the availability of that option. As I have said before, twice above, IMHO the problem is that gaps in the guide looks to the first time and casual user as an error. This is made worse if that user is trying to contend with equipment that has unreliable or inconsistent firmware, flakey or inconsistent network or internet connection or just has limited skills/experience in this whole area.

Suggesting that eliminating what appears to be an error situation must first involve reading this forum and/or testing the available options by clicking on various links suggests a higher level of end user understanding than my experience indicates is generally available. Surely ICE should not be deliberately positioning itself such that its services can only be effectively used by people prepared to spend time educating themselves understanding its intricacies. End users expect the systems they use to be set up by suppliers/providers such that the default situation that is presented to them on setup works as expected without having to be changed.

So, again in my opinion, the matter could be simply resolved if the default position was to treat ABCHD the same as with the commercials and offer the tick box option to those who want the present situation - to see just the HD and different offerings appearing in the ABCHD guide.




tonymy01

ICE originally *did* have the same thing with the commercial HD channels also.   But when the commercial channels started to multicast last year, ICE I think gave up in the end and worked on the SD and HD essentially like 2 independent stations, rather than just look for the splashing of realHD sourced material.
Disclaimer:
I am not affiliated with ICE in any way apart from seeing how it evolved over the years.   So my comments on how they do it are from a (slightly knowledgeable) end user perspective.   ICE may have different reasons, like they get given the guides from ABC for free but ABC gives no info for the HD channel, dunno.
Regards
Tony

Beyonwiz DP-S1 & Topfield 5K (using PerlTGD to upload ICE EPG/timers for the 5K, normal ICE interactive for the Wiz).

prl

So the argument is simply about what the default setting of the Copy SD to HD tickbox is?

I note that my question hasn't been answered with an example, either.
Peter
Beyonwiz T4 in-use
Beyonwiz T2, T3, T4, U4 & V2 for testing