WIN HD has resumed

[prl]

WIN HD has resumed broadcasting in the ACT and in some other regions. Beyonwiz users are reporting having to rescan (all WIN services go to black screen and no recordings can be made) to get WIN services after the restart of WIN HD.

Will WIN HD viewers be getting anything like reasonable IceTV EPG coverage?

[Madeleine IceGuide]

Hi

Thanks, we weren't aware that this channel had returned to WIN areas. We'll investigate further and do our best with the WIN HD schedule.

As a matter of interest... does it appear to be a straight simulcast of the SD channel now? This is still what's happening in capital cities with 9 Digital and 9HD, ie. no diverse programming but also no gaps in the schedule.

Thanks

[prl]

We don't watch much from WIN, even less HD, since the IceTV schedule for WIN HD has been pretty sparse for a very long time.

But tonights Twenty20 cricket tonight (All-stars vs AUS) was on HD.

[raymondjpg]

As a matter of interest... does it appear to be a straight simulcast of the SD channel now? This is still what's happening in capital cities with 9 Digital and 9HD, ie. no diverse programming but also no gaps in the schedule.

A quick look on Monday morning (23 November) showed WIN HD broadcasting the same program as WIN SD, and more tellingly, it seemed WIN HD was also broadcasting the same non-program material as WIN SD. In the past WIN HD has broadcast a demo loop instead of advertisments.

The guide for WIN HD on http://www.wintv.com.au/canberra_districts/tv_guide/list/2009-11-23/HD/ gives no details of program material, suggesting no native HD material, and reinforcing a suggestion that they may just be broadcasting what is on the SD channel.

This in itself doesn't concern me, but as WIN HD was the only channel broadcasting 6 channel sound in the Canberra region, I will be intrigued to see if any of what they intend broadcasting on the HD channel (e.g. repeats of Young Lions) will again be in 6 channel sound.

[prl]

...
The guide for WIN HD on http://www.wintv.com.au/canberra_districts/tv_guide/list/2009-11-23/HD/ gives no details of program material, suggesting no native HD material, and reinforcing a suggestion that they may just be broadcasting what is on the SD channel.
...

When I looked at the guide you pointed to, it gives no more useful information than the IceTV guide for WIN HD. According to the WIN HD guide, WIN HD will be broadcasting four 6-hour HD programs each day for the next week. Each one of the programs is called "HIGH DEFINITION". Should be interesting viewing. NineMSN's program guide doesn't even recognise the existence of WIN HD in their ACT guide. I despair, sometimes.

I'm a bit surprised about the ads, and perhaps you're right about the programming just being upscaled SD. They're not allowed to count upscaled SD as part of their HD broadcasting obligations, so presumably they'll have to start broadcasting some real HD sometime. IIRC, before WIN HD went off air, its ad breaks were mostly broadcasting station promos, community service ads and the station loop.

[Madeleine IceGuide]

Thanks both for your feedback. We arent ignoring this, we just want to try and get it right. Unfortunately, there's a paucity of information out there about WIN HD.

We suspect the timing has something to do with the fact that cricket is starting up again. The cricket should be broadcast in true HD.... not that that's stopped WIN before.

We'll keep you posted.

[raymondjpg]

I'm a bit surprised about the ads, and perhaps you're right about the programming just being upscaled SD. They're not allowed to count upscaled SD as part of their HD broadcasting obligations, so presumably they'll have to start broadcasting some real HD sometime. IIRC, before WIN HD went off air, its ad breaks were mostly broadcasting station promos, community service ads and the station loop.

I can confirm, having just inflicted some WIN afternoon programming on myself (23 November 2009), that WIN HD (at least while I was watching it) was showing the same programs as WIN SD, *and* the same advertisements. So looking more and more like duplicate programming.

I must say, however, that the HD broadcast was definitely clearer in definition than the SD broadcast.

Your point about HD broadcasting obligations is interesting. How have they managed to fulfill this while HD has been off the air for so long?

[raymondjpg]

Thanks both for your feedback. We arent ignoring this, we just want to try and get it right. Unfortunately, there's a paucity of information out there about WIN HD.

We suspect the timing has something to do with the fact that cricket is starting up again. The cricket should be broadcast in true HD.... not that that's stopped WIN before.

We'll keep you posted.

Thanks Madelaine.

The FTA program guide for the next 24 hours shows exact program duplication for WIN HD and WIN SD.

I'll post again if WIN HD manages to simulcast anything with surround sound, as opposed to stereo on WIN SD. In the past, WIN HD did broadcast Patrol Boat with 6 channel sound, and IIRC some US shows simulcast on HD with Dolby Prologic II (monaural surround). Earlier this year the current showings of repeats of Young Lions were also broadcast in 6 channel sound.

[prl]

...
Your point about HD broadcasting obligations is interesting. How have they managed to fulfill this while HD has been off the air for so long?

Because the minimum requirements are so weak: the HDTV quota is only 1040 hr/yr (2.8 hr/day) for commercial broadcasters. Recent years have the main players well over the quota. WIN NSW did ~1900 hours of HD in 2008. The state capital city broadcasters do even more, usually around 2400-2700 hours/yr.

If you think that 2.8 hr/day isn't much, the national broadcasters have it even easier. They're permitted by legislation to call upscaled SD and even converted analog "HD" (same link, second paragraph). Presumably so the government didn't have to fund them for actually buying HD content. The only true HD I've ever heard of SBS doing was the last Ashes tour in the UK. True HD on ABC HD is still a rare event to be celebrated when it occurs.

Thanks to Madeline, though. If the network itself can't even get its act together to produce a decent schedule for its HD program, it's a bit unfair to grumble too much about IceTV's lack of coverage. Perhaps IceTV can set itself the challenge of providing a reliable WIN HD schedule before WIN does :)

[Madeleine IceGuide]

We have populated the WIN HD channel with the same scheduling info as the SD channel, as this appears to be what's happening right now.

For the time being this only applies to WIN in NSW and ACT. Nothing seems to have changed in Tasmania, regional Victoria or regional Qld ... yet. 

[prl]

Thanks, Madeleine. It's surely not all native HD, though, or is that distinction slowly being dropped by IceTV on everything, as it has been on ABC HD?

WIN is still telling us that for the rest of the week they have 4 shows a day on WIN HD, each 6 hours and all called "HIGH DEFINITION". So I guess IceTV wins the challenge, even if their data isn't complete yet :)