PinoyDVD: The Pinoy Digital Video & Devices Community
High-Def => General HD Discussion => Topic started by: DVDGamer on Sep 30, 2007 at 12:35 PM
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Not sure where to post this or how to query discussions on the same. But are there any concrete plans at all on having HD signal/broadcast in the Philippines? Is Sky Cable or some other company working to make this happen? Any timetabe?
Thanks!
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;D you would have better luck upgrading to the BD/HD-DVD camp to satisfy your hi-def itch. HD as u know it will be years away. what is in the pipeline is more like ED-Digital, and that will still be a long ways off. Sky offers digital cable (still SD though) but only in very limited areas.
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Wowowee on HD? Noontime shows on HD? TV patrol, GMA and other local news on HD? Pinoy Big Brother on HD? Telenovelas on HD? Chris Aquino on HD? Local TV ads on HD?
Anyone interested?
Personally, I'm not. There's probably a good HD case to be made of PBA games, but apart from that, no dice. Local broadcasting can remain where it is for all I care. It will go digital eventually, but still on SD. Only because broadcasting equipment will be digital and would make theirs obsolete if they didn't. ;D Just my thoughts.
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With the majority of the market still on CRTs+SD, commercially it might not make any sense. If however all source material from producers,etc. were to be in HD form, then we might not have a choice except to upgrade as well. But if HD source can be displayed in SD crt tubes....then there really won't be a need for HD broadcasts locally.
We've got a population that aren't too discerning when it comes to picture quality. When f*ke DVDs became widely available, there were still larger lines with f*ke VCDs. Now that f*ke VCDs are almost gone, the poor quality 10-in-1 DVDs (which really are VCDs) are the ones people are getting.
I'm going to say 5-10 years (closer to 10) before we even see HD broadcasts become widely available locally.
Just my 2 cents.
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The HD infrastructure is not justifiable at this time or simply not applicable due to the market. 10 years from now is considered very optimistic. I'd say it's more like 20 years? ;D
Today, many consumers are still embracing VCD & satisfy with them. While others that have seen DVD quality...it's like God send na... ;D
Meanwhile, those who appreciate & hunger for HD contents HD DVD & BD is the only option other than the expensive & rare HD satelite dish.
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Wowowee on HD? Noontime shows on HD? TV patrol, GMA and other local news on HD? Pinoy Big Brother on HD? Telenovelas on HD? Chris Aquino on HD? Local TV ads on HD?
I personally would like to see the co-host of Wowowee (Ms. Concepcion) in HD. Chris Aquino - pass :)
Malamang mauna pang magkaroon ng local HD shows/movies in HD-DVD and/or Blu-Ray than broadcast. Meron naman sigurong HD cam si Gabby Lopez no? :) :)
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actually, the road to digital isn't really that far off. digital broadcast equipment is getting more affordable now than their analog counterpart, aside from them getting phased out in the market. you can hardly find any new analog mixing console in new recording studios. it had long been dominated now by digital mixing consoles and DAW's (digital audio workstation) that are easily programmable and re-configurable. easily 100 or so channels can be compressed in less than 2m console.
now going HD is another matter and another way of doing things (i'm talking broadcast here, not post-prod). the bitrates needed to fully implement it would necessitate a total overhaul of the whole system. the expense to go from 4:3 to say 16:10/16:9 widescreen would necessitate a major leap in production cost also. think of the stage or the set that needs to be expanded to accomodate the wider camera perspective. also, in SD we can make do with a not so perfect newsdesk for example, with a few chips or paint smudges here and there. that would be fairly obvious in HD. mike enriquez and vp noli will hate HD in that respect, higher resolution, if u get what i mean. ;D
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If one private company or cable companyy can afford to offer 1 or 2 HD channels as a start why not? They can then charged a certain amount to whoever wants to try the HD channels. They can start with Discovery HD and maybe HBO HD.
I remember when HD started here in the US, I only got 3-5 HD channels on cable. Discovery HD was the popular one at home because of it's great and interesting HD programs. It was my "demo" channel to friends and visitors back in the days. ;D HBO and Showtime HD were also good for the hi-def movies. ESPN with their HD broadcast of sports games. After a year or two, the local channels in HD came on air with their OTA HD broadcast.
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This topic was already discussed in the gma/abs-cbn thread, if i'm not mistaken. Just to refresh some points there, GMA and ABS-CBN are both planning to roll out digital broadcasts by 2010 or 2012. They've already applied for the necessary permits with the NTC and plans are being undertaken to migrate to the new technology ASAP.
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don't remember if i have read or posted in that particular thread... but i guess that would be more on digitalization. the TS here is more specific in his query... that is, hidef (HD) broadcast. though one may be a subset of the other, hidef content being digital... digital may not necessarily mean HD.
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Correct. Right now I am subscribed to satellite (digital) TV here in Tokyo and all 84 channels are SD (but crystal clear SD with the exception of TFC). My high def channels are subscribed separately through NHK.
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http://www.filipinasoul.com/abs-cbns-digital-tv-test-broadcast-a-success/
http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/entertainment/entertainment/view_article.php?article_id=87487
In the US, several networks send 4 SD broadcasts to one channel (the 4 different programs can be watched using sub channels) during the day then switches to 1 HD signal during the evening for the primetime shows.
All that's needed is a regular antenna UHF/VHF and decoder (external box or built-in to the TV).
Exactly what ABS-CBN is doing now with their pilot communities, at least the
digital SD part, but the foundation for HD is there. P2000 for the decoder box, not bad.
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Exactly what ABS-CBN is doing now with their pilot communities, at least the digital SD part, but the foundation for HD is there. P2000 for the decoder box, not bad.
Good to hear that. Probbaly HD will arrive sooner than we thought. I don't mind subscriping if they have good HD channels such as Discovery HD, HBO HD, etc since my wifey watch lots of TV programs :)
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yes... i have better hopes for it arriving on cable than OTA coz programs are available for it. as i've said, it's a major infrastructure overhaul to go HD for local programming... so it will still be a long ways off.
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This topic was already discussed in the gma/abs-cbn thread, if i'm not mistaken.
Do you have links to this gma/abs-cbn thread? Or links to other similar discussion?
Thanks.
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Yup, i read in one of the NTC mandate, forgot where hehehe That by 2015, the medium of broadcast for all Television Network here in the Philippines should be digital. They however did not mention that it has to be HD. But why would we switch to digital if we are not gonna go HD? Might as well stay in SD.
Still, I also heard (as mentioned above) that ABS CBN and GMA7 are already testing their Digital Broadcast over at high frequency as to test their capabily. and from what i heard they plan to start rolling this out even before 2015. Say 2010 or 2012. ??? I hope someone can confirm this? Anybody from GMA or ABS engineering here?
:P
But its good news huh! ;D
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I would imagine going digital is the easy part. It's going HD that'll necessitate major infrastructure investments by broadcasters so expect that to take a while. HD requires so much more bandwidth that the current equipment just don't have. If I have to guess, I'd say we will lag by 10 years behind the USA on HD broadcast, hopefully shorter.
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I would imagine going digital is the easy part. It's going HD that'll necessitate major infrastructure investments by broadcasters so expect that to take a while. HD requires so much more bandwidth that the current equipment just don't have.
anyone with a few years invested in related fields in broadcasting, plus an in-depth knowledge of digital basics, can design an entire HD infrastructure, from acquisition to transmission (with the budget of course).
the thing i'm not too excited about is the acquisition part. there had been a migration to the consumer level equipment, like the PD150/170's, and computer-level software & equipment for post-production... but to really take advantage of the higher bandwidth offered by HD, everything in the chain should be broadcast quality. dapat sa acquisition pa lang, maganda na. kasi ang purpose ng digital is to preserve nga yung quality ng material. eh kung yung source pa lang palpak na, what more can we expect from the final product. so, what is there to be excited about?
there really has to be a paradigm shift in the industry away from the traditional way of doing things. as it is, we're at the crossroads of the convergence of broadcast and IT, and so we have guys who have lived their life in broadcasting but are not too well-versed in the digital domain... and on the other side are IT guys who're also not familiar to broadcast specific needs. ayaw naman natin kumuha ng mga foreign consultants who have cut their teeth in both this field.
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Yup, i read in one of the NTC mandate, forgot where hehehe That by 2015, the medium of broadcast for all Television Network here in the Philippines should be digital. They however did not mention that it has to be HD. But why would we switch to digital if we are not gonna go HD? Might as well stay in SD.
Still, I also heard (as mentioned above) that ABS CBN and GMA7 are already testing their Digital Broadcast over at high frequency as to test their capabily. and from what i heard they plan to start rolling this out even before 2015. Say 2010 or 2012. ??? I hope someone can confirm this? Anybody from GMA or ABS engineering here?
:P
But its good news huh! ;D
The NTC's mandate is to switch all TV broadcasting to digital by 2015. However, it's all up to the broadcaster if they will be broadcasting in SD or HD, so it all depends if the broadcaster (ABS-CBN, GMA, and others) will see any benefit of going HD before they will do so.
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2015 seems rather ambitious if not totally ignorant on the part of the NTC.
Japan has been having digital broadcast for 10 years now, and currently has one of the most advanced infrastructure for digital broadcast, and one of the highest percentage in terms of household ownership of a "digital" TV. The switch to 100% digital broadcasting starts in July 2011. All analog TVs in stores are clearly labeled with information about the impending switch to digital system by 2011 to warn prospective buyers that such TV would be practically obsolete by 2011.
Philippines on the other hand has nearly zero actual implementation of digital broadcasting, yet they think they make the switch in 2015??? Who's planning these things?
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2015 seems rather ambitious if not totally ignorant on the part of the NTC.
Philippines on the other hand has nearly zero actual implementation of digital broadcasting, yet they think they make the switch in 2015??? Who's planning these things?
nice one there, clondalkin. :D
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Philippines on the other hand has nearly zero actual implementation of digital broadcasting, yet they think they make the switch in 2015??? Who's planning these things?
ABS-CBN will start DTV broadcasts in Mega Manila beginning January 2008
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ABS-CBN will start DTV broadcasts in Mega Manila beginning January 2008
Terrestrial?
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ABS-CBN will start DTV broadcasts in Mega Manila beginning January 2008
haha! one year ago today. still no DTV broadcast.
and again, that's SD TV (480i/480p), not HDTV. we've still not even gotten around to what would be implemented here if ever, 720p/1080i/1080p. we're still on the choice whether to go European (DVB) or American standard (ATSC).
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Philippines to have HDTV broadcasts after all, via Cignal Digital TV (http://www.eclecticelectronics.net/news/philippines-to-have-hdtv-broadcasts-after-all-via-cignal-digital-tv/)
Di nga lang natin sigurado if they really mean "HD." ;D
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Tinawagan ko ang Cignal ....Kailangan ko rin kasi ng set top box when I get my Monitor ..
As of now the set top box is only composite output so pag nagkaroon ng HD papalit ka ng set top box nila , pero may upgrade plan naman pero wala pang details ..
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any updates? thanks
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ABS-CBN DTV Budget - 1 Billion/Year
Capital spending this year was set at P2.5 billion, P1.7 billion of which will be used to boost signal transmission and upgrade production equipment. The rest will finance film rights acquisition, ABS-CBN chief finance officer Rolando Valdueza said in a briefing Tuesday.
“That doesn’t include the amount needed for our DTT (digital terrestrial TV) service, which was estimated to hit P1 billion a year for the next five years,” Valdueza said.
http://business.inquirer.net/money/topstories/view/20090414-199346/ABS-CBN-2008-profit-up-9 (http://business.inquirer.net/money/topstories/view/20090414-199346/ABS-CBN-2008-profit-up-9)
GMA Network - 200 Million
GMA Network Inc has earmarked P200 million to test digital television, a company official said Tuesday.
GMA executive vice president and chief operating officer Gilberto Duavit Jr said the amount is part of the capital expenditures worth P673 million that the company has set for the second half of the year.
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/55889/GMA-Network-earmarks-P200M-to-test-digital-TV (http://www.gmanews.tv/story/55889/GMA-Network-earmarks-P200M-to-test-digital-TV)
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TV GOES DIGITAL: KAPAMILYA TEST RUN IN MAY
By Bayani San Diego Jr.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 05:31:00 03/25/2009
FIRST, THE MOVIES. Now TV is going digital, too.
ABS-CBN is gearing up for the big switch from analog to digital television, according to Charo Santos-Concio, network president and chief operating officer.
“In May, the network is launching a test run in Pampanga,” she told Inquirer Entertainment in an exclusive interview.
The network is distributing digital boxes to a random sampling of households in the Central Luzon province, Concio explained. “The test run will allow us to get feedback from viewers, too. That will help us determine viewer preferences. Do they want another Filipino movie channel? A men’s channel? A channel for children?”
She added: “Going digital means a frequency will be able to accommodate 12 channels. At present, there are 12 channels on both the VHF and UHF bands. In other countries, there are over 500 channels. Eventually, viewers can also have video-on-demand.”
More channels could result in innovation, content-wise, Concio said. “A network can go into niche programming. We don’t have to service the mainstream all the time. We can address very specific markets.”
A network that’s not catering to the masses can more easily expand its programming, she said. “A channel can take more risks.” This has happened in the US, she noted. “Cable shows like ‘Sex & the City,’ ‘Six Feet Under’ and ‘Entourage’ won at the Emmys. It’s the future of television.”
The medium needs to evolve with the fast-changing times, Concio said. “In the US, even major networks’ audience shares have decreased, with the advent of competing media like the Internet and mobile entertainment.”
Further, she said, going digital, which is mandated by the government (deadline is 2015), could also mean more jobs in the broadcast industry.
“It can spell good news to independent filmmakers and content providers,” she said.
Right now, the main concern is formulating the rules. “The National Telecommunications Commission [has yet to decide] whether we will follow the European, American or Japanese standard,” said Concio.
She added: “We are also conducting a price sensitivity study for the digital boxes. In other countries, the government purchased them.”
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Monday, 16 March 2009
European broadcast standard (DVB) recommended for Philippines
THE second technical working group (TWG) tasked to pick a Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) technology standard for the country has recommended to adopt Europe’s Digital Video Broadcast Handheld or DVB-H platform.
This reiterates the recommendation made by the first TWG—whose members include the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas, Philippine Information Agency and 48 broadcasting firms—in 2006. That group also said the European standard should be adopted for Philippine use.
When a new commissioner stepped in a year later, a second TWG was formed and its membership was expanded to include the National Economic and Development Authority, Department of Trade and Industry, Commission on Information and Communications Technology, and the Department of Science and Technology.
http://businessmirror.com.ph/component/content/article/52-technology/7546-european-broadcast-standard-recommended-for-philippines.html (http://businessmirror.com.ph/component/content/article/52-technology/7546-european-broadcast-standard-recommended-for-philippines.html)
Philippines - new DTT service in the pipeline
2 March 2009
Manila - A new digital terrestrial television service provider in the Philippines, All Asia Broadcast Systems Inc, plans to spend nearly US$2 million to launch its service, the Business Mirror reports.
In a filing with the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), All Asia Broadcast said it expects to earn about US$15.8 million during the first five years of operation from the establishment of a digital TV station in Metro Manila.
[highlight]All Asia Broadcast plans to start with four DVB-TÂ transmitter sites in the National Capital Region.[/highlight]
Although the Philippines has traditionally adopted US technical standards in broadcasting, the company said it expected more broadcast companies in the Philippines to adopt the European DVB-T standard as it addresses the multipath problems associated with reflections from varying terrains and manmade structures.
The company is waiting for the NTC to allocate frequencies which it expects to be between channels 21 and 51.
http://www.onscreenasia.com/article-4507-philippinesnewdttserviceinthepipeline-onscreenasia.html (http://www.onscreenasia.com/article-4507-philippinesnewdttserviceinthepipeline-onscreenasia.html)
Philippines moves closer to DVB-H
Chris Forrester
17-03-2009
[highlight]The Philippines will be adopting Europe’s digital transmission DVB standard[/highlight] for its future broadcasting needs. The decision, anticipated for some time, was confirmed by the nation’s second Technical Working Group (TWG), which further investigated the options available, and ratified the initial study which favoured DVB.
This latest investigation examined Japan’s ISDB standard as well as the USA’s Advanced Television Standard, but came down in favour of the DVB system with the primary reason being the low-cost availability of set-top converter boxes.
NTC Deputy Commissioner Jorge Sarmiento said the TWG also conducted a comparative analysis study on the adoption of either a “single standard” or an “open standard” policy, including the socio-economic aspects of such migration, comments from the broadcasting operators and the cost of the digital boxes.
But the recommendation has yet to be approved by the country’s NTC. “The commission is in the process of studying and deliberating on the different DTT standards that would be chosen for adoption in the country. When approved, the target date of the full implementation would be at the end of 2015,” said Sarmiento.
He added the NTC may move further the December 31, 2015, target date for the mandatory shifting of all analog broadcast to DTT technology. “The technical working group, which includes the NTC, is still not yet sure whether or not to implement on the scheduled date or postpone the 2015 deadline given the socio-economic impact of the implementation,” he said.
http://www.rapidtvnews.com/index.php/200903173387/philippines-moves-closer-to-dvb-h.html (http://www.rapidtvnews.com/index.php/200903173387/philippines-moves-closer-to-dvb-h.html)
DVB Country Count = 72
ATSC Country Count = 6
ISDB Country Count = 2 (Japan & Brazil only)
source: http://dvb.org/about_dvb/dvb_worldwide/index.xml (http://dvb.org/about_dvb/dvb_worldwide/index.xml)
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KBP Urges NTC to Move on Digital TV Rules
The KBP is pressing the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to prioritize the drafting of the implementing rules for the transition of terrestrial television broadcasting from analogue to digital. In a letter sent to NTC Commisioner Raul Canobas last December, the KBP said that the conversion of the country’s television broadcasts to digital is a serious business concern of its members because it requires new capital outlays, re-structuring of television station operations, and new ways to
address the market. In the same letter, the KBP said that it was hoping the NTC could come up with the implementing rules, after thorough consultation with the television industry, by June of 2009.
Atom Henares, chairman of the KBP Television Committee, said that it is important that the NTC already come up with the implementing rules for the transition to digital broadcasting because the networks cannot make their own plans to convert to digital broadcast unless they have a clear idea on the ground rules.
Although the NTC produced a draft of the implementing rules in 2006, and even convened two Technical Working Groups to make their recommendations, it has so far failed to adopt a final draft. The NTC reportedly could not make up its mind on what standard to adopt.
Henares said that the choice of a standard should take into account not only the technology but also the business aspect. He said issues like “will it enable the most number of Filipinos to access digital broadcast?”, “will it be viable for the broadcast companies?” should be taken into account.
Armand Ursal, KBP’s Technical Committee Chairman, who sat in both Technical Working Groups said that the private television broadcast industry and the technical staff of the NTC had recommended the European standard (DVB-T). However, there is reportedly a strong lobby for the American and Japanese standards. Most countries in the world, and all countries in Asia, except for China and Japan, have already decided in favor of the European standard. Ursal said that the widespread adoption of DVB-T ensures a very low price for the set-up box or receiver for digital television.
Another concern voiced by the KBP is how existing television operators will be treated in the transition to digital is the lack of specifics on how the frequencies for digital terrestrial service will be allocated. Under the 2007 NTC draft, channels 14 to 20 will be assigned to national digital broadcast services and channels 21 to 51 for local services. However, it is not clear whether these frequencies will be used exclusively by existing operators or if entirely new applicants for the service will be allowed. The KBP wants to make sure that no current analog TV operator is forced out of the service to accommodate new entrants.
http://www.kbp.org.ph/kbp-urges-ntc-to-move-on-digital-tv-rules.html (http://www.kbp.org.ph/kbp-urges-ntc-to-move-on-digital-tv-rules.html)
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GMA 7 OPPOSES ABS-CBN's DIGITAL TV APPLICATION
By Lenie Lectura
Reporter
According to a report by Lenie Lectura of Business Mirror, GMA is blocking the bid of ABS-CBN to offer digital television service to consumers.
GMA Network Inc. is blocking the bid of rival ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp. to offer digital television service to consumers.
In a filing with the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), GMA said ABS-CBN’s application to convert its existing analog frequency channel to digital is really a move to operate a new service and not just a conversion. “Unfortunately, ABS-CBN misleads the affected parties by designating its petition as one for migration and conversion to digital service,” said GMA.
ABS-CBN is currently applying for a new frequency, preferably within the 500 to 506-megahertz range, which is not yet assignable for broadcast use. This frequency bandwidth is presently within the band for trunked radio service.
In its application, ABS-CBN said it intends to provide digital TV-terrestrial (DT-T) service in the said frequency, as maybe available and assignable by the NTC, or preferably Channel 19. The proposed conversion, it added, will initially be a migration to operate analog and digital services concurrently until such time that the NTC mandates termination of all analog TV broadcast transmissions.
GMA opined that ABS-CBN is actually applying for a new frequency, which it can use to operate another station simultaneous with its Studio 23 analog broadcast service. No migration or conversion to digital service will actually take place as ABS-CBN’s real intention is to operate DWAC-TC Channel 23 as its analog service and, at the same time, operate a digital TV station using a different channel until the mandatory analog switch-off date, GMA pointed out.
“The instant petition should be denied on the obvious ground that no migration or conversion to digital service is contemplated herein. ABS-CBN is not applying for a migration to conversion to a digital service but for an entirely new digital broadcast service, in addition to its analog service utilizing Channel 23,” said GMA.
Furthermore, the frequency bandwidth being eyed by ABS-CBN has not yet been reallocated by the NTC for broadcast use.
“What ABS-CBN is in effect doing in this application is to stake a claim on a frequency not presently within the domain of broadcast TV spectrum, and at the same time, preserve its privilege over Channel 23. This should not be countenanced by the NTC,” said GMA.
The broadcast company also has a pending application with the NTC to transform its Channel 27 UHF (ultra-high frequency) TV station to digital broadcast service.
“With the advances in technology, particularly the introduction of digital technology in the broadcasting service, it is imperative and in the interest of public service that GMA must take measures in order to meet the growing public demand for and address the technological challenge of digital TV broadcast service,” said GMA in its application.
The TV network said it is financially capable to adopt a digital terrestrial TV broadcast platform, and to acquire, operate and maintain the necessary equipment for use in the broadcast of quality TV programs. It presented to the NTC a proof showing its financial capacity. GMA’s capital was recently increased to P6.5 billion from P5 billion.
“The Securities and Exchange Commission has approved recently the increase of authorized capital stock from P5 billion divided into 3.5 billion common shares with the par value of P1 each and 7.5 billion preferred shares with the par value of P0.20 each to P6.5 billion divided into 5 billion common shares with the par value of P1 each and 7.5 billion preferred shares with the par value of P0.20 each,” said GMA.
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PLDT to pilot satellite service
THE Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) Group is piloting its direct-to-home (DTH) satellite television service in Luzon, particularly in areas where cable television service is unavailable.
“We will start with uncabled areas or those areas that have no cable TV offering so that we could already have a captured market. It’s just a soft launch and we hope to commercially launch the service soon,” said MediaQuest Holdings Inc. president Orlando Vea.
MediaQuest is wholly owned by PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund (BTF). It has been looking at offering DTH service since 2006. The company acquired in July 2007, licensed DTH firm GV Broadcasting Systems Inc., which later changed its name to MediaScape Inc.
“Cignal under MediaScape is a wholly owned subsidiary of MediaQuest which, in turn, is owned by BTF,” explained the official.
Vea said they spent $10 million to jumpstart the DTH service branded as Cignal. Additional investment will be poured into other services such as set-top boxes and provisions for more content programming.
“As of now, we spent $10 million as initial investment. We will ramp up our spending as the need for further requirements arises,” he said.
Cignal offers 20 channels. Soon, high-definition (HD) channels will also be aired over pay TV service, added Vea. “That is our next step. We will offer HD pay TV. First, we will concentrate on our DTH offering so that the service can be deployed not only in Luzon but nationwide in areas that still do not have cable TV access yet.”
PLDT chairman Manuel Pangilinan said he actually tested the service and said he was impressed by the clarity of the programs compared with cable TV. “It’s great. I have been watching programs from my DTH and its much clearer than cable TV because its digital,” said Pangilinan.
The monthly service fee for Cignal subscription costs P390, which is cheaper compared with cable TV service whose charges range from P450 to P1,200 a month.
“Soon we will offer more channels as we eye commercial launch of Cignal in the next few months,” Vea added. MediaScape Inc. contracted the services of SES New Skies of the Netherlands to be the transponder provider for the DTH service.
http://businessmirror.com.ph/home/companies/9907-pldt-to-pilot-satellite-service.html
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mukhang promising yan ah. Sana mas mura and HD broadcasts nito
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ABS-CBN TAPS SONY FOR PLAN TO GO HDTV
The Daily Tribune
05/12/2009
Lopez broadcasting unit ABS-CBN Philippines, Asia’s first commercial television broadcaster, will acquire 24 Sony HDC-1400R HD portable studio cameras for its plan to upgrade its studio facility at Quezon City from standard definition to high definition (HD).
ABS-CBN is part owner of the country’s biggest cable network and is involved in the production of television programs for domestic and international audiences.
The company delivers content around the world to countries including North America, Europe and the Middle East.
The decision to upgrade to HD was based on the increasing demand for HD content from their domestic audiences and those that they export to around the globe, ABS-CBN said in a statement.
ABS-CBN will be the first in the country to invest in Sony high definition studio cameras.
Although Sony has a long history of working alongside the network, ABS-CBN evaluated a number of products from other suppliers too. The decision to go with Sony was made after the ABS-CBN technical evaluation team saw the picture quality delivered by the Sony HDC camera.
The evaluation team, comprised of Edwin Mendoza, head of technical production facilities management; Danton Wieneke, head of news and current affairs engineering and Raul Bulaong, senior vice president, technical operations division, also noted the portable HD studio camera offered enhanced operational flexibility for a variety of studio and outside broadcast applications.
ABS-CBN is Asia’s first commercial television broadcaster, was founded in June 1946.
ABS-CBN is now the largest integrated media and entertainment company in the Philippines.
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just imagine Wowowee in HD..... hehe ;D ;Dhehe
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Yeah it's Pinoy it must be trash, it should be in black & white. ::)
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just imagine Wowowee in HD..... hehe ;D ;Dhehe
I don't mind watching it in HD kc plenty pretty girls eh LOL :P
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I don't mind watching it in HD kc plenty pretty girls eh LOL :P
+1. Hehe ;D
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Just want to share this...
TJ MAnotoc's FB status:
"Tj Manotoc is excited to be part of HISTORY! first ever live FULL 1080i High Definition Broadcast in the Philippines will happen this Saturday with the UAAP! will be on the panel for the opening game! WOW!"
I'm wondering what HD Broadcast is he referring to? Cable or Terrestial? What I heard from my friends in ABS-CBN eh gagamitin daw yung mga newly aquired HD Cams and digital equipments for the games pero di malinaw kung may HD platform ba na pagsasakyan yung broadcast, can only think of SKY HD as their vehicle kasi wala pa namang NTC Guidelines for Digital broacast ni wala pa ngan official DTV system na pinipili ang NTC.
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UAAP SEASON 72 OPENS IN HISTORIC STYLE
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 07/09/2009 12:20 PM
MANILA – Collegiate athletes and their supporters are in for a historic opening of the 72nd season of the University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) on Saturday.
Host Far Eastern University (FEU) is set to thrill audiences with the 1 p.m. opening ceremony program at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City. This will be followed by games featuring the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers vs. Adamson University Falcons at 2 p.m., and De La Salle Green Archers vs. University of the East Red Warriors at 4 p.m.
As for those who will not be able to watch the UAAP season 72 opening live, they are still in for a one-of-a-kind viewing experience.
ABS-CBN Sports vice-president Peter Musngi said Saturday’s UAAP telecast is the “first program on high definition (HD),” making it a “historic first for Philippine television.”
It is expected that covering and transmitting the UAAP in full HD will enhance the viewing experience as the pictures are more alive and crisp.
Viewers would need an HD box to get a hold of the UAAP “HD experience,” dubbed as the “second best thing to being there.”
Musngi, meantime, said that those without an HD box who would watch the UAAP on standard definition (on ABS-CBN’s Studio 23 and Balls Channel) will still have an improved viewing experience.
“Mas malutong ang kulay, mas makikita ang fouls,” assured Musngi.
When asked by the press how much ABS-CBN spent on HD technology, Musngi admitted that it was indeed an investment, refusing to reveal the exact amount of money used. “I can only tell you that the UAAP is worth it.”
Contract concerns
It has been nine years since the UAAP and ABS-CBN Sports forged a partnership. Musngi noted that 2009 is the last year between UAAP and ABS-CBN Sports.
“Negotiations are moving rather well,” he told ABS-CBN News, pertaining to talks of a contract renewal.
“Both sides are working together for an early resolution,” he added.
Musngi also cited ABS-CBN Sports’ efforts to promote other UAAP sports apart from basketball. He, however, mentioned the “sheer impossibility” of giving airtime to all sports.
“Every season, we develop at least two other sports,” he said. He mentioned that women’s volleyball is gaining ground.
He explained that giving focus on basketball does not mean they are sacrificing other sports for basketball. Though he stressed, “It’s still basketball.”
as of 07/09/2009 12:29 PM
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Bringing UAAP and NCAA to digital age
By Christelle Belmonte (CCD)
Philippine sports finally enter the digital era as ABS-CBN begins its high-definition (HD) test broadcast of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines’ (UAAP) basketball games this Saturday (July 11) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) on Monday (July 13) on Balls HD (SkyCable Channel 166).
According to ABS-CBN Sports Head Peter Musngi, it will only be a matter of time before ABS-CBN starts airing boxing, billiards, and even non-basketball games of UAAP and the NCAA on HD.
“We’re bringing the UAAP to the digital age. With HDTV, local viewers can now experience what sports fans around the world already enjoy – wide-screen and crystal clear picture quality, fluid motion, and digital sound. HDTV is apt for sporting events and it is a perfect fit for avid sports viewers who want to see all the action,” said Peter Musngi, Head of ABS-CBN Sports.
High definition TV (HDTV) is the latest standard in TV technology, which is already experienced in countries across the United States, Europe and Asia. As the first and only local network with a full HD OB van, ABS-CBN will mark the first time in Philippine television history to broadcast a locally-produced program and a live event on high-definition.
Balls HD (SkyCable channel 166) will air the live telecast of the UAAP games on HD from 2pm to 7pm every Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday, while NCAA games on HD will air every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The primetime telecast of the games will be at 8pm for UAAP and 10pm for NCAA on the said days.
There will also be live standard broadcast coverage of the UAAP and the NCAA on Studio 23 on the same schedules. Replay of the games will follow on the same days on Balls Channel (Skycable Channel 34) on primetime beginning 8pm for UAAP and 10pm for NCAA.
“UAAP and NCAA on HD” are available to all SkyCable subscribers with an HD box, which decodes SkyCable’s HD signal. For further inquires on “UAAP and NCAA on HD” and “SkyCable HD,” please call SkyCable at (02)631-0000.
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wow pinoy is going HD.......
looking forward to it!
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as i specifically said.... ;)
yes... i have better hopes for it arriving on cable than OTA coz programs are available for it. it's a major infrastructure overhaul to go HD for local programming... so it will still be a long ways off.
to add... we have the capability for that, both technically and financially. what's keeping it off right now is the NTC (and to a certain extent, GMA-7, who'd been dragging their feet on this). but it could be a good thing too coz the delay afforded ABS-CBN to try on different things right now... and these recent development at ABS-CBN Sports i hope would hasten adoption of HD, as opposed to ED (digital 4:3), broadcast.
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BATTLE IS ON FOR DIGITAL, MOBILE TV PLATFORM
By MELVIN G. CALIMAG
June 11, 2009, 3:24pm
As the Philippines makes its leap to the digital broadcast era, a ferocious battle between Europe and Japan is transpiring in the background as they push for their respective digital video standards in the country.
Europe, led by France, is promoting a digital TV platform called DVB, short for Digital Video Broadcast. Its mobile TV version, meanwhile, is called DVB-H, the last letter stands for Handheld.
Japan, a technology powerhouse whose economy second only after the US, is advocating a standard known as ISDB, which is an acronym for Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting.
The stakes are high in the game since the winning platform would bring in the profits to manufacturers of broadcast equipment such as TVs, receivers, and set-up boxes.
On the side of Europe, there are the likes of French firm Alcatel-Lucent, Dutch electronics giant Philips, and Finnish phone maker Nokia. Japan, on the other hand, is protecting the interests of its local brands Sony, Panasonic, and Sharp, to name a few.
The task of determining which digital TV standard to approve rests on the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), although the policy directions will come from Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT). The NTC, a quasi-judicial body, is under the technical supervision of the CICT.
CICT chair Ray Anthony Roxas-Chua III, in a recent conversation with the officers of IT media group CyberPress, said the NTC and the CICT have not arrived at any decision yet and are still carefully studying the competing standards.
Sources from the private and public sectors said representatives of the Japanese electronics industry have been very aggressive lately in campaigning to have the Philippines adopt the ISDB standard.
A high government executive who requested anonymity said the Japanese camp has, in fact, proposed an offer that the government will find hard to resist – that they (Japan) will convert the facilities of television stations from analogue to digital for free. The catch, of course, is that the digital TV format will be based on the ISDB platform.
Officials said the Japanese standard’s edge comes in the fact that the Philippines has been using the NTSC analog standard which Japan also uses.
Thus, under the ISDB standard, television sets in the country would just need to purchase set-up boxes to receive digital TV signals because the platform runs on the same frequency as NTSC. Furthermore, ordinary mobile phones that have TV capability can also get digital TV signals.
The DVB group, however, branded as “rubbish” the argument that because the Philippines is using NTSC, the country should therefore use Japan’s ISDB platform.
“The NTSC is an analog standard. What we’re talking here is digital TV, which is entirely a new area,” said John Bigeni, DVB Forum representative for Asia and the Pacific, at a seminar Wednesday organized by the French Embassy in Quezon City.
Bigeni pointed out that ISDB has been adopted only in Japan in the Asia Pacific, unlike the DVB which has been extensively deployed in the region, particularly in Southeast Asia where the Philippines is a part of.
The executive also said that under the DVB platform, digital TV signals can be picked up using set-up boxes that cost as cheap as $25. “Japanese TV products usually integrate these set-up boxes or converters inside the unit, so you have to buy a new unit to receive digital TV,” Bigeni said.
A local company which is intently observing the developments in this sector is Smart Communications, which has invested billions in its mobile TV service that runs on the European standard DVB-H.
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hahaha! i was surprised the article made not much mention of the American's ATSC format... whom I heard were lobbying quite aggressively too. they have a lot of companies providing digital transmitters also, like Harris to name one of the bigger one in the field... like Toshiba is for Japan.
BATTLE IS ON FOR DIGITAL, MOBILE TV PLATFORM
By MELVIN G. CALIMAG
June 11, 2009, 3:24pm
A high government executive who requested anonymity said the Japanese camp has, in fact, proposed an offer that the government will find hard to resist – that they (Japan) will convert the facilities of television stations from analogue to digital for free. The catch, of course, is that the digital TV format will be based on the ISDB platform.
Officials said the Japanese standard’s edge comes in the fact that the Philippines has been using the NTSC analog standard which Japan also uses.
The DVB group, however, branded as “rubbish” the argument that because the Philippines is using NTSC, the country should therefore use Japan’s ISDB platform.
“The NTSC is an analog standard. What we’re talking here is digital TV, which is entirely a new area,” said John Bigeni, DVB Forum representative for Asia and the Pacific, at a seminar Wednesday organized by the French Embassy in Quezon City.
+1 on the highlighted points. they are different bananas already, analog and digital... so no point in making an issue of our using NTSC here. P.S. - i am just annoyed at the constant mention of the "set-up box". it may have a foot technically, but still the more generic term is "set top box".
S America battles over digital TV standards (http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1000409/inquirer-guide-to-south-america-hdtv-battle)
THE BATTLE OVER digital TV standards in South America is still far from over, and unless governments in the region start agreeing on a common approach, they risk ending up with a fragmented market of epic proportions.
As we pointed out some time ago, the decision in most countries will not be a technical issue but political one, closely allied to the fluctuating relations between each government and the United States, Europe or Japan.
For instance, it would be very unlikely that the powers that be in Venezuela or Bolivia - who do not have the warmest of relations with the United States - would end up embracing standards peddled by their local American embassy.
i just hope we don't end up deciding on what's good for us more politically as technically, as what the article above shows.