Ordinary Gweilo

recent posts

about

As clear as the pictures on Cable TV

The Standard reports that “a pay tv operator” wants to be allowed to re-transmit the digital channels on its network:

If successful, the change would be a boon for i-CABLE Communications’  Cable TV service and PCCW’s Now TV, essentially expanding their content offerings for free and allowing their subscribers to watch the Olympics in digital format.

One pay-TV operator is pushing the government to amend the Copyright Ordinance so that both Cable TV and Now TV can carry TVB and ATV channels without threats of copyright infringement from the terrestrial broadcasters.

If pay-TV operators were allowed to deliver the terrestrial television channels, more Hong Kong residents would be able to watch the Olympics in clearer digital format, the operator argued in a letter to the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau.

The lobbying effort revives moves made in 2004 by Cable TV to carry the free-TV channels over its system, a practice that was ended when Television Broadcasts won a court case saying the retransmission was illegal.

Ho hum.  Mention a “clearer” picture to subscribers to Cable TV or Now TV and I think you will be greeted with hollow laughter.  When Cable TV converted to digital, it was all about stopping piracy and adding extra channels, not about improving picture quality – which remains very disappointing.  Now TV are just as bad, except that they are rolling out an HD service, and I suppose that adding the new ATV/TVB HD and other digital channels would enhance their offering.  So I rather doubt that this is an altruistic move to help TV viewers who want to watch the Olympics.

Yet it clearly makes sense.  In the UK, cable tv is required to carry the 5 terrestrial channels, and currently the only way you can get BBC HD is on satellite or cable.  So I’m not clear why TVB would want to prevent their channels being re-broadcast when surely this can only bring in more viewers, especially in the interim period whilst digital is being rolled out.  What can they possibly lose by allowing this?

Mind you, it’s the sort of strange thing that is always happening here in the “world’s freest economy”.

Posted in

4 responses to “As clear as the pictures on Cable TV”

  1. fumier avatar
    fumier

    Wise words, indeed!

    Like

    Reply
  2. Sailinghome avatar
    Sailinghome

    It would be a boon for those of us who can’t actually receive local TV channels due to REALLY bad reception… at the moment I can only watch now TV and have to miss out on all the ATV and Pearl stuff… but am I really missing that much….???

    Like

    Reply
  3. Jaixom avatar
    Jaixom

    Well considering that PCCW have a new NOW TV box that allows people to receive NOW TV HD service, as well as acting as a terrestrial HD TV receiver, the might not worry so much.
    Yes the majority of NOW TV subscribers are still on plain old normal NOW service, but when contract renewals come up, I’m seeing PCCW will more aggressively push their new box over, especially since it means one less box for people to buy.
    I see this as being only really pushed through by i-Cable, especially with how poorly they’re managing their channel packaging and etc.
    God I miss having NTL (now called Virgin Media), all channels were clear, digital, widescreen OR 4:3 enabled… plus you could set reminders and other fun stuff… on a cable system. I still don’t understand how NOW TV can be so behind.

    Like

    Reply
  4. Chris avatar
    Chris

    Well, yes, given that the combined Now + Digital TV receiver is part of PCCW’s strategy to sign-up more subscribers for their HD service, it must be Cable TV who want to carry the digital channels.
    Is the poor quality of the picture on most channels on both Now and Cable TV a limitation of their systems or the satellite signals that they receive? If it’s the latter, then the digital channels might look OK.

    Like

    Reply

Leave a reply to fumier Cancel reply