ITV HD testing? Channel reshuffle to accommodate more HD?

Interesting post over on a Digital Spy Forum thread this morning suggesting that ITV HD tests may be going on.
There has been an update overnight in many areas and there's been quite a bit of shuffling in the EPG. Over on Cable Forum, regular newshound MediaBoy has suggested a new revision of the EPG that will include the following HD channels. (n.b. I cannot at this stage verify or confirm this story)

191. BBC HD
193. For ITV HD
194. For Channel 4 HD
196. For Sky1 HD
197. For FX HD
198 - 200 For new HD Channels

Interesting - that would make some sense (us getting Sky1 HD rather than the full Sports/Movies package) and a handful of others. Why FX HD I wonder? And what timescales? Having the channel allocated isn't of course the same as broadcasting it.

ITV HD "exclusive" for launch of FreeSat this week

According to the ITV website ITV HD will launch EXCLUSIVELY on FreeSat this week, albeit with very little HD content. Hmmmm - not on cable nor Sky. I recall ITV withheld ITV for a few years from Sky when it launched OnDigital, but I´m surprised they´re adopting similar tactics now, especially with Sky still having a 17% stake in the company. With the Champions League final likely to be one of ITV´s biggest programmes in years, I´m somewhat surprised it´ll be only available in HD on ITV to what will most likely just be a few thousand households at most. Odd decision.
I´d expect ITV HD to be on satellite and (fingers crossed) cable by the time Euro 2008 comes round.

ITV1 HD coming in the spring with Freesat

Old news maybe, but here's the official words from ITV.com:

ITV has committed to launch an HD channel in 2008. ITV1 HD will feature the best of ITV sport and drama in stunning high definition quality. It will begin as a two-to three-hour peak time service that will extend its hours as HD audiences build.

HD is already capturing public imagination and industry forecasts suggest that the number of HD ready sets could reach 30 million by the end of switchover.

The launch of ITV1 HD will ensure that ITV is at the forefront of the HD revolution for our viewers and advertisers.

Freesat

A new digital satellite TV service from the BBC and ITV. Scheduled for launch in 2008, freesat has no monthly subscription, just a one-off payment for the digital box, satellite dish and installation. For more information visit the official freesat website.

No mention of ITV1 HD on cable (or Sky, come to that) - I'm sure I'm not the only one who sincerely hopes that both this and C4 HD appear on Virgin Media before the summer.

ITV HD "testing"?

According to this post over at Cable Forum, ITV HD is "testing" in the Dundee area. Interesting.

Incidentally, anyone else agree with me that this season of Torchwood is a big improvement from season one? Three episodes now and they've all been top drawer in my book. I was also pleasantly surprised by how watchable the Monty Don Around the World in 80 Gardens was - I tuned in at the insistence of Mrs Nialli (who has greener fingers than me) and found it a thoroughly pleasant way of spending my Sunday evening, infinitely better than the Larkside soap/sitcom and positively eye-popping in HD.