Sky 3D and the Ryder Cup

Anyone pick up on the irony of heavy rain spoiling Sky's 3D parade at the weekend? Normally it just affects those Sky customers with slightly misaligned dishes, but this time no-one got to see the action.
Anyway, if you want to read one of the more entertaining commentaries on the great 3D channel launch have a read of Martin Kelner's column in The Guardian.
Also, has anyone watched Virgin's 3D offering? I'd be interested in posting any comments on the service you may have.

Super Hi Vision at the BBC

BBC Click has a piece on the BBC's R&D work Super Hi Vision this week. 16 times greater resolution than current HD.

ITV2 HD launching October 7th on Virgin Media

According to a post from Big Red over on Cable Forum:

ITV2 HD - 7th Oct
Universal HD - Oct (channel formerly known as Hallmark)
BBC1 HD, ITV3 HD and ITV4 HD - Nov
Sky Arts 1 HD, Sky Arts 2 HD and ESPN America HD - Before end of Year

UPDATE: The launch of ITV 2 HD has been delayed.

Sky to launch Sky Atlantic

No word yet as to whether Virgin Media will carry this, just too early to say. The word "exclusive" is used repeatedly in the Sky Press Release, but only in reference to the series it will be showing, not to it only being available to Sky customers.
So on the day we gain Sky 1 HD, Sky announces it will launch another channel to carry the premium US content and we're none the wiser as to whether we will get it in either SD or HD on cable. Ho hum. I suspect we won't hear any confirmation on Virgin Media carriage until a lot nearer the launch next year.
From The Guardian: 

BSkyB is to launch a new subscription channel, Sky Atlantic, that will be home to US imports including Mad Men, Boardwalk Empire and Treme.
Sky Atlantic will have the UK TV premieres of HBO shows including Martin Scorsese's critically lauded prohibition era drama Boardwalk Empire and The Wire co-creator David Simon's new show, Treme.BSkyB also confirmed today that it has secured the exclusive UK broadcast rights to AMC's Mad Men from next year's series five for the life of the show. Mad Men will also be broadcast on Sky Atlantic.
Other HBO programmes that will premiere on Sky Atlantic include Luck, executive produced by David Milch and Michael Mann and starring Dustin Hoffman; Mildred Pierce, featuring Kate Winslet; and fantasy drama Game of Thrones. Future series of HBO shows such as Entourage and Big Love will also be shown on the channel.

BSkyB said that it could not at this stage confirm any wholesale deals with other pay-TV operators, such as Virgin Media, to carry Sky Atlantic.

Sky 1 HD arrives Friday. More to follow

No Sky News or Sky Arts channels in HD yet, but the official press release reads:

Virgin Media today announced the arrival of Sky 1 HD, due to launch on its digital TV service from October 1st, adding yet another great channel to its rapidly growing line-up of quality entertainment channels in crystal clear high definition. Available at no extra cost to all customers on Virgin Media’s incredible value ‘XL’ TV package, the addition of Sky 1 HD brings an even wider range of compelling entertainment in high definition to its customers, with further channels such as BBC 1 HD also due to launch later this year. 

Comedy and sports fans can look forward to the new series of A League of Their Own, the irreverent sports quiz show presented by James Corden, featuring team captains Jamie Redknapp and Freddie Flintoff alongside regular team-mates Georgie Thompson and John Bishop. Another brand new must see is An Idiot Abroad, featuring the escapades of Karl Pilkington as he gets dispatched on a world tour of the Seven Wonders by the mischievous Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. Watch his cultural horizons expand as he learns to cope with travelling to awe-inspiring destinations such as the Great Wall of China, Machu Picchu in Peru , the Taj Mahal in India and the Great Pyramids of Egypt.

Sky 1 HD drama highlights for October include top U.S. series including the critically acclaimed medical drama House starring Hugh Laurie, and forensic crime series Bones with David Boreanaz. Additionally, sci-fi fans will be spoilt with the new season of Stargate Universe and as the new season of the spectacular Fringe gets underway on Sky 1 HD.

Separately, Virgin Media customers will have another chance to catch up on the first two seasons of Fringe through Virgin Media’s pioneering TV on Demand service from October 11^th. Virgin Media also carries several hundred hours of HD content on demand, all available at the touch of a button, with popular series such as Gossip Girl, Dexter and South Park as well as movies, documentaries and its brand new 3D on Demand service.

Sky1 HD coming soon info now showing on channel 123

It's up on the wrong channel (Sky 2 moves to 123 tomorrow, making room for Sky 1 HD on 122).

Form an orderly queue please

If you can't wait for 3D any longer, Virgin Media has today announced the launch of 3D Movies On Demand:

From today, all Virgin Media TV customers, with a 3D-ready set top box (V HD or V+ HD required to receive 3D content.), TV and glasses, will be able to experience exciting new 3D On Demand content for themselves, from the comfort of their home. Following successful tests of 3D technology on its fibre optic cable network and after months of public demonstrations in key Virgin Media stores, the company is now starting to offer a selection of 3D movies and TV programmes as part of its on demand TV service.
Today’s launch of 3D Movies On Demand, powered by FilmFlex, will provide a taste of things to come for Virgin Media customers as the company looks to complement its on-demand service with more movies and shows. Virgin Media will look to build its 3D portfolio over the coming months, with a diverse range of new content as more people begin to purchase 3D TVs and programme-makers look to increase the production of 3D content.
Cindy Rose, executive director of digital entertainment at Virgin Media, said: “We’re really excited to bring a taste of 3D to our customers in the comfort of their own homes. As we’ve already seen with the take-up of high definition programmes, viewers are continually looking for new ways to experience their favourite shows, and with the addition of 3D On Demand, they will be able to watch eye-popping movies whenever they want!”
To mark the launch of Virgin Media’s 3D On Demand service, Brit flick StreetDance 3D will be available from today for just £5.99 (for a 24 hour rental). With further 3D movies to launch over the coming months – including Garfield’s Pet Force 3D (October), Disney’s A Christmas Carol 3D (November), Step Up 3D (December) and Despicable Me 3D (early 2011), plus more titles to be announced soon.

Be still my beating heart...

Ecclestone says HD F1 set for 2011

According to Autosport, Bernie Ecclestone says Formula 1 is likely to be broadcast in High Definition as early as next year.
"I think what's being produced at the moment is very, very good but I think we'll be moving to High Definition, probably next year," Ecclestone told the BBC.
With BBC1 HD launching before the end of this year we'll have the channel for it, but the grand prix coverage is all produced by F1 themselves and Ecclestone has promised HD before and not delivered.

Interesting article on TiVo's strategy

Thanks to Pete for supplying this link on Tivo's plans.

New US series debuts on Sky1 HD

This autumn's Sky1 line up may lack a little excitement after the conclusions of Lost, 24 and Battlestar Galactica but there are still some new seasons of US series to look forward to on our latest HD channel:

• House season 7 Sun, Oct 3rd, 10pm
• NCIS: Los Angeles season 2 Mon, Oct 4th, 9pm
• Fringe season 3 Tue, Oct 5th, 10pm
• Stargate Universe season 2 Tue, Oct 5th, 9pm
• Modern Family season 2, Thu, Oct 7th, 8pm
• Bones season 6 mid-Oct
• Caprica season 1 (second half) mid-Oct