HD television is coming to STV
High Definition television came to STV on 6th June 2010. Our STV HD channel delivers pictures which are sharper, brighter and more gorgeous than you can believe. There are some things you need to know about how to get it, so here are answers to the most important questions.
Will all STV HD programmes be in HD?
Can anyone in the STV region access STV HD?
Do I need special equipment to access STV HD?
What channels will I find STV HD on?
What format will STV HD be transmitted in?
If I don’t buy HD equipment, will my STV viewing be affected?
Why can I not see the ITV HD channel
What is HD?
HD stands for High Definition. It is a kind of digital television broadcasting, offering clearer and sharper pictures. To give you some idea of the jump in quality, HD has one to two million pixels per frame which is about five times more than the existing Standard Definition which is what your TV uses at the moment.
What is STV HD?
STV HD is a channel from STV which is dedicated to High Definition television. This channel broadcasts the same programmes, at the same time, as STV, using either "native" HD, which means programmes that have been made in HD, or "upscaled" Standard Definition, or SD.
Upscaling means electronically treating programmes made in SD. It's not quite as good as HD, but you will notice a substantial improvement in picture quality in upscaled SD over regular SD.
Will all STV HD programmes be in HD?
Programmes that have been produced in HD such as football (the Champions League, for example), new dramas and films, will all be broadcast in native HD.
Other programmes on STV HD will be "upscaled" (see above)
Can anyone in the STV region access STV HD?
STV HD is available to all Virgin Media viewers and Freeview viewers, provided you have the right equipment (see below). It is also available to SKY HD customers and on Freesat.
STV HD is a single service across all of STV’s transmission areas, north and central. It carries the programmes as seen in West Central Scotland, including news and commercials, with no regional variations
Do I need special equipment to access STV HD?
Yes. If you are a Virgin Media viewer or a Freeview viewer, you need an HD ready TV, an HD set-top box and an HDMI cable to link them together. Your existing Freeview box will not deliver HD pictures even if your TV is HD ready. Integrated TV’s with built-in Freeview HD are also available. You should contact your current supplier for more information on purchasing such equipment. You should not need to make any adjustments to your TV aerial.
What channels will I find STV HD on?
For Freeview viewers STV HD is on channel 103.
For Virgin Media Viewers, STV HD is on channel 113.
For Freesat viewers, STV HD is on channel 119
For Sky HD viewers, STV HD is available on channel 103 in Glasgow and the west, and Sky channel 178 in other areas.
What format will STV HD be transmitted in?
1080i, in line with the industry standard. (You can find more detailed technical information here.)
If I don’t buy HD equipment will my STV viewing be affected?
Not at all. On STV's main channel, it will be business as usual.
Why can I not see the ITV HD channel?
ITV HD has launched its own HD channel within its licence areas, as has STV.