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Albert’s Memorial

Sir David Jason stars in ITV’s drama about three Second World War veterans with a dark secret

Accused

Jimmy McGovern’s six story series of ordinary people in the dock for the BBC

Above Suspicion: Deadly Intent

ITV’s latest crime thriller from the pen of Lynda La Plante

Bouquet Of Barbed Wire

Trevor Eve stars in ITV’s psychological drama of obsessive love

The Crimson Petal & The White BBC2’s new psychological thriller about Victorian London

DCI Banks: Aftermath

Police investigate a serial killer in this new drama from ITV

Downton Abbey

ITV’s costume drama about the Crawley family and their servants

Kidnap & Ransom

Starring Trevor Eve in South African drama for ITV1

The Oaks

ITV’s new supernatural drama starring Alex Kingston and Jodie Whittaker

Outcasts

BBC’s science fiction series about troubles with a new colony on the planet Carpathia

Joe Maddison’s War

ITV’s Second World War Home Guard drama starring Kevin Whatley and Robson Green

The Shadow Line

BBC2’s police versus drug dealer noir thriller

Silk

BBC1 drama featuring barristers dealing with tough cases

Single Father

David Tennant stars in the humerous drama Single Father for the BBC

The Sinking Of The Laconia

World War II drama based on a true inspirational story

South Riding

BBC 1 drama based in a Yorkshire community during the 1930s.

The Suspicions of Mr Whicher

Paddy Considine stars in ITV’s 1860’s murder in a country house drama

Upstairs Downstairs

The BBC takes us back to 1930’s Belgravia

U Be Dead

David Morrissey stars in ITV’s obsessive stalker drama

Vera

ITV’s new police series starring Brenda Blethyn as DI Vera Stanhope.

 

 

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What is High Definition television?

What is HD?

High Definition gives us clear, crisp pictures with vivid colours and up to five times more detail than a standard television picture.  The increased detail results from an increase of up to five times as many pixels in each transmitted picture.  This improvement is most readily seen on flat-panel displays I.e. Either LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or plasma.

HD television receivers have to be capable of displaying pictures containing 720 or 1080 lines as apposed to the 625 lines used in a standard picture.  There is a marginal improvement on pictures displayed using older TV sets with 625 lines.  The BBC has opted for the best system available and transmits in the 1080 line format.

The BBC is making more and more programmes in HD but not all of its popular output is available yet.  Some programmes are also broadcast with surround sound that is provided by adding additional audio streams.  Most BBC HD programmes are subtitled and some have audio description.

The BBC also broadcasts outside broadcasts in HD.  Recent examples are the Wimbledon  tennis coverage and the Electric Proms.

The BBC provides its services in HD with no additional charge.  Freeview will provide HD services at some point in 2010.

ITV provides HD services through Freesat where The Bill, Lewis and Law & Order have been broadcast in HD.  They also have broadcast UEFA football and the Cup Final in high definition.

Effects of HD on production

The BBC is having to invest in new sets because HD TV is five times sharper than standard TV and shows up the short-comings in existing sets.  On the list are the Queen Vic pub from Eastenders, the boardroom in The Apprentice and the Dragon’s Den loft.  The Apprentice set makes use of 60 perspex sheets that cost £300 each.  These “glass” partitions will show up dust, fingerprints and smears and are to be replaced.  Cath Pater-Lancucki says: “I think we’d need to have a props man on set the whole time polishing surfaces.”  Actors will also be aware that not only will all their “laughter lines” be apparent but also beads of sweat, badly-glued moustaches and uneven stitching all become very noticeable in HD.

Homepage What is High Definition Television Television?