http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/ Engadget HD Comments for Just 5% of Europe's HDTV owners watch HD programming http://www.engadgethd.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadgethd.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/
That's what is putting people off.

(and some of the PS3/BD devotees here are determined to 'think' I'm just expressing 'hate' when I say Blu-ray is growing feebly and will continue to grow feebly.......well suck it up boys, if 'HD on your HD TV all the time' can't pull in the punters what chance an expensive, unfinished spec player and an occasional expensive movie disc?)

Much as I do enjoy my HD TV and my HD TV service and my HD DVDs and my high def rips I can really understand why some are completely underwhelmed by it all - as well as thinking we're mad to pay what we do for it.

I know some think that's heresy but that's the truth of the matter that some just can't bear to face up to.]]>Mar 5th 2008 4:02PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/Mar 5th 2008 4:12PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/Mar 5th 2008 4:40PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/
LMAO

You are funny.]]>Mar 5th 2008 4:47PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/
I'm sure HD would have had a tough sell here as well, if the only way to receive it were through expensive premium pay channels, or PPV.

It's been my experience that once people experience HD, they want it. So if slow European HD adoption is a case of lack of programming, Blu-ray might actually act as a launching pad for HD in Europe. If someone could go out and get a player and movies and jump into HD as easily as they've been doing with DVD, I'd say that could be movement in a positive direction.]]>Mar 5th 2008 5:51PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/1) you are a moron.
2) How the hell did you manage to spew I-defended-HD-DVD-relentlessly-but-they-lost-so-now-I'm-a-bitter-geek format war nonsense on a completely unrelated article?
3) Since you live in America, you have no idea in hell what the European HD market looks like]]>Mar 6th 2008 4:16AMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/

1) No Sam, you are a moron (see below) and a blind one at that, obviously incapable of either readin properly and/or in the habit of leaping to idiotic and unfounded conclusions.

2) The comments about a poor Blu-ray start are relevant to the entire slow start for high def in general which this article is about.
Obviously you can't bear to have it pointed out but that doesn't make it any less true and nor does it make a preference for HD DVD any less valid
(like a hell of a lot of movie enthusiasts I prefer it and would have much referred to see it win out and not the game console format).

3) Since I am British and I am not and never have been an American living in America I think I have a fair idea of how things are here.

You ludicrous moron.

:P]]>Mar 7th 2008 6:34AMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/
But if you keep a british accent in your head, say, like the game reviewer from Zero Punctuation, then he just sounds like a cynical 'ol chap' at the pub.]]>Mar 7th 2008 10:35AMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/
The other problem is the way that the channels are arranged. I've set up people's HDTVs in a few homes and in several different cable providers, the channels are usually in the 100's. (In NYC, Time Warner HD channels start at 100.) The cable providers have generally done a poor job of informing users about their HD options.]]>Mar 5th 2008 4:12PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/very few chanels in HD
HD chanels were freezing
Volume on HD chanels were radically different than other chanels
Much more expensive monthly fee
Delayed 20 seconds compared to the same non HD chanel

I got rid of it as it simply wasn't worth it; maybe when it improves I'll try again.
]]>Mar 5th 2008 4:17PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/Mar 5th 2008 8:42PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/Mar 5th 2008 4:31PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/Mar 5th 2008 4:38PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/Mar 5th 2008 5:04PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/
That said, of course only 5% of EU customers watch High Def - in the UK there are what... 4 HD channels that I can think of? And only two providers offer it on a national scale.

Need more content!]]>Mar 5th 2008 7:14PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/Mar 5th 2008 4:42PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/
There is not a single one of the Gov's in EU Europe where the state is responsible for more than 50% of the total economic activity, they are all well under that.

]]>Mar 5th 2008 4:50PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/
Of course the fact that if you combine our taxes, plus what we spend on healthcare its usually a higher percentage then what Europeans spend on taxes (which covers both) the numbers aren't so different. But they get better schools, elder care, child care and roads, while we get stealth bombers.]]>Mar 5th 2008 4:58PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/Mar 5th 2008 5:11PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/But I think there is another reason. We in the UK had a much better starting point than the American's. PAL looks infinitely better than NTSC, which I once saw referred to as Never The Same Colour (note the spelling ;) )
While HD is a huge jump over both systems, PAL is easier to live with than NTSC.

What we really need (in the UK anyway) is for the 'big 5' to launch HD simulcasts, now. Then get rid of that £10 charge from Sky.
If it was mentioned enough "also on HD" like the BBC are advertising the iPlayer at the moment, then it'd take off quick enough.
]]>Mar 5th 2008 6:44PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/( > 230€) and currently there are only 2 models ( / brands) available. Situation seems slightly more felxible via DVB-S (more boxes, cheaper prices) but there's only 1 additional channel with german Audio. Interestingly, though, DVB-S is the preferred choice for the future. All the HD-plans of public TV stations (2 most important programs will start broadcasting when the Beijing Olympics kick off) are expected to hit DVB-S way sooner than DVB-C. maybe this explains the situation a bit. Lack of offer, high prices, not enough channels, DVB-S vs. DVB-C.]]>Mar 5th 2008 6:09PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/
I gotta say though, 4 HD channels, that sucks. When I first got hd through directv (over a year ago now) we had probably about a dozen (including locals) and I thought the pickings were slim.]]>Mar 5th 2008 8:41PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/
The situation in germany is more difficult than in the USA. In the USA you have the problem with all the locals, in Germany every major channel is nationwide. The next Problem is that the two major Channels in Germany saying no to any support. Now they starting with HD periods for realtime simulation.

You need to check this out:
2008 - you have two big sport events European Soccer Cup (really big in Europe) and the Olympics. The two channels will broadcast both events with so much hours per day, but nothing in HD, just PAL widescreen. The official start will be 2010 from Vancouver, Winter Olympics.]]>Mar 6th 2008 12:29PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/03/05/just-5-of-europes-hdtv-owners-watch-hd-programming/
I mean COME ON WE NEEDZ TEH LEETZ TOO YOU KNOW]]>Mar 6th 2008 12:58PM