Promotions for the new service currently being run online at http://ten.com.au/
describe it as Ten HD however behind the scenes the network are still describing the service as beig Full HD despite the fact that it is a 1080i transmission and not 1080p.
Forthcoming Australian high definition TV broadcasts in 1080i are classed as ‘full HD' by the engineers behind them, because originally the term ‘full HD' was used to refer to 1920 x 1080 pixels of resolution, regardless of the way the display engineered the image – either in interlaced or progressive scan – according to representatives for Network Ten.
When the company announced its new Ten-HD free-to-air digital TV channel on 14 September, it made the mistake of calling its broadcast ‘full HD', even though the highest Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting (DTTB) standard in Australia is a 1080i signal – inferior to the 1080p signal coming from HD DVD and Blu-ray content, displayed on a full HD (1080p) screen.
"TEN-HD's signature programs will be in stunning, full HD, delivering the highest possible picture and sound quality to viewers at home," said the press release from Network Ten.
While Ten is correct in saying it is delivering the highest possible picture and sound quality that is broadcastable, it does not provide the highest possible picture and sound quality to viewers at home. Blu-ray and HD DVD content does.
Speaking to representatives for Network Ten however, SmartHouse found that the broadcast industry has a very different, and arguable outdated, idea of what constitutes full HD.
"The broadcast industry has a standard that we broadcast to. There is no 1080p standard or profile for broadcasting, since MPEG2 compression is used, which is limited to 1080i," said Network Ten technology manager – engineering, Jeff Yeates.
