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Ofcom's plans to get HDTV on Freeview - and industry criticism of them - has divided opinion on the Digital Spy forums.
The regulator is proposing to squeeze four HD services, earmarked as BBC HD, ITV HD, Channel 4 HD and a future Five HD, on Freeview by upgrading transmission technology. It wants to auction off most spectrum freed up by the analogue switch-off.
However, broadcasters and the Digital TV Group industry association believe this route would fail. The plans would damage Freeview and HDTV, they say. Instead they are calling for a chunk of spectrum to be reserved for five high density channels.
From some on the DS Freeview forum there was strong support for DTG's damning response to Ofcom.
Alanwarwic said: "Their main point being that Ofcom's proposals almost doom HDTV terrestrial from the beginning. Without any incentives for take-up there will be little manufactured/little bought. And they are right. Most will flock to Freesat with its free HDTV."
An alternative suggestion came from SimonBlackham, from the New Forest: "It is nice to have a large number of channels to choose from on Freeview - but what is the percentage of viewers of the main five channels and their children compared with the rest?
"I for one would say if Ofcom cannot give spectrum for HD then Freeview should be re-organised so there is sufficient spare bandwidth to progress the main channels to HD."
Several forum members came down with Ofcom, though.
Westward wondered: "Do you really want to gift terrestrial spectrum to the greedy shareholders of ITV and five (when it could be auctioned for the public good) just to serve people who are too lazy to get Freesat fitted?
"Ofcom's duties do not include giving away spectrum for this purpose when there are many other possible uses. Let the market decide the best use for it."
And Rediproof highlighted the other uses for the spectrum wanted for HDTV. He said: "So the idea of accessing the web on the move, i-phone type services or making VOIP calls in the same way as on a mobile has no benefits?
"Report after report shows the decline in TV viewing and take up of online content. If HD is so important then why has ITV ploughed money into their web services and not HD? To be honest apart from the BBC, Sky and C4 what other UK channels has invested in HD?"
> Click here to discuss the plans on the forum
> Click here for a Q&A with the Digital TV UK director general
