BBC One viewers say favourite shows look WORSE after HD switch and want old channel back

SOME BBC viewers claim their picture quality is worse since their channels were upgraded to HD.

The broadcaster is currently switching BBC One regional stations from SD (standard definition) to HD on satellite.

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It means you will finally be able to watch your local news in beautiful HD.

Except, not all of the BBC’s regional news studios have been converted to support HD yet.

So even if you’re watching on BBC One HD, your 6.30pm news won’t benefit.

Some viewers have claimed that it actually looks worse.

“Well I have BBC One East HD and I am far from impressed,” one annoyed user wrote.

“The picture is soft and blurry and I want my old 106 channel back please!

“That used to be fine. I really hope this is teething problems and things will sharpen up somewhat.”

Another tweeted: “The BBC ‘HD’ picture quality is poor – bit rate is way too low.”

SD broadcasts are usually “upscaled” to HD, so while it may not look as pleasing it should at least be as good as before.

And SD channels are still available from channel 950 and up on Freesat, for now.

But for the most part, early reaction to the switch has been positive.

“East Midlands upscaling is fine on my Sony TV internal sat tuner,” one person said.

When will the BBC channels switch?

Regional and nation channel variations of BBC One and BBC Two (as well as BBC ALBA and BBC Parliament) will change from now until late February.

All the SD versions of the BBC channels on satellite, including BBC One, will be closing in early 2024.

23 January (Freesat) / 24 January (Sky)

• BBC One South
• BBC One Northern Ireland
• BBC Two Northern Ireland

30 January (Freesat) / 31 January (Sky)

• BBC One East
• BBC One East Midlands

6 February (Freesat) / 7 February (Sky)

• BBC ALBA
• BBC One West Midlands
• BBC One East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire
• BBC One Wales
• BBC Two Wales

13 February (Freesat) / 14 February (Sky)

• BBC Red Button (RB1)
• BBC One West
• BBC One South West
• BBC One Channel Islands
• BBC One London

20 February (Freesat) / 21 February (Sky)

• BBC Parliament
• BBC One North East and Cumbria
• BBC One North West
• BBC One Yorkshire
• BBC One Scotland

22 February (Freesat) / 23 February (Sky)

• BBC One South East

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