After 25 years of digital SD broadcasts in the UK, CNBC will become HD-only on all platforms this week after Virgin Media O2 upgraded viewers to HD on Monday.
- All platforms that carry the business channel have now switched to HD or have plans to do so.
Virgin Media viewers were automatically upgraded on Monday, with CNBC HD launching on the slot previously occupied by the standard definition version of the channel (channel 613).
The changeover means all main UK TV platforms will no longer carry CNBC in standard definition once Sky turns off the signal later in the week. Freesat switched earlier in October.
The business news channel, now owned by Sky’s parent company joins a growing number of channels discontinuing SD broadcasts. Its digital SD channel launched in 1998, forming part of the original Sky Digital line-up as a replacement to its original analogue service, and added to other platforms in time.
As previously reported, Sky is due to turn off CNBC SD on Thursday 2nd November. The process will result in the SD copy on channel 883 being removed on Thursday morning. This means the SD feed of CNBC via satellite can finally be turned off altogether.
Both Virgin Media and Freesat switched viewers over from SD to HD without prior warning to viewers. All current Virgin Media receivers support HD, while all Freesat boxes from the last decade automatically support HD.
Banks and other financial institutions who relay CNBC around their buildings, as well as hotels offering the channel using internal distribution systems will need to ensure they are carrying the HD feed of the channel, which is distributed via the Astra 2F satellite, frequency 12168 (vertical polarisation, symbol rate 27500, FEC 2/3, Mode DVB-S2 8PSK).