UK broadcasters the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Five have hailed the trial run pumping out HD content across the Freeview free-to-air digital TV network a "technical success", paving the way for terrestrially broadcast nationwide HDTV in the very near future.

The trial was launched in June this year, sending HD TV broadcasts to 450 users in the London area. The sample group were largely very positive about the service, with 86 per cent saying they expect the service to be rolled out fully within three years.

Of course, that's up to the broadcasters rather than the punters, and none of the channels took the opportunity to commit to a specific timeframe for as-standard HD broadcasts.

Indeed, the statement put out by the broadcasters was long on take-as-read consumer comments - they think HD's good for sport and wildlife programming, which you'd never guess in a million years, would you? - and short on action on the part of the broadcasters. ®

Read Reg Hardware's HD TV in the UK special report here