[Mike]

Fantastic so this will be the first English region to use the new set and be in full HD, it will be interesting to see how they tackle the moire on the screens and if HD actually can reduce the effects of it.

I think the cameras and distance of the cameras from the set are what affects it.

The camera output is HD regardless of whether or not it's transmitted in SD or HD (take Midlands Today's new cameras for instance) - the moire effect is ever so slightly still there as the cameras are pushed right against the wall of the studio.

Southampton has the advantage of being a medium sized studio (or large in English Regions terms) - so they can get the cameras further back and zoomed in to have the same shots.

I think it'll look good. It will be interesting to see how much wasted space there is in their studio though or if they've done anything 'different' (I highly doubt that given the 'user manual' they sent out to each site though).

As an aisde: People calling these 'ikea' sets aren't helpful; they're a standardised design that are a massive technical improvement for every site, sometimes big =/= better - the previous South Today set is not only old, but incredibly basic - driven by rear projection screens and a PBU of an empty newsroom that is backlit - while these served a purpose and were affordable in the late 00s when they were installed, they have aged like milk.

In theory these new sets, provided the technology lasts, can be reconfigured as and when things change with ease (new backdrops, new design backdrops, new desks/sofas.