Freesat To Start...
 

....When?

Here we are, less than three weeks away from the supposed start date, and we
know nothing about what STBs will be available or even, when!

I did hear that Humax were going to be making Freesat STBs, but they refused
to tell me ANYTHING over the phone, and said "I must wait until the press
release". They wouldn't even tell me when that was likely to be.

Come on guys, somebody on this group must know something!


Chris.

Freesat To Start...
 

On Feb 12, 7:52 am, "Chris" wrote:
...When?

Here we are, less than three weeks away from the supposed start date, and we
know nothing about what STBs will be available or even, when!

I did hear that Humax were going to be making Freesat STBs, but they refused
to tell me ANYTHING over the phone, and said "I must wait until the press
release". They wouldn't even tell me when that was likely to be.

Come on guys, somebody on this group must know something!

'Easter' was the date I think ? 6 weeks away. However you're right,
nothing yet.

ISTR Humax, Panny, and Alba were the three manufacturers lined up, and
Argos as one of the retailers. There's nothing in their phone book
sized Spring catalogue.

Freesat To Start...
 

"Mark Carver" wrote in message
...
On Feb 12, 7:52 am, "Chris" wrote:
...When?

Here we are, less than three weeks away from the supposed start date, and
we
know nothing about what STBs will be available or even, when!

I did hear that Humax were going to be making Freesat STBs, but they
refused
to tell me ANYTHING over the phone, and said "I must wait until the press
release". They wouldn't even tell me when that was likely to be.

Come on guys, somebody on this group must know something!

'Easter' was the date I think ? 6 weeks away. However you're right,
nothing yet.

ISTR Humax, Panny, and Alba were the three manufacturers lined up, and
Argos as one of the retailers. There's nothing in their phone book
sized Spring catalogue.
I'm holding out for a Dual tuner freesat PCIe card supported by Microsoft
for use in Vista Media Center.

Freesat To Start...
 

"Mark Carver" wrote in message
...
On Feb 12, 7:52 am, "Chris" wrote:
...When?

Here we are, less than three weeks away from the supposed start date, and
we
know nothing about what STBs will be available or even, when!

I did hear that Humax were going to be making Freesat STBs, but they
refused
to tell me ANYTHING over the phone, and said "I must wait until the press
release". They wouldn't even tell me when that was likely to be.

Come on guys, somebody on this group must know something!

'Easter' was the date I think ? 6 weeks away. However you're right,
nothing yet.

ISTR Humax, Panny, and Alba were the three manufacturers lined up, and
Argos as one of the retailers. There's nothing in their phone book
sized Spring catalogue.

I hope that there'll be a decent HD package incorporated in the lineup,
especially as there are now so many 'HD ready' receivers in people's homes.

Freesat To Start...
 

"Mark Carver" wrote in message
...
On Feb 12, 7:52 am, "Chris" wrote:
...When?

Here we are, less than three weeks away from the supposed start date, and
we
know nothing about what STBs will be available or even, when!

I did hear that Humax were going to be making Freesat STBs, but they
refused
to tell me ANYTHING over the phone, and said "I must wait until the press
release". They wouldn't even tell me when that was likely to be.

Come on guys, somebody on this group must know something!

'Easter' was the date I think ? 6 weeks away. However you're right,
nothing yet.

ISTR Humax, Panny, and Alba were the three manufacturers lined up, and
Argos as one of the retailers. There's nothing in their phone book
sized Spring catalogue.

I have a Sky box and a normal FTA satellite receiver, this FTA one is hard
to use in the fact hundreds of stations and I can't find ones I want.
These not for Joe Public. Anyway I'm in the mood to change and think and
hope the Blind search might help me on a new one.
Is it thought these Freesat ones will be compatable with Europes satellite
system?
Will they have DiSEq controls for movable dishes?

--
Regards,
David

Please reply to News Group

Freesat To Start...
 

David wrote:
: Is it thought these Freesat ones will be compatable with Europes satellite
: system?

Discussed (to death!) on the digitalspy forums (with limited input from
Humax) and the anwser seems to be that Freesat receivers will all be to
a very tight and controlled spec. (similar to Sky). So using on other
satellites *MAY* be possible - but not a design aim.

: Will they have DiSEq controls for movable dishes?

Explicitly said to be not.

Freesat To Start...
 

"Mr & Mrs L" wrote in message
...
"Mark Carver" wrote in message
...
On Feb 12, 7:52 am, "Chris" wrote:
snip
I'm holding out for a Dual tuner freesat PCIe card supported by Microsoft
for use in Vista Media Center.
Don't you want something that will work?

Steve Terry

Freesat To Start...
 

Ivan wrote:

: I hope that there'll be a decent HD package incorporated in the lineup,
: especially as there are now so many 'HD ready' receivers in people's homes.

Likely to just be BBC-HD at launch with possibly ITV-HD - depending on when
that starts

C4-HD will be available from later this year.

Basically EXACTLY the same as a Sky-HD STB without a Sky-HD subscription
will receive (except that C4HD is available on that now!)

Freesat To Start...
 

Chris wrote:

Here we are, less than three weeks away from the supposed start date

Woah! "Spring" is the closest we've come to any kind of official start
date, which technically means 20th March to 19th June this year, but is
sufficiently vague that I wouldn't hold them to it.

Freesat To Start...
 

On Tue, 12 Feb 2008 11:41:07 +0000 (UTC), Brian McIlwrath
wrote:

David wrote:
: Is it thought these Freesat ones will be compatable with Europes satellite
: system?

Discussed (to death!) on the digitalspy forums (with limited input from
Humax) and the anwser seems to be that Freesat receivers will all be to
a very tight and controlled spec. (similar to Sky). So using on other
satellites *MAY* be possible - but not a design aim.

: Will they have DiSEq controls for movable dishes?

Explicitly said to be not.

So no real point in waiting for them is there?


--

Freesat To Start...
 

On 12 Feb, 10:10, "Ivan" wrote:

I hope that there'll be a decent HD package incorporated in the lineup,
especially as there are now so many 'HD ready' receivers in people's homes.


There might be lots of 'HD ready' television sets, but there aren't
really that many 'HD ready' television receivers out there.

How many V+ boxes has Virgin Media got out there?

Freesat To Start...
 

On 12 Feb, 11:45, Brian McIlwrath wrote:
Ivan wrote:

: I hope that there'll be a decent HD package incorporated in the lineup,
: especially as there are now so many 'HD ready' receivers in people's homes.

Likely to just be BBC-HD at launch with possibly ITV-HD - depending on when
that starts

C4-HD will be available from later this year.

Basically EXACTLY the same as a Sky-HD STB without a Sky-HD subscription
will receive (except that C4HD is available on that now!)


I hope C4-HD will be available soon on FreeSat, but it has the same
problem as C4, E4 and More4 - they all need to find some space on the
already full Astra 2D satellite which focusses its footprint on the
British Isles before they all go unencrypted. C4 won't be wanting to
broadcast in the clear on a footprint that covers much of Europe.

Freesat To Start...
 

"Mr & Mrs L" wrote in message
...


"Mark Carver" wrote in message
...
On Feb 12, 7:52 am, "Chris" wrote:
...When?

Here we are, less than three weeks away from the supposed start date,
and we
know nothing about what STBs will be available or even, when!

I did hear that Humax were going to be making Freesat STBs, but they
refused
to tell me ANYTHING over the phone, and said "I must wait until the
press
release". They wouldn't even tell me when that was likely to be.

Come on guys, somebody on this group must know something!

'Easter' was the date I think ? 6 weeks away. However you're right,
nothing yet.

ISTR Humax, Panny, and Alba were the three manufacturers lined up, and
Argos as one of the retailers. There's nothing in their phone book
sized Spring catalogue.
I'm holding out for a Dual tuner freesat PCIe card supported by Microsoft
for use in Vista Media Center.

Well you need one of these then:

http://shop.blackgold.tv/product/3540.html

Vista, Freeview and DVB-S all in one.

Looks like the dogs' to me. Anybody tried one?


D

Freesat To Start...
 

On 12 Feb, 12:18, Mike wrote:
On Tue, 12 Feb 2008 11:41:07 +0000 (UTC), Brian McIlwrath

wrote:
David wrote:
: Is it thought these Freesat ones will be compatable with Europes satellite
: system?

Discussed (to death!) on the digitalspy forums (with limited input from
Humax) and the anwser seems to be that Freesat receivers will all be to
a very tight and controlled spec. (similar to Sky). So using on other
satellites *MAY* be possible - but not a design aim.

: Will they have DiSEq controls for movable dishes?

Explicitly said to be not.

So no real point in waiting for them is there?

--

Most people just want an easy to use system that gets them their free
UK channels - as David said, the existing systems are not really for
Joe Public, who don't care about having a moveable dish or an array of
other complex options, they just want it to work (and why not, I
say?).

I dunno if any of the existing STBs will support the MHEG system for
interactive services that FreeSat will be using.

Freesat To Start...
 

Mizter T wrote:
: There might be lots of 'HD ready' television sets, but there aren't
: really that many 'HD ready' television receivers out there.

: How many V+ boxes has Virgin Media got out there?

V+ has, of course, many other benefits BUT has just ONE HD-Channel at present!

Sky-HD is Sky's fastest growing sector (in percentage terms) and is
something like 400,000 paying STBs (plus others from eBay which are used for
FTA/FTV HD-channels only - BBCHD plus C4HD)

Freesat To Start...
 

Mizter T wrote:

: I dunno if any of the existing STBs will support the MHEG system for
: interactive services that FreeSat will be using.

There seem to be no public-domain documents on either this or the exact
EPG format that Freesat will be using. Only licensed manufacturers have
the details.

I am sure that lots of effort will go into trying to reverse engineer things
when it goes live!

Freesat To Start...
 

Brian McIlwrath wrote:

Mizter T wrote:

: I dunno if any of the existing STBs will support the MHEG system for
: interactive services that FreeSat will be using.

There seem to be no public-domain documents on either this or the exact
EPG format that Freesat will be using. Only licensed manufacturers have
the details.


I suppose the intention is to guarantee the quality of FreeSat boxes, and
ensure all users get a reasonably similar, quality experience. I can't quite
see FreeSat being as totally prescriptive as BSkyB is though!


I am sure that lots of effort will go into trying to reverse engineer
things
when it goes live!


Indeed, though anything produced through reverse engineering won't carry the
FreeSat logo (or at least it won't legitimately carry it!). I do wonder
however whether the cost of licensing and producing a box that meets the
required spec will really be so prohibitive as to make this a genuinely
worthwhile venture.

The other thing I forgot to mention regarding the FreeSat specifications is
the FreeSat Playback system - I'm sure that FreeSat will launch with an
equivalent Playback system for HDD recording to the Freeview Playback
system, with a series record function and the like.

Freesat To Start...
 

On 12 Feb, 14:47, Brian McIlwrath wrote:
Mizter T wrote:

: There might be lots of 'HD ready' television sets, but there aren't
: really that many 'HD ready' television receivers out there.

: How many V+ boxes has Virgin Media got out there?

V+ has, of course, many other benefits BUT has just ONE HD-Channel at
present!


One must presume that the forthcoming ITV HD channel will be carried by
Virgin Media, as will C4-HD sooner or later.


Sky-HD is Sky's fastest growing sector (in percentage terms) and is
something like 400,000 paying STBs (plus others from eBay which are used
for
FTA/FTV HD-channels only - BBCHD plus C4HD)


Aha, that's interesting - I hadn't quite realised how many Sky-HD boxes were
out there.

Incidentally I presume that C4-HD can be decrypted on a Sky-HD box using a
FTV Sky card, or a Sky card previously used for a now discontinued
subscription (both cards being much the same thing I suppose) - i.e. C4-HD
doesn't require one to be a Sky subscriber?

One hopes that C4-HD, along with C4, E4 and More4, will make their way onto
FreeSat soon, but as you made clear to me recently that is dependent upon
space being secured on the already full Astra 2D so that the channels can be
broadcast without encryption (given the British Isles focus of Astra 2D's
footprint).

Freesat To Start...
 

Mizter T wrote:

: Incidentally I presume that C4-HD can be decrypted on a Sky-HD box using a
: FTV Sky card, or a Sky card previously used for a now discontinued
: subscription (both cards being much the same thing I suppose) - i.e. C4-HD
: doesn't require one to be a Sky subscriber?

Yes - C4HD is treated in exactly the same way as all the other C4 channels.
With a Sky-HD STB any subscription/expired/FreesatFromSky smartcard will
decode it. An (invisible to the user!) difference is that Sky are uplinking
C4HD on a Sky-leased transponder at the minute.

Getting hold of reasonably priced Sky-HD STBs needs the use of eBay or
other third-party retailers at present as standard Sky STB prices are based on
subscribing to Sky's own HD-service for a year.

Freesat To Start...
 

Mizter T wrote:

I hope C4-HD will be available soon on FreeSat, but it has the same
problem as C4, E4 and More4 - they all need to find some space on the
already full Astra 2D satellite which focusses its footprint on the
British Isles before they all go unencrypted. C4 won't be wanting to
broadcast in the clear on a footprint that covers much of Europe.

When you say that Astra 2D "focusses its footprint on the UK",
will FreeSat actually be visible in Europe (I'm thinking Tuscany)
with a large enough dish?


--
Timothy Murphy
e-mail (80k only): tim /at/ birdsnest.maths.tcd.ie
tel: +353-86-2336090, +353-1-2842366
s-mail: School of Mathematics, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland

Freesat To Start...
 

Timothy Murphy wrote:

: When you say that Astra 2D "focusses its footprint on the UK",
: will FreeSat actually be visible in Europe (I'm thinking Tuscany)
: with a large enough dish?

Astra 2D is more tightly beamed on the UK and the BBC (and others) use
this argument to (try to!) limit programme costs on bought-in material
BUT, with a large enough dish, it can be received in much of Europe. There
is a web-site (www.astra2d.com) which gives more details.

Freesat To Start...
 

Timothy Murphy wrote:
Mizter T wrote:

I hope C4-HD will be available soon on FreeSat, but it has the same
problem as C4, E4 and More4 - they all need to find some space on the
already full Astra 2D satellite which focusses its footprint on the
British Isles before they all go unencrypted. C4 won't be wanting to
broadcast in the clear on a footprint that covers much of Europe.

When you say that Astra 2D "focusses its footprint on the UK",
will FreeSat actually be visible in Europe (I'm thinking Tuscany)
with a large enough dish?

A friend in Milan has no problems using an 85cm dish, though the signal
probably falls sharply as you move east or south of there.

--
Mark
Please replace invalid and invalid with gmx and net to reply.

Freesat To Start...
 

Chris wrote:
...When?

Here we are, less than three weeks away from the supposed start date, and we
know nothing about what STBs will be available or even, when!

I did hear that Humax were going to be making Freesat STBs, but they refused
to tell me ANYTHING over the phone, and said "I must wait until the press
release". They wouldn't even tell me when that was likely to be.

Come on guys, somebody on this group must know something!


Chris.


Frankly, it doesn't matter. Unless C4/E4/More4 are on the line-up at
launch, it's a stillborn platform. The C5 channels would be nice too.

Realistically, who on earth is going to be interested in the BBC/ITV
Freesat offering when a chunk of the 'basic' channels are missing? Don't
get me wrong, I'd be up for it in a flash if C4, C5 et al were
available, but they're not - you've got to have a $ky box, so what's the
point?


Clem

Freesat To Start...
 

On 12 Feb, 16:47, Brian McIlwrath wrote:
Mizter T wrote:

: Incidentally I presume that C4-HD can be decrypted on a Sky-HD box using a
: FTV Sky card, or a Sky card previously used for a now discontinued
: subscription (both cards being much the same thing I suppose) - i.e. C4-HD
: doesn't require one to be a Sky subscriber?

Yes - C4HD is treated in exactly the same way as all the other C4 channels.
With a Sky-HD STB any subscription/expired/FreesatFromSky smartcard will
decode it. An (invisible to the user!) difference is that Sky are uplinking
C4HD on a Sky-leased transponder at the minute.


Thanks for confirming that.

The fact that Sky are uplinking it and transmitting it on a BSkyB-
leased transponder does make one wonder whether Sky's gameplan is to
try and keep C4-HD as a 'Sky-HD only' service (as it were) for as long
as possible and thus keep it off the 'rival' FreeSat platform.


Getting hold of reasonably priced Sky-HD STBs needs the use of eBay or
other third-party retailers at present as standard Sky STB prices are based on
subscribing to Sky's own HD-service for a year.


Are Sky not obliged to sell a customer a Sky-HD STB without an
associated subscription if they want one, or do they do this but
merely charge a punitive price?

Freesat To Start...
 

"Clem Dye" wrote in message
...
Chris wrote:
...When?

Here we are, less than three weeks away from the supposed start date, and
we know nothing about what STBs will be available or even, when!

I did hear that Humax were going to be making Freesat STBs, but they
refused to tell me ANYTHING over the phone, and said "I must wait until
the press release". They wouldn't even tell me when that was likely to
be.

Come on guys, somebody on this group must know something!


Chris.
Frankly, it doesn't matter. Unless C4/E4/More4 are on the line-up at
launch, it's a stillborn platform. The C5 channels would be nice too.

Realistically, who on earth is going to be interested in the BBC/ITV
Freesat offering when a chunk of the 'basic' channels are missing? Don't
get me wrong, I'd be up for it in a flash if C4, C5 et al were available,
but they're not - you've got to have a $ky box, so what's the point?


Clem

To me the points are simple: To save a tenner a month for the privilege of
using Sky+ and hopefuly to have a substantially more flexible EPG than Sky.

I'm quite sure channels 4 and 5 will be there before the end of the year and
in any event I can see them on Freeview. Of course judgement on the EPG
will have to be reserved until launch whenever that may be. I'll be down in
the local Comet as soon as they have hardware to play with.

In the mean time I'll continue to use Sky+. 6 years so far x a tenner a
month = £720. Makes me cringe.

D

Freesat To Start...
 

Clem Dye wrote:

Frankly, it doesn't matter. Unless C4/E4/More4 are on the line-up at
launch, it's a stillborn platform. The C5 channels would be nice too.

It'll be the only subscription free D-Sat PVR with 7 day EPG. A significant
fact for 25% of the UK population currently out of DTT range.

I want one, because a: I want to see the BBC and (soon to be launched) ITV HD
channels, and b: I want to record them.

I can live without C4 HD if need be.

--
Mark
Please replace invalid and invalid with gmx and net to reply.

Freesat To Start...
 

Vortex3 wrote:

: In the mean time I'll continue to use Sky+. 6 years so far x a tenner a
: month = £720. Makes me cringe.

For me it's £19/month including Sky+ - £17/month saving for Sky Broadbandd
over previous (and less good!) ISP = Great satisfaction!

Freesat To Start...
 

On 12 Feb, 20:23, Mark Carver wrote:
Clem Dye wrote:
Frankly, it doesn't matter. Unless C4/E4/More4 are on the line-up at
launch, it's a stillborn platform. The C5 channels would be nice too.

It'll be the only subscription free D-Sat PVR with 7 day EPG. A significant
fact for 25% of the UK population currently out of DTT range.

I want one, because a: I want to see the BBC and (soon to be launched) ITV HD
channels, and b: I want to record them.

I can live without C4 HD if need be.


But not having C4 SD would be a bit of a pain (along with no More4, I
can live without E4!).

As others have said though it surely must only be a matter of time
until the C4 (and C5) channels come to Freesat.

Freesat To Start...
 

In article
..com, Mizter T scribeth thus
On 12 Feb, 12:18, Mike wrote:
On Tue, 12 Feb 2008 11:41:07 +0000 (UTC), Brian McIlwrath

wrote:
David wrote:
: Is it thought these Freesat ones will be compatable with Europes satellite
: system?

Discussed (to death!) on the digitalspy forums (with limited input from
Humax) and the anwser seems to be that Freesat receivers will all be to
a very tight and controlled spec. (similar to Sky). So using on other
satellites *MAY* be possible - but not a design aim.

: Will they have DiSEq controls for movable dishes?

Explicitly said to be not.

So no real point in waiting for them is there?

--

Most people just want an easy to use system that gets them their free
UK channels - as David said, the existing systems are not really for
Joe Public, who don't care about having a moveable dish or an array of
other complex options, they just want it to work (and why not, I
say?).

I dunno if any of the existing STBs will support the MHEG system for
interactive services that FreeSat will be using.

Quite. They want a simple box easy to use and no sky or sub cards unless
they -want- to sub to Sky.

Just like the Freeview system and channel count but with a dish rather
then a massive Yagi array .

And better piccy quality then what Freeview can deliver..
--
Tony Sayer

Freesat To Start...
 

In article , Clem Dye
scribeth thus
Chris wrote:
...When?

Here we are, less than three weeks away from the supposed start date, and we
know nothing about what STBs will be available or even, when!

I did hear that Humax were going to be making Freesat STBs, but they refused
to tell me ANYTHING over the phone, and said "I must wait until the press
release". They wouldn't even tell me when that was likely to be.

Come on guys, somebody on this group must know something!


Chris.


Frankly, it doesn't matter. Unless C4/E4/More4 are on the line-up at
launch, it's a stillborn platform. The C5 channels would be nice too.

Realistically, who on earth is going to be interested in the BBC/ITV
Freesat offering when a chunk of the 'basic' channels are missing? Don't
get me wrong, I'd be up for it in a flash if C4, C5 et al were
available, but they're not - you've got to have a $ky box, so what's the
point?


Clem

Its all rather well thought about eh;!...
--
Tony Sayer

Freesat To Start...
 

"Mark Carver" wrote in message
...

I want one, because a: I want to see the BBC and (soon to be launched) ITV
HD channels, and b: I want to record them.

I can live without C4 HD if need be.

--
Mark
Please replace invalid and invalid with gmx and net to reply.


Mark, you took the words out of my mouth. These are the very same reasons
why I want one. Also, so I can appreciate the full potential of my HD ready
TV, without subscription.... Roll-on Freesat!

Chris.

Freesat To Start...
 

Mizter T wrote:

It'll be the only subscription free D-Sat PVR with 7 day EPG. A significant
fact for 25% of the UK population currently out of DTT range.

I want one, because a: I want to see the BBC and (soon to be launched) ITV HD
channels, and b: I want to record them.

I can live without C4 HD if need be.


But not having C4 SD would be a bit of a pain (along with no More4, I
can live without E4!).

But I've already got C4/M4/E4/F4/C5 etc etc SD, by virtue of Freeview DTT :-)


As others have said though it surely must only be a matter of time
until the C4 (and C5) channels come to Freesat.

Hopefully, yes.


--
Mark
Please replace invalid and invalid with gmx and net to reply.

Freesat To Start...
 

Chris wrote:
"Mark Carver" wrote in message
...
I want one, because a: I want to see the BBC and (soon to be launched) ITV
HD channels, and b: I want to record them.

I can live without C4 HD if need be.


Mark, you took the words out of my mouth. These are the very same reasons
why I want one. Also, so I can appreciate the full potential of my HD ready
TV, without subscription.... Roll-on Freesat!

Chris.



Now, if only the TV manufacturers would get their act together and use
30" as the switch from 720p to 1080p. The confines of my room preclude
the use of anything more than 32" :-( (I believe there are a *few* at
this size)

--
PeeGee

The reply address is a spam trap. All mail is reported as spam.
"Nothing should be able to load itself onto a computer without the
knowledge or consent of the computer user. Software should also be able
to be removed from a computer easily."
Peter Cullen, Microsoft Chief Privacy Strategist (Computing 18 Aug 05)

Freesat To Start...
 

On 13 Feb, 07:30, Mark Carver wrote:
Mizter T wrote:
It'll be the only subscription free D-Sat PVR with 7 day EPG. A significant
fact for 25% of the UK population currently out of DTT range.

I want one, because a: I want to see the BBC and (soon to be launched) ITV HD
channels, and b: I want to record them.

I can live without C4 HD if need be.

But not having C4 SD would be a bit of a pain (along with no More4, I
can live without E4!).

But I've already got C4/M4/E4/F4/C5 etc etc SD, by virtue of Freeview DTT :-)


True. But I suppose the lesson of ITV's late arrival on satellite /
Sky is that viewers prefer to be able to get all their channels on the
same system / from the same box. I guess dual Freesat/Freeview STBs
could be a solution of sorts to this, but it would still be a bit
messy however well it was implemented.


As others have said though it surely must only be a matter of time
until the C4 (and C5) channels come to Freesat.

Hopefully, yes.


If C4 ever gets given any licence fee money (not sure whether they
should or not myself but that's another debate) then I think they
really would be expected to be on Freesat. Anyway, time will tell what
happens with regards to C4 and C5 on Freesat - hopefully they'll be on
it by the year's end.

Freesat To Start...
 

On Tue, 12 Feb 2008 21:00:39 +0000, tony sayer
wrote:

Just like the Freeview system and channel count but with a dish rather
then a massive Yagi array .

And better piccy quality then what Freeview can deliver..

Why would they ever want to offer better picture quality? The whole
purpose and evolution of digital tv (and radio) is to cram as many
channels of the poorest quality in the smallest amount of spectrum.

The day digital tv for the viewer comes close to what is available in
the production environment is the day hell freezes over - aka the day
the engineers shot all the accountants.

--

Freesat To Start...
 

In article , Mike
scribeth thus
On Tue, 12 Feb 2008 21:00:39 +0000, tony sayer
wrote:

Just like the Freeview system and channel count but with a dish rather
then a massive Yagi array .

And better piccy quality then what Freeview can deliver..

Why would they ever want to offer better picture quality? The whole
purpose and evolution of digital tv (and radio) is to cram as many
channels of the poorest quality in the smallest amount of spectrum.

The day digital tv for the viewer comes close to what is available in
the production environment is the day hell freezes over -


aka the day
the engineers shot all the accountants.


Yay!...

Never happen tho...

They wouldn't let 'em spend on the guns and ammo;!..

--
Tony Sayer

Freesat To Start...
 

On Wed, 13 Feb 2008 11:51:20 +0000, Mike wrote:

Why would they ever want to offer better picture quality? The whole
purpose and evolution of digital tv (and radio) is to cram as many
channels of the poorest quality in the smallest amount of spectrum.

That is the policy for DTV in the UKofGB&NI but it is not the policy
in other countries, either Australasian, European, or North American.

It is not a question of analog versus digital, but how you licence
the spectrum.

Freesat To Start...
 

"Clem Dye" wrote in message
...
Chris wrote:
...When?

Here we are, less than three weeks away from the supposed start date, and
we know nothing about what STBs will be available or even, when!

I did hear that Humax were going to be making Freesat STBs, but they
refused to tell me ANYTHING over the phone, and said "I must wait until
the press release". They wouldn't even tell me when that was likely to
be.

Come on guys, somebody on this group must know something!


Chris.
Frankly, it doesn't matter. Unless C4/E4/More4 are on the line-up at
launch, it's a stillborn platform. The C5 channels would be nice too.

Realistically, who on earth is going to be interested in the BBC/ITV
Freesat offering when a chunk of the 'basic' channels are missing? Don't
get me wrong, I'd be up for it in a flash if C4, C5 et al were available,
but they're not - you've got to have a $ky box, so what's the point?


Agreed. Lack of Channel 4 and Five will kill the system before it starts
IMO.

Freesat To Start...
 

Brian W wrote:

Agreed. Lack of Channel 4 and Five will kill the system before it starts
IMO.

Maybe they'll go for a soft launch to begin with, and then start
actively promoting the service when 4 and 5 are on board.

Freesat To Start...
 

"Ben" wrote in message
...
Brian W wrote:

Agreed. Lack of Channel 4 and Five will kill the system before it starts
IMO.

Maybe they'll go for a soft launch to begin with, and then start
actively promoting the service when 4 and 5 are on board.

Are FIVE interested in Freesat though?