BBC/ITV Freesat website launched

"Adrian A" wrote in message
om...
wrote:
On 3 Dec, 09:40, Mark Carver wrote:
On Dec 3, 8:49 am, "Malcolm H" wrote:

Can somebody explain what are the advantages of 'Freesat' over a Sky
digibox.

Without any subscription the Sky box will receive all of the
'Freesat' channels PLUS Ch.4, Ch5, and other FTV channels which
Freesat will NOT receive (assuming, of course, that a FTV card is
used).

The Sky EPG is perfectly satisfactory and works on all channels.
What EPG is proposed for 'Freesat'?

A 7 day EPG, and what's significant is that BBC/ITV Freesat will
enable a PVR that can be set from a 7 day EPG. That can't be provided
by Sky without a subscription.

What you're trying to say is correct (i.e. currently you need to pay
money to Sky to get PVR functionality on their service) - but of
course that _could_ be provided by Sky for "free" - it will be
interesting to see just how much Sky want to hurt Freesat. Sky "giving
away" PVR functionality would make Freesat irrelevant for many
consumers.

Cheers,
David.

Also a 'Freesat' box can provide HD, currently just BBC HD but ITV & C4
will be starting a free HD service within a few months.
Channel 4 HD requires a Sky viewing card so won't work on BBC Freesat (until
Ch4's contract with Sky expires and they go FTA)

"David" wrote in message
...

"Brian McIlwrath" wrote in message
...


Finally currently all the cheap satellite system installations involve
subscribing to Sky.

On the downside NOT all channels currently on Freeview will be on
Freesat.

: Without any subscription the Sky box will receive all of the 'Freesat'
: channels PLUS Ch.4, Ch5, and other FTV channels which Freesat will NOT
: receive (assuming, of course, that a FTV card is used).


Sorry I get the satellite broadcasts without a subcription.
On both a Sky box and a NON- Sky box, NOW!

So how are you getting Ch4 and Five without a Sky card?

In uk.tech.digital-tv Brian W wrote:
: will be starting a free HD service within a few months.
: Channel 4 HD requires a Sky viewing card so won't work on BBC Freesat (until
: Ch4's contract with Sky expires and they go FTA)

Also C4HD will be on a BSkyB owned transponder (and thus must be uplinked
by them). To go FTA in the future they will need to find transponders for
this (and all their other channels) on Astra 2D and organise other
uplinking!

"Brian McIlwrath" wrote in message
...
In uk.tech.tv.sky Mike wrote:

: Sky's EPG is IMHO just horrible. Badly designed, badly executed and
: with a mind blowingly hopeless user interface.

Well I (and almost everyone else who comments on it!) are going to totally
disagree!

I have been using the Sky EPG since Sky Digital began in the UK and find it
excellent. It is many years since I found it necessary to consult a third
party programme guide.

I also have Freeview and find the EPG primitive by comparison.

In message , Brian McIlwrath
writes
Also C4HD will be on a BSkyB owned transponder (and thus must be uplinked
by them). To go FTA in the future they will need to find transponders for
this (and all their other channels) on Astra 2D and organise other
uplinking!
According to "What Satellite" a large number of the Sky digital channels
are transmitted from the co-located Eurobird1.
--
Clive.

"Alan LeHun" wrote in message
...
In article ,
says...
Which is about as much use as a chocolate teapot when you are 500
digits (or a hundred arrow presses) away from the channel where you
want to view the details.

I set my favorites at strategic points through the channels and use them
+ the arrow keys to get to any channel (that I'm likely to want to
watch) pretty painlessly.


Sky's EPG is IMHO just horrible. Badly designed, badly executed and
with a mind blowingly hopeless user interface.


That might be a bit harsh but I wouldn't try to argue you with it. It is
pretty dire.

I suspect that anyone who has a DVDR equiped with GuidePlus+ would be only
too happy to agree that it is vastly superior to the Sky EPG.

brianf

In uk.tech.digital-tv Clive. wrote:
: Also C4HD will be on a BSkyB owned transponder (and thus must be uplinked
: by them). To go FTA in the future they will need to find transponders for
: this (and all their other channels) on Astra 2D and organise other
: uplinking!
: According to "What Satellite" a large number of the Sky digital channels
: are transmitted from the co-located Eurobird1.

This is true! However ONLY Astra 2D has transponders which are (more) tightly
focused on the UK and the only way that mainstream broadcasters (presently
BBC and ITV) can become FTA. Otherwise the costs of acquiring programmes
would become silly. Whilst the progammes are encrypted this is accepted
as a "confined to the UK" argument.

It is likely that C4 will need to find one or more Astra 2D transponders
- or another solution - before they can become FTA (and thus available to
Freesat).

Brian McIlwrath wrote:
In uk.tech.digital-tv Brian W wrote:
: will be starting a free HD service within a few months.
: Channel 4 HD requires a Sky viewing card so won't work on BBC Freesat (until
: Ch4's contract with Sky expires and they go FTA)

Also C4HD will be on a BSkyB owned transponder (and thus must be uplinked
by them).

That's an interesting departure from their SD arrangements, where Arqiva
provide the code, mux, and uplink.

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

In uk.tech.digital-tv Mark Carver wrote:
:
: Also C4HD will be on a BSkyB owned transponder (and thus must be uplinked
: by them).

: That's an interesting departure from their SD arrangements, where Arqiva
: provide the code, mux, and uplink.

Arqiva are heavily involved in C4HD (their web-site says so!). However they
do not have any HD transponders and C4HD appears to be (for now anyway!)
on 11798H - which must be an arrangement with Sky.

Brian McIlwrath wrote:
In uk.tech.digital-tv Mark Carver wrote:

Also C4HD will be on a BSkyB owned transponder (and thus must be
uplinked by them).

That's an interesting departure from their SD arrangements, where
Arqiva provide the code, mux, and uplink.

Arqiva are heavily involved in C4HD (their web-site says so!).
However they do not have any HD transponders and C4HD appears to be
(for now anyway!) on 11798H - which must be an arrangement with Sky.

Sky don't _own_ any transponders, they rent them from SES.