Channel 4 & Deflectors

Mossy Monk

i am really confused about all the talk of Channel 4 leaving the FTV setup. if they do it will mean S4C for all again on deflectors not that it is a bad channel or anything, it is the hours of Welsh language programming every night that i don't like and some good C4 programmes being shown at stupid times of the day

Mike 1972

The deflector group could always take out a "value pack" subscription from a UK address or even source Channel 4 on a freeview box

johnnyq

will all this take place on thursday ?

byte

I thought technically, C4 would remain Free but you'd need a viewing card. So if you didn't already have a FTV card, then the only other way to get a card was take on a subscription and cancel afterwards?

Mossy Monk

Originally posted by byte
So if you didn't already have a FTV card, then the only other way to get a card was take on a subscription and cancel afterwards?

so if you already have a FTV card Channel 4 would be safe. my card can't be replaced because they don't replace them anymore. i might just get another digibox and use an old FTV card on it. if Channel 4 is replaced by S4C in deflector land i will be annoyed. i will end up having S4C on 2 different frequencies instead of 1 i'll find out on Thursday anyway

watty

Looks like pale FTV cards and pale cancelled sub card stop working for ITV in August.

Dark blue FTV cards (new ones ) stop working for ITV in December.

Any FTV card may stop working for C4 and Five at any time after 10 th July. They might be subscription only even on UK satellite.

---> but only Sky really knows.

Lennoxschips

I've never been in delfector land. Is it just plain unscrambled analogue terrestrial? What's the quality like?

watty

In Limerick and Clare it used to be worse than Cable.

It was always unscrambled because no-one can afford the set-top decoders (look at how bad the expensive Jerrolds are).

If not enough people paid a subscription they would turn it off and go round the doors.

I was approached in 1985 or 1986 to design distribution for Clare and Kerry and a Scrambler system.

We had a final meeting in the Railway Hotel in Limerick. They decided to do nothing as the various TV dealers and interested parties couldn't decide how to split the costs or how to recover them.

My parting contribution (if they wern't interested in the terrestrial plan with microwave redistribution) was that all this "deflector"/"retransmission" stuff was a waste of time an money, and the thing was to get a nation wide group and either buy or rent space on a cheap Russian Satellite. At the time the Russians had direct to villlage Upper UHF band from Satellite in India. The Recievers needed no LNB and could use a mesh dish due to low frequency.

My idea was that each Irish village could have a local low power TV transmitter (instead of distant mountain top deflector) and single big mesh dish receiver.

Anyways many "deflectors" (MATV/CATV retransmission systems) simply died out not due to Government clamp down, but lack of local funding (folks want it free), or planning, or expertise or management etc.

Mossy Monk

Originally posted by Lennoxschips
I've never been in delfector land. Is it just plain unscrambled analogue terrestrial? What's the quality like?

where i am the picture isn't the best but it's better than nothing. Dunmore East comes in best with the exception of Channel 4 and Channel 5 which are really poor. Channel 4 is poor due to interferance from another deflector but i have it on ch 22 anyway

Smeagol

Just interested. I can pick up BBC1 (ch49h) BBC2 (ch55h) UTV (52h) and C4 (ch58h) from somewhere in the Mayo direction, I'm in Dromahaire Co. Leitrim. Does anyone know where exactly this deflector is? Heard it was Kiltimagh, could that be right?
Can also pick up C4 on ch21h from about that direction, and no, its not Divis from the back.

loftus

Yes Smeagol this deflector is in Kiltimagh. I live in swinford and thats whare I get my uk Tv from. Thay wont change after thursday as the only channel thay get from a digibox is BBC 1 NI the other three are received from Brougher mountain.

johnnyq

I don't think things will change at all

Mike 1972

Most of The deflectors in Mayo used to fall into the "Pretty Brutal but better than nothing" category but in the last couple of years most of have really cleaned up their picture quality (the odd hiccup aside)

bkehoe

Several deflectors may actually be able to get freeview, as many of the 'good' ones have giant antennas for receiving analogue from the UK. The big huge reflector and antenna are still present at Dunmore East for example, and because of the altitude and unobstructed view to wales would have no problems getting a good enough signal for freeview. If they get freeview, then they can get Channel4, and S4C (for wales sourced ones).