BBCs Freesat vs Skys FTV

wil

I dont want to start any kind of rumour or unfounded speculation but does anyone have any opinion/fear or hard knowledge on whether BBCs proposed Freesat service could have any effect or mean the end of free BBC/ITV on Astra2.
Excerpt from a report on a BBC trust press release
[It added that a number of responses to its consultations had expressed concern about the public becoming reliant on Sky - in particular Sky's existing "Freesat from Sky" offering, ..... Addressing that point, the BBC Trust said that "BSkyB is under no regulatory obligation to provide subscription-free access and we think it reasonable to conclude that it does so as a commercial choice," and added: "...there is no guarantee that there would remain a subscription-free route to access BBC services in the future."]

Do you think OFCOM would consider current FTA sat viewers relevent when all UK customers will have the alternative of using Freeview DTT or Freesat boxes. As we Irish viewers do not contribute to the UK licence fee, and Sky gains little from Irish FTA customers, what reason is there for them to continue providing FTA channels. Does Irelands future DTT service (guffaw)
have any bearing on this? Could Sky not simply offer a similar RTE/TV3 Freesat service?
<End Qx>

BBC Freesat
For those who arent aware, including myself till recently, BBC/ITV intend to launch a FTV Freesat service, nattily name Freesat so that people wont get
it mixed up with Skys FTA/FTV Freesat service named Freesat. Mods prepare to be well and truly fed up answering that one in future.
It is aimed at the estimated 25% of UK residences that wont be able to receive Freeview the Free DTT service.
It is possible even likely that it will be either soft encrypted or require a smartcard, no details are available yet, but a specific settopbox is in the pipeline. It was due to start September 2007 but has been put back to Spring 2008 due to various delays. (I wonder if they might be among other things stalling until Ch4 comes out of contract with Sky as it was envisaged to go ahead without Ch4 initally but leave space on the epg for it)

watty

It won't be the end of FTA TV. BBC is opposed to ANY viewing card as it could give Government control.

Sky can't block FTA. Sky actually pay BBC for BBC1 NI and BBC2 NI on the EPG.

Sky only rent some space on the satellites at 28.2E. They are not a satellite operator.

Most of the channels part of Freesat are already only via "other channels" on Sky box.

Freesat / BBC will continue to pay for UK EPG listings, so ANY skybox without Irish card inserted will continue to get full UK EPG.

This was supposed to launch over a year ago but was delayed.

Sky has no interest in an Irish Freesat service. They are only here to sell subscriptions.

A FTA box will also receive all the Freesat.

An actual Freesat box will likely have interactive & full program guide, at present only on a Sky box. That is the reason for BBC/ITV/C4 Freesat.

radiofoot

Hi,

Just read the attached link and it refers to freesat moving to Eurobird 1 and the possibility of encryption. Does this change things? Is Eurobird generally receivable from a dish pointed at Astra?

http://www.astra2d.com/freesat.htm

Sorry to reopen an old thread, but I imagine this is going to be a topic for a lot of discussion between now and March 2008!

Tony

I don't think theres a problem in re- opening an old thread, surely better than opening new threads on well talked about subjects as happens here often.

I agree there will be more discussion on this as time moves on. I think encryption has been mentioned as originally 2d was used on the basis of its (so called) limited coverage and this in some way reassured rights holders. Eurobird can be picked up no problem by the same dish and I think the issue may arise if the programme rights holders kick up a fuss. In my view this will be more relevant to ITV than bbc given their content. I any case 2d can be received right now in France , Belgium and the Netherlands with relatively small dishes so hopefully all will remain FTA which will help keep box prices down.

radiofoot wrote: »

Hi,

Just read the attached link and it refers to freesat moving to Eurobird 1 and the possibility of encryption. Does this change things? Is Eurobird generally receivable from a dish pointed at Astra?

http://www.astra2d.com/freesat.htm

Sorry to reopen an old thread, but I imagine this is going to be a topic for a lot of discussion between now and March 2008!

musa

radiofoot wrote: »

Hi,

Just read the attached link and it refers to freesat moving to Eurobird 1 and the possibility of encryption. Does this change things? Is Eurobird generally receivable from a dish pointed at Astra?

http://www.astra2d.com/freesat.htm

Sorry to reopen an old thread, but I imagine this is going to be a topic for a lot of discussion between now and March 2008!

Would it be a good idea if someone could please put a map on the threads showing the "Easy to receive Birds".No fancy over the horizon stuff,and I thought the convention was to describe the satellite in terms of 28 degrees,perhaps as well as the given name?"What Satellite" mag had a useful,if choc o bloc map.Do not send a web address please.Just put the thread map up,thank you.

John mac

try here for maps

The link is only one map but the others are there as well.

Sam Radford

wil wrote: »

BBC/ITV intend to launch a FTV Freesat service, nattily name Freesat

Just for the record, BBC have the original registered trademark for "Freesat". It appears that Sky decided to "cash in" on the idea by promoting their own existing "Free To View" service and calling it "FreesatFromSky" (which everyone naturally abbreviates to "Freesat"!)

Onikage

Perhaps the people weary of confusing acroynms could shorten it to FFS

wil

musa wrote: »

Would it be a good idea if someone could please put a map on the threads showing the "Easy to receive Birds".No fancy over the horizon stuff,and I thought the convention was to describe the satellite in terms of 28 degrees,perhaps as well as the given name?"What Satellite" mag had a useful,if choc o bloc map.Do not send a web address please.Just put the thread map up,thank you.

Zaphods excellent list of sats and transformers might be of use.
It lists only the sats receivable on a 1.2m in Ireland and transponders to lock on to.
http://bytelive.com/wiki/tiki-index.php?page=Beacon+Transponders
If it's not on here, it's probably not worth looking for.
With a smaller dish of course some will be harder to get.

wil

musa wrote: »

Would it be a good idea if someone could please put a map on the threads showing the "Easy to receive Birds".No fancy over the horizon stuff,and I thought the convention was to describe the satellite in terms of 28 degrees,perhaps as well as the given name?"What Satellite" mag had a useful,if choc o bloc map.Do not send a web address please.Just put the thread map up,thank you.

Zaphods excellent list of sats and transformers might be of use.
It lists only the sats receivable on a 1.2m in Ireland and transponders to lock on to.
http://bytelive.com/wiki/tiki-index.php?page=Beacon+Transponders
If it's not on here, it's probably not worth looking for.
With a smaller dish of course some will be harder to get.

Yes Onikage FFS might be be a better TLA for FreesatFromSky. Nobody could forget that ffs.;)