Skybox as FTA - C4 quirk?

dgently

For some time, I have enjoyed FTA service via my Skybox on the UK EPG, having simply removing my expired Irish card to bring up a nice full listing of all the UK channels.

I know that C4 on Channel 135 is still encrypted, but I'm mystified to find it missing from my UK EPG. 134 is there, More4 is viewable on 136, but 135 is simply missing from the listing. I never really bothered looking before, because I knew it was encrypted.

If I reinsert the card to invoke the Irish EPG, C4 is there (still encrypted of course).

I've already tuned the test transmissions, (thanks again to those who supplied the info in the stickies).

But when C4 finally goes FTA, will I still be unable to see it? Apologies if I've missed this issue in another thread - I have looked...

muincav

It is FTA-all you have to do is tune it in to your other channels-
Check it out and Channel 4 is available here:
10729 V 22000 5/6
The channel name is 8350-

byte

Yeah, I've noticed that wihtout card, C4 doesn't get listed on 104, like BBC and ITV from 101-103.

I'd presume it's C4's request that this is the case. Maybe they don't want too many knowing any satellite receiver can receive it other than Freesat. Might be the reason that they've a Channel ID of 8350, and not "Channel 4"

Gadgie

135 is Channel 4 +1 on the UK EPG.

dgently

byte wrote: »

Yeah, I've noticed that without card, C4 doesn't get listed on 104, like BBC and ITV from 101-103.

I'd presume it's C4's request that this is the case. Maybe they don't want too many knowing any satellite receiver can receive it other than Freesat. Might be the reason that they've a Channel ID of 8350, and not "Channel 4"

Forgot that it wold be promoted to 104 on the UK EPG, but as you say it's not there anyway. I can't imagine a commercial channel wanting to hide from any viewer for any reason - it does seem to be an odd quirk.

If a channel isn't properly listed on Sky EPG, it is little better than useless with my current setup. But I'm not going to use the Irish Sky EPG and sacrifice 2xBBC and 2xITV EPG listing in the process.

Bummer. One more good reason to get a proper Freesat receiver!

DMC

Channel 4 are slowly breaking their encryption ties with Sky.

Remember that not all Channel 4 ad regions are FTA yet. Only London, and no Ch4 +1 channels either. I wouldn't read too much into it, once everything of Channel 4's goes FTA, it will appear. The default ITV1 region for Sky boxes without cards is Central West.

givecredit

dgently wrote: »

Forgot that it wold be promoted to 104 on the UK EPG, but as you say it's not there anyway. I can't imagine a commercial channel wanting to hide from any viewer for any reason - it does seem to be an odd quirk.

If a channel isn't properly listed on Sky EPG, it is little better than useless with my current setup. But I'm not going to use the Irish Sky EPG and sacrifice 2xBBC and 2xITV EPG listing in the process.

Bummer. One more good reason to get a proper Freesat receiver!

Non of the Channel 4s or 4+1 channels are free to air yet on the sky epg in UK or ROI. iTS ONLY 8350 channel that free to air at present. We expect this to change in the autumn..

byte

DMC wrote: »

Channel 4 are slowly breaking their encryption ties with Sky.

Remember that not all Channel 4 ad regions are FTA yet. Only London, and no Ch4 +1 channels either. I wouldn't read too much into it, once everything of Channel 4's goes FTA, it will appear. The default ITV1 region for Sky boxes without cards is Central West.

Yeah, forgot about that. The rest will probably become available after all encryption ties have expired with Sky.

dgently

givecredit wrote: »

Non of the Channel 4s or 4+1 channels are free to air yet on the sky epg in UK or ROI. iTS ONLY 8350 channel that free to air at present. We expect this to change in the autumn..

Yes, I understand that they're still encrypted. But I don't understand why C4 doesn't feature at all on the default London Sky EPG. Lots of the channels on that EPG are fully listed but encrypted (Sky, Dave etc). C4s absence seems to be a quirk.

I'll just sit tight and hope that it pops up in the Autumn. Thanks to all for the responses.

watty

Same reason I guess Five is not there unless you have a FTV card?
(Actually I haven't looked lately)