ITV 2,3,4 to go HD on Sky platform.Confirmed

ynotdu

Is this the thin edge of the wedge that will lead to ITV pulling from Freesat altogether?
I see on the Broadcasting forum Yesterday it speculated that it might go PPV for shows such as the X-Factor etc.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-10848396

homer911

ynotdu wrote: »

Is this the thin edge of the wedge that will lead to ITV pulling from Freesat altogether?
I see on the Broadcasting forum Yesterday it speculated that it might go PPV for shows such as the X-Factor etc.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-10848396

It guarantees we will never see these channels on Freesat - but I think its more likely to safeguard the existing platform

JDxtra

Sky is subsidising broadcasters to setup HD channels. That’s where the £10/€15 per month HD tax is going.

Shame, as it means they’ll never appear on Freesat. It’s also unlikely they’ll appear on the Irish EPG or be accessible via other channels (same as C4 HD & C5 HD).

Minstrel27

What exactly would they show on ITV3 HD?

ynotdu

homer911 wrote: »

It guarantees we will never see these channels on Freesat - but I think its more likely to safeguard the existing platform

Well there is rumour around the place that Freesat were considering a box with a CAM slot module for pay TV services.
difficult to know what will become of that if ITV see benifits and SKY offer them deals for exclusive carridge.
SKY could offer to keep them on CH 103 on the default EPG if they decided to relinquish their PSB status when it comes up for renewel may'be?

One Media comentator described it as a "Toe in the water"
Freesat might have to move fast but how many people would buy a Freesat decoder to replace one that works fine for them just now?

SKY will do all it can to poach from Freesat.
They are unstopable usually except through Legislation which most Govt's have been too frightened of 'THE EMPIRE' to ever pass.
even when they were forced to break up into a six mix,they got round that by charging a high amount for the first mix and a small fee for the other five.
Then they went further and some how or other channels You wanted ended up in a package You would not expect. eg:TCM is not in Movies,ESPN Classic is not in Sports,etc.

You don't just have to get up early to catch them,You have to stay awake all night!:)

Macy0161

It's a bit early to say that they'll never be on Freesat, imo. Crozier previously mooted moving all but ITV1 to pay tv, but backed down.

I guess it has the potential to go either way in terms of Freesat. If it bombs it'll strengthen the Freesat brand, if it's a success it could effect the available channels going forward.

I think Freesat passed the 1 million customers earlier in the year, so hard to see them seriously effecting the current line up too much without serious problems.

STB

JDxtra wrote: »

Sky is subsidising broadcasters to setup HD channels. That’s where the £10/€15 per month HD tax is going.

Shame, as it means they’ll never appear on Freesat. It’s also unlikely they’ll appear on the Irish EPG or be accessible via other channels (same as C4 HD & C5 HD).

JD

Only thing stoppng Ch4HD going on freesat is the lack of space on 2D the only tight beam on the otherwise 28.2 wideband satellite. Because of the nature of their content rights holders tend to jump up and down if the program is broadcast outside its intended and licensed jurisdiction. In this case there is much money to be made in Germany etc. Of course not if the UK stations are booming in.

This is the other reason that you wont see any more HD channels on freesat until those new spot beam birds go up for 2E,F, and G. Apparently, Sky have any capacity that is available including that much wanted on 2D - on which Sky are broadcasting encrypted content at the moment (the RTEs for example).

JDxtra

True, C4 HD may be different.

Sky have 4 transponders on 2D with encrypted content (Irish Channels, Sky Real Lives and even Box Office content). I'm sure they could move these if they really wanted to, but that would only open up the space for their competition (Freesat)...

ynotdu

JDxtra wrote: »

True, C4 HD may be different.

Sky have 4 transponders on 2D with encrypted content (Irish Channels, Sky Real Lives and even Box Office content). I'm sure they could move these if they really wanted to, but that would only open up the space for their competition (Freesat)...

So really ITV are in a perfect posistion to take advantage of whatever way the wind blows?
Or is there fault in that logic?

Macy0161

ynotdu wrote: »

So really ITV are in a perfect posistion to take advantage of whatever way the wind blows?
Or is there fault in that logic?

Well it gives Crozier the excuse to test his theory about making up falling advertising with subs, without actually going against Freesat as there isn't the capacity anyway.

redout

Freesat flew past the 1 million subscriber mark back in march.

I would guess with the World Cup they must have added another huge swath of people on top of that.

I cannot see this being the end of the platform at all.

ITV 2,3,4 HD are not particularly great channels in the first place.

As long as ITV 1 HD remains on the platform they should be fine.

ftakeith

redout wrote: »

Freesat flew past the 1 million subscriber mark back in march.

I would guess with the World Cup they must have added another huge swath of people on top of that.

I cannot see this being the end of the platform at all.

ITV 2,3,4 HD are not particularly great channels in the first place.

As long as ITV 1 HD remains on the platform they should be fine.

the SD versions will remain fta so who wants to see the xtra factor in hd such as louis walsh stating this is the best competition ever

I predict those HD versions will be fta by 2012 when UK digital switchover is completed

mike65

No one is going to flee from Freesat for the sake of ITV channels in HD, what are they going to show? Old stuff that will be upscaled (imagine 80s videotape shot shows like Rumpole in fake HD!) and ITV2 crap thats spin off matieral from the big ITV1 shows.

ynotdu

mike65 wrote: »

No one is going to flee from Freesat for the sake of ITV channels in HD, what are they going to show? Old stuff that will be upscaled (imagine 80s videotape shot shows like Rumpole in fake HD!) and ITV2 crap thats spin off matieral from the big ITV1 shows.

Hi Mike,without in the least way trying to be smart,What would most likely happen if ITV decided its best way forward was to be a purely commercial enterprise and damn the the Status of PSB?
Can ANYBODY see another operator bidding to replace it and carry the costs of Local news/regions etc?

enfant terrible

Are these likely to show up on the Irish EPG when they launch will they give us ITV 1 HD too.

ftakeith

enfant terrible wrote: »

Are these likely to show up on the Irish EPG when they launch will they give us ITV 1 HD too.

no only on the uk sky card as tv3 wants us to watch the xtra factor with them

Mr McBoatface

In my opinion there is not much worth watching on ITV outside of ITV1 all this means is more up-scaled crap, it's not true HD material. Sh*t material in = Sh*t material out.

With the exception of Sport and some true HD material which usually originates from the US the HDTV revolution continues to underwhelm. I'm glad I'm not paying for it.

My worry now is that SD channels will have their bit rates dropped and PQ reduced to give the impression these so called HD channels are much better than they actually are.

Also In my opinion I don't think Sky are to concerned with Freesat as a competitor, Freesat and freeview customers decided they don't want pay TV, just like many on this forum most would never return to pay TV subs. Sky will use this to promote a switch from other UK pay TV providers like Virgin who's customers are willing to spend money.

blueser

redout wrote: »

Freesat flew past the 1 million subscriber mark back in march.

I would guess with the World Cup they must have added another huge swath of people on top of that.

I cannot see this being the end of the platform at all.

ITV 2,3,4 HD are not particularly great channels in the first place.

As long as ITV 1 HD remains on the platform they should be fine.

Holly Willoughby in HD on the Xtra Factor!!
*wipes drool off chin*

Zonda999

blueser wrote: »

Holly Willoughby in HD on the Xtra Factor!!
*wipes drool off chin*

She's not doing it any more i'm afraid, or she's not doing it for this season anyway!

Konnie Huq is doing it instead!

ynotdu

blueser wrote: »

Holly Willoughby in HD on the Xtra Factor!!
*wipes drool off chin*

:D:D

mburke

Looking at the poll in the guardian website it doesn't look like people will pay for the service.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/poll/2010/aug/03/itv-pay-tv

Dymo

Listening to some English radio stations discussing this proposal they were drawing comparisons with the last time ITV charged for digital broadcasts "ITV DIGITAL" and they lost a billion. People just can't see what the other ITV channels have to offer for a premium price, they haven't even got enough content for one channel.

redout

mburke wrote: »

Looking at the poll in the guardian website it doesn't look like people will pay for the service.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/poll/2010/aug/03/itv-pay-tv

LoL

93.9% have voted "No, there is nothing on it worth watching"

Cantona's Collars

ITV has gone down the tubes since the explosion of reality tv,they now depend on such dross to bring in the numbers.I watch very little of ITV content and TV3 is just ITV lite.As far as it going ppv I don't really care,we'll see how loyal people are to the Simon Cowell juggernaut and the soaps if they have to pay to watch 'em.
The only thing I watched regularly on ITV was the World Cup in HD even then turned over to RTE for Dunphy and the lads at half time.God,even channel 5 has better stuff these days.

Minstrel27

mburke wrote: »

Looking at the poll in the guardian website it doesn't look like people will pay for the service.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/poll/2010/aug/03/itv-pay-tv

Anyone with Sky HD in the UK (and there are a million plus) will be paying for these ITV HD channels.

redout

Minstrel27 wrote: »

Anyone with Sky HD in the UK (and there are a million plus) will be paying for these ITV HD channels.

But they dont have a choice.

blueser

Zonda999 wrote: »

She's not doing it any more i'm afraid, or she's not doing it for this season anyway!

Konnie Huq is doing it instead!

She'll do!

Digifriendly

redout wrote: »

Freesat flew past the 1 million subscriber mark back in march.

Didn't know you subscribed to Freesat?:)

Minstrel27

redout wrote: »

But they dont have a choice.

They will still be paying for them.

FREETV

mburke wrote: »

Looking at the poll in the guardian website it doesn't look like people will pay for the service.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/poll/2010/aug/03/itv-pay-tv

It is not surprising really as there is no real attraction in watching the same rubbish in a slightly better picture. The content is awful, particularily on ITV2 with that reality rubbish which is a waste of airtime and as the late Ronnie James Dio called American Idol, "American Karaoke" and said that the so called singers never paid their dues. Same thing with The X Factor. I agree that HOLLY WILLOUGHBY IS A BEAUTY! ITV3 is just repeats of mostly old muck that was on ITV1 with a little of BBC show repeats like Goodnight Sweetheart for instance. Some people watch utter rubbish and have no taste like Channel 4's Big Brother which is finished for good this year thank God because of very low viewing figures in the last few years. I would rather watch paint dry than watch that reality muck with people on it who belong in the twilight zone.

redout

Digifriendly wrote: »

Didn't know you subscribed to Freesat?:)

Perhaps subscribe is not the correct word but I do believe you must buy a freesat receiver to get the freesat service. A fta box is hardly freesat as it wont get you the freesat epg nor the BBC iPlayer service or the upcoming ITV player.

snaps

I barely watch any ITV now. "The Bill" i have watched since day one, i always watch the Bill and when that finishes soon, alas ITV will be dead for me.

If there is nothing on, ITV4 sometimes churns up a few good memories for me, The Proffesionals, Minder etc. But thats only if there really is nothing else on.

For me the BBC are churning out some great programmes also in HD format.

To name but a few:
Sherlock
Coast
Normans
The silence (The drama about the deaf girl that witnessed the murder)
Top gear
etc, etc

Ch4 also is taking up a lot of my viewing time.

The men that jump of buildings and dispatches in general was/is great.

Five also getting there, HD coverage now of CSI, Gadget show (Suzi perry in cat suit last week.....), Fith gear

Macy0161

ITV4 can be ok for sport - second picks for Champions League, UEFA cup. Also has the Tour De France with the best presenters there are (plus UK domestic cycling).

As said by another poster, would occasionally watch one of the old minders on ITV3. However, it's quite popular with the inlaws for the repeats of the 90's detective programmes. They wouldn't be arsed about HD though, not that much could possible be HD (is much of it even widescreen?)

ITV2, can't remember when I watched any of it, although the missus does sometimes get drawn into the x factor, so watches whatever the additional one is.

ITV1 Very occasional drama's. Law and Order UK was ok, and watched the Fixer (wasn't that great but better than whatever else was on at the time). Apart from that I'd watch occasional local news/ programmes from where I used to live.

So all in all the whole suite wouldn't be much lose to me personally. However, if they do go pay with their "digital" channels it will damage Freesat/FTA and that has the potential to effect me!

mike65

Minder is on ITV4.

Macy0161

So it is. So I don't actually watch ITV3 at all then!

Minstrel27

Macy0161 wrote: »

ITV4 can be ok for sport - second picks for Champions League

Since last season ITV have only one Champions League game per week. That is shown on ITV1.

Macy0161

Ok, ok, I don't watch it at all then as it turns out, apart from the cycling...

Barack Obama

Great - 4 channels of crap instead of one!

Digifriendly

redout wrote: »

Perhaps subscribe is not the correct word but I do believe you must buy a freesat receiver to get the freesat service. A fta box is hardly freesat as it wont get you the freesat epg nor the BBC iPlayer service or the upcoming ITV player.

Was only joking and you're absolutely right re Freesat.