RTÉNL Saorview-DTT Public Information

dublinman1990

I see now that they have included & updated the going digital website with some new pages and a little tidy up.

This page includes different options for Digital TV which provides a description about each one below.

http://www.goingdigital.ie/Sections/Cost+and+Options/Switchover+Options+Skeleton.htm#SaorView

And this one; is for comparing various Digital TV options. Only things not there though is FTA satellite or Freesat from the UK.

http://www.goingdigital.ie/Sections/Cost+and+Options/Compare+services.htm

watty

Pathetic softly softly mustn't upset Sky or UPC!

mike65

That's interesting as the newsprint ads for same included Freesat as an option.

The Cush

mike65 wrote: »

That's interesting as the newsprint ads for same included Freesat as an option.

I haven't seen Freesat mentioned in any of the Saorview newspaper ads only free-to-air satellite like this one I posted previously - http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=80008879&postcount=559.

Same ads in today's Sunday newspapers with SKY/UPC pricing updated to 28th Aug.

mike65

Ah free-to-air well thats fair enough, Freesat is an option whereas FTA is a general catchall.

Anyway looking at the http://www.goingdigital.ie/ website further I see this

I use a European free to air satellite which receives European and UK channels. I use an aerial to receive the Irish TV channels

You need to take action to avoid your screen going blank.

Your options are:

1. make the switch to SAORVIEW.
2. make the switch to a pay TV service provider
3. make the switch to SAORSAT. SAORSAT is free to air satellite for the small number of viewers (2%) who cannot get SAORVIEW

I have just e-mailed them to ask if not listing Freesat was an oversight or not as that advice actually suggests the need to start paying to receive UK channels.

Antenna

I meant to post this earlier in the week but just by accident whilst travelling came a across a programme on Radio Kerry last Sunday morning with highlights of the past week's shows - and a piece repeated of a current affairs show was an irate sounding Cllr Johnny Healy-Rae on about the effects of ASO in his constituency - anger about the high costs for viewers in some places having to get Saorsat.

He felt it was very ironic the emphasis on the service as being 'free', when it is 'anything but free'.
He said local installers would also not give any guarantee about the reliability of saorsat, - a department spokesperson also appeared on the show, and suggested there were issues with viewers in Kerry installing too-narrow a dish for saorsat.
There is no listen back on the Radio Kerry website for the show concerned, but I found this news report:

17 Sep 2012

Kerry Saorview road show will not have technical expert to answer questions

Saorview is running an information road show throughout the county this week as part of National Switchover Week; however a technical expert will not be on hand to answer questions.

That's according to Enda Gallagher, press officer with the Department of Communications, who says the digital champions will take people's questions and refer them to RTE networks.

Viewers have until October 24th to switch to digital television, however some people in South Kerry are experiencing difficulties in getting reception due to the geography and topography of the area.

When asked on the Kerry Today programme, whether the road shows will have people qualified to answer questions with regard to reception, Mr Gallagher gave this response:

Independent Councillor Johnny Healy Rae has concerns about the cost of Saorsat for people in parts of South Kerry who can't get reception through Saorview. He also has concerns about the follow up service after installation.

marno21

Long enough post above so I won't quote.

I wouldn't defend a Healy Rae but in fairness, Kerry South is one of the consituencies with the most relays being switched off (West Cork isn't doing too bad, only other areas that are bad would be Wicklow, Donegal and Galway). Some villages/towns in his area will be left with very poor Saorview reception. Relays that I can think of would be Dunquin, Cloghane, Annascaul, Ballydavid, Gleann na nGealt, Feothanach, Lauragh, Morley's Bridge, Dromanassig, Bonane, Lomaunach, Headford, Kilgarvan, Lissyclearig, Killurley West, Glenbeigh, Glencar, Mountainstage, and Kells Bay. I'm sure there's 1 or 2 I missed :P. Judging by the amount of relays, there will be a few thousand households needing Saorsat. There should've been complaints like the West Cork job, then they might've got some of those upgraded. If Timoleague can get upgraded a good share of them can too.

Sam Russell

I think RTE NL should have come out with a self-help scheme/design which would allow small communities to fund a relay to cover their area. A Comreg licence could be allocateted to each scheme, and the average cost per house would have been better than a Saorsat installation.

JonathonS

Antenna wrote: »

I meant to post this earlier in the week but just by accident.......

That week in Kerry was run by the people who brought you goingdigital.ie, not Saorview. I was at two presentations by Saorview earlier in the year and they had a tech bod at both. My neighbour was at the Ploughing Championships in Wexford last week and he told me he had a long conversation with an RTE engineer there.

eh2010

I heard on the radio that theres supposed to be some kind of ceremony broadcast for the turnoff of the analogue signal . All I know is it involves Brian Dobson and "a well loved Irish tv personality" who will press the swich to turn off the analogue signal.

The Cush

eh2010 wrote: »

I heard on the radio that theres supposed to be some kind of ceremony broadcast for the turnoff of the analogue signal . All I know is it involves Brian Dobson and "a well loved Irish tv personality" who will press the swich to turn off the analogue signal.

RTÉ One News Special tomorrow morning (0955-1025) with Gay Byrne probably - http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=81380491#post81380491

The Cush

Drivetime RTÉ Radio 1 discussion shortly on the switchoff

eh2010

Here it is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WoP7DZlCOM

The Cush

The Cush wrote: »

RTÉNL Saorsat FAQ rev 2.0 now available - http://www.rtenl.ie/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/RTÉNL-SAORSAT-FAQs-June-2012-Rev-2.0.pdf

RTÉNL Saorsat FAQ rev 2.1 now available - http://www.rtenl.ie/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/RTENL-SAORSAT-FAQs-Sept-2012-Rev-2.1.pdf