RTÉNL Saorview-DTT Public Information

watty

We got a vote on this a few weeks ago:
How many Green or FF Ministers are there today?

Elmo

watty wrote: »

We got a vote on this a few weeks ago:
How many Green or FF Ministers are there today?

The Green minister didn't sign this. How many former PD leaders are still ministers today?

mystic86

hey guys, of the new channels just announced, such as rte juniors (or whatever) and rte +1 etc - does anybody know when they will start broadcasting? and has hd broadcasting already begun? or when is that due to start?

Elmo

mystic86 wrote: »

hey guys, of the new channels just announced, such as rte juniors (or whatever) and rte +1 etc - does anybody know when they will start broadcasting? and has hd broadcasting already begun? or when is that due to start?

Eh?

The temporary service for RTÉ Two is to end in mid-April (18th I think). I would hope both would start straight after this, however I heard June 2011, perhaps 31st of May, which to some people must be Spring 2011.

No dates have been announced, RTÉ could put both stations up tomorrow. For the time being broadcast RTÉ Two in SD on channel 2 until they are ready with MUX 2, but this will cause problems for people who have equipment that can only receive SD channels in the future so keeping RTÉ Two in HD is important. (RTÉ Two is currently upscaled to HD from SD on channel 2 if you can receive it then you have the wrong equipment).

In answer:- I have heard no dates, but lots of season, years and months, but no actual dates.

Sorry my posts seem to become more sarcastic as time goes on!

watty

Did RTE TV start
a) 1961
b) 1962

MACHEAD

Good question Watty! Now there's one for the ubiquitous 'pub quiz'. Not that I remember any details from that era, but if I've learned my history correctly, the countdown to launch 'Telefeis Eireann' began just before midnight on Dec 31st 1961, after which they announced the launch. So it's a judgement call on that one, the broadcast began in '61, but the official launch technically was in 1962.

[Edit] - It seems that broadcast actually began at 19:00 on the 31st of December 1961 - according to wikipedia anyway!

mystic86

Elmo wrote: »

Eh?

The temporary service for RTÉ Two is to end in mid-April (18th I think).

I would hope after this however I am hearing June as an expected date, perhaps 31st of May which to some people must be Spring 2011.

No dates have been announced RTÉ could put both stations up tomorrow. And for the time being broadcast RTÉ Two in SD until they are ready with MUX 2, but this causes problems for people how have equipment that can only receive SD channels in the future so keeping RTÉ Two in HD is important.

In answer I have heard no dates, season, years and months but no actual dates.

that whole post makes no sense to me... what temporary service are u talking about ending 18th april? the test channel? i know on the test channel it says ending 18th april, but but the second channel on the epg is rte 2 and that isn't ending.... sure it isnt


the new channels i refer to are these:
http://www.marketing.ie/index.jsp?p=93&n=371&a=658

they currently are not in the dtt epg, was wondering if anyone knows when they will be available....

you talk about 31st of may or else june...what are you refering to exactly? not very clear...

" And for the time being broadcast RTÉ Two in SD until they are ready with MUX 2, but this causes problems for people how have equipment that can only receive SD channels in the future so keeping RTÉ Two in HD is important."

again i cant understand you, the current rte 2 signal on dtt is in sd, do we know when hd version of it will be available?

thanks

Sponge Bob

watty wrote: »

Did RTE TV start
a) 1961
b) 1962

1963 where we live Watty The matter was under consideration for some time before that of course.

Dáil Éireann - Volume 182 - 24 May, 1960
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Television Service: Connemara Booster Station.
Mr. Geoghegan Mr. Geoghegan
12
[12] 21. Mr. Geoghegan asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will ensure the erection of a booster station for the new television service somewhere on top of the Twelve Bens in Connemara so as to ensure good reception for the western counties.
Mr. Hilliard Mr. Hilliard
Mr. Hilliard: The provision of a television system which will give a satisfactory service throughout the State will be a matter for the Broadcasting Authority, when established. However, I am advised that a transmitter or “booster” station on the Twelve Bens should not be necessary. Arrangements are already being made for the acquisition elsewhere of sites for transmitters to serve the western counties.
Mr. Coogan Mr. Coogan
Mr. Coogan: Could the Minister indicate any of the places in the western counties?
Mr. Hilliard Mr. Hilliard
Mr. Hilliard: South Galway and Sligo.

He was advised wrong, seems like not much changes in RTÉ

The Cush

mystic86 wrote: »

hey guys, of the new channels just announced, such as rte juniors (or whatever) and rte +1 etc - does anybody know when they will start broadcasting? and has hd broadcasting already begun? or when is that due to start?

1. No dates announced for RTÉjr/RTÉ1+1 but April 18th or thereabouts looks probable.

2. RTÉ 2 (epg #2) is transmitting in pseudo-HD (1080i) i.e. upscaled SD material since early Dec. We're still waiting for the first true HD event. The plan is to transmit 40% of RTÉ 2 content in true HD.

3. The plan is to transmit true HD from around the May launch.

When Will SAORVIEW Start Showing High Definition (HD) Services?

RTÉ plans to have RTÉ Two showing High Definition (HD) sports, movies and drama programming as part of its schedule from the formal launch of the SAORVIEW in May 2011 (RTÉ Two HD Select). By September 2011 RTÉ anticipates that approximately 40% of the content on RTÉ Two will be in HD.

Edit:

mystic86 wrote: »

that whole post makes no sense to me... what temporary service are u talking about ending 18th april? the test channel? i know on the test channel it says ending 18th april, but but the second channel on the epg is rte 2 and that isn't ending.... sure it isnt

RTÉ 2 (epg #2) will be the HD channel and it won't be ending. RTÉ 2 SD Temporary (epg #7) will be ending on the 18th April, the channel was added to the trial service in early Dec to allow owners of non HD compatible DTT receivers (e.g. Sky Picnic & Triax TR110 receivers) time to replace them with HD compatible receivers.

mystic86 wrote: »

you talk about 31st of may or else june...what are you refering to exactly? not very clear...

The National launch of the Saorview DTT service

Mary Curtis, Director of Digital Switch Over, RTÉ, said:
...

“This public information campaign will explain how people can easily make the switch to the new SAORVIEW service and enjoy the benefits of free digital television. The SAORVIEW service will be launched at the end of May this year,” she concluded.

mystic86 wrote: »

" And for the time being broadcast RTÉ Two in SD until they are ready with MUX 2, but this causes problems for people how have equipment that can only receive SD channels in the future so keeping RTÉ Two in HD is important."

again i cant understand you, the current rte 2 signal on dtt is in sd, do we know when hd version of it will be available?

RTÉ 2 (epg #2) - 1080i HD (High Bitrate ~ 6.5 Mbps)
Upscaled SD material (pseudo-HD) atm, will be transmitting some true HD material from the national launch in May.

Temporary RTÉ 2 (epg #7) - 576i SD (Low Bitrate ~ 1.5 Mbps)
Will be ending on the 18th April, the channel was added to the trial service in early Dec to allow owners of non HD compatible DTT receivers (e.g. Sky Picnic & Triax TR110 receivers) time to replace them with HD compatible receivers.

Elmo

The test channel is called temporary? In fairness I re-read much of that post and the English in it is awful, so I apologize for that.

No date announced only months and season.

When did Saorview Launch?

Autumn 2010
Spring 2011
Summer 2011

For bonus points an exact date?

The Cush

Elmo wrote: »

When did Saorview Launch?

Autumn 2010
Spring 2011
Summer 2011

Saorview Trial Service Launch - 29th Oct 2010
Saorview National Service Launch - ?? (end) May 2011

Sponge Bob

some of us had non saorview saorview in 2008, /me in 2009. Eamon Ryan wanted 'something to be done' before the election so they broke all the Freeview boxes with mpeg4 in October 2010

watty

First RTE rollout Transmissions (that were not DCENR trial, but part of current engineering) December 2007, but in MPEG2. MPEG4 was later, though there where SD and HD MPEG4 transmissions from time to time on the DCENR/BT trial 2006 .. 2008.
First RTE DTT tests 1997!

The rollout was running MPEG4 long before October 2010 to over 80% of population.

"New" Spec finalised in February 2008. (The 1999 spec was MPEG2 + MHP)

Sponge Bob

Main transmitters went live on a phased basis in 2008/2009, Woodcock Hill Over 2 years ago, Maghera shortly afterwards. Spur Hill 3Rock and Kippure in 2008 . This post here details the situation at the beginning of 2009

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=58561951&postcount=6

By end 2009 over 70% of the population...perhaps 80%... could have gotten DTT had they a UHF aerial not a legacy RTE only one. I generally consider DTT to have been live by Christmas 2009.

Sam Russell

1st Aug 2008, RTE NL took over the DCENR test/trials and switched the service from MPEG 2 to MPEG 4 and killed my digital reception on my Sony.

It has run from 3Rock ever since.

The Cush

Sponge Bob wrote: »

I generally consider DTT to have been live by Christmas 2009.

Except that TV3 disappeared from the engineering tests from early March 2010 to early Nov 2010.

watty

TV3 wasn't on it on October 2010 either. Beginning of Nov 2010

Sponge Bob

The Cush wrote: »

Except that TV3 disappeared from the engineering tests from early March 2010 to early Nov 2010.

Whats wrong with that??? I had ITV1 2 3 and 4 during all that time for free and Vincent Browne on playback from their website

The Cush

watty wrote: »

TV3 wasn't on it on October 2010 either. Beginning of Nov 2010

As I said in my post.

It did make a brief appearence on the day in Oct.

Elmo

The Cush wrote: »

Saorview Trial Service Launch - 29th Oct 2010
Saorview National Service Launch - ?? (end) May 2011

"Trial" don't think the SI ever mentioned the word "trial". And since when did May become Spring?

How many trial's did Irish DTT have?

Anyway it was a rhetorical question, I didn't think it would get such a debate going.

watty

I think it's more a case that everyone has had fun pointing out the haphazard nature of official pronoucements.

Sam Russell

watty wrote: »

I think it's more a case that everyone has had fun pointing out the haphazard nature of official pronoucements.

.... and the sparcity of them.

You think it was a matter of national importance, and operated by the secret service. (oops - I was not supposed to let slip we had a secret service.)

Fingleberries

Elmo wrote: »

Since when did May become Spring?

Long story on this one - when I was younger spring was February, March, April. Now it seems that spring is considered March, April, May.

I think that's a globalisation thing - as many european countries and the US prefer the latter. So we appear to be just dropping what we've always had in favour of this new-fangled global calendar.

(End of little aside and back to the thread - hope it helps)

watty

Never understood why folks in South thought Spring starts in February. Very cold, ice, snow and nothing growing up north. Maybe someone in West Cork decided that. Or Ireland used to be warmer.

March/April is spring
Summer cuts in sometime in May.

The seasons are not in reality equal length. Summer and Autumn are longest with no clear division between Summer and Autumn.. Spring shortest. Winter a little longer than Spring. Autumn often lasts till near end of November.

FREETV

The only things which I like about the Winter is Christmas and the snow. I hate the frost though and the heavy rain. Oh, one can also be under the cover/ shadow of darkness in Winter. Looks like Saorview launch will be the end of the "new spring" The 31st of May.

Elmo

This confusion about seasons in Ireland is a reason not to use them. St. Brigid's Day which was http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imbolc

Winter IMO is Nov - Mid-Feb
Spring IMO is Mid-Feb - Mid-May
Summer IMO is Mid-May - Mid-Sept
Autum IMO is Mid-Sept - Nov

This is why we should not us Season for dates!

Fingleberries

Or, in this case it allows the date to be fudged in the system until 'up to May 31st'. You can bet your bottom dollar that if you got a bill that had to be paid before the end of Spring, it would mean that it would have to be paid by April 30.

(Sorry again for side-tracking the thread)

Sam Russell

The old Celtic festivals divided the year into four parts or 'seasons'. Feb 1st, May 1st, Aug 1st and Nov 1st.

The meterologists divide the year by four using the equinox and soltice. March 21st, June 21st, Sept 21st and Dec 21st. They also divide the year into seasons.

The accountants divide the year into four quarters, using Jan 1st, April 1st, July 1st and October 1st.

So you take your pick.

But Spring could mean anything, there is even a TD called 'Spring' and another called 'Rabbitte'

FREETV

There is also the saying on February 1, "spring is in the air Paddy"

watty

Sam Russell wrote: »

The old Celtic festivals divided the year into four parts or 'seasons'. Feb 1st, May 1st, Aug 1st and Nov 1st.

The meteorologists divide the year by four using the equinox and solstice. March 21st, June 21st, Sept 21st and Dec 21st. They also divide the year into seasons.

But the season "lag" the solstices as it takes time for things to cool and heat.
So June 21st isn't really middle of summer, though longest day and Dec 21st isn't really middle of Winter. January and February often colder than December.

There is also a lot of variation. November 2010 was unusual.

Start of Spring is close to end of March but can vary each way two weeks, i.e. nearly a month variation is common.

You definitely do stuff based on weather, not the date. As a child I wore my duffel coat on on the Portrush beach in July