Digital Switchover - UTV Region (DigitalUK)

Digifriendly

Mr. Rabbit wrote: »

(1) He said "may", not "would" be blacked out during the interview, so the situation is unclear.

(2) He talked about certain sporting events being blocked for NI viewers on Sky. However, very little (if any) is blocked on the Sky service these days. For example, the premiership and all European matches are now available to NI viewers.

(3) As you quite correctly pointed out, he failed to even mention Saorsat as a means to receive RTE, post DSO, for those who can't access either Saorview or the NIMM.

He appeared to be simply talking off the top of his head.

Agree with you but as regards the Premiership, sometimes its blacked out and sometimes not. Champions league has been blacked out recently (at least on my Sky system) and with European rugby again sometimes its blacked out and sometimes not. Interestingly for first time last year Irish Open golf wasn't blacked out and with it being in Portrush this year I guess it will be 'in the clear' again. The speaker referred to programmes being blacked out on TG4 but AFAIK no programmes are blacked out to viewers in NI on this channel now as it holds Irish language rights to the whole of the island under the GFA. Certianly IIRC no sporting programmnes have been blacked out in recent years. The only programme I have ever seen blacked out on TG4 (and this was a few years ago) was Dukes of Hazzard.

Mr. Rabbit

Digifriendly wrote: »

Agree with you but as regards the Premiership, sometimes its blacked out and sometimes not. Champions league has been blacked out recently (at least on my Sky system) and with European rugby again sometimes its blacked out and sometimes not. Interestingly for first time last year Irish Open golf wasn't blacked out and with it being in Portrush this year I guess it will be 'in the clear' again. The speaker referred to programmes being blacked out on TG4 but AFAIK no programmes are blacked out to viewers in NI on this channel now as it holds Irish language rights to the whole of the island under the GFA. Certianly IIRC no sporting programmnes have been blacked out in recent years. The only programme I have ever seen blacked out on TG4 (and this was a few years ago) was Bonanza.

Well, I haven't seen the premiership blacked out for quite a while now, likewise the Euro matches. This may have had something to do with the highcourt ruling re. the pub landlord who was showing premier league matches from a foreign satellite station rather than Sky. I think the verdict was upheld recently.

RTE also blocked the racing at one stage, but again, I haven't seen this happening for quite some time now.

The only thing I've seen blacked out on TG 4 was an episodfe of "Cold Case", but that was quite some time ago now.

The Cush

Digital Switchover discussion on BBC Radio Ulster's "On Your Behalf" last Sat Mar 3rd with Switchover Help Scheme NI Manager Nigel Tilson - http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/oyb#playepisode1

There will be a monthly discussion on DSO up to Oct.
Digital and gadgets special programme on Easter Sat (7th Apr).

The first of 3 waves of DSO information mailings begin April 9th.

(first posted over in the DS terrestrial forum)

MarkK

UTV HD on Freeview has been confirmed in a UTV press release issued today.
http://www.utvmedia.com/news/press_releases.aspx?id=100947

"UTV Signs New Network Arrangements With ITV plc"
An Operational Agreement – will ensure the distribution of UTV HD on Sky and freesat in Northern Ireland as well as the current service on Virgin and when digital switchover takes place in October 2012 on Freeview.

Mr. Rabbit

MarkK wrote: »

UTV HD on Freeview has been confirmed in a UTV press release issued today.
http://www.utvmedia.com/news/press_releases.aspx?id=100947

"UTV Signs New Network Arrangements With ITV plc"
An Operational Agreement – will ensure the distribution of UTV HD on Sky and freesat in Northern Ireland as well as the current service on Virgin and when digital switchover takes place in October 2012 on Freeview.

Yes, excellent news Mark and something I've been waiting for for quite some time.

Interestingly, I'm now getting an on screen message on Freeview (BBC1) on my Philips TV informing me that DSO will take place in September. Strange.

No doubt these messages will appear on a more frequent basis as NI gets closer to DSO.

watty

DSO is activation of more Relay sites with Digital. ASO is turning off Analogue. So no paradox.

Mr. Rabbit

watty wrote: »

DSO is activation of more Relay sites with Digital. ASO is turning off Analogue. So no paradox.

Well, the message is gone now so I wonder if that was some sort of test at Divis ? Strangely, it only appeared on my Philips TV.

I assume these on screen messages will probably start to appear on Freeview in NI sometime in April, all things being equal ?

icdg

Mr. Rabbit wrote: »

Well, I haven't seen the premiership blacked out for quite a while now, likewise the Euro matches. This may have had something to do with the highcourt ruling re. the pub landlord who was showing premier league matches from a foreign satellite station rather than Sky. I think the verdict was upheld recently.

Murphy v MPS raises a lot of issues regarding sports rights but is more to do with public performance than anything else. Not sure it would have an effect on blocking programmes.

Incidently if you think the (quite minor, if annoying to fans of the sports in question) blackouts here are bad, go to Canada where the CRTC's infamous "simultanous substitution" ruling means that if a US channel and a Canadian channel are showing the same programme and/or sporting event at the same time, the US channel must have its signal replaced with that of the Canadian channel for the duration. Thankfully TWF would prevent anything of the sort occuring here but its a reminder, if you think things are bad, they could be worse.

Mr. Rabbit

Premier soccer Saturday was in the clear this evening, and the Euro match earlier in the week was also shown in NI.

It's been quite some time since anything was blacked out on Sky for NI viewers, so I can't see the NIMM being affected.

Digifriendly

Mr. Rabbit wrote: »

Premier soccer Saturday was in the clear this evening, and the Euro match earlier in the week was also shown in NI.

It's been quite some time since anything was blacked out on Sky for NI viewers, so I can't see the NIMM being affected.

Noticed this myself. I should have posted earlier that European Cup rugby on TG4 is not blacked out. Totally agree re NIMM and great news for NI viewers.

The Cush

The Cush wrote: »

Competition Authority clears joint venture between RTÉ and TG4

This was posted by Elmo over in the Broadcasting forum earlier.

http://www.tca.ie/EN/News--Publications/News-Releases/Competition-Authority-clears-joint-venture-between-RT-and-TG4-.aspx

Attached is The Competition Authority's Determination of the RTÉ/TG4 Joint Venture

http://www.tca.ie/EN/Mergers--Acquisitions/Merger-Notifications/RT--TG4.aspx?page=1&completed=True&year=2011

This from the document showing NI mini-mux and combined Saorview/NI Mini-mux coverage

The Cush

Mr. Rabbit wrote: »

Premier soccer Saturday was in the clear this evening, and the Euro match earlier in the week was also shown in NI.

It's been quite some time since anything was blacked out on Sky for NI viewers, so I can't see the NIMM being affected.

Digifriendly wrote: »

Noticed this myself. I should have posted earlier that European Cup rugby on TG4 is not blacked out. Totally agree re NIMM and great news for NI viewers.

This from The Competition Authority's Determination

43. Market enquiries also indicate that viewer programme preferences may
differ significantly between Northern Ireland and the State and hence
any increase in potential coverage does not necessarily imply increased
viewers or advertising impact. Significantly in this regard, the
proposed JV will not be able to tailor either programme content or
advertising to target Northern Ireland viewers. In addition, the
programmes to be broadcast by the JV will be subject to rights issues
(i.e., its parents will have to black out programmes for which they do
not have UK broadcasting rights). This will further diminish any direct
impact of the JV on viewers and advertisers in Northern Ireland and
any indirect impact on television advertising in the State.

Mr. Rabbit

The coverage map for the JV seems a bit strange.

The Cush

Mr. Rabbit wrote: »

The coverage map for the JV seems a bit strange.

Can you expand on that

lawhec

Total coverage from Saorview & the JV will probably be about right - it's a pity a higher resolution map isn't available but it's clear that Brougher will be used to cover the Saorview gaps in Omagh and Enniskillen (although my own reception in Omagh here is OK I must say) while the combo of Black Mountain and Carnmoney Hill should ensure that most of Greater Belfast, East Down and a few parts of Co. Derry also get RTÉ & TG4. The main areas still left without either service is near the South Down coastline, much of the east & north Co. Antrim coasts along with a lot of the glens, and parts of the Sperrins including areas around Glenshane and the Glenelly Valley. In some places, bigger aerial set ups may bring reception in or Saorsat could be an option.

Mr. Rabbit

The Cush wrote: »

Can you expand on that

There's virtually no coverage in the immidiate vacinity of Brougher, but a huge area in west Fermanagh. Coverage also in large parts of Londenderry and Tyrone. Parts of Antrim which would have no hope in receiving Black Mountain, along with Islandmagee and even Larne.

It just seems a bit strange overall.

I'm not quite sure what to make of it.

Mr. Rabbit

lawhec wrote: »

Total coverage from Saorview & the JV will probably be about right - it's a pity a higher resolution map isn't available but it's clear that Brougher will be used to cover the Saorview gaps in Omagh and Enniskillen (although my own reception in Omagh here is OK I must say) while the combo of Black Mountain and Carnmoney Hill should ensure that most of Greater Belfast, East Down and a few parts of Co. Derry also get RTÉ & TG4. The main areas still left without either service is near the South Down coastline, much of the east & north Co. Antrim coasts along with a lot of the glens, and parts of the Sperrins including areas around Glenshane and the Glenelly Valley. In some places, bigger aerial set ups may bring reception in or Saorsat could be an option.

I would have thought Saorview reception in Newcastle would be pretty difficult. I doubt Black Mountain would reach that far but you never know.

The Cush

According to the original JV tender document the closing date for the receipt of tenders was 27th Feb last with the successful tenderer(s) to be notified today Mar 12th and contract(s) awarded on Mar 29th

Ronnie Raygun

Mr. Rabbit wrote: »

There's virtually no coverage in the immidiate vacinity of Brougher, but a huge area in west Fermanagh. Coverage also in large parts of Londenderry and Tyrone. Parts of Antrim which would have no hope in receiving Black Mountain, along with Islandmagee and even Larne.

It just seems a bit strange overall.

I'm not quite sure what to make of it.

Are you referring to the 2nd map? The green areas are those that should be covered by the ROI transmitters, the blue is the extra coverage offered by the JV.

The 1st map shows total JV coverage.

Mr. Rabbit

Ronnie Raygun wrote: »

Are you referring to the 2nd map? The green areas are those that should be covered by the ROI transmitters, the blue is the extra coverage offered by the JV.

The 1st map shows total JV coverage.

Yes, I'm referring to the 2nd map.

I assumed the first one (which is entitled coverage by the JV and the state) is referring to Saorview overspill in NI from ROI transmitters and the NIMM (i.e. the blue areas in NI on the first map).

Ronnie Raygun

1st map is titled "JV coverage in Northern Ireland & the State" (why the 1920s language?), not by anything .

The 2nd map shows the overspill coverage in green & the additional coverage provided by the 3 NI sites in blue.

Souriau

MOD EDIT: No adverts please.

Sorry.

Mr. Rabbit

Strangely, I'm still getting the on screen messages on BBC 1 today informing me DSO takes place in September.

Wonder if this is coming from the Pontop Pike transmitter and something to do with current lift conditions ?

I would imagine these will start to appear on the Divis transmitter very soon.

Ronnie Raygun

Mr. Rabbit wrote: »

Wonder if this is coming from the Pontop Pike transmitter and something to do with current lift conditions ?

Has your tv tuned to the Pontop Pike frequencies (doubt it)? Maybe just a mistake, no need to read anything else into it.

Mr. Rabbit

Ronnie Raygun wrote: »

Has your tv tuned to the Pontop Pike frequencies (doubt it)? Maybe just a mistake, no need to read anything else into it.

I'm thinking Divis is possibly receiving the signal in some way and then rebroadcasting it. Pontop Pike and it's relays is the only transmitter that switches in September so it must be something to do with them.

As I say, Divis will no doubt broadcast these eventually.

Ronnie Raygun

Divis isn't rebroadcasting anything "off air", these messages will be in the network feed.

The Tyne-Tees main transmitters are Pontop Pike, Bilsdale & Chatton.

Mr. Rabbit

Ronnie Raygun wrote: »

Divis isn't rebroadcasting anything "off air", these messages will be in the network feed.

The Tyne-Tees main transmitters are Pontop Pike, Bilsdale & Chatton.

Well, they're there Ronnie. Only affecting BBC 1 NI and only on one TV (a Philips).

I notice Pontop Pike shares channel 48 with Divis.

Sam the Aerialman

Ronnie Raygun wrote: »

Divis isn't rebroadcasting anything "off air", these messages will be in the network feed.

The Tyne-Tees main transmitters are Pontop Pike, Bilsdale & Chatton.

As Ronnie says they're probably in the SIPSI network feeds from Emley Moor. It wasn't unheard of to test the insertion data before launching the on screen messages from another region just to check they actually worked at the point of insertion. Granted somewhat confusing for viewers...

Sam the Aerialman

The Cush wrote: »

According to the original JV tender document the closing date for the receipt of tenders was 27th Feb last with the successful tenderer(s) to be notified today Mar 12th and contract(s) awarded on Mar 29th

I think it would be fair to say that contract has already been tendered won and work started... There won't be any prizes for guessing who won it but it will be sub contracted out, TBNN would be in for a shout for that type of contract.

The Cush

Sam the Aerialman wrote: »

I think it would be fair to say that contract has already been tendered won and work started... There won't be any prizes for guessing who won it but it will be sub contracted out, TBNN would be in for a shout for that type of contract.

I think we've all guessed it would be Arqiva.

I see TBNN signed a 23 year agreement with them back in 2010 - http://www.tbnnorth.com/news/tbnn-signs-multi-million-framework-agreement-with-arqiva/