RTE Two HD on Sky [Merged]

mad muffin

Tony wrote: »

The Irish way (and anywhere else I know in the world) is to best serve your own commercial interest which is what RTE are doing in this case.

If they didn't get anything from the tv licence like tv3.

bk wrote: »

On the other hand, that isn't what ITV HD or C4 HD did.

ITV HD launched exclusively on Freesat, to help promote that and C4 HD launched exclusively on Sky.

They don't get ant public funding.

You either go the UK route, charge a tv licence, produce quality content an sell it worldwide. Then you don't have ads on your channels and you pay your top stars millions.

Or you can go, for instance the Australin route, no tv licence, no ads on ABC and no million dollar pay cheques.

Here we pay a tv licence produce crap, have ads and pay millions to the likes of Pat Kenney.

And now I need to go and buy a set top box ( I already have a box that would receive if rte would let me) to be able to watch channel I already pay for.

mad muffin

Tea 1000 wrote: »

All those HD channels you have listed with the exception of BBC HD are all an extra in subscription to Sky. They charge you more to get a picture quality that we should be getting by default if we are to pay at all to receive it. That's €15 a month extra for zero extra content, only a few of the channels you have already in higher resolution. BBC have a corporate link to Sky, which is why they would make BBC HD available on the listing.
BBC, ITV and RTE all give their HD channels free of charge, which you can receive if you like.
Obviously you prefer to applaud Sky and criticise the "Irish way". Fair enough, if that makes you happy!

They charge because there is no competition.

I didn't spend thousands on HD AV equipment to get a handful of HD channels for free and watch everything else in SD.

So if I have to pay extra for HD I have to pay. I'm not a begrudger.

Macy0161

Channel 4 is a public service station though, and still launched it's HD channel exclusively on sky.

Comparing RTE to the BBC is just nonsense given the population, and therefore the funding, differences.

The state, or it's companies, shouldn't go out of it's way to help Sky, when they contribute little in the way of taxes. They actually take money out of our economy!

mad muffin wrote: »

They charge because there is no competition.

Saorview + Free To Air satellite, with Free HD content, will add competition to the market. We've already seen some impact with the price freeze and some extra channels on Sky. No one is saying "never" for RTE HD content on sky or upc, but it's right to try and launch it with the service that's brought it about. It's short termism to demand it from the get go, imho.

Minstrel27

mad muffin wrote: »

If they didn't get anything from the tv licence like tv3.

Don't they? I am almost sure that they get something from the sound and vision fund.

lawhec

mad muffin wrote: »

In the UK when BBC HD was released it was made available on all platforms.

When BBC HD was launched, it was only available to satellite (FTA) and cable customers. Its launch on digital terrestrial didn't happen until around two years after its formal launch (save a limited technical test in London in 06/07). Terrestrial roll out is still not complete, and it won't be available in Northern Ireland until DSO.

mad muffin wrote: »

After all, that's the right way to do it, as people already have equipment. No need to buy additional equipment.

BBC HD requires either a receiver capable of receiving DVB-S MPEG4 HD transmissions (not DVB-S2 yet I believe due to technical limitations, but all Freesat HD receivers are DVB-S2 capable) via satellite, or a DVB-T2 receiver commonly badged as "Freeview HD" via terrestrial, or an appropriate receiver supplied by your cable provider. For satellite, standard SD MPEG2 receivers like the original single-tuner Sky Digital and Sky+ receivers cannot receive BBC HD and never will. For terrestrial, SD MPEG2 DVB-T receivers will not pick up BBC HD either and again they never will. This includes all receivers given the "Freeview" or "Freeview+" approval. In both cases equipment upgrades are required. As an example, last December I got my hands on a SkyHD+ receiver to replace a Sky+ receiver mainly for the purpose of receiving FTA & FTV HD broadcasts.

On the other hand, Saorview badged receiver are guaranteed to be HD compatible from the start, even if the viewer only watches using an SD display initially.

lawhec

Tea 1000 wrote: »

BBC have a corporate link to Sky, which is why they would make BBC HD available on the listing.

What corporate link is this? The only one I can think of is that both are part of the Freeview consortium, but that's it.

lawhec

mad muffin wrote: »

You either go the UK route, charge a tv licence, produce quality content an sell it worldwide. Then you don't have ads on your channels and you pay your top stars millions.

Or you can go, for instance the Australin route, no tv licence, no ads on ABC and no million dollar pay cheques.

Here we pay a tv licence produce crap, have ads and pay millions to the likes of Pat Kenney.

Or you can go down the route used in many European countries (Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Iceland, Austria, Poland, Greece, Romania, Czech Republic etc.) of a TV licence where PSB channels also have advertisements. Mileage on how much people are paid to present shows on these channels may differ.

mad muffin

lawhec wrote: »

When BBC HD was launched, it was only available to satellite (FTA) and cable customers. Its launch on digital terrestrial didn't happen until around two years after its formal launch (save a limited technical test in London in 06/07). Terrestrial roll out is still not complete, and it won't be available in Northern Ireland until DSO.



BBC HD requires either a receiver capable of receiving DVB-S MPEG4 HD transmissions (not DVB-S2 yet I believe due to technical limitations, but all Freesat HD receivers are DVB-S2 capable) via satellite, or a DVB-T2 receiver commonly badged as "Freeview HD" via terrestrial, or an appropriate receiver supplied by your cable provider. For satellite, standard SD MPEG2 receivers like the original single-tuner Sky Digital and Sky+ receivers cannot receive BBC HD and never will. For terrestrial, SD MPEG2 DVB-T receivers will not pick up BBC HD either and again they never will. This includes all receivers given the "Freeview" or "Freeview+" approval. In both cases equipment upgrades are required. As an example, last December I got my hands on a SkyHD+ receiver to replace a Sky+ receiver mainly for the purpose of receiving FTA & FTV HD broadcasts.

On the other hand, Saorview badged receiver are guaranteed to be HD compatible from the start, even if the viewer only watches using an SD display initially.

Lol

Minstrel27

mad muffin wrote: »

Lol

What's so funny?

seamus

Yes, RTE 2 HD will likely appear on Sky. There's some obscure regulation that requires all public transmissions to be carried by UPC, so I imagine that extends to include paid TV operators offering services within the Republic, including Sky.

mad muffin

Minstrel27 wrote: »

What's so funny?

Anyone with an SD box won't be too perturbed about not receiving HD

Tea 1000

mad muffin wrote: »

They charge because there is no competition.

I didn't spend thousands on HD AV equipment to get a handful of HD channels for free and watch everything else in SD.

So if I have to pay extra for HD I have to pay. I'm not a begrudger.

You seem to be begrudging RTE their right to broadcast RTE 2 HD on their own paid for network before handing it over to Sky.
I also have spent plenty on my AV equipment, and even if I did pay Sky their €15 for their few extra HD channels, I still wouldn't be getting HD audio. So I'll stick to the free HD channels, as they're the best anyway, and watch movies on Blu-Ray, for a proper HD experience! Sky can stuff their €15. It should be a no-cost option. They tried their €15 a month craic on Sky+ before too.

watty

seamus wrote: »

Yes, RTE 2 HD will likely appear on Sky. There's some obscure regulation that requires all public transmissions to be carried by UPC, so I imagine that extends to include paid TV operators offering services within the Republic, including Sky.

But the onus is on Sky to pay the carriage, encryption and to want it. They will only carry HD version if they switch to HD boxes only (they will eventually) or if they see the value in it. So eventually at a time of SKY's choosing they will carry RTE2 HD. By then TG4, RTE1 and TV3 may be in HD as they all have plans to do so over the next 2 to 3 years.

truedublad

Will Saorview be employing people to switch households over to digital?

callaway92

yippeeeeee..looking forward to seeing the Champos League final in HD...don't have Sky Sports HD

lawhec

mad muffin wrote: »

Anyone with an SD box won't be too perturbed about not receiving HD

I bought a SkyHD+ box to get BBC HD along with a few other FTA/FTV HD channels via satellite. That is an equipment upgrade. Around the same time, I bought a Freeview HD STB to replace a Freeview STB to ensure myself to be able to watch channels on the Saorview platform and also be ready for Freeview HD channels when DSO occurs next year. That is an equipment upgrade. The end result is a worthwhile picture improvement on BBC, ITV and Channel 4 material on a 32 inch LCD display that's not even "Full HD".

The fact is in most cases, to take advantage of technological advancements you will need to upgrade some element of equipment. Sky went from analogue to digital in less than a handful of years requiring a new receiver (and in most cases a new dish), to go from b&w to colour required a new television, and so on. At some point SD transmissions will be eventually switched off due to cost and diminishing audiences watching it compared to HD simulcasts - the final few may be given incentives to upgrade their receivers to do so (especially the likes of Sky or UPC). Saorview will at least avoid this initial pitfall by making all certified equipment HD compatible from the start.

Also the BBC isn't exactly "platform neutral" that some claim it is and want RTÉ here to be - BBC Alba for example won't be on terrestrial (in Scotland) until next month. The Red button services that are plentiful on satellite are not so on terrestrial - 1 additional "interactive" channel and no news multiscreens. BBC News 24 (now just BBC News) was initially launched only on analogue cable in some areas and available later on digital satellite and digital terrestrial. I don't know what exactly the commercial agreement is with Sky and RTÉ, TV3 & TG4 except that BSkyB pay Astra for the carriage. The terrestrial network allows them more elbow room to experiment on services for now. I'm sure that RTÉ's HD services will be available on Sky & UPC in due course but for now if you want to watch RTÉ2 in HD, there's just one place...

The Cush

seamus wrote: »

Yes, RTE 2 HD will likely appear on Sky. There's some obscure regulation that requires all public transmissions to be carried by UPC, so I imagine that extends to include paid TV operators offering services within the Republic, including Sky.

The regulation isn't obscure, it's part of the Broadcasting Act 2009.

The PSBs (RTÉ 1&2, TV3 and TG4) "must offer" their channels to other platforms UPC, Sky etc. Irish operators such as UPC "must carry" the PSB channels. For UK operator Sky it will be their choice to carry the channels.

truedublad wrote: »

Will Saorview be employing people to switch households over to digital?

Saorview is only a brand name owned by RTÉ, it won't be employing anyone to switchover households. That will be the done by the aerial installation and retail trade and paid for by the consumer.

christo82

callaway92 wrote: »

yippeeeeee..looking forward to seeing the Champos League final in HD...don't have Sky Sports HD

Well, all you need is ITV1HD, a FTA HD channel for that, not sky sports.

mad muffin

lawhec wrote: »

I bought a SkyHD+ box to get BBC HD along with a few other FTA/FTV HD channels via satellite. That is an equipment upgrade. Around the same time, I bought a Freeview HD STB to replace a Freeview STB to ensure myself to be able to watch channels on the Saorview platform and also be ready for Freeview HD channels when DSO occurs next year. That is an equipment upgrade. The end result is a worthwhile picture improvement on BBC, ITV and Channel 4 material on a 32 inch LCD display that's not even "Full HD".

The fact is in most cases, to take advantage of technological advancements you will need to upgrade some element of equipment. Sky went from analogue to digital in less than a handful of years requiring a new receiver (and in most cases a new dish), to go from b&w to colour required a new television, and so on. At some point SD transmissions will be eventually switched off due to cost and diminishing audiences watching it compared to HD simulcasts - the final few may be given incentives to upgrade their receivers to do so (especially the likes of Sky or UPC). Saorview will at least avoid this initial pitfall by making all certified equipment HD compatible from the start.

Also the BBC isn't exactly "platform neutral" that some claim it is and want RTÉ here to be - BBC Alba for example won't be on terrestrial (in Scotland) until next month. The Red button services that are plentiful on satellite are not so on terrestrial - 1 additional "interactive" channel and no news multiscreens. BBC News 24 (now just BBC News) was initially launched only on analogue cable in some areas and available later on digital satellite and digital terrestrial. I don't know what exactly the commercial agreement is with Sky and RTÉ, TV3 & TG4 except that BSkyB pay Astra for the carriage. The terrestrial network allows them more elbow room to experiment on services for now. I'm sure that RTÉ's HD services will be available on Sky & UPC in due course but for now if you want to watch RTÉ2 in HD, there's just one place...

I'm not going to go out and buy an aerial, get someone to install it and run the cable then go out and buy a set top box, just for a few new rte channels when my free sky hd box is perfectly adequate at doing the job.

And there are plenty more out there like me.

There are probably a good amount of people that would be happy to ditch sky now, they know they can get he fta uk channels and would be somewhat peeved that they can't get the new rte ones, unless they buy yet more equipment. Even though their current sky hd box can do the job.

truedublad

Aerial installers must be looking forward to the demand for their service going through the roof for the next 18 months with the intro of Saorview, would there be an opportunity to set up an aerial install business to tap into the Saorview market ?

watty

No.

Not unless you have a lot of experience. The demand will not be that high. Most people already have suitable aerials.

Gipo3

RTE 2 now in true HD on Saorview.

Ludo

watty wrote: »

No.

Not unless you have a lot of experience. The demand will not be that high. Most people already have suitable aerials.

And those that don't have a suitable aerial probably don't care anyway. There is no aerial on our house as we have sky . I have no intention of getting one just for saorview.

truedublad

I have spoken to a number of digital aerial technicians in relation to this and they consider Saorview to be a huge business opportunity for them over the next 18 months.

They also said that installation of both the antenna and set top box will require modifications in the majority of installations to overcome difficulties that the technicians have already encountered in the field.

sesswhat

truedublad wrote: »

I have spoken to a number of digital aerial technicians in relation to this and they consider Saorview to be a huge business opportunity for them over the next 18 months.

They also said that installation of both the antenna and set top box will require modifications in the majority of installations to overcome difficulties that the technicians have already encountered in the field.

'Digital aerial technician' is another name for gangster.

Minstrel27

truedublad wrote: »

I have spoken to a number of digital aerial technicians in relation to this and they consider Saorview to be a huge business opportunity for them over the next 18 months.

They also said that installation of both the antenna and set top box will require modifications in the majority of installations to overcome difficulties that the technicians have already encountered in the field.

What are these digital aerials that they use? How do they differ to the bog standard UHF aerial that I am sure they will want to replace.

watty

Obviously they have a SN74HC14 at each director on a CAN bus feeding a PIC1867J45. Then ARM microcontroller to interface to Thunderbolt port chip.

TrustedApple

Ya just had a look there RTE 2 now has put HD beside its name

But any old Bunny ears will pick up Soarview i am useing a pair to pick up to pick up the Soarview

But for the likes of BBC and ITV i use my sky HD box is a Free set box because it was cheaper to buy one of them then a cheap Free set box

But with HD from sky if you done wont to pay it dont bit.ch about paying 15 euro extra for it. I pay 64 euro for sky world + HD + Mutiroom + Sky 3D every 4 weaks so i think i have a great deal there

Also looking forward to the match in 3D tomorrow night

watty

samapple789 wrote: »

But any old Bunny ears will pick up Soarview i am useing a pair to pick up to pick up the Soarview

Frankly Rubbish.

You just happen to have a very strong signal. Most people in Ireland need a real aerial. Especially to drive more than one TV or TV on opposite side of house to TV mast.

IrishHomer

watty wrote: »

Frankly Rubbish.

You just happen to have a very strong signal. Most people in Ireland need a real aerial. Especially to drive more than one TV or TV on opposite side of house to TV mast.

Well i am about 70km from nearest mast and i pick up crystal clear Saorview with bunny ears on window.