Whats the point of a second MUX

Macy0161

Deleted User wrote: »

My logic is,more and more of the licence fee income is going to subsidise the servicing of RTE debt due to poor advertising revenue.
Selling advertising on new hardly watched channels would only make that worse imho.

What they have been forced into aren't that attractive - what they proposed could've been. It's just typical protectionism from our regulators that ultimately sees the consumer lose out.

lawhec

lawhec wrote: »

Radio services on Freeview in the UK have proven to be popular. The amount of stations on it is at its highest since launch. The only INR in the UK not on it is Classic (whom you would assume would require a high bitrate for MP2 to do it justice), U105 is on it in Northern Ireland to give NI wide coverage, the likes of Capital and Absolute wouldn't have joined if they didn't think it would be any benefit to them. Also for the BBC, it gives extra coverage to its digital-only services without requiring a DAB or internet radio receiver. The last bit I'm sure is the motivation for RTÉ to placing its otherwise DAB & Internet only stations on Saorview, so that licence fee payers in the state have extra access to these stations especially where DAB reception is non-existent.

Oh I agree and use them a lot but my point is RTE can't afford to be running a 2nd mux at this time if it's the bandwith for the radio and the low viewership bloat that is rte1+1 etc thats pushing them over.

Macy0161

Is it RTE pushing the second mux or is it the BAI? I could be wrong, but my impression was that it was the BAI, in terms of having the capacity for other services?

I'd say theres two of them in it.
The BAI after all is a quango as is comreg,none of which seems to have a grasp of commercial reality,though what little grasp they have would be in reverse order in terms of who has the most of that little grasp.

bk

Black Briar, the second mux would have to be fired up in the next year anyway when RTE are required to launch RTE 1 HD and I'm sure TV3 will be gagging to launch TV3 HD soon too.

So either way the second mux is going to be required and it hardly costs much extra to run anyway, just electricity cost, as all the gear is in place anyway.

It would be more of a waste not to use it.

As for RTE spending more money on extra channels, that is the point they don't have to spend much for these extra channels.

In particular the idea behind RTE Plus was to take premium US content that they have already licensed, which is currently shown late at night and instead show it at peak time.

Running such a channel wouldn't have cost RTE almost anything extra. Just basic scheduling and play out gear, probably wouldn't even need to hire a single extra person.

Also it would be unlikely to take from the other RTE channels, instead it is more likely to take from other, US focused channels, like Sky 1, E4, etc.

So would very likely lead to increased advertising and profits for RTE.

Of course this is why TV3 didn't want it, competition for 3e. But IMO that is very short sighted by TV3.

The Cush

Macy0161 wrote: »

Is it RTE pushing the second mux or is it the BAI? I could be wrong, but my impression was that it was the BAI, in terms of having the capacity for other services?

RTÉ, BAI, Dept of Comms etc. they are all part of the Departmental DSO Steering Group. The decision wasn't made in isolation. Lots of discussion going on behind the publicly available consultations and reports no doubt.

lawhec

Deleted User wrote: »

Oh I agree and use them a lot but my point is RTE can't afford to be running a 2nd mux at this time if it's the bandwith for the radio and the low viewership bloat that is rte1+1 etc thats pushing them over.

+1 channels in general are quite cheap to run. Many such cases don't need general human involvement on a day to day basis except to schedule different advertisements at such breaks and if necessary putting up captions where such programming cannot be shown. If the main channel itself is done from a playout server with no live material, then the time shift channel can be arranged in a similar manner. Otherwise the time shift channel just simply caches the main channel's material to play out an hour later with relevant silent cue marks to tell the time shift when to play different adverts. If RTÉ One +1 helps bring in additional advertising revenue to cover at the very least the running costs of that channel, then it will be a plus as far as RTÉ are concerned.

As I've already said about a second mux we pretty much know that the transmitting equipment is sitting the ready, so the capital costs are not near that required to get the first multiplex up and running. The only question is if the costs can be covered altogether from additional multiplexing, network linking and electricity required for a second multiplex. Getting some additional broadcasters like France 24 or Russia Today on to a second multiplex if they are willing to pay to do so would help defray costs.

marclt

@Lawhec, I don't even think the timeshift UK channels use different adverts. It would be handy if ITV blocked the time during daybreak on ITV1 +1 - it can be quite confusing first thing in the morning.

Timeshift channels are cheap to run, useful but possibly not really that necessary in so far as PVRs are becoming more commonplace.

But perhaps we should have more content as a driver, to encourage DTT take up and to make Saorview attractive against all of the other digital platforms out there. It is what made Freeview so popular after all.

BAI bodged the pay for DTT process big style and probably wasted a fair few euro in the process. They really should be held accountable for that. WHO advises these people?

Antenna

The Second MUX transmitting since recently is just blank with zero content.
Everything is on MUX 1

Having the 2nd MUX transmitting blank is pointless and is causing an unnecessary deterioration on one of the RTE analogue channels in certain areas.

It should be switched off until there is actual content to go on it (and not duplicating a service on MUX1).

lawhec

marclt wrote: »

@Lawhec, I don't even think the timeshift UK channels use different adverts. It would be handy if ITV blocked the time during daybreak on ITV1 +1 - it can be quite confusing first thing in the morning.

Timeshift channels are cheap to run, useful but possibly not really that necessary in so far as PVRs are becoming more commonplace.

But perhaps we should have more content as a driver, to encourage DTT take up and to make Saorview attractive against all of the other digital platforms out there. It is what made Freeview so popular after all.

BAI bodged the pay for DTT process big style and probably wasted a fair few euro in the process. They really should be held accountable for that. WHO advises these people?

I'm not sure what channels which time shift show the same adverts an hour later (obviously part of a deal with advertisers if it were the case) as I'd assume many of us would be hardcore enough to notice! The technical necessary on a platform like Freeview which has ample PVRs available to have time shift channels is one worthy of debate - you would have to ignore the possibility of recording clashes which a +1 channel can help solve. It's inadvertently happened in my house quite a few times when someone is watching a programme and they get a message flashing up that it wants to record two programmes at one and your have to either cancel one of these recordings or be forced to change the channel to one of them! :pac: In any case, broadcasters seem to be happy enough with them and the recent launch of ITV1 +1 shows little sign of this stopping. What odds of 5 +1 in the near future?

Antenna

Antenna wrote: »

The Second MUX transmitting since recently is just blank with zero content.
Everything is on MUX 1

Having the 2nd MUX transmitting blank is pointless and is causing an unnecessary deterioration on one of the RTE analogue channels in certain areas.

It should be switched off until there is actual content to go on it (and not duplicating a service on MUX1).

Here here!

My point was further than that and that a 2nd mux shouldn't be considered at all in the current climate.
I wouldn't sell the 2nd tx panels,they will be needed sometime,just not now.
It's not really RTE's fault that they were bought...all that was decided during the celtic tiger era when people had money going out their ears.

It will be 3 or 4 years in my opinion untill switching them on makes economic sense.

Yes the electricity to run 50 of them is an awfull lot of money for no benefit.
RTE1+1,junior and niche radio stations,gimme a break...costing tens of thousands in electricity every month when the bill comes through the door and beggar all watching or listening to them.

It's the type of economic madness Imelda Marcos would be proud of.

Gerry Wicklow

ITV wouldn't go to the time and trouble of running +1 services unless they saw a benefit in additional ad revenue. I must confess that I find them useful sometimes even with elaborate recording equipment.

I agree with BB that a 2nd mux is a luxury we can ill afford right now. As for the niche radio channels, I have yet to find anyone (other than here) who has even heard of them, never mind actually listening. I'd love to know their listenership figures.

Sam Russell

Gerry Wicklow wrote: »

ITV wouldn't go to the time and trouble of running +1 services unless they saw a benefit in additional ad revenue. I must confess that I find them useful sometimes even with elaborate recording equipment.

I agree with BB that a 2nd mux is a luxury we can ill afford right now. As for the niche radio channels, I have yet to find anyone (other than here) who has even heard of them, never mind actually listening. I'd love to know their listenership figures.

A 2nd mux is just not needed. The radio channels are a waste of space outside the main four. Why simulcast RTE Radio 1 with the longwave version. They broadcast RTEjr radio, but do not publicise it. Mind you, they hardly publicise Saorview.

The only purpose of a second mux is to justify the BAI. How many people do you need to supervise/organise one mux broadcast on 51 transmitters?

At least with two muxes, you can send someone out to count them!