Preview of REAL Digital EPG

rlogue

Here's an early look at the REAL Digital EPG...

channelsurfer2

has deals been signed with rte tv3 yet for an irish launch?
i notice it only has now and next info and not full epg.....

rlogue

I believe the full EPG will be switched on around mid August. I understand that TV3 and TG4 have been fully engaged with REAL and will no doubt be on the Irish EPG however I hear RTE have not welcomed REAL Digital as a platform and REAL have had to lodge a complaint with the BAI over RTE's refusal to comply with Section 77 of the Broadcasting Act.

John mac

only took 7 months to get the photo

(just an observation) the real digital logo looks to have been photo-shopped onto the pic of the epg..

foggers

rlogue wrote: »

I believe the full EPG will be switched on around mid August. I understand that TV3 and TG4 have been fully engaged with REAL and will no doubt be on the Irish EPG however I hear RTE have not welcomed REAL Digital as a platform and REAL have had to lodge a complaint with the BAI over RTE's refusal to comply with Section 77 of the Broadcasting Act.

is that cause they see it as a threat to their plans for saorsat?

rlogue

Do you think the watermark on the right hand side was photoshopped as well?
:rolleyes:
I posted an earlier version of the EPG in another place so for your benefit here is the EPG on a Bush widescreen CRT...

rlogue

foggers wrote: »

is that cause they see it as a threat to their plans for saorsat?

I would be shocked and appalled if RTE did see REAL Digital as a threat to Saorsat Or Saorview because if that was they way they think then they would have to be prosecuted under the Broadcasting Acts for acting beyond their statutory powers and obligations.

I have no idea why they are stalling a deal with REAL since REAL are as much a platform provider as Sky and UPC and therefore RTE must offer their channels for carriage provided no cost is incurred by RTE. A better bargain than Saorsat!

recyclebin

So whats the latest on Real Digital? I've been hearing about them for years but nothing much concrete with regards to detail.

What packages will they be offering?

foggers

just have to wonder though....they're spening an awful lot of dough on saorsat for relatively few customers.... or maybe would sky be sticking their spoke in (alledgedly!!!). They get an awful lot of customers in the countryside that can't get good RTE reception, might hit them a bit if real digital works out.... anyway, good to see some movement maybe on the real thingy, hoped that they would have a 7 day epg for the sat, alas, not by the looks of it, early days yet I suppose. Do you have any 'insider' knowledge on whether there are plans to have the 7 day epg on Irish and UK channels or 7 day only on Irish and now/next for UK or worse still now/next for both?

they won't flog many of the top end PVR boxes(if they ever make them) if all it can do is now/next I'd imagine.

rlogue

7 Day EPG for everything - Irish and UK channels. The EPG is not on the air until mid August so that is why you only see now and next on the photos.

rlogue

recyclebin wrote: »

So whats the latest on Real Digital? I've been hearing about them for years but nothing much concrete with regards to detail.

What packages will they be offering?

Initially Sky Sports 1&2 with the UK and Irish channels, subject to agreement. I believe more exclusive channels are in the pipeline.

foggers

rlogue wrote: »

7 Day EPG for everything - Irish and UK channels. The EPG is not on the air until mid August so that is why you only see now and next on the photos.

great, thanks for the info....Be interesting to see how this works out especially if they are able to work out the details on getting the sports onto it. I'll be on it like a fly on ..........

channelsurfer2

on a side note is that the real digital man you can see in the reflection on the EPG? lol...

rlogue

Well he's definitely not photoshopped in!

foggers

rlogue wrote: »

7 Day EPG for everything - Irish and UK channels. The EPG is not on the air until mid August so that is why you only see now and next on the photos.

and just to get things straight in my head....No subscription for the bog standard channels and maybe 20-30 euro p/m for the sub channels - sky sports 1 & 2. Just buy the box, hook it up to a sky dish or some such and off you go?

rlogue

I don't know the exact numbers but there won't be a charge for HD, there won't be a charge to record and yes it will work on a Sky or Freesat dish.

For specific cost questions you'll have to contact REAL Digital directly via their website. I do get some good titbits of information but I don't know everything!

foggers

rlogue wrote: »

I don't know the exact numbers but there won't be a charge for HD, there won't be a charge to record and yes it will work on a Sky or Freesat dish.

For specific cost questions you'll have to contact REAL Digital directly via their website. I do get some good titbits of information but I don't know everything!

call yourself an insider!!!!!

thanks for all the info, sounds good and if they manage to roll it out non-subbed, can't see how it can fail(as long as it works!!!)........

Craigels

im very excited about this product cant wait for it to launch and if it work good riddens to sky

STB

7 day epg is NOW available FTA for 28.2 and Saorview on NON LINUX boxes.

No bills to third party box sellers like Real Digital. Who would be a consumer eh ?

Dont get me wrong, their packaging of Sky Sports will be interesting. So real are pursuing RTE for non carriage... lol. .

Apogee

STB wrote: »

7 day epg is NOW available FTA for 28.2 and Saorview on NON LINUX boxes.

No bills to third party box sellers like Real Digital. Who would be a consumer eh ?

Can you expand on this please - is it a new receiver or new service or what???

Minstrel27

Apogee wrote: »

Can you expand on this please - is it a new receiver or new service or what???

I am receiving the 7 day EPG from 28.2° East with a Technomate TM-6900 HD Combo Super+

It works a treat

STB

Apogee wrote: »

Can you expand on this please - is it a new receiver or new service or what???

So called phantom patches available now for Technomate 6900 (NON SUPER Versions from 2008) onwards and up to SUPER models etc. Only thing is you need to have a USB to take act as the memory for the Event ID data that is downloaded OTA via a fixed transponder. The data is broadcast on a radio channel transponder!

The 7102 doesnt need the USB as its internal memory is larger.

Written by Technomate coders IMO and released through Digital Worldz. They dont want to tell me how they wrote the patch. They obviously have the source code to the TMs. It just shows that once the memory is there, then all you need is storage for the dump on the STB.

http://download.for-better.biz/bbs/list.php

Apogee

STB wrote: »

The data is broadcast on a radio channel transponder!

It's a hack for reading the Sky EPG OpenTV datastream then?

rlogue

Yes it is a hack for the Sky OpenTV data. There's a similar hack available for DVBViewer.

These hacks are grand for us enthusiasts who are happy to tinker but of limited use to Joe or Jane Public who won't necessarily remember to tune to the IEPG Data 1 channel and press record....

ftakeith

rlogue wrote: »

Yes it is a hack for the Sky OpenTV data. There's a similar hack available for DVBViewer.

These hacks are grand for us enthusiasts who are happy to tinker but of limited use to Joe or Jane Public who won't necessarily remember to tune to the IEPG Data 1 channel and press record....

how much for sky sports 1 & 2 in ireland
topuptv for UK freeview is £30 in the uk
so maybe €40 for sky sports 1&2 with real digital in ireland

STB

rlogue wrote: »

Yes it is a hack for the Sky OpenTV data. There's a similar hack available for DVBViewer.

These hacks are grand for us enthusiasts who are happy to tinker but of limited use to Joe or Jane Public who won't necessarily remember to tune to the IEPG Data 1 channel and press record....

Once a week ? And it is fairly simple to do.

Of course it is a hack but is a hack that works on Non Linux boxes.....

Apogee

What's the cheapest Technomate combo box on which this hack will work?

rlogue

It'll work on any of them provided the latest phantom patch is applied...

tlaavtech

Wonder if we will see the patch emerge for the edison 2in1 mini - Quite a lot of folks around here would be happy!

In the old days

How will they get around the rights issue to confine Irish Channels to Ireland? If they offer FreeSat type channels plus the 4/5 Irish channels there will be a big take up as one box and 7 day epg is a very attractive proposition for Joe and Jane Public. Presumably you would have to register with Real Digital and Irish Channels be encrypted and some sort of card issued. Can't see any profit in this for Real Digital unless they are planning to use it as a teaser to get Sky Sports subscribers to their platform.

Red Alert

I can't imagine Sky are too happy about their EPG being re-used if that's what's happening. Why would you choose REAL anyway - you already have FreeSat for no charge, and Sky at reasonable enough prices. How is REAL going to be better or cheaper than Sky?

Tony

Red Alert wrote: »

Iand Sky at reasonable enough prices.

Thats the first time i've heard that view and i've been here a while.

NewHillel

Tony wrote: »

Thats the first time i've heard that view and i've been here a while.

Obviously, some postgraduates are in strong demand.

Minstrel27

Red Alert wrote: »

and Sky at reasonable enough prices.

Sky is an absolute rip off

watty

The Empire is evil and Sky is overpriced.

But a "Real Digital" run by the boss of Rapture TV isn't viable competition. UPC on Satellite would be (they do have satellite services in other countries), or Canal+. Someone established with a track record of successfully running a business and realistic view of costs.

At the end of the day all that Real Digital can offer is a cheaper route to Sky Sports. Sky can offer such a standalone P.A.Y.G. package at same price and lower operational costs.

galtee boy

[
At the end of the day all that Real Digital can offer is a cheaper route to Sky Sports. Sky can offer such a standalone P.A.Y.G. package at same price and lower operational costs.[/QUOTE]

Surely, a system which would have all Irish and British terrestrial channels on one Epg for a small annual charge for a card ( admittedly we don't know what the charge will be yet ) is worth something ? I don't know much about Real Digital apart from what I read here, but is it not worth giving them the benefit of the doubt and waiting to see what they come up with ? If as you seem to think, it will all go pear shaped after 12 months, so what ? it won't make any difference to us as consumers, we either go back to, or continue with, a combination of Sky, Freesat, Saorview or UPC.

John mac

galtee boy wrote: »

If as you seem to think, it will all go pear shaped after 12 months, so what ? it won't make any difference to us as consumers, we either go back to, or continue with, a combination of Sky, Freesat, Saorview or UPC.

except you would have forked out for a new stb.

no news as to how much the box will cost yet though.

watty

A Proprietary box which will be as good as a Lidl one for Freesat (i.e. pretty terrible) and no good for Sky.

rlogue

(unnecessary comment removed)

Real is not a threat to Saorview or Saorsat either. I have a lot of respect for the depth and breadth of your technical knowledge but on Real Digital you appear to have a personal grudge against it.

The Real boxes will provide a full 7 day EPG for the Freesat channels along with full Red Button functionality. They will be Ethernet connected which will allow access to online services so in the UK could work on iPlayer and on You Tube etc.

The Irish channels will be there for Irish subscribers once carriage is agreed and of course Sky Sports 1&2.

rlogue

watty wrote: »

A Proprietary box which will be as good as a Lidl one for Freesat (i.e. pretty terrible) and no good for Sky.

That is an unfair comment. As said earlier a lot of functionality will be in the boxes, far more than Freesat or Sky. Proprietary yes but far more flexible than the proprietary Sky boxes.

A Sky card won't work in them but why should they?

skydish79

If real are able to offer only sky sports 1 and 2

Will sky start moving some of the matches to sky sports 3 and 4?

Is the real digital box going to be available for start of the premiership

Only thing that putting me off is cost of the box, if its €200 especially cos they are no guarantees the company will be around in 2 , 5 years time

Minstrel27

skydish79 wrote: »

If real are able to offer only sky sports 1 and 2

Will sky start moving some of the matches to sky sports 3 and 4?

They are not allowed to do this. Obviously some events will be on Sky Sports 3 and 4 but they will have already been there, a Champions League match, SPL etc. etc. The Premier League will remain on SS1 and 2

copacetic

Red Alert wrote: »

I can't imagine Sky are too happy about their EPG being re-used if that's what's happening. Why would you choose REAL anyway - you already have FreeSat for no charge, and Sky at reasonable enough prices. How is REAL going to be better or cheaper than Sky?

Hard to see why anyone would, signing up to pay per month for 95% FTA channels seems a bit crazy.

All they seem to offer over a freesat/dtt combo box (like the current one with the thread on terrestrial for €70) is sky sports 1 and 2. No 3 or 4, no espn, no setanta, eurosport etc. Maybe they are planning to try and sign them up too?

So pretty limited sports coverage for a sports fan anyway.

Maybe in a year or 2 if they actually launch and are still around and actually have the Irish channels they will be worth looking at?

Macy0161

foggers wrote: »

is that cause they see it as a threat to their plans for saorsat?

Saorsat is an infill for saorview - nothing more, nothing less. There's an anti saorsat sentiment because it isn't the solution to a different issue (Irish programming in the UK). Real Digital is no more a threat to saorsat or saorview as any other pay platform.

As others have mentioned, I'm not sure Sky Sports 1&2 will be enough for consumers. Well it could be, but hard to see them being viable at the price point they'd need. Also, has there been a final ruling on Sky not being let set the wholesale price for those channels yet?

It's going to be a hard sell in the current climate - you can see on the terrestrial board how popular the combo's are. Is epg and sky sports 1 & 2 enough to put people back into the pay tv market? Personally they'd need to add at least eurosport and setanta as well for me to even think about it. I'd also be looking that the receivers will still function as a FTA receiver if it all went tits up.

Carter P Fly

I see no appeal to the real digital offering and if I was a sports fan I'd just get the sky package. Just beacuse its cheaper doesnt in anyway mean its better value from what I can see.

Tony

Carter P Fly wrote: »

Just beacuse its cheaper doesnt in anyway mean its better value from what I can see.

The same content at a cheaper price ? How can it not be better value ?

Minstrel27

Carter P Fly wrote: »

Just beacuse its cheaper doesnt in anyway mean its better value from what I can see.

You are going to have to explain this one for me.

Vince Cable

Macy0161 wrote: »

Saorsat is an infill for saorview - nothing more, nothing less.

Is that set in stone (or law)? Can't see RTE or whoever wasting opportunities that present themselves with this interesting new tech.

Johnmb

Tony wrote: »

The same content at a cheaper price ? How can it not be better value ?

Minstrel27 wrote: »

You are going to have to explain this one for me.

I think his point is that it's not actually the same content. From what I've seen, only Sky Sports 1&2 are being mentioned. That is not the same content as offered by Sky, it is much less content. Of course it's going to be cheaper, it's much less content, it has to be less costly. As to whether or not it will represent better value, that will be a simple calculation. If it shows (say) 75% less content than a particular Sky package, if it is more than 75% cheaper, then it is better value, if it is 75% cheaper then it is the same value, and if it is less than 75% cheaper then is is poorer value than Sky.

Macy0161

Vince Cable wrote: »

Is that set in stone (or law)? Can't see RTE or whoever wasting opportunities that present themselves with this interesting new tech.

It's all the noise so far from RTE anyway. It's a back up for the saorview network, and a cost effective solution for places that can't get a saorview signal. I'm sure it's all there in the sticky.

I really don't see what RTE have to gain by scuppering Real Digital. Not to say they don't have other reasons.

rlogue

It's a chicken and egg situation. RTE appear to be blocking or at least refusing to get in contact with Real Digital and Real Digital legally can't launch in Ireland as an Irish platform unless RTE are on it as far as I know.

Saorsat is intended for the 15,000 or so people who will not get Saorview after ASO in 2012. So there is no obvious commercial reason why RTE might (and there is no public indication so far that they have actually said this) see Real Digital as a threat to Saorview and Saorsat.

As I said earlier, I would be appalled if RTE did see Real as a threat to Saorview. Are RTE hoping to launch their own pay platform on the back of Saorview?