Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

The Virgin Media Television thread

Options
1…5152545657…246

Comments

  • Options
    #1592
    irishfeen
    Registered Users Posts: 8,061 ✭✭✭irishfeen


    galtee boy wrote: »
    Say what you like about TV3, but at least for Sky customers, we have TV3 HD, TV3+1 and now it looks like 3e+1 could be coming, while there is no RTE1 HD or RTE1+1 or RTE2+1 or RTE News Now. While the plus "1s" are not of any great significance, the lack of RTE1 HD on Sky is a disgrace. I know its on Saorview, but you cant record or series link it, due to there being no decent Saorview PVR available. In this day and age, the only way to view TV is via HD, anything else is blurry vision. Hence my viewing of RTE1 is diminishing by the day, if I cant watch live via HD on Saorview, I generally dont watch RTE1 at all. Seeing that we are led to believe that Sky give a free ride to the Irish channels, why isnt RTE pushing Sky for RTE1 HD ? Whatever about the quality of their actual programming, well done to TV3 for squeezing the most out of SKY, we might even see 3e HD for the RWC.
    Kevin Bakhurst (Deputy Director-General of RTÉ) confirming to me work to bring RTÉ One HD to sky is continuing and he expects to see it over the next few months - At least we have it on Saorview for free I suppose!


  • Options
    #1593
    galtee boy
    Registered Users Posts: 1,491 ✭✭✭galtee boy


    irishfeen wrote: »
    Kevin Bakhurst (Deputy Director-General of RTÉ) confirming to me work to bring RTÉ One HD to sky is continuing and he expects to see it over the next few months - At least we have it on Saorview for free I suppose!

    Thanks irishfeen, thats good news about RTE1 HD and Sky. Hope Mr.Bakhurst is successful in his talks with Sky.


  • Options
    #1594
    irishfeen
    Registered Users Posts: 8,061 ✭✭✭irishfeen


    galtee boy wrote: »
    Thanks irishfeen, thats good news about RTE1 HD and Sky. Hope Mr.Bakhurst is successful in his talks with Sky.
    I personally think there is a dispute over carriage costs between Sky/RTÉ... the Irish transponder in full and I think sky are refusing to carry the cost of using another transponder.


  • Options
    #1595
    gordongekko
    Registered Users Posts: 5,301 ✭✭✭gordongekko


    irishfeen wrote: »
    I personally think there is a dispute over carriage costs between Sky/RTÉ... the Irish transponder in full and I think sky are refusing to carry the cost of using another transponder.

    They should pull all rte channels from sky if that's the case.


  • Options
    #1596
    irishfeen
    Registered Users Posts: 8,061 ✭✭✭irishfeen


    gordongekko wrote: »
    They should pull all rte channels from sky if that's the case.
    I don't think RTÉ could defend doing that... it would leave thousands without access to the National Broadcaster.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #1597
    gordongekko
    Registered Users Posts: 5,301 ✭✭✭gordongekko


    irishfeen wrote: »
    I don't think RTÉ could defend doing that... it would leave thousands without access to the National Broadcaster.

    No it wouldn't. They are available freely on saorview and saorsat. Or via upc. It would cause them hassle collecting the tv license.


  • Options
    #1598
    Elmo
    Registered Users Posts: 23,641 ✭✭✭✭Elmo


    irishfeen wrote: »
    I don't think RTÉ could defend doing that... it would leave thousands without access to the National Broadcaster.

    If Sky supposedly go with Irish Public Service Broadcasting channels and Irish Law than I don't see why Sky don't provide RTÉ ONE HD, RTÉ ONE+1, RTÉjr and RTÉ News Now. (There is no RTÉ2+1, lets hope it doesn't happen).

    3e +1 is pointless, basicly a +1 channel of a largely speaking +1 channel. Daft waste of money.


  • Options
    #1599
    irishfeen
    Registered Users Posts: 8,061 ✭✭✭irishfeen


    Elmo wrote: »
    If Sky supposedly go with Irish Public Service Broadcasting channels and Irish Law than I don't see why Sky don't provide RTÉ ONE HD, RTÉ ONE+1, RTÉjr and RTÉ News Now. (There is no RTÉ2+1, lets hope it doesn't happen).

    3e +1 is pointless, basicly a +1 channel of a largely speaking +1 channel. Daft waste of money.
    Well +1 channels are the responsibility of the broadcasters... Sky isn't regulated in Ireland so at the end of the day they can do whatever they want.


  • Options
    #1600
    galtee boy
    Registered Users Posts: 1,491 ✭✭✭galtee boy


    gordongekko wrote: »
    No it wouldn't. They are available freely on saorview and saorsat. Or via upc. It would cause them hassle collecting the tv license.

    You seem to forget that the Sky subscriber base in ROI is heading for 700,000 which is huge. Most of these customers use Sky as their main method of watching TV. Saorview is really only for kitchen and bedroom tvs where its too difficult to cable up for Sky.


  • Options
    #1601
    galtee boy
    Registered Users Posts: 1,491 ✭✭✭galtee boy


    irishfeen wrote: »
    I personally think there is a dispute over carriage costs between Sky/RTÉ... the Irish transponder in full and I think sky are refusing to carry the cost of using another transponder.

    But where was the space for TV3 HD, TV3+1 and now possibly 3e+1 got from ? And I doubt TV3 paid any serious money for transponder space !


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #1602
    irishfeen
    Registered Users Posts: 8,061 ✭✭✭irishfeen


    galtee boy wrote: »
    But where was the space for TV3 HD, TV3+1 and now possibly 3e+1 got from ? And I doubt TV3 paid any serious money for transponder space !
    Could have went half and half with sky or something like that - nobody knows what happens behind the scenes except those in TV3 and Sky.


  • Options
    #1603
    irishfeen
    Registered Users Posts: 8,061 ✭✭✭irishfeen


    TV3 HD averaging at 8.4 Mb/s since launch to put it in perspective...

    RTÉ2 HD - 11.9 Mb/s
    Setanta HD - 10.4 Mb/s
    Sky Sports 1 HD - 11.2 Mb/s
    UTV HD (NI) - 9.4 Mb/s
    TV3 SD - 2.8 Mb/s


  • Options
    #1604
    ThisRegard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,833 ✭✭✭✭ThisRegard


    gordongekko wrote: »
    No it wouldn't. They are available freely on saorview and saorsat. Or via upc. It would cause them hassle collecting the tv license.

    On the one hand people complain that TV3 HD is not on Saorview, and on the other suggesting there'd be no issues pulling all RTE channels from Sky.


  • Options
    #1605
    Sam Russell
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 19,556 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sam Russell


    ThisRegard wrote: »
    On the one hand people complain that TV3 HD is not on Saorview, and on the other suggesting there'd be no issues pulling all RTE channels from Sky.

    Is that not the same thing?

    Saorview is the states method of broadcasting TV. All channels should be broadcast on it - in HD if they have HD available. Sky are a pay TV service, Why would the state broadcaster (RTE) facilitate a foreign based broadcaster (Sky) to make money from them but not do as they wish? Pull all RTE channels from Sky and Sky would lose most of their customers. I am sure that would change minds if it happened.


  • Options
    #1606
    irishfeen
    Registered Users Posts: 8,061 ✭✭✭irishfeen


    Sam Russell wrote: »
    Is that not the same thing?

    Saorview is the states method of broadcasting TV. All channels should be broadcast on it - in HD if they have HD available. Sky are a pay TV service, Why would the state broadcaster (RTE) facilitate a foreign based broadcaster (Sky) to make money from them but not do as they wish? Pull all RTE channels from Sky and Sky would lose most of their customers. I am sure that would change minds if it happened.
    The only way it would work is it RTÉ, TV3, TG4 and UTVI all came together and threatened to completely pull all channels... the chances of that happening is nil... You are right though if they were taken down for even a month sky would loose tens of thousands of Irish subscribers.


  • Options
    #1607
    ThisRegard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,833 ✭✭✭✭ThisRegard


    Sam Russell wrote: »
    Pull all RTE channels from Sky and Sky would lose most of their customers. I am sure that would change minds if it happened.

    I very much doubt that.


  • Options
    #1608
    lertsnim
    Registered Users Posts: 9,736 ✭✭✭lertsnim


    ThisRegard wrote: »
    I very much doubt that.

    The same doubts people had when it was suggested that RTÉ joining Sky would do nothing to increase Sky subscriptions.

    RTÉ One is the most watched channel in the country by a mile.


  • Options
    #1609
    icdg
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 11,587 Mod ✭✭✭✭icdg


    That theory was put to the test by ITV in the early days of Sky digital - for the first few years ITV refused to provide its channels to Sky. Sky left a blank 103 spot in the UK EPG stating "Press TV then 3 for ITV". ITV eventually decided that it was better off on the EPG.

    The problem is that by not being on the EPG you miss casual viewers, channel surfers, and flickers. People will still seek you out and watch you, for "appointment to view" programming, but that's all they'll watch. And they'll have to get the details of such programming elsewhere (dare I suggest good old fashioned newspaper listings). You lose ratings for everything other than news, sport, and the most flagship of dramas. As an example I myself have hardly watched channels not on the EPG for anything other than sport since joining Sky, the BBC News channel being an honourable exception. I think RTE One would suffer less than most because of its loyal following and large amount of appointment to view programmes. All other channels would be decimated. People would hardly turn on RTE2 and TG4 except for sports (most people don't turn on TG4 except for sport anyway!).


  • Options
    #1610
    gordongekko
    Registered Users Posts: 5,301 ✭✭✭gordongekko


    What would happen to sky when people realize how little they watch programs that are actually pay channels.


  • Options
    #1611
    channelsurfer2
    Registered Users Posts: 2,608 ✭✭✭channelsurfer2


    http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/ireland/News/Irish_News/article1594216.ece?CMP=OTH-gnws-standard-2015_08_15
    Sunday Times(paywall) says as we suspected no TV3HD on Saorview as they wont pay the carriage costs of around 3million.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #1612
    Elmo
    Registered Users Posts: 23,641 ✭✭✭✭Elmo


    channelsurfer2 wrote: »
    http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/ireland/News/Irish_News/article1594216.ece?CMP=OTH-gnws-standard-2015_08_15
    Sunday Times(paywall) says as we suspected no TV3HD on Saorview as they wont pay the carriage costs of around 3million.

    How much are they paying for SD?


  • Options
    #1613
    Sam Russell
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 19,556 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sam Russell


    Elmo wrote: »
    How much are they paying for SD?

    They pay by bandwidth. SD is about 2mb/s, HD is about 2.5 times that. I suspect they throttle the SD to reduce charges, so no chance of HD, and even if they did have it, they might throttle that as well.


  • Options
    #1614
    gordongekko
    Registered Users Posts: 5,301 ✭✭✭gordongekko


    Elmo wrote: »
    How much are they paying for SD?

    Rte were quoted in the article as saying the sd channel was costing 1.4 million so a hd channel would cost 1.6 million.


  • Options
    #1615
    Sam Russell
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 19,556 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sam Russell


    TV3 were paying €3m a year for analogue, so HD would be cheap at anything less than that. Also, they have to pay for 3E, so maybe they could drop that from Saorview if they want to save a few bob.


  • Options
    #1616
    political analyst
    Registered Users Posts: 4,504 ✭✭✭political analyst


    From the Sunday Times article:
    Saorview said its prices were not negotiable as it is tied into a tariff model regulated by legislation and governed by ComReg.

    Why did the Government deprive Saorview of flexibility with regard to carriage costs?

    I believe that privatisation of 2RN (the trading name of the trading name of RTÉ Transmission Network Ltd) would permit such flexibility because I believe that privatisation means more efficiency.


  • Options
    #1617
    Sam Russell
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 19,556 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sam Russell


    political analyst wrote: »
    From the Sunday Times article:



    Why did the Government deprive Saorview of flexibility with regard to carriage costs?

    I believe that privatisation of 2RN (the trading name of the trading name of RTÉ Transmission Network Ltd) would permit such flexibility because I believe that privatisation means more efficiency.

    Ask the ministers involved. Pat Carey signed an SI during his last day in Government that set this whole debacle in motion. The two subsequent Ministers have moved heaven and earth but failed to change any of this. Not since Ray Burke has such effort been put in by a Minister to stymie RTE and its ability to earn money.

    Now is the time for 2RN to be allowed to entice UTVi and TV3 to go HD for a free trial period. It would be hard to return to SD after the trial period.


  • Options
    #1618
    Elmo
    Registered Users Posts: 23,641 ✭✭✭✭Elmo


    political analyst wrote: »
    Why did the Government deprive Saorview of flexibility with regard to carriage costs?

    I believe that privatisation of 2RN (the trading name of the trading name of RTÉ Transmission Network Ltd) would permit such flexibility because I believe that privatisation means more efficiency.

    Even if you privatise 2RN it remains a monopoly in that market, ComReg would have to continue regulating the price charged and you'd have to find a willing buyer for a transmission network that few companies are willing to transmit on.

    If it is a case that 2RN are only charging 200,000 extra then we know TV3's position is purely political. Perhaps TV3 might like to buy 2RN.


  • Options
    #1619
    Elmo
    Registered Users Posts: 23,641 ✭✭✭✭Elmo


    Sam Russell wrote: »
    Ask the ministers involved. Pat Carey signed an SI during his last day in Government that set this whole debacle in motion. The two subsequent Ministers have moved heaven and earth but failed to change any of this. Not since Ray Burke has such effort been put in by a Minister to stymie RTE and its ability to earn money.

    Now is the time for 2RN to be allowed to entice UTVi and TV3 to go HD for a free trial period. It would be hard to return to SD after the trial period.

    How have either Minister White or Rabbitte tried to move heaven and earth? I though ComReg was forced by the courts to regulate the price when TV3 complained about 2RN's pricing practices?


  • Options
    #1620
    political analyst
    Registered Users Posts: 4,504 ✭✭✭political analyst


    Elmo wrote: »
    Even if you privatise 2RN it remains a monopoly in that market, ComReg would have to continue regulating the price charged and you'd have to find a willing buyer for a transmission network that few companies are willing to transmit on.

    If it is a case that 2RN are only charging 200,000 extra then we know TV3's position is purely political. Perhaps TV3 might like to buy 2RN.

    How could TV3's position be political?


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #1621
    Sam Russell
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 19,556 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sam Russell


    Elmo wrote: »
    If it is a case that 2RN are only charging 200,000 extra then we know TV3's position is purely political. Perhaps TV3 might like to buy 2RN.

    The charges for Saorview are based on bandwidth. Only bandwidth. More bandwidth - more charges.

    This was put in place as a response to a complaint by TV3 and was a arbitration decision. TV3 cannot complain about it but that does not stop them.

    They complain about RTE getting the licence fee but never complain about themselves getting a large chunk of S&V fund or about getting an €80m bailout by the taxpayer - but there you go..


Advertisement