TV3HD and UTVHD

200motels

I would love to know why TV3HD and UTVHD are not on Saorview?

The Cush

The multiplex carriage cost probably, €950,000 vs. €2.5m approx. for HD.

ShaneOC

Digital Terrestrial took so long to get off the ground here. There was a perfect opportunity to take into account the existing technology. When specifying the standards it should have been mandated that all channels should be obliged to provide a HD signal. As can be seen with RTE 1 HD and RTE 2 HD there is no need to transmit an SD version.

All channels broadcasting on SaorView are either available on other platforms in HD (TV3, TG4, UTV Ireland) or could be easily be made HD (3e, RTE News Now, RTEjnr) as the majority, if not all, content is available in HD.

Sam Russell

The Cush wrote: »

The multiplex carriage cost probably, €950,000 vs. €2.5m approx. for HD.

If all three of TV3, TG4 and UTVi went HD, the cost would be more like €1.6 m for HD instead of €950k at present for SD. In fact Mux 2 was given over to them, the total cost of Mux 2 would be €6 m per year and would accommodate 3 HD channels and 2 or 3 SD channels so would be cheaper.

RTE could fit on Mux 1 with a little bit of a squeeze. Currently RTE pay about €8 m because of the crazy pricing forced onto them by Comreg.

The Cush

Sam Russell wrote: »

Currently RTE pay about €8 m because of the crazy pricing forced onto them by Comreg.

Unfortunately the overall capital and operating costs remain the same no matter which way you structure the tariff, each user pays its share of the overall costs, currently €388.47 per kbps used. When RTÉ set the tariff TV3 questioned the methodology behind it but as it's now regulated by Comreg agreement has been reached with RTÉ on arrears and current charges, withdrawing its threat of court action.

Atlantic Dawn

How much do ITV and Channel 4 pay in the UK?

Sam Russell

The Cush wrote: »

Unfortunately the overall capital and operating costs remain the same no matter which way you structure the tariff, each user pays its share of the overall costs, currently €388.47 per kbps used. When RTÉ set the tariff TV3 questioned the methodology behind it but as it's now regulated by Comreg agreement has been reached with RTÉ on arrears and current charges, withdrawing its threat of court action.

Yes the overall costs remain the same but we are not getting HD on three of the main channels despite that it would cost no more overall to have them in HD. This is just a dispute about who pays. Currently we, the owners of RTE, pay €2 m per year extra to not have HD on these three channels. That does not appear to be the right way that this should be handled.

We are also not getting OTV unless you subscribe to a pay TV service, despite the Oireachtas paying €250,000 to Sky.

So who should sort it out?

The Cush

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

How much do ITV and Channel 4 pay in the UK?

Don't know the specifics but Arqiva charge £12.5m approx. per PSB Mux and £5.5m per COM Mux.

The Cush

Sam Russell wrote: »

So who should sort it out?

Terrestrial transmission is an expensive medium compared to satellite or cable and without a pay TV subsidy so the costs exist and the broadcasters must decide what's in their best financial interests.

Sam Russell

The Cush wrote: »

Terrestrial transmission is an expensive medium compared to satellite or cable and without a pay TV subsidy so the costs exist and the broadcasters must decide what's in their best financial interests.

I think content costs many multiple of the transmission charge. The top 'stars' in RTE were 'earning' more than an SD channel costs until we found out.

How much did TV3 pay for the Rugby World Cup? How much extra would an HD channel on Saorview have added to that as a percentage? [Remember it was only for a few weeks].