Suggestions for Free-To-Air Tuning Guide

AwaitYourReply

The sticky on the Free-To-Air /tuning Guide is such a useful tool for all users so well done to all concerned for compiling it.

I've got a few suggestions you might want to seriously consider as an aid for those who may need to tune/store these channels going forward especially where the SKY+HD black set top box is concerned.

If and when a professional installer/DIY enthusiast is trying to manually install additional channels (which will later appear as part of the "Other Channels" menu tab they will need to populate the following fields:

BBC NEWS HD
Frequency (GHz): 11:023
Polarisation: Horizontal
Symbol Rate (Mbaud): 23000
FEC: 2/3
Standard: DVB-S2
Modulation Scheme: 8PSK

I was trying to enter in the appropriate values for the BBC NEWS HD, BBC Four HD channels and I kept getting absolutely nowhere having followed the guidelines in the Sticky "Free-To-Air Tuning Guide" until I later discovered that there was other important details that needed to be correct before completing a scan but there had been no actual reference to whether it should be set on the Sky+HD receiver to: QPSK or 8PSK in the modulation scheme field. I left it on the default value: QPSK which is why I got nowhere all along. Perhaps this information should be clearly indicated in your guide. I tend to leave certain value settings alone unless instructions specifically say otherwise.

Channel 5 HD may have moved transponder some time ago along with the other Viacom UK channels suite but it is NOT a Free-To-Air service and should be removed from this guide unless the station actually goes FTA as you will only get a Sky upgrade your subscription message if you try to select Channel 5 HD on Sky Digital set top boxes.

4 MUSIC - It was still unavailable on an ex-Irish SKY subscription set-top-box as of this afternoon unlike most other FTV channels which are receivable such as Motors TV and so on etc;

itv Encore should NOT appear in a Free-To-Air Tuning Guide as it is Pay Only
`
You should ADD the below FTA tv channel to the Music genre:

Keep it Country TV
Frequency (GHz): 11:224
Polarisation: Horizontal
Symbol Rate (Mbaud): 27500
FEC: 2/3
Standard: DVB-S
Modulation Scheme: value not indicated (Try QPSK or 8PSK)

You should ADD the below FTA tv channels to General Entertainment genre:

My Channel
Frequency (GHz): 11:553
Polarisation: Horizontal
Symbol Rate (Mbaud): 22000
FEC: 5/6
Standard: DVB-S
Modulation Scheme: value not indicated (Try QPSK or 8PSK)

Fashion One
Frequency (GHz): 11:686
Polarisation: Vertical
Symbol Rate (Mbaud): 22000
FEC: 5/6
Standard: DVB-S
Modulation Scheme: value not indicated (Try QPSK or 8PSK)

Community Channel
Frequency (GHz): 12:207
Polarisation: Vertical
Symbol Rate (Mbaud): 27500
FEC: 5/6
Standard: DVB-S
Modulation Scheme: value not indicated (Try QPSK or 8PSK)

Please DELETE the below channels as no longer broadcasting in Movie genre:
>Movies
>Movies +1
The above channels were called "More Than Movies" and "More Than Movies +1" and ceased when True Crime and True Crime +1 officially launched on air a while back.

You should update channel name and move them to Movie genre:
CBS Horror is now known as "Horror Channel"
CBS Horror +1 is now known as "Horror Channel +1"

You should probably include below channels in the Movie genre as it's a more suitable fit than within the Channel 4 genre as these are movie channels.
Film 4
Film 4 +1

ADD following FTA channels to the Sports genre:

FrontRunner
Frequency (GHz): 11:224
Polarisation: Horizontal
Symbol Rate (Mbaud): 27500
FEC: 2/3
Standard: DVB-S
Modulation Scheme: value not indicated (Try QPSK or 8PSK)

Horse & Country
Frequency (GHz): 11:568
Polarisation: Vertical
Symbol Rate (Mbaud): 22000
FEC: 5/6
Standard: DVB-S
Modulation Scheme: value not indicated (Try QPSK or 8PSK)

ADD an International genre (excluding 24/7 News only channels)

TV5 Monde
TV Record
Voxafrica
BEN Television
BET
Rishtey

I look forward to seeing further improvements to the Free-To-Air Tuning Guide and I hope it is of valuable help to other users out there who are experimenting/trying to set up new systems.

Rick_

Thanks for bringing the QPSK/8PSK setting to my attention. I will add the extra tuning details to the table for the next update. I think that setting is only relevant to HD channels or channels on a DVB-S2 transponder so won't be required for the majority of the channels listed here which are mostly SD.

Most of the channels you have suggested be added/removed were already included in the next version of the table before you even created this thread, but thanks for mentioning them here. I'll add the extra 2 I didn't have on my table to the update. Speaking of which, the next update is ready to be submitted to the mods, but sadly, depending on their availability, an update can take time to get uploaded, so it might seem like the list is out of date but trust me, I am checking daily (when my schedule allows) for any additions or changes to the channels and update the table as much as I can. Any big changes get submitted to the mods ASAP so after that it is sadly out of my hands.

I have left ITV Encore on as it saves people having to ask "where is it / how do I tune it in". So having it listed here with the other ITV channels with a "NOT FTA" label I feel is actually beneficial overall. The thread has been up for quite a few years and this is the first time that has been listed as a problem, so I'm inclined to just leave it in for now.

Channel 5 HD and 4Music are going to be FTA soon, I have left them in as due to the time it sometimes takes for an update to be done on here changing it back and forth was just a waste of time. When they do switch (which will be quite soon) it will be mentioned on here a lot I'm sure. Having the tuning details up now just gives people a chance to have them tuned in and be ready for it when they do switch.

CBS Horror is listed in the entertainment section of Sky and Freesat's EPG's, not the movies section so that's why I have put it in the entertainment section on my table. I also like to list the channels with their respective sister channels hence why Film 4 is listed with the other C4 channels and not in the movie section. It's a much more popular channel that people would want tuned in and likely looked under the C4 heading at the top of the table first to find it I feel.

I will also add an International section and the suggested channels also in the next update.

AwaitYourReply

Thanks pad e for your comprehensive response - I had quite a lot of stuff in that post by the time I was finished typing.

Yeah that QPSK/8PSK modulation scheme settings drove me mad whilst I tried to do a scan for certain channels yesterday and felt I should share it so nobody else needed to go crazy wondering what was wrong.

I also recognise your logic in keeping itv Encore channels on the guide just to inform users that this is not receivable unlike the other itv channels.

It's good to know that Channel5 HD and 4Music are still expected to go Free-To-Air - I was beginning to think that all bets were off when nothing happened. I've been using a Triax generic free-to-air digital satellite receiver for the last 12 months until this week and I forgot Sky had listed the Horror Channel, Horror Channel +1 under their "Entertainment" genre even though the content is mostly horror movies Vs general entertainment with some movies. The branding promos for these channels have not used "CBS" in quite a while. They may have used "Zone" too in the past in their branding.

Only reason, I suggested Film4 and Film4+1 be moved was again based on content being most if not all movies. I took the view in the guide that if it was felt that BBC News and BBC News HD channels were most appropriate if found within the "News" genre rather than remain in the wider "BBC" genre surely Film4 would equally be more appropriate in the movies section as they only seem to show movies? Also, CBeebies & CBBC & Citv are found alongside other channels in the Kids genre rather than with their parent networks namely; BBC & itv respectively.

Now I wonder will any more of the UKTV branded channels follow channels: Really, Drama & YESTERDAY and become FTA on digital satellite. I believe Home went FTA on Freeview recently. There is pressure coming on BBC Worldwide to sell their stake in UKTV so; it come be interesting to see what follows if any new owners want to gain more audience share. If I am not mistaken when Really, Drama and YESTERDAY all went FTA in December 2015 all of the UKTV channels suite switched to a narrow beam transponder usually associated with those channels keeping a tight footprint on UK (and Ireland by default). Let's hope more will follow and go FTA on digital satellite in the months/years ahead!
http://www.a516digital.com/2016/04/report-new-bbc-cash-grab-is-coming.html

Thanks for inserting a new International genre .... This will probably become more & more popular in the years ahead.

Cheers again and keep up the great work!

Rick_

From what I understand, Dave will be going FTA too in time but wasn't able to at the same time as the others did. Yesterday+1 will be going FTA in the future but can't currently due to being on a pan-European beam so there's rights problems. The +1's of the other channels seem likely candidates too in time. Home has no real value being a pay channel so it launching FTA is also quite likely in the future. I imagine the only pay channels UKTV will eventually have are Gold, W and Alibi (and perhaps Good Food). The rest I would say will go/stay FTA in the future.

AwaitYourReply

pad e wrote: »

From what I understand, Dave will be going FTA too in time but wasn't able to at the same time as the others did. Yesterday+1 will be going FTA in the future but can't currently due to being on a pan-European beam so there's rights problems. The +1's of the other channels seem likely candidates too in time. Home has no real value being a pay channel so it launching FTA is also quite likely in the future. I imagine the only pay channels UKTV will eventually have are Gold, W and Alibi (and perhaps Good Food). The rest I would say will go/stay FTA in the future.

The more channels that broadcast in the clear and perhaps become available free in HD format too especially as SKY TV's UHD project starts to be pushed commercially to the TV viewing public in the months and years ahead. It was interesting in recent years when SKY TV itself finally saw some logic by making a few more of their own channels available on a Free-To-Air basis such as: Pick, Pick+1, Challenge and Challenge+1. Despite all the cutbacks over the years, SKY News is probably their only Sky branded channel in the digital satellite era to have always been freely available to all digital satellite viewers capable of picking up the transponder signal used. I wonder how much longer SKY will require it's own Pay TV subscribers to shell out even more for a HD type bundle just in order for them to enjoy access to SKY News HD given that the main UK networks: BBC, itv, Channel 4 have their key channels already available FTA in HD format nowadays and Channel5 HD is also widely expected to go FTA soon.

The whole fuss with the latest SKY Q will obviously be the sales & marketing tool used to push future UHD services as they come on stream so; hopefully SKY News HD may even go FTA to avoid too many viewers from drifting away towards BBC NEWS HD instead of SKY News in SD as it is a key platform to showcase Sky's future services and latest acquisitions in terms of premium content airing on services from Sky Box Office, Sky Sports, Sky Movies, Sky Arts, Sky Atlantic, Sky 1 and so on etc;

I hope we will see Channel 5 HD, 4Music, SKY News HD and perhaps more of UKTV channels like Dave, Dave ja vu, Home, YESTERDAY+1, Eden gradually going free to air too asap!

Well, we can live in hope anyway

notmyusername

pad e wrote: »

Channel 5 HD and 4Music are going to be FTA soon ... chance to have them tuned in and be ready for it when they do switch.

Can you provide a source for this information please?

Rick_

I cannot, this information is based on a private conversation between myself and someone who is an industry insider.

I have no reason to doubt their word however, as they told me about the UKTV channels going FTA a few weeks before it became public knowledge. There is no set date for these two channels going FTA but it is expected to be happening soon, especially Channel 5 HD who have obtained their licence to broadcast on DTT and are now free of any deal with Sky so can basically go whenever they get the DTT side sorted and can launch on both platforms at the same time, which would be more strategic and sensible as far as marketing goes.

notmyusername

pad e wrote: »

I cannot, this information is based on a private conversation between myself and someone who is an industry insider.

I have no reason to doubt their word however, as they told me about the UKTV channels going FTA a few weeks before it became public knowledge. There is no set date for these two channels going FTA but it is expected to be happening soon, especially Channel 5 HD.

Thank you for answering;

Certainly every move made recently points in this direction. I just wondered about the definitiveness of your statement.

Rick_

As of this morning, Freesat EPG data has been added to the Channel 5 HD stream. This only happens, usually, a few days prior to the channel launching on the platform, but has happened on some channels launching within 24 hours (the UKTV channels for example). It isn't expected to launch within 24 hours but no date has been announced as yet, but with this data being added it won't be long now.

notmyusername

pad e wrote: »

As of this morning, Freesat EPG data has been added to the Channel 5 HD stream. This only happens, usually, a few days prior to the channel launching on the platform, but has happened on some channels launching within 24 hours (the UKTV channels for example). It isn't expected to launch within 24 hours but no date has been announced as yet, but with this data being added it won't be long now.

I had noticed that so it looks like we could have all five main UK terrestrials FTA very soon.

steveon

Loveworld Christian Tv - Religion new freq

11081.00 H DVB-S QPSK 22000 5/6

AwaitYourReply

pad e wrote: »

As of this morning, Freesat EPG data has been added to the Channel 5 HD stream. This only happens, usually, a few days prior to the channel launching on the platform, but has happened on some channels launching within 24 hours (the UKTV channels for example). It isn't expected to launch within 24 hours but no date has been announced as yet, but with this data being added it won't be long now.

Indeed, you were spot on as usual Pad e thanks to your valuable inside industry source with regards to Channel 5 HD going Free-To-Air (FTA) imminently on the Sky Digital platform and digital satellite.

Tuesday 3rd of May is D-Day!

Public announcement source:
http://www.a516digital.com/2016/05/channel-5-hd-encryption-to-be-lifted-on.html

Let's hope more channels on SKY Digital/digital satellite lift their encryption by also going FTA in both SD/HD asap!

A lot of Sport from the itv network ends up on itv4 so; hopefully they will ensure that priority is given to itv4 HD to switch to FTA asap followed by itv +1, Citv, itv2, itv3, itvBe. itv will surely need to bear in mind that BBC already have both it's children's tv channels: CBBC and CBeebies already available in HD format on a FTA basis so; Citv would be better off going HD on FTA basis too or they may lose some viewers!

Then make 4Music FTA and take Channel 4+1, Film4, Film4+1, E4, More4, 4seven all HD on FTA basis

Let's have more UKTV channels go FTA like: YESTERDAY+1, Home, Dave, Dave ja vu, Eden, Good Food in the next phase!

SKY News HD would be nice too on FTA basis as more & more 24/7 news channels have introduced HD channel formats on a FTA basis. I would really like to see Fox News to at least become FTA in SD at this stage too!

I think the new to launch SKY Sports Mix channel may appear by the end of June but it remains to be seen whether this channel will be a "Showcase" type of channel to tease viewers on Sky Digital about their SKY Sports TV channel offering. I wonder will SKY Sports Mix be FTA or FTV on a Sky Box?

I wonder how the BBC II! (BBC three) viewing figures are going since it switched to Online only in recent months?

Interesting times ahead either way!

Rick_

Sky did a deal with ITV to help them launch ITV 2/3/4 in HD and ITV only created them as a money making exercise - to get the extra money from Sky subscriptions. The chance of any HD ITV spinoff going FTA is slim in the next few years at least. I am fully sure that CITV HD and ITV Be HD (which are currently testing on satellite) to be pay channels.

The same applies to Channel 4 and their HD channels. Helped by Sky, they are in contracts for them and will be for some time yet to come. There will likely never be a +1 HD channel from C4 or any other broadcaster ever, or for some years to come. Yes, C4 have C4+1HD and 4Seven HD on DTT but this was something they were contractually obliged to do - launch 2 HD channels on DTT - but the contracts they had for their HD channels wouldn't allow this so they couldn't put E4 HD, More 4 HD or Film 4 HD on DTT, so they invented 2 new channels instead.

More UKTV channels are expected to go FTA in the future, but mostly just the +1's of the existing FTA channels.

I don't see Sky making Sky News HD FTA, probably ever. They see too much value in their branded channels. I'm open to be pleasantly surprised but I'm pretty certain you'll never see Sky News HD as FTA. Sky Sports Mix will be a pay channel but on the most basic package. No way Sky are going to give sports programming away free. They probably wouldn't be allowed to contractually.

BBC 3 has had some success since moving online, one programme in particular got over 2 million iPlayer requests, but then again that was what the headlines were, no mention of the majority of the other programming and how low their requests likely were. I'm sure it will all be spun in a positive light anyway to make it look like a good thing.

AwaitYourReply

pad e wrote: »

Sky did a deal with ITV to help them launch ITV 2/3/4 in HD and ITV only created them as a money making exercise - to get the extra money from Sky subscriptions. The chance of any HD ITV spinoff going FTA is slim in the next few years at least. I am fully sure that CITV HD and ITV Be HD (which are currently testing on satellite) to be pay channels.

The same applies to Channel 4 and their HD channels. Helped by Sky, they are in contracts for them and will be for some time yet to come. There will likely never be a +1 HD channel from C4 or any other broadcaster ever, or for some years to come. Yes, C4 have C4+1HD and 4Seven HD on DTT but this was something they were contractually obliged to do - launch 2 HD channels on DTT - but the contracts they had for their HD channels wouldn't allow this so they couldn't put E4 HD, More 4 HD or Film 4 HD on DTT, so they invented 2 new channels instead.

More UKTV channels are expected to go FTA in the future, but mostly just the +1's of the existing FTA channels.

I don't see Sky making Sky News HD FTA, probably ever. They see too much value in their branded channels. I'm open to be pleasantly surprised but I'm pretty certain you'll never see Sky News HD as FTA. Sky Sports Mix will be a pay channel but on the most basic package. No way Sky are going to give sports programming away free. They probably wouldn't be allowed to contractually.

BBC 3 has had some success since moving online, one programme in particular got over 2 million iPlayer requests, but then again that was what the headlines were, no mention of the majority of the other programming and how low their requests likely were. I'm sure it will all be spun in a positive light anyway to make it look like a good thing.

I've no doubt whatsoever that you are only stating what you know and have heard from inside industry sources and this is usually spot on, to be fair over the years! That said, some of these positions from the big major broadcasters would have been a lot more understandable when there was very little on a FTA basis but now it seems rather odd when you consider the way that UK Freesat, UK Freeview and generic free-to-air digital satellite has been heading for a while with so many channels in HD format on a free-to-air basis subject to having HD compatible equipment in place.

I was curious if the new soon to launch SKY Sports Mix channel would be an attempt by Sky to tease viewers out there as some might like the promos and end up subscribing to Sky Sports as a result. This would be a clever move - if Sky Sports Mix is not a FTA teaser channel, maybe they might go with soft encryption like FTV similar to Motors TV UK which would permit Freesat From Sky and former Sky Subscribers with expired cards see "just some of the action" But YOU could see a whole lot more, MUCH more of the action if YOU subscribe to a pack that offered Sky Sports premium content for a special introductory offer! from SKY! (I should be in Sales/Marketing at Sky TV!! HaHa
Right now, Sky Sports has all these channels with shrinking rights to some of the BIG events like Premier League, UEFA Champions League etc; with major players like BT Sports/ESPN sports channels also on the scene:
Sky Sports News HQ
Sky Sports F1 (Formula 1)
Sky Sports 1
Sky Sports 2
Sky Sports 3
Sky Sports 4
Sky Sports 5
Sky Sports Xtra (now Online Only)
Sky Sports Mix (launching this Summer!)

SKY News HD staying behind a paywall even for many of their own Sky Subscribers unless they pay additional fees for a bonus or HD pack is a very outdated position in May 2016 given it biggest domestic rival BBC NEWS HD is completely FTA for quite a while now! Other 24/7 rolling news channels offering their services in HD FTA now also include CNN International HD, Russia Today (RT) HD, NHK World HD and domestic UK viewers have access to itv News on itv HD, Channel 4 News on Channel 4 HD and 5 News on Channel 5HD which are now all FTA channels. SKY News does not have a whole lot unique to offer as a channel these days apart from bucket loads of commercial breaks including promotions of Sky Store, Sky Q, Sky Movies, Sky Sports etc; - there was a time in 1989 and throughout the '90s and early noughties when SKY News was leading the way but I think it's over-played the presence of it's yellow ticker "Breaking News" on display nearly all the time with some very minor stories too which takes from the big major news events. It is also impossible to view SKY News HD output via other methods as we all know but I won't go there for obvious reasons so I would wonder if the current move makes a whole lot of commercial sense any more as surely Sky News want more viewers tuning in to it's services rather than watching BBC NEWS HD channel for their regular news digest. Right now, it's silly to charge those current Sky subscribers even more for news content in HD format when the competition offer it in HD completely free!

Citv must be competing mainly with the likes of CBBC and to a lesser extent CBeebies which are both in HD and FTA for all digital satellite viewers with HD compatibile equipment for quite some time now. It makes zero sense for itv network to keep Citv behind a paywall as kids from many homes will want to watch channel options in HD output if and when they have a choice for better picture resolution quality. Younger viewers will probably appreciate this even more than the older generation as they are often used to viewing HD quality on other devices too.

As for more of the UKTV channels going FTA down the road, this should be a very interesting one and will also depend on what happens if BBC Worldwide is forced to sell off their shares in the UKTV joint venture. I would think YESTERDAY+1, Dave, Dave ja vu, Home, Good Food and Eden and their respective +1 timeshift versions will be more likely to go FTA next perhaps? One thing is certain: The following channels from UKTV will remain encrypted behind a paywall: Gold, alibi and W (formerly Watch) along with their respective +1 timeshift channel versions.

I think the whole BBC three (or should i say BBC II!) move Online has been such a mess - with their requirements to jump thru so many regulatory hoops to keep the slot alive on the EPG for the dormant hours outside of CBBC broadcast hours. Now you have BBC One, BBC Two and BBC Four on "linear tv" platforms without BBC three unless you access it via BBC iPlayer Online which many viewers in the UK unlikely to bother. They should have at least re-organised their branding of BBC three and BBC Four a bit better rather than just re-design BBC three to BBC II!. BBC Four would probably have been better off becoming "BBC Knowledge" again in the UK!

Does anyone know when CNN International HD version will be allocated a unique channel number on the SKY EPG?

icdg

Sky Sports Mix won't be either FTA or FTV, it will be part of the Original Bundle on Sky.

AwaitYourReply

icdg wrote: »

Sky Sports Mix won't be either FTA or FTV, it will be part of the Original Bundle on Sky.

Any other details about what exactly Sky Sports Mix will cover that is currently not on offer in the current Sky Sports channels portfolio? Will it specialise in any area of Sport? Sky Sports Mix would suggest a bit of everything but you could say most of their sports channels tend to offer a variety of sports as it is.

bk

A few years ago Sky decided to focus on HD and thus the higher end of the market. So they did deals with C4, ITV and C5 to keep as many HD channels as possible exclusive to the Sky Platform.

I think this was a smart move on Sky's part as I think they know if they tried to keep the SD channels exclusive too, that they would lose both the SD and HD channels to FTA. C4/ITV/C5 were happy to take a premium for their HD channels on Sky, while leaving their SD channels go FTA for the lower end of the market. Basically it allows them to still have a presence and good EPG position on Freesat, while still getting a big payout from Sky for the HD rights.

I suspect that in the long term, when Sky launches 4k, we may see more of these HD channels go FTA when they launch 4k versions exclusively on Sky.

In the short term, if the UKTV FTA channels do well on Freesat, then I'd expect the +1 versions, plus the others on Freeview to also go FTA.

icdg

AwaitYourReply wrote: »

Any other details about what exactly Sky Sports Mix will cover that is currently not on offer in the current Sky Sports channels portfolio? Will it specialise in any area of Sport? Sky Sports Mix would suggest a bit of everything but you could say most of their sports channels tend to offer a variety of sports as it is.

I don't think it will be showing anything that won't also be on another Sky Sports channel. Actual events haven't been confirmed apart from a commitment to show two Formula One races, although we're told there will be some Premier League and other football. All rather vague but I reckon it's best to look on it as a shop window channel.

Rick_

Yes, Sky Sports Mix will be content from the 6 sports channels simulcast on this channel as a way of tempting non-subscribers to fork out extra money for a sports subscription. It won't be another Sports channel showing any extra content not currently on Sky Sports 1-5/F1.

Gerry Wicklow

Would Sky need to drop the SD channels to make room for any 4K stuff? It would then be up to the individual channels to arrange alternate TPs or spot beams if they wanted to continue in SD.

AwaitYourReply

pad e wrote: »

Yes, Sky Sports Mix will be content from the 6 sports channels simulcast on this channel as a way of tempting non-subscribers to fork out extra money for a sports subscription. It won't be another Sports channel showing any extra content not currently on Sky Sports 1-5/F1.

Surely, they have this already if you consider SKY Sports Xtra, which I understand is now an Online only channel and could have performed this function AND/OR Sky Sports News HQ could nearly do it too as there is only so much sports news going round & round in a loop and they must have ample space to showcase this content at certain times of day/night.

Then you also have the Sports reports on Sky News channel - Actually, on the subject of Sky News on Channel 501, I get the impression that Sky has been cutting back on the length and depth of their Sports bulletins on their main rolling news channel or does Sport still get similar coverage on Sky News hourly bulletins these days? You also had a longer sports programme called "Sportsline" on Sky News for many years but I'm not sure if they axed it altogether?

I've tended to drift more & more away from watching SKY News on a regular basis in the last decade especially after they abruptly ditched the short-lived Sky News Ireland bulletins and later axed the presenter-led weather forecasts across the day which were under the stewardship of Francis Wilson & his team. The frequency and length of commercial breaks during bulletins not to mention all those Sky promos did not exactly help. Unfortunately Sky News has not managed to introduce many new fresh charismatic presenters following on from the likes of: Alistair Yates, Bob Friend, Christopher Morris, Scott Chisholm, Chris Mann, Alison Holloway, Penny Smith, Stefanie Callister, Alistair Yates, Selina Scott, Michael Wilson, Frank Partridge, Laurie Mayer, Paul Dempsey, Matthew Lorenzo, Mark Saggers, Steve Bottomley, Vivien Creegor, Stephen Cole and some excellent reporters too such as Aernout van Lynden, Peter Spencer etc; around Sky News these days unlike the early days when they were streets ahead in terms of presentation, new innovations, diversity of content & creativity.

I gather the launch of Sky Sports Mix is also coming at a time when Sky Subscriptions fees are due to increase and Sky want to be seen to be adding value for all subscribers and obviously try and hook a few new subscribers to their Sports bundles along the way. SKY might actually earn a lot more in the form of new basic first-time subscriptions if they offered a Sky Sports "teaser" channel like Sky Sports Mix or Sky Sports News HQ on either a FTA or FTV basis and once they hook a sports buff they could always upsell from there but that would be thinking straight! People have many other options out there these days and so many decent channels are FTA in reasonable quality and some even in HD format.
It's all about charging for UHD/4K premium content from now on in my view at this stage anyway!

AwaitYourReply

Alongside the existing BBC Red Button service (Stream 1) (10.773 Horizontal 22.000 5/6 DVB-S) which is already listed on the Free-To-Air Tuning Guide, perhaps it would be no harm to ADD the below BBC Red Button feeds to the BBC Interactive section too as it would be particularly helpful for any of those using a generic FTA satellite receiver. Although, they are currently in test mode all versions having been showing material in a loop apart from a display slide for the BBC Red Button HD service due to launch for this Summer's major events broadcast across the BBC. I believe these streams may be officially added to the Sky EPG in June.

ASTRA 28.2°E
Frequency: 12.422 GHz
Polarisation: H (Horizontal)
Symbol Rate: 27500 (27.5)
FEC: 2/3
Mode: DVB-S QPSK

I've added the below streams manually yesterday and viewed them via the "Other Channels" menu on my SKY+HD digibox

Additional BBC Red Button test streams as follows:

6802 BBC Red Button 2
6803 BBC Red Button 3
6804 BBC Red Button 4
6805 BBC Red Button 5
6806 BBC Red Button 6
6811 BBC Red Button HD*

*HD compatible equipment is required to view this particular feed.

Source:
http://www.a516digital.com/2016/05/summer-is-here-expanded-red-button.html

Rick_

Yes, I already had these added for the next update.

AwaitYourReply

Channel 5 HD is now available on Sky Channel 105 while the SD version has switched to 171 (Sky+HD STB)

S4C HD (to become available on a FTA basis from 07th June) - Sky Channel 134 if you have a Sky+HD receiver

"Box Upfront" and "Box Hits" will replace the Smash Hits and Heat TV music channels, which are currently distributed online, on satellite and on Virgin Media.

As a result of the changes to The BoxPlus Network music channels, the following TV stations will be moving on the 25th May:

UPDATE: Sky channel numbers

Box Upfront will launch on 359
The Box from 359 to 360
Box Hits launches on 361
4Music moves from 360 to 362 (Not available FTA)
Kiss moves from 361 to 363
Magic moves from 363 to 364

Source:
http://www.a516digital.com/2016/05/boxplus-network-announces-music-channel.html

AwaitYourReply

pad e wrote: »

CBS Horror is listed in the entertainment section of Sky and Freesat's EPG's, not the movies section so that's why I have put it in the entertainment section on my table.

I was just glancing through the SKY Digital epg for the Freesat from SKY selection on my SKY+HD receiver (with the R13 software update now loaded)
It seems that "Horror Channel" is on channel number 319 and "Horror Channel +1" is on channel number 320 and both of these are currently listed within the "Movies Genre" according to the SKY HD epg so; I gather there was a subsequent change made in terms of which genre SKY had them allocated.
I would recommend that the channel name also be updated as per it's current label ID name as it has been changed for quite some time.
CBS Horror = "Horror Channel"
CBS Horror +1 = "Horror Channel +1"

I've also checked the below source for official channel names and genre on the SKY epg seems to confirm this as well.
Source:
http://www.tvchannellists.com/List_of_Channels_on_Sky

Apart from that, there is also the recent roll out of The BoxPlus network channel changes which took effect on 25/05/2016 where some music channels either shuffled around/updated or were replaced altogether.
Channel names to be erased from FTA Tuning Guide are
(i) Smash Hits and
(ii) Heat
Channels to be added to the Music genre as follows:
Box Hits 12.304 H DVB-S QPSK 27.5 2/3 (previously Smash Hits)
Box Upfront 11.386 H DVB-S QPSK 27.5 5/6 (previously Heat)

Source:
http://www.tvchannellists.com/List_of_channels_on_Freesat_(UK)

Johnboy1951

S4C HD (to become available on a FTA basis from 07th June) - Sky Channel 134 if you have a Sky+HD receiver

That is already FTA.

FRIENDO

AwaitYourReply wrote:

I was just glancing through the SKY Digital epg for the Freesat from SKY selection on my SKY+HD receiver (with the R13 software update now loaded) It seems that "Horror Channel" is on channel number 319 and "Horror Channel +1" is on channel number 320 and both of these are currently listed within the "Movies Genre" according to the SKY HD epg so; I gather there was a subsequent change made in terms of which genre SKY had them allocated. I would recommend that the channel name also be updated as per it's current label ID name as it has been changed for quite some time. CBS Horror = "Horror Channel" CBS Horror +1 = "Horror Channel +1"

I would leave Horror Channel listed in the Entertainment section, it is listed in the Freesat Entertainment section also.
Unlikely Film 4 for example, Horror channel shows alot of series like many other entertainment channels.

AwaitYourReply

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

That is already FTA.

S4C HD is currently testing on a FTA basis off the SKY Digital epg but it is not officially launching as a Free-To-Air service until 7th June. Another channel that has been FTA testing for a while is CNN International HD which has yet to officially launch it's HD version on the SKY epg. Channels during test mode will usually go through various stages. Thankfully S4C HD will be launching FTA on channel 134 in place of it's SD version for those with a SKY HD receiver.

Johnboy1951

AwaitYourReply wrote: »

S4C HD is currently testing on a FTA basis off the SKY Digital epg but it is not officially launching as a Free-To-Air service until 7th June. Another channel that has been FTA testing for a while is CNN International HD which has yet to officially launch it's HD version on the SKY epg. Channels during test mode will usually go through various stages. Thankfully S4C HD will be launching FTA on channel 134 in place of it's SD version for those with a SKY HD receiver.

Apparently I misunderstood ..... I was not aware that to be officially FTA that it must be on the Sky EPG.

AwaitYourReply

FRIENDO wrote: »

I would leave Horror Channel listed in the Entertainment section, it is listed in the Freesat Entertainment section also.
Unlikely Film 4 for example, Horror channel shows alot of series like many other entertainment channels.

I gather that Horror Channel and Horror Channel+1 must have more of an emphasis on movies in their schedules during prime-time hours these days if a major platform like Sky Digital felt it was no longer appropriate to list it as part of it's Entertainment section any more. I know these channels (like many) have gone through various name changes too over the years.

Most times I have ever stumbled across these channels there were usually films on and when I returned to using a Sky Digibox in recent weeks, I discovered that Horror Channel and Horror Channel+1 were now both classified within the Movies genre on the Sky epg. It would just seem odd to continue to have them classified under the Entertainment genre if a major platform like Sky Digital now considers them a much better fit within the Movies genre.

FRIENDO

AwaitYourReply wrote:

It would just seem odd to continue to have them classified under the Entertainment genre if a major platform like Sky Digital now considers them a much better fit within the Movies genre.

I would class sky as a major subscription tv service, all about the money.

Freesat are a Free to air satellite service, supported by the BBC and ITV, having Horror Channel in Entertainment would be a higher prime position for the Horror channel.

AwaitYourReply

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

Apparently I misunderstood ..... I was not aware that to be officially FTA that it must be on the Sky EPG.

Not the point I was making...
It does not "have to be on the Sky epg" to be officially FTA.
You said it is already FTA which is correct but it is still in "test mode" as it had already been FTA in earlier tests for a while, then it was encrypted for a while and now it is FTA again.

This is a test transmission. Test transmissions are subject to interruptions, cessation, encryption or background technical changes without notice and are not intended for domestic viewing or recording.

http://www.a516digital.com/2016/05/s4c-makes-return-to-hd-broadcasting-in.html

http://www.a516digital.com/2016/04/s4c-hd-tests-commence.html

AwaitYourReply

FRIENDO wrote: »

I would class sky as a major subscription tv service, all about the money.

Freesat are a Free to air satellite service, supported by the BBC and ITV, having Horror Channel in Entertainment would be a higher prime position for the Horror channel.

I'm on your side as far as Sky are concerned - I have not subscribed to Sky Digital since 2002 myself and I currently use a Freesat frm Sky card on a Sky+HD receiver. Even when I was using a generic fta Triax satellite receiver I tended to list Horror Channel and Horror Channel +1 with all the other fta movie channels so; if I wanted a film, I would find it faster if I inserted it among the movie category. My triax sd satellite receiver was basic and I had to configure everything on it. Only reason I started using a Sky Digibox again was because I got tired of having to constantly update satellite channels as they move transponders quite frequently these days.

However; when I initially queried why Horror Channel and it's time-shift version were not listed in the movies genre of the Free-To-Air Tuning Guide in the past (before returning to using a Sky Digibox) and I was told that because Sky apparently had it listed in their "Entertainment" genre it was felt it should stay within that category on this tuning guide too but I have since discovered that Sky currently has these channels categorised as part of it's Movies genre.

Johnboy1951

AwaitYourReply
Yes it was in FTA test mode previously, went encrypted for a short time, and is back in the clear again.
I have read nothing that indicates it is still in test mode, so it seemed to me to be out of test mode since it went FTA again.

Neither did the press release from S4c say anything about test mode until Jun 7th, only that it will be available on Sky & Freesat on 7th.

S4C HD will be available on Freesat and Sky in Wales and across the UK from Tuesday 7 June onwards.

https://www.s4c.cymru/e_press_level2.shtml?id=3295

FRIENDO

AwaitYourReply wrote:

Only reason I started using a Sky Digibox again was because I got tired of having to constantly update satellite channels as they move transponders quite frequently these days.

I was also using a sky box for fta, however in 2009 I dumped it and got an excellent Freesat Humax hdr box, still working perfect today.

I found with the sky box you could be tempted to subscribe, also the sky box would not record, better off with the freesat hdr box.

Gerry Wicklow

I see CNN HD is now carrying EPG data, so they must be making a move.

AwaitYourReply

FRIENDO wrote: »

I was also using a sky box for fta, however in 2009 I dumped it and got an excellent Freesat Humax hdr box, still working perfect today.

I found with the sky box you could be tempted to subscribe, also the sky box would not record, better off with the freesat hdr box.

I looked at promotional stuff for the Humax HDR box you referenced in the past and it does look impressive alright. If I was to go out and pay money for a satellite receiver, the Humax HDR model would probably be the one I would choose alright. My brother had a spare SKY+HD box and he gave it to me but my mother, who is now elderly and not the best at using technology or gadgets in general, finds it very hard to use the Sky+HD receiver in terms of switching it on (allow 2 mins to operate after plugging in if the Box was off overnight) then the tedious navigating to the Sky Guide EPG in comparison to the earlier versions of the Sky Digibox which was more straight-forward.

I am not a huge Sky fan myself but I would concede that there was a time way back from 1989-2006 that they once drove most of the conventional established broadcasters at that time across the UK/Ireland such as BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and RTÉ etc; to up their game in terms of more modern studio presentation/better graphics design/more willing to think outside the box with new programme ideas and concepts.

FRIENDO

AwaitYourReply wrote:

I am not a huge Sky fan myself but I would concede that there was a time way back from 1989-2006 that they once drove most of the conventional established broadcasters at that time across the UK/Ireland such as BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and RTÉ etc; to up their game in terms of more modern studio presentation/better graphics design/more willing to think outside the box with new programme ideas and concepts.

Most definitely Sky was the gate way for an introduction to Satellite TV for many family home's.
And it put pressure on broadcaster's to modernise.
I remember having Sky and RTE TV was not available on satellite tv.

AwaitYourReply

FRIENDO wrote: »

Most definitely Sky was the gate way for an introduction to Satellite TV for many family home's.
And it put pressure on broadcaster's to modernise.
I remember having Sky and RTE TV was not available on satellite tv.

Very true.
When we first had a satellite system installed around 1998, it was an analogue free-to-air system that had channels such as: Eurosport etc; that were continuously migrating over to the then new digital satellite systems.
Around April 2001 we upgraded to SKY Digital and you had one channel called TARA TV which used broadcast a lot of programming from RTÉ such as live news & current affairs programmes which was very handy as RTÉ had none of their RTÉ TV channel branded output available on Sky Digital at that time if I recall. Programmes such as: Six-One News, 9 O'Clock News, Prime Time, The Late Late Show were all broadcast live on the channel. Unfortunately TARA TV closed around 2002 after getting into financial difficulties and it would have been a very useful service for Irish ex-patriots based in the UK. I think RTÉ was owed a lot of money following the demise of TARA so; the replacement of such a service has always been somewhat of a sore point at Montrose I would imagine. Hence the never-ending delay of the launch of "RTÉ International" for audiences based outside of Ireland.

Even the TV channels owned and operated by the UK's main public service broadcasters: BBC, itv, Channel 4 were not available on satellite TV until BSKYB launched it's original "Sky Digital" platform if I remember correctly. However; I seem to recall that Channel 5 which first launched around 1997 had appeared on analogue satellite and the BBC Radio stations were also on analogue satellite but the TV channels: BBC One, BBC Two, itv or Channel 4 were unavailable on analogue satellite systems. Some things have changed for the better.

lgs 4

AwaitYourReply wrote: »

Very true.
When we first had a satellite system installed around 1998, it was an analogue free-to-air system that had channels such as: Eurosport etc; that were continuously migrating over to the then new digital satellite systems.
Around April 2001 we upgraded to SKY Digital and you had one channel called TARA TV which used broadcast a lot of programming from RTÉ such as live news & current affairs programmes which was very handy as RTÉ had none of their RTÉ TV channel branded output available on Sky Digital at that time if I recall. Programmes such as: Six-One News, 9 O'Clock News, Prime Time, The Late Late Show were all broadcast live on the channel. Unfortunately TARA TV closed around 2002 after getting into financial difficulties and it would have been a very useful service for Irish ex-patriots based in the UK. I think RTÉ was owed a lot of money following the demise of TARA so; the replacement of such a service has always been somewhat of a sore point at Montrose I would imagine. Hence the never-ending delay of the launch of "RTÉ International" for audiences based outside of Ireland.

Even the TV channels owned and operated by the UK's main public service broadcasters: BBC, itv, Channel 4 were not available on satellite TV until BSKYB launched it's original "Sky Digital" platform if I remember correctly. However; I seem to recall that Channel 5 which first launched around 1997 had appeared on analogue satellite and the BBC Radio stations were also on analogue satellite but the TV channels: BBC One, BBC Two, itv or Channel 4 were unavailable on analogue satellite systems. Some things have changed for the better.

BBC, ITV and C4 as of part Sky Digital package or as standalone BBC freesat card costing 20 pounds only from the BBC .

byte

I remember Channel 5 on analogue satellite, it was soft-encrypted whereby you just needed a Videocrypt decoder.

ITV was very late to the satellite platform, can't remember why, but guessing owning ITV Digital (a Freeview predecessor) was a reason.

lgs 4

byte wrote: »

I remember Channel 5 on analogue satellite, it was soft-encrypted whereby you just needed a Videocrypt decoder.

ITV was very late to the satellite platform, can't remember why, but guessing owning ITV Digital (a Freeview predecessor) was a reason.

Channel 5 analogue satellite due to the terrestrial channel using number as video,s channel and ADX expander

AwaitYourReply

lgs 4 wrote: »

BBC, ITV and C4 as of part Sky Digital package or as standalone BBC freesat card costing 20 pounds only from the BBC .

Yeah, I would have availed of what was then called a Free-To-View Card (FTV) which was originally administered through the BBC as in those days BBC, ITV and Channel 4 were not free-to-air on digital satellite- it was initially free of charge if I recall correctly as BBC could not be seen to place an additional charge on UK TV Licence fee payers to gain access to public service broadcasting stations like BBC One, BBC Two, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 etc; even via the Sky Digital platform in the UK. As my brother has lived in the UK for many years and is a TV Licence Fee Payer, he forwarded on the FTV card to me in the post which once activated in my Sky Digibox gave me access to those channels through the Sky Digital (London postcode epg). I then got BBC One London on 101, BBC Two England on 102, Carlton TV (Mon-Fri) LWT (Sat/Sun) on 103, Channel 4 on 104, Channel 5 on 105 etc;

Nowadays, because all of the UK main public service broadcasters went Free-To-Air on digital satellite these cards are referred to as Freesat From Sky and are only "officially" available to those in the UK for a nominal fee which allows access to channels such as: 4Music, Insight HD, Sony Entertainment Channel, Sony Entertainment Channel +1, Motors TV UK, Sony Movie Channel, Sony Movie Channel +1, Nollywood Movies, YESTERDAY+1, Some Local UK tv channels like "London Live" and so on etc;

AwaitYourReply

byte wrote: »

I remember Channel 5 on analogue satellite, it was soft-encrypted whereby you just needed a Videocrypt decoder.

ITV was very late to the satellite platform, can't remember why, but guessing owning ITV Digital (a Freeview predecessor) was a reason.

That's interesting - I'm not sure if I still have my old analogue satellite receiver (STB) stored away somewhere but I reckon it was a standard enough model at the time 1998-2001. I never subscribed to any Sky TV package in the analogue satellite days and I'm fairly sure I did not have any form of smart card used in that box but I definitely had access to Channel 5 as I used laugh when I saw the crap reception my brother used receive on his terrestrial signal version of Channel 5 when he was living in West Ealing, London if I went to stay over on holidays back in 1998. The other UK terrestrial channels reception were pretty good but Channel 5 was clearly inferior reception on his rabbit's ears aerial. In comparison, my analogue satellite reception of Channel 5 was crystal clear back in Ireland.

I think you are spot on in relation to the itv Digital debacle causing itv to take a while before it fully engaged with the Sky Digital platform. ITN News Channel was eventually rebranded to itv News channel which eventually folded around 2005.

Of course, many people back in 1998 had yet to obtain mobile phones and the Internet was a slow dial-up connection even in cities and not widespread in many homes. There is For and Against all these things. Ah Happy Days thinking back

FRIENDO

Hi Guys,

Just wondering if we could add information on Reception of Free to air Irish TV and Radio stations by Satellite in Ireland, to the “Sticky: Free-To-Air Tuning Guide:”

I attached two web sites for information and reception of Saorsat which may help people.

Thanks for all your hard work,

FRIENDO


Saorsat, Free Irish TV and Radio stations by satellite in Ireland.


Kasat (9.0E)


Reference transponder: 20185/L/25000


Channel List:


TV Stations

RTÉ One HD
RTÉ2 HD
RTÉ News Now
TG4
RTÉ Junior
Tithe an Oireachtais
RTÉ One + 1

All RTÉ TV Channels have RTÉ Aertel


RTÉ Radio Stations

RTÉ Radio 1
RTÉ 2FM
RTÉ Lyric
RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
RTÉ Radio 1 Extra
RTÉ Pulse
RTÉ 2XM
RTÉ Junior
RTÉ Gold
RTÉ Chill


All TV and Radio Channels have Programme Information and Seven day Programme Guide.


For more information on Soarsat Reception visit:

http://www.saortv.info/satellite-saorsat/saorsat-reception/





RTÉ site for Saorsat:

https://www.saorsat.ie/

mackersdublin

4Music is now FTA

http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showpost.php?p=85476989&postcount=115

Rick_

I have seen that post myself but not sure if it was just a temporary mistake or if the channel has fully went FTA.

If it has went FTA then perfect, another channel for the guide.

Johnboy1951

Still marked as encrypted here ... but is in the clear!