Saorview Updates - 2023

StreetLight

A new SD Test card has appeared on LCN 14. Presumably for TG4+1 / Cúla4.

LCN 50 has changed from an audio-only test to the MHEG5-generated test card, similar to LCN 51 with three audio tracks.

The MHEG5 Saorview channel list on LCN 29 has been replaced by the animated Video presentation.

The Saorview Channel list is now on a new LCN 30.

EDIT: The above was visible for most of the day. As of this evening, it has reverted back to previous configuration.

The Cush

Yes, did a check this evening and found all as it was. With internet enabled 50/51 still crash the TV.

Without internet enabled 50 still crashes the TV but 51 displays the MHEG 5 testcard.

No testcard on 14.

Aidan McCarthy

So what channel number will TG4+1 be on on saorview and will it be also on virgin media platform too

Mickey Mike

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120492864#Comment_120492864

Ch14, I'm 99•9% sure.

Not sure about Virgin Media.

medoc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120493085#Comment_120493085

Yea on Saorview and presumably Cula 4 will go on 18 with both time sharing the bandwidth

StreetLight

Revised configuration with the new SD testcard on 14 active again from early this morning.

Glaceon

Getting nothing on 14 here so I wonder if it's gone again? digitalbitrate.com shows it was active an hour ago so I might have just missed it.

doney84

Currently active on Clermont Carn. An old saorview walker TV I have is flagging it as HD. May mean nothing though as currently showing no video.

NorthDown2

Will Cúla4 will start tx with little fanfare, like TG4 going HD? According to their submission, they hoped to have started tx Cúla by 1st Feb this year.

Glaceon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120515951#Comment_120515951

That's what I was getting too, also from Clermont Carn. I could go to channel 14 but just got "service unavailable".

Mickey Mike

Test card on ch. 14 and its in Mono from Mulliganish

dublinman1990

I have my Triax Saorview combi box on now. There is no HD flag or video shown either on Ch 14.

StreetLight

The audio on the new SD Test card on 14 has changed from mono to stereo.

Another new test card in MHEG5 format has appeared on LCN 18.

doney84

In addition to the tests on hidden channels 14 & 18, Saorview information channel on LCN 29 has changed to showing an old setting up saorview video. Hidden LCN 30 is labelled Saorview information and is now showing the MHEG slate listing all the channels that was previously on LCN 29.

dublinman1990

Is the test data on hidden channel LCN 14 and LCN 18 known to come from TG4 and Sky?

Aidan McCarthy

I am sure channel 14 will be TG4+1 and channel 18 will be the Irish kids channel i am 99.9 per cent but not so sure about sky tv

Mickey Mike

TG4 have yet to go HD on Saorsat, there's no excuse for TV3/VM1 not to go HD on Saorview, there's still room on the multiplexes wherever its coming from.

Glaceon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120592539#Comment_120592539

I have it on good authority that the Philips widescreen test cards are generated by a DK-Audio PT5300/PT8612 pattern generator at 2RN themselves.

thesandeman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120596653#Comment_120596653

I really hope for TG4+1. I've missed a lot of stuff due to clashes and even though I mean to catch up on the player I often forget.

It should improve their viewership in Saorview land.

galtee boy

The test card on Ch14 looks very sharp, much sharper than Ch18, I presume its not HD, is it a higher bit rate SD ?

Channel 29 has reverted to being the Saorview Information channel. Channel 30 no longer on the EPG.

dublinman1990

This article from Clean Feed has implied that there have been video encoder changes taking place recently on Saorview. It says the changes add 4.8mbps of capacity to the platform.

https://cleanfeed.thetvroom.com/17821/news/encoder-changes-create-additional-capacity-on-saorview/

This move does not degrade picture quality for the other channels.

However; the changes in additional capacity equates to 3 SD channels or 1 HD channel on Saorview. I would take a huge guess here that this will make way for the eventual launch of Culá 4, Sky Arts & Pick onto the Saorview platform in the near future.

Am I right to say this or do people here say otherwise?

Hotblack Desiato

So still no prospect of VM channels going HD then? It's a joke watching sport in legovision.

NorthDown2

Has the change in encoders degraded the picture on Sky News again? Around the weekend (I think Sunday / Monday) the picture became noticeably pixellated again - it's happened a couple of times but in the past it's taken quite a few weeks to resolve.

Glaceon

I think it might have messed up something with one of the older TVs I have. In the last few weeks, RTE One and Sky News now have very noticeable motion judder without any change in signal strength or quality. I noticed it first on RTE One during the Eurovision (which resulted in me switching to BBC instead) but the ticker on Sky News makes it very obvious. The other channels seem to be fine. I have a newer TV in the bedroom which seems fine on all channels.

TAFKAlawhec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120656378#Comment_120656378

A new encoder being put in place for statmuxing a DTT multiplex will not on its own create additional capacity - a change in the broadcast parameters would be required for that (with a corresponding reduction in effective coverage, you don't get "owt for nowt") - but that the modern encoder(s) are able to compress video more efficiently for a given codec, in this case MPEG4 Part 10, compared to older encoders for a given perception of picture quality. Also not only does that roughly 24.1 Mbit/s data rate contain video only, but also audio, EPG data, service tables etc. which other than for audio would be tricky if not impossible to compress any more than they already are (though they're small in the greater scheme of things).

Both the PSB and commercial multiplexes on Freeview in the UK have from time to time upgraded their multiplex encoders to allow them to fit in more services per multiplex, so it's not something that is groundbreakingly new. I'll make the assumption that with a rather recent sudden interest from a few broadcasters in having new services from them appear of the Saorview platform, 2RN have decided that with a good idea of how many such services are currently expressing an interest in appearing on Saorview, that it would be more cost effective for themselves - and possibly the service owners too - to upgrade the statistical multiplexing video encoders on one or both multiplexes rather than to add a third multiplex for Saorview, with its associated transmitters, installations and ongoing electrical running costs etc. with the proviso in that if there was to be an even greater interest that demanded a third multiplex being brought into service, then an old statmux encoder could be used for that.

Aidan McCarthy

Any more news about tg4+1 and the irish kids channel coming on air on saorview

jonnreeks

Is Eir TV still available and is there a cost to get Saorview?

Aidan McCarthy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120697618#Comment_120697618

As far I know. Éir television is sill available and once off cost to get saorview

jonnreeks

Too be honest, I don't watch much RTE except maybe for news now and then!