Freely (free UK IPTV service from BBC/ITV/C4/C5)

baz9375

It'll be very interesting to see if RTE/TG4 is carried on the Freely Platform in Northern Ireland. It's on Freeview and Sky/Sky Stream.

I've emailed and chatted online with Freely this morning to ask but they can't give me an answer! they say that channels available for each area hasn't been finalised.

JDxtra

Channel 54, 55 & 56…

baz9375

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122088738#Comment_122088738

Cheers

Are these channels delivered through IPTV or is it through aerial? I believe that OTA channels from aerial are added to the EPG.

Just wonder if the RTE channels will be delivered over the internet.

baz9375

Response from Hisense on which TVs will be compatible

"Freely will only be available in new models A6N/E7N/A7N/E7N PRO/U7N/U8N."

decor58

Interesting that they say "will be", not available yet. Many of the launch reports say "a first " was that what the rush is about,pity if no one can use it.

The Cush

The freely TV guide can be seen here

https://www.freely.co.uk/tv-guide?userNid=65017

Region is set by postcode

icdg

That surely is all the channels on Freeview, rather than just the Freely channels? All the reports have said it’s just the main UK PSBs at first?

Certainly seems to contradict the table provided elsewhere on the website:

https://www.freely.co.uk/help/faqs/channel-list

JDxtra

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122088814#Comment_122088814

It appears that they, like many others, are OTA channels only - which is a shame.

Grey123

If a new TV is needed for this it will surly take years to implement? How long to people get from a TV 7-10 years for a main TV with much older TVs in the house? And its not even fully rolling out soon all TVs yet?

The Cush

This is probably the long term replacement for terrestrial broadcasting so it can have a long run in.

As things stand now terrestrial broadcasting has at least another 10 years in it. The 2031 WRC will decide the future of broadcast spectrum.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122172905#Comment_122172905

I've a feeling TV via an aerial will outlast TV from a dish (Astra 28.2E that is). Depends of course whether Astra has plans to replace those satellites or not. When do they have to make a decision on this I wonder?

The Cush

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122190841#Comment_122190841

What's the expected life of the satellites currently at 28.2E, could they be around longer than Sky's service?

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122088698#Comment_122088698

I doubt it, RTE can broadcast to the extra ~2m people living in the 6 counties but their rights to various TV programmes won't allow them to broadcast to Scotland, England or Wales.

If you can pick up RTE on freely just by changing the postcode then RTE would be in breach of many contracts.

The only thing they could potentially do is allow streaming of the Irish channels dependant on IP address. But do IP addresses differ in NI vs the mainland and does this fly in the face of the ease that freely is meant for?

baz9375

NI IP addresses show as NI located so Freely could have RTE based on that.

I know full RTE player catalogue is available in NI and not the limited version available in GB

see attached for IP shown for Sky Broadband in Enniskillen

icdg

If RTE can identify NI IP addresses distinctly from GB ones surely Freely can also do so? Mind you the numbers currently watching on Freely in NI are probably pretty small, given you need to buy a whole new TV to get it, so it’s probably not a priority for either RTE or Freely.

galtee boy

Just noticed that the Freely TV app is now on the Firestick Appstore, but shows us as unavailable to download ( I'm obviously using an Irish ip address), I didn't think it would appear on the Firestick for long time.

corks finest

correct

100 pc will be geo blocked

decor58

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122993241#Comment_122993241

That's a bit of a turn around, I thought it wasn't going to be available as an app, exclusive on certain brands of 2024 tv's.

The Cush

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122993486#Comment_122993486

The plan for terrestrial services like Freeview, Saorview, etc. is to make them available via IP across multiple platforms.

This is also the plan for Saorview via IP over DVB-I.

icdg

Are there such definitive plans for Saorview? I hadn’t heard any.

Not saying it wouldn’t be a good idea, mind - just that I hadn’t heard of any officially announced definite plans in that regard.

batistuta9

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122993241#Comment_122993241

nothing to do with your ip address. amazon app stores aren't geoblocked that way, you can change them yourself on the website. the actual streaming of content from the apps obviously still is though.

anyway, think the app is only for TVs running fireos at the minute. you can check yours with the device compatibility button

its not that much different from the live tv on fireos anyway, bbc the only main one that doesn't seem integrated

The Cush

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122994775#Comment_122994775

According to them the next step is a pilot but nothing official since.

They did make the effort to be part of the DVB-I stand at IBC 2024 back in September so they still appear to be in the game.

https://dvb-i.tv/deployments/#ireland

https://dvb.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2024_dvb-i_ibc_FINAL.pdf

icdg

It does look from that link that they are a good bit away, probably years, from rolling anything like Freely out on a commercial basis.

It is a pity that we are so far behind - I am using the players as my main source of Irish TV for nearly two years now and their failings are absolutely clear. An Irish Freely would be something I would be happily interested in, but I suspect it will be a while coming.

The Cush

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122995167#Comment_122995167

Freely uses a version of HbbTV, which RTÉ have been testing for a few years now, so really they could do that quickly enough.

HbbTV can be added to DVB-I when ready. We'll probably see both tested in the pilot.

DVB-I is probably a long term plan in any case, a transitional bridge between terrestrial broadcasting and multi platform IP broadcasting

JDxtra

As much as I would like to see an Irish version of Freely happen, it won’t happen anytime soon.

Left to our own devices, broadcasting in Ireland is a disaster and change is painfully slow.

The EU would have to mandate it for any progress to be made beyond wishy washy pilot schemes.

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122995229#Comment_122995229

There's nothing stopping us doing it at the moment. All we need is an app builder who can create a TV streaming app. Somebody with the technical knowhow could potentially take the Freely apk from the above mentioned Amazon app store and replace the links to the BBC channels with those of the Irish FTA channels

Marcusm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122172835#Comment_122172835

presumably there will be apps or set top boxes?

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123192545#Comment_123192545

Most likely, in time, don't discount the possibility of freely+ recordable boxes in the future either