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

icdg

I’m led to believe it’s a strategic led decision rather than a tech led one. But let’s see what unfolds.

Tax The Farmers

One massive issue with the shift to broadband as the sole (or main) platform of TV delivery is how national PSB's are funded.

As things stand The TV licence model is looking like a quaint anachronism but once conventional TV dies off it's looking pretty much doomed.

Radio broadcasting is probably going to need an even more radical rethink. With thousands of available services will current concepts of local/national services (and the associated regulatory regime) be rendered obsolete?

TAFKAlawhec

Radio broadcasting will probably be around in broadcast form for longer than its television counterpart, simply because of the portable/mobile mature of radio broadcasting that is still very popular compared to video.

Other than South Korea & Japan, people watching TV programmes when travelling hasn't caught on really anywhere else in the world and definitely not in the same way radio broadcasts have done for decades. Of course there is podcasts, but that in itself doesn't directly threaten "live" programming. OTOH live video either as a streaming of as a "linear"/FAST service is one that people usually use when in a settled location (usually at home, hotel etc.) and not when on the move.

Twenty years ago there was plenty of talk about DVB-H, MediaFLO, 1seg etc. but other than the aforementioned Asian countries, it's all pretty much dead - probably because if your eyes are concentrating on a screen it can't concentrate on anything else.

reboot

Recent viewing of youtube , lots of rubbish of course,but some of the world's leading scientific minds are avaible, and hard to find amongst the mainstream TV broadcasters.? As pointed out above,maybe the lifespan of yogis and Txs,is not as long as we thought?

TAFKAlawhec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121581173#Comment_121581173

General lifespan of VHF & UHF transmitters are around 25 years give or take a few either way - I don't know about RTÉNL/2RN but when DSO was being carried out in the UK some anecdotal reports suggested that some of the analogue TXs were on their last legs, in one case a (Channel 4?) transmitter that was installed back in the 80's was kept from switching off because of overheating thanks to a fan from Argos!

TX transmitting aerials often outlast their transmitter counterparts, even though a good few of them were changed at DSO/ATO mainly to meet different directional requirements. I know that the old analogue UHF TX aerials at Brougher Mountain has been left in reserve when a new UHF TX antenna was placed on the second tower, while the current BBC mixed polarity VHF Band II radio aerial must be coming up to 40 years old with no sign of replacement (it was installed in 1984 IIRC, replacing an old horizontal polarised setup which was originally installed back in the early 60's).

Glaceon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121586643#Comment_121586643

Yes, it was said at the time that Channel 4 were running on their original transmitters right up until ASO. Some weren't in the best shape by the end.

reboot

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121586643#Comment_121586643

I read they couldn't find replacement for the two large o/p valves?, for the Droitwich radio Tx.,and remember seeing the fish pond with Koa using the warm water from Divis.

bazilsul

Will it be possible to access this Freely app from Ireland using a VPN?

icdg

There’s no discussion on circumventing regional restrictions.

reboot

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121551497#Comment_121551497

Seem to remember back then ,USA went for satellite radio,a pay service with great coverage,think it used AM,I asked questions at the time,but seems we went to Dab,say no more!

decor58

BBC has announced that, later this year, it is to launch BBC NEWS as a FAST channel on a number of platforms in the US. Samsung tv and other brands to carry the channel will double access to the channel, maybe in time they will launch in Europe.

reboot

Interesting, my Samsung TV ,came with 90 channels over the Net.

decor58

BBC have announced that the next Series of Doctor Who is to be available in 4K on the iplayer, another step in the online direction, for viewers with the right equipment of course.

reboot

Think the move is certainly on to get a lot of technology on-line.

Someone's asked Patrick on his daily Vetted podcast on YouTube, about his

technical set up in the "Studio", and what type of camera he uses on his daily show.

He replied "It's a Smart phone"

Hard to believe,the quality is fine and better than some pictures I see from some of my local broadcasters.

decor58

Another move in the online direction has been announced by Astra 19 operator SES in Germany. The move will see about 100 channels, currently available via satellite by the HD+ service, being made available via an app from an IP subsidiary of SES. The app will be available on Samsung tvs from 2021 models with the the current HD+ app, the app will be updated, so Samsung tv owners can access the range of 100 fta channels via satellite or Internet.

decor58

A hands on review of the the Freely app has been published on Cordbusters.co.uk, makes for interesting reading. The channels available at launch will be the Freely partner broadcasters, BBC, ITV, C4, C5 and STV, others may sign up before final launch date, on demand will connect to the respective apps, rather than directly through the Freely app, there is no record facility either on board or cloud. Some changes might be available in time but it doesn't look like a replacement for the existing fta r subscription services.

Rain Spreading From The West

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122059222#Comment_122059222

Link to that Cordbusters review.

https://www.cordbusters.co.uk/freely-hands-on-review-freeview-future/

Must say I'm rather underwhelmed reading it. Only on new TVs for now. No date for future Freely capable STBs. Older TVs and STBs won't get it. There will be a Freely app for mobile devices, but all that will do is mimic the current Freeview app which links to the iPlayer etc apps on your device, if you have them. Seems like the whole thing will be gradually phased in rather than a big bang approach. Hardly anybody will be rushing out to buy a new TV just to get Freely me thinks.

The Cush

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122063901#Comment_122063901

DTT is guaranteed until the end of 2030, UHF spectrum is to be reviewed at WRC-31.

It's likely DTT will be around for at least a decade more, so there is time for this transition to take place.

The rollout of high speed broadband to the most rural areas will have to be included in that plan too, be it fibre or 5G/6G wireless.