UTV and ITV-1 Regions BLOCKED!!!!!!

PacMan

Posted by MadMan:
"Just been talking to a very nice person at Sky..."
Well this "Nice person" really did not know what he/she was talking about. The number given, was a recorded message telling you that the "UK's favourite channel is now on digital satellite"
It went on saying the epg for your local region was 103 etc etc,
but NO use to ROI viewers.
It was nice to see a contact number, but sadly not much use.
Keep telephoning UTV and SKY.

dmeehan

typical cary-on from sky
passing the buck to a useless answering machine

DMC

Ahhh, as I only came onto this forum late today, I have missed the bad news, and no doubt its bad news.....

The current level of encryption, in my view could never work. Those with a FTA box (not a BBC-carded box) could watch these channels PLUS ITV2 free gratis, whilst with us, we could only see ITV 1 through add channels.... I would expect that FTA boxes would be hit next. (any reports on this?)

Why have they done this now?

I'd say ITV Sports Channel will be launching soon.

The current level of encryption would've made an ass of ITV and the launch of the sport channel on Sky. Uptake of FTA boxes would've skyrocketed, as it became more widely known that ITV SC was available for free. Would anyone pay ITV if they knew a way of viewing the ITV SC for free? So they have done this.

This is not UTV's fault, this is a network issue (as ITV and UTV have appeared to have kissed and made up regarding ITV2 on DTT in NI) but this *should* hasten the appearance of UTV on the Irish EPG. Hopefully, in April, with RTÉ.....

We can't complain to Sky that ITV is now turned off,
We were never meant to see it They will not listen to that, because it was a channel not really available to us; it wasn't on the EPG. The fact is, it became so widely known, especially when reports of a pub in Essex could watch Celtic and Rangers last week. News like this may have caused the harm.
Now, I understand that the BBC carded boxes can still see these. That's fine, but they must be increasing the level of encryption.

Maybe this is an Irish only issue, we will have to wait and see on that one.

One more point. I said this before, the phone monkeys at Sky don't know. Don't expect them to. After all, this channel is not on the EPG, so they are only told once channels are launched.

Time to get those BBC-carded digiboxes if you don't already have one if you like you Nationwide or Scottish footie.........:(

georgekildare

I really think that these copyright issues should be raised at the level of the EU commission and the EU parliament. On a previous thread, I questioned their legality. Satellite television should be no different than newspapers or books and all programme bouquets should be available at the same cost throughout the EU. Copyright should be paid per subscriber.

ShaneOC

As far as I know it was/is only ITV2 that was/is availabe with the FTA boxes.

There was always some level of encryption on the ITV1 channels but once you had a valid UK or Irish card (or FTV card) they could be seen.

yop

No luck with the publicity

Gerry Ryan does not think they can help.

Thank you very much for your e-mail to the G. Ryan Show.
Unfortunately the best people to get advice from on this
issue is the Department of Consumer Affairs on
01.4025555 or 1890.220229, they will investigate this
matter on your behalf.

PacMan

Has anyone received any replies to their e-mails to both UTV and SKY????
I am still waiting for mine.
I can guess what its going to say:
dear xxxx,
Thank you for your interest in UTV,
However as UTV is only licenced to broadcast in the UK etc etc etc.
The same usual automated reply. I am sure that madman will do a "Perfect" wind up of their e-mail reply. He has a good sence of humour............

So, what do WE do next? This is gone beyond a joke.
Any ideas??

dmeehan

im still waiting for my replies too...

dont UTV own radio stations in cork??
perhaps that could be a platform to raise this issue further

Element 4

no reply to me either...........

I might even take a hack saw to brogher mountain LOL LOL LOL

(eh , UTV's second most powerfull TX site north east of enniskillen

PacMan

Perhaps Leesider could give us more info. I think that UTV have bought "County Sound" and 96FM. It has also been reported that they are planning to buy more media in the Republic.
They also operate UTV Internet, and the utv.ie site

DMC

Originally posted by ShaneOC
As far as I know it was/is only ITV2 that was/is availabe with the FTA boxes.

You are right. Still, it must be down to ITV Sport that they have upped the encryption.....

bkehoe

Just sent an email to UTV, even though I never watched them; like HTV a lot more, but any ITV is better than having to get another BBC Card & box!

Brendan

DMC

erm, the "How to tune in ITV" thread ain't closed if you pick-up a BBC carded box....

chernobyl

2 possibilities, either its getting a full EPG launch or more likely you will never watch it again.

irishgeo

this is what i feared would happen. i knew that it was too good to last. i dont known why they did it but i bet its money. Sky will charge more knwon to itv to be able to broadcast in ireland. i noticed over the past few days that the itv sport channel has the message "this programme is not available". so if anyone has an ftv card could they check whether it is sill blocked. i think i am going to get and ftv card.

is the new bbc channels blocked on the FTV card aslo.

It just geos to show that sky dont care about the irish republic and we are wasting our time. i think we should boycott sky.

I JUST THOGUHT OF IT! THE REASON I KNOW THEY BLOCKED IT.ITS THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE COVERAGE STARTING UP AGAIN. I BET THATS IT! (YES I KNOW I AM SHOUTING)

Leesider

Yes, UTV owns a big stake in Cork's 96FM.
Their contact details are as follows:

Tel: 021 455-1596
Fax: 021 455-1500
email: info@96fm.ie

The 'Gerry Ryan' equivalent show is hosted by a guy called Neil Prendeville, weekdays from 9am to noon.
Emails could be marked for his attention, just to get some discussion going??

Hang 'em out to dry!

DMC

Yeas.... boycott Sky.....

And sign back up with NTL, or Chorus?

Get real.

No matter how badly BSkyB is percieved at treating the Irish customer, don't foget why you left cable in the first place......

PacMan

Go back to Chorus??? N E V E R!!!
Chorus is Crap,crap,crap. And thats the "Good" version.
With or without UTV/BBC 3/BBC 4 most of us will stay with Sky digital. Reasons ??? No competition.

irishgeo

ok a boycott of sky is not realistic its just me raving after losing the head a bit sorry.

i just like to point out i never had cable and never likely to get it on achill island in county mayo.

DMC

Ha!!!

You are lucky to get RTÉ via aerial out there!

I jest.....

irishgeo

true. the picture on my aerial is broken and i cant be bothered to fix it. nothing worth watching anyway on RTE. i can wait till april. at least thats one thing that the uk wont have and ireland will. arent we lucky

Element 4

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh relief..........................................................got my fta card re started this evening

Mossy Monk

bollocks to those dirty b******s. wish this FTV card would arrive. my mother thought she wouldn't be able to watch Coronation Street until i reminded her of TV3. lovely widescreen is gone :mad:

PacMan

My parents have Sky Digital, and like myself, they phoned Sky today.

This morning when I called SKY, they referred me to UTV.

This evening however, when my family telephoned , SKY are reading out a press release.

It states that as from feb 12th ITV have asked SKY to encrypt the signal to SKY viewers in the ROI. They add that it was ITV that made the request. SKY are giving out an ITV digital helpline contact number. 0044 845 0704466

This telephone number is only a pre-recorded message telling you that ITV is on EPG 103. it has NO information about the availability of ITV or UTV in the Republic.

The number to contact is UTV
048 9032 8122
It was their decision to block the signal

icdg

The ICDG website is now updated with this sad but inevitable news.

I am 99% certain now that this is the doing of the ITV Network Centre, and not UTV itself. It is the Network which handles the issue of copyright clearence, UTV only does this for programmes acquired locally. Its' likely that ITV's rights holders have heard of the channel being available in ROI and have pressed them to block the signal.

UTV were probably quite happy being available in ROI via Add Channels. And this move will put a new impetus on UTV's efforts to become available on Sky Digital ROI.

FLINNO

Can you believe these people................how would you get those cards that enalbe you to get the channels back?????

David C

On the ICDG site the second new news story is linked wrong:
Heres the correct link

Children's BBC rebrand takes effect as new channels launch

chernobyl

What was so good about ITV that you all are on the verge of meltdown?

Genghis

Just been on ebay.co.uk and there are just six boxes with BBC cards available. All over £120. Definitely a sellers market right now ...


I love the notice quoted below for one of the £150 Sony boxes:

There is no card available with this digibox, however, if the winning bidder requires one, they should let me know at the end of auction and I will supply the telephone number of the relavent Sky/BBC Department for the free card - no problem.

Its the 'no problem' bit that cracks me up ...

Cloud

Well I personally don't watch it (UTV) much, however my mum has been watching Coronation Street since I was 0 years old, and is in an area where you can't receive TV3 (read "west of Ireland").

So you can imagine the happiness when I introduced her to the Other Channels method a few months ago on her DigiBox (and all the other beleagured fans who were lucky enough to have Sky boxes), and also my happiness too [because I was taping omnibus editions of the series for her weekly when it moved from RTE to TV3].

Whatever about the other ITV regions, they can at least give us UTV.