Network 2 "Off air"

DMC

I saw that Network 2 was closed down this morning and tomorrow, with a caption on the screen saying summat like "due to essential transmission maintenance, Network 2 is off the air until 11am, apologies yadda yadda...."

Now this is something similar to what happened this time last year, and like last year, RTÉ 1 is off the air next week between 7am and 11am. I never got a full explanation last time as to what was happening, anyone know now??

I noticed that, same as last year.
Only in Ireland would you get this sort of stuff:D
It does puzzle me how they could be doing maintainence, of whatever sort they are doing....and yet not slap on an old film or something???
I'll give them the cable:D
and they can borrow the Dvd as well:D
mm

ah oh go on Damo....turn that 999 into 1000 (congrats in advance :cool: )

DMC

Ah ok mm, just for you...... and there ye go. 1000! Cheers!!

Yeah, like they leave the screen on with the message (this year overlaid on a laserdisc, ala TV3 overnight), no test card (wishful thinking?) and audio from 2FM.

Like, what tests are they at?

rlogue

On SkyDigital Network 2 just has a blank screen and a 'programmes start at 11am' message.

(so I'm told)

Winters

Yea.... i couldnt really care less about Network2 being off air... there isint much on from 7m till 11am. Ya think they could relay Euronews or something good though ... and not 2FM.

Saw something about RTE1 going off air for tha same times nextweek too.... I beat they wont relay euronews either. :rolleyes:

Why couldnt they just sdo all this work at night too...? I never see this happen with ITV or BBC... always RTE do there work during the day and remove all programs..

mike65

Originally posted by Winters
Why couldnt they just sdo all this work at night too...? I never see this happen with ITV or BBC... always RTE do there work during the day and remove all programs..

Unions! Remember when it was verboten to broadcast past midnight?

Mike.

ShaneOC

How about a nice juicy rumour.

I heard from a reliable source (*) that RTÉ's essential transmission maintenance is to allow them to broadcast in widescreen on all digital platforms that support widescreen.

This has been prompted by the increase in the number of American shows that are being supplied to RTÉ in letterboxed format. Shows such as ER and The West Wing to name but two are now broadcast in letterbox format on both analogue and digital.

In fact RTÉ are also producing a number of their own shows in widescreen. I am not certain but I think Treasure Island was shown in letterbox format.

(*) That little voice inside my head.

Winters

Thats good news then.....my 32" widescreen tv will come in even more useful

But it still doesnt make sence why it takes a week to do...

DMC

I doubt it somehow, Shane....

The agreement between the BCI and the Irish broadcasters state that they must transmit exactly the same across all platforms, and not have any extra services that cant be duplicated across the different platforms.

But if they start offer proper widescreen switching on Digital Cable or MMDS, then Sky Digital folk will start feeling a wee bit aggrieved.....

ShaneOC

Originally posted by DamoDMC
I doubt it somehow, Shane....

The agreement between the BCI and the Irish broadcasters state that they must transmit exactly the same across all platforms,

You knew I was going to say it...

GAA

ShaneOC

Originally posted by DamoDMC
...not have any extra services that cant be duplicated across the different platforms.

But if they start offer proper widescreen switching on Digital Cable or MMDS, then Sky Digital folk will start feeling a wee bit aggrieved.....

A bit of a contradicory point here. You correctly say that RTÉ cant offer an extra service that is not available on the different platforms. However introducing full anamorphic widescreen on all of the digital platforms would not break this condition.

DMC

I know, but they are not offering an alternative programme on Sky, just the EPG info saying programmes start at 6:10 or whatever. And the BCI understand why this is the case.

The way that agreement was phrased was "The programmes broadcast on all services will exactly mirror those broadcast terrestrially." You can't do widescreen switching on the analogue signal, so by the bones of the agreement, this cant be offered on satellite.

I want it as much as you all do. I still think that we'll see extra services from RTÉ on other digital platforms before we see it on Sky Digital.

SRB

The way that agreement was phrased was "The programmes broadcast on all services will exactly mirror those broadcast terrestrially." You can't do widescreen switching on the analogue signal, so by the bones of the agreement, this cant be offered on satellite.

---

You wouldn't need to do it on the analogue signal - they could simply broadcast as they do at present, a 14:9 transmission of 16:9 progs. That wouldn't be breaking the agreement any more than saying you don't get any pixals showing up on analogue, but you do on digital.

The BBC run their analogue Networks from their digital areas.