RTE will be on Sky 28th May 2001

LegacyUser

I have to stay unregistered for reasons of employment. Let be begin by first saying I am employed out in Donnybrook by the state broadcaster as a broadcast engineer assistant. We have been doing test’s to the Astra2 D satellite for the past few nights & early mornings to a transponder that we have leased on Astra2D 10.822ghz V 22,000 5/6. We have tested our full capacity 100%. We are also providing the up link facility for TV3 who have part leased some of the transponder from us.

RTE 1 will be on EPG 101
Network2 will be on EPG 102
TV3 will be on EPG103
TG4 will be on EPG 104
and EPG105 is reserved for the planed RTE news 24 hour channel likely to begin Feb _ Mar 2002

Our EPG slots on the radio section still haven’t been finalised. But we will be launching Radio1, 2FM & Lyric FM. Talks are on going with Today FM but will unlikely be concluded by our launch date.

LegacyUser

What?!?!?!?!?!

LegacyUser

If this is correct, that will be ABSOULTELY FAB!!

Assuming it is, why all the secrecy from Sky and RTE? There is nothing illicit about broadcasting by satellite. RTE, TV3 and TG4 all say nothing is happening.

BTW: I just looked at the frequency Dublin4 mentioned and there are no channels registered there on the digibox.

Also, looking at the www.lyngsat.com site, there appears to be no Astra 2D transponder broadcasting at 10.822. Several around that frequency though.

Hmmmm...

LegacyUser

WOW! That sounds excellent, to say the least. But there is nothing to say that you looked thru the forum, sussed that every1 wants to see the terrestrials on Dsat and decided to make up a nice wee story. Sorry for my scepticism, it just sounds too good to be true. I do hope what you say is true though for obvious reasons. I do know that TV3 will join soon as told at the recent Sony Trade Show in Sligo. I do know too that if :ntl and chorus don't get their act together soon, RTÉ will join Dsat so the more I think of it, the more I think you're rite!!! <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START --><img src="../www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/smile.gif" ALT=":)" OLDREF="http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/smile.gif"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> Here's hoping!! This should liven up the forum again!!

LegacyUser

Good news if its true.....
However i dont want to sound like "The Watcher" who did not believe that BBC would be on Sky, and SUPRISE...we have not heard from him since then.......
I Checked the Lingsat frequency chart when I read the posting.......
Dublin4 gave the frequency 10.822 V 5/6
Lingsat gave the following:
transponder 47 : 10803 H
transponder 48 : 10818 V
transponder 49 : 10832 H
Funny no mention of frequency 10822.
Maybe IrishBlimp is correct, this may be a wind up!!!

LegacyUser

I do hope I am wrong! Would b nice to see RTÉ in digital quality. RTÉ have always denied going to Dsat but Sky have said that they are negotiating with Irish terrs. BBC had denied it too until all was settled. Have 2 wait & see!

I assume we will not see as many posts from you Tanya soon when you go abroad? You'll have to visit the forum to keep up with the Irish TV scenario, even tho u won't be watching! <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START --><img src="../www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/ohwell.gif" ALT=":\" OLDREF="http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/ohwell.gif"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END-->

LegacyUser

Let's not kid ourselves, this is a definite wind-up. The person who posted this, should have picked a correct unused ASTRA 2D transponder to carry this thru. The idea that RTE will ever be in a position to launch a 24/7 news channel is laughable.

LegacyUser

RTÉ are definitely going to air a digital News channel and 2 other channels. They are going to air them on DTT whenever that will be. If they do air their ordinary channels on Dsat, there is nothing to say that they wont air the News channel too although EPG 105 would be the wrong place to put it as the entertainment channels all use the 100 & 200 index. It would probably be in the 500 index.

icdg

RTE have definite plans to launch a 24 hour news channel (These went before the RTE Authority - RTE's board of Governors - in January). However they first have to get the unions on board - which will probably be the ultimate determinent on when it launches.

As for May - I think its too soon for RTE. It would probably have to go all the way to the Director General - if not the RTE Authority for this sort of policy change to be made.

But it would be nice if it did...

LegacyUser

I am sorry if you think this is a wind up. But it is not!! As I have already stated I am a broadcast engineer assistant. We have being testing for a launch on the 28th May. I have mislead ye on the frequency we have been testing on Astra 1 D bird located at 24 degrees. using transponder 56. 10.818ghz V a slight error I stated 10.822ghz I do apologise for this. When we go "live" we do not uplink directly to the Astra2 bird instead we uplink for reception to the SKY control centre were Sky then encrypt our services with their videoguard system they in turn uplink for us to the Astra 2 bird. We will only be available then to viewers with Irish Sky cards. Not to the UK or N Ireland. I am not sure what Astra2 transponder we will be using but I do know it is one of the spot beam transponder. We will be testing again on 18th & 19th of this month. When we do go live we will be uplinking via Eutelsat W1 at 10 degrees our uplink service will be encrypted using Nagravision.

LegacyUser

I doubt it. The RTE News channel (when launched) will not be on Channel 105 - News and Documentaries are in the 500 range. Some people have said 105 will have UTV in the Republic - not sure about this either. I would be even more surprised to see the Irish channels on SkyDigital in May - even more so than BBC Choice/Knowledge/News 24.

Personally I watch very little RTE - so I don't really care. But it would be interesting. I think it would sound a death blow for the Irish DTT system if it were true.

LegacyUser

Dublin 4, you say the tests were to ASTRA 1D - was this a mistype did you mean 2D? 10818V on 2D is Transponder 48 not 56 as you state. Also surely the services would be available in N. Ireland, not just the Republic?

LegacyUser

No it was not a mis-type. Astra 1D at 24 degrees transponder 56

LegacyUser

Dublin 4.... You first gave an incorrect frequency and now an incorrect satellite!!!!!
This is a wind up.
Irish Blimp: yes I will keep in touch with the forum when I have to go abroad again. I leave Tuesday. This forum has really been great!! I shall miss it.

LegacyUser

Hi, Just wondering why you are using 1d at 24 degress what is the purpose iof testing using this satellite? Thanks in advance

"No it was not a mis-type. Astra 1D at 24 degrees transponder 56 "

Regards Tony Irelands satellite specialists

LegacyUser

what is it with these forums and rumours. unbelievable to say the least but nice if it happens

LegacyUser

I have checked it out. There are other tests on this bird, since it was deployed from 28.2 degrees, which 2D came into operation.

<!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.lyngsat.com/astra1d.shtml&quot; OLDREF="">www.lyngsat.com/astra1d.shtml</a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END-->

LegacyUser

I may be prepared to eat my modem again if this comes to pass. RTÉ's stated intent it to put all its efforts into Digico and the government position has consistently been not to have RTÉ on satellite. The only thing that forces the issue is *Sky's* desire to have Irish terrestrials to more forcefully compete with Irish cable companies.

It is true the digital RTÉ service will carry a news service, reportedly named "Ireland Today" - the other poster is correct, this will have to take a 5xx channel, not 105. (I believe this will be reserved for UTV, as it is a sort-of Irish channel.) RTÉ also plans a learning channel (RTÉ Eolas) which would be 5xx based as well.

I am hugely doubtful of this report. Truth is, whether you work for RTÉ or not, if this was the case, one of the papers (Sunday Business Post in particular) would have announced RTÉ's plans with either Sky or SES for carriage. It would not remain so secretive that an employee reported it this closed to the supposed launch.

It is interesting to note that the BBC and C4 and C5 are still negotiating with Sky (good news) and that Sky's long-term plans are to offer Irish terrestrials on digital satellite (hence BBC ONE NI taking 214), but this is too soon for such a major development.

Given TV3's lack of coverage in many areas, this is the channel I'd expect on DSAT first, not RTÉ, but it has stated it does not have the funds to do so at present. Unless Sky were willing to pay RTÉ and TV3 for the uplinks (unlikely), there is simply not the same urgency for RTÉ on DSAT that exsists with BBC/C4/C5.

I doubt this report and will continue to until there is a firm response from an involved party. (But I will grant that May 28th is a Monday - if it were to happen, it'd be a Monday rather than any other day. If you're hoaxing, you're certainly telling what people want to hear!)

LegacyUser

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> "there is simply not the same urgency for RTÉ on DSAT that exsists with BBC/C4/C5"<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->

if you saw the reception we have of the terrestrial channels here in Dungarvan, especially RTÉ1 and Network 2, the urgency for a decent picture here wouldn't be more apparent. abosultely brutal. the sooner RTÉ get on Sky the better. they must think we are all connected with Casey Cablevison. the problem is, we aren't. the sooner we have the best picture the better. at the moment we have dirty white lines going from corner to the other. RTÉ to me and some other people i know is more important than BBC etc. on Sky Digital

LegacyUser

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> icdg wrote:
> As for May - I think its too soon for RTE. It would probably have
> to go all the way to the Director General - if not the RTE Authority
> for this sort of policy change to be made. <!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

The Director General is very busy at the moment. I know that for a fact! I wrote him a letter and he has not replied yet. He might be working on this <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START --><img src="../www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/wink.gif" ALT=";)" OLDREF="http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/wink.gif"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END-->

Mark.

LegacyUser

Where will TV3 go,as until now they seemed to be the only channel interested in going on sky.