Terrestrial Channels on Sky Digital

LegacyUser

It's 1am on the 30th of April and BBC2 NI still is not yet in the clear. Hopefully by this time tomorrow night we'll be able to see it in digital quality. On British forums there has been talk that the different Nation versions will be available on the "Add Channels". Hopefully we'll be able to access these but somehow I doubt it.

There's been a lot of speculation on the forum lately about C4/5 and the Irish terrestrials launching on Sky Digital but as yet there hasn't been anything concrete regarding dates etc. Does anybody have any more info ?

I reckon that UTV will jump at the chance to be available on Sky Digital in the Republic, and when they do Channel 4 will realise how much money they can make from advertising here. Channel 5 seems to be living in it's own little planet. I still have it on analogue but I watch it so rarely that I'm not majorly concerned if it comes on board or not.

If it comes down to it, I'd rather be able to see the extra BBC channels, especially when they become BBC3 and 4. Should we be starting to lobby Sky for their availability now (for when they launch with their new names)? They seem to be paying attention to our pleas (they're a comercial company, why wouldn't they ?)

Looking to the future, I can't wait to see Mark Cagney in digital quality (ha ha ha).

LegacyUser

BBC2 Ni was available this morning (7:30am) but only through the other channels menu. It is not yet on the EPG.

LegacyUser

Wait precisely one minute - Ok this makes no sense as the time stamp is wrong, but it is now 9.59am - and it should be on by 10.00am.

LegacyUser

It's in the clear now - BBC2 NI on 215 !!

Mark.

LegacyUser

Great to have BBC2 on the EPG at last.

Some small (very small!) changes - the wording has changed from BBC ONE ni to BBC ONE NI (and now BBC TWO NI).

Also BBC ONE sc has become BBC ONE Scot and BBC ONE wa has become BBC ONE Wal

Has anyone noticed that the standard Ceefax service is NOT available on BBC TWO NI, but is on BBC ONE NI? Seems strange. But digital text allows us to change channels (from BBC 1 to BBC2), which is handy!

LegacyUser

Tis great to get BBC2 on our EPG! 1 of the first things I looked for was the ceefax but all there is is the "digitext" (wots the proper name for this text?) Still, it's on BBC1. Now, when in the BBC digitext, u can press the Green (ChangeTV) button to flick between 1 & 2 but system hangs when u try select News24 etc obviously. Tis a nice wee feature to be able to flick BBCs while using text.

On another note, while ringing sky today to activate a customers card, I asked about the Schedule Planner but she knew nothing about it & said if it was coming she'd be told about it. Is it ever gonna come out?

Look forward to the prospect of having C4, ITV, RTÉ1, N2, TV3 and of course TG4!! If ever....... <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START --><img src="../www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/happy.gif" ALT=":D" OLDREF="http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/happy.gif"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END-->

WILL

LegacyUser

What beats me is, that the BBC seem to be letting Ceefax go. Why didnt they name BBC Text "Ceefax Digital"? Ceefax is a huge brand name, and its a shame they didnt bring it into the 21st century.

Ceefax, the nickname of Peter Beardsley,
Ceefax, what cricketers turn to during a wet championship game,
Ceefax, when you want to see soccer scores, rather than Rugby League from The Shay....

I salute you.

LegacyUser

Maybe 'Ceefax' sounds too old and fuddy-duddy and not modern enough for Digital Text. Also, as it is originally a corruption of "See Facts" - you can see a lot more - i.e. pictures now.

LegacyUser

I dont think Ceefax sounds too dated, because it still is in everyday usage, unlike Atari or Amiga, (Or the BBC Micro!!) It has weathered the ages or technical revolution, and it is still looked upon as a quick and up-to-date medium.

Maybe it should be called Cee-more-fax <!--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-->

LegacyUser

Hmmm.. Just read the news update regarding BBC2 NI having a Digital Zone later this year. I have to say that I don't like the idea that some of the better BBC2 programmes may be replaced by local (ie Northern Ireland) content. Will this also affect the output on NTL ?

In the UK they at least have the option of choosing one of the other BBC regions (they're placed in the 900s of the EPG). I wonder why they don't give us the same facility here, as they're already paying for programme rights for everywhere.

LegacyUser

I too am dreading the thought of primetime progs on BBC2 being dropped for local stuff but I guess that was the whole idea of BBC2 regions. Guess we'll have to wait & see. Where'd U hear that Ronan?

LegacyUser

I also just heard that BBC2 is planning to aim for an older market. Will this mean that more "youth" oriented (meaning interesting) programmes will be shunted onto BBC3 ? What a drag if we can't recieve it here.

LegacyUser

>(Or the BBC Micro!!)

Ahh, great computer, I still have one!!

As for the BBC TWO variations - they will be annoying for some viewers in ROI, because most viewers here who have SkyDigital don't have analogue BBC TWO ni to fill in the gaps. Or the UK-generic version that those in the UK have. But's its because Sky are paying for these channels in ROI, not the BBC, and Sky aren't that bothered, as not having a few BBC TWO variants won't affect their revenues much, but not having BBC at all will. There is hope on the Horizon, though, if BBC is moving to Astra 2D (or have they already), BBC TWO could be FTA, not FTV and therefore all verions would be available everywhere (though possibly not on the EPG)

LegacyUser

Pat Gleeson posted on another forum that Channel 4 may be available on Sky Digital Ireland "in a month or so". Has anyone heard any new about this?

Hopes for Channel 5 seem to be dead in the water because they don't already have an advertising base in the Republic. Surely this would be the perfect opportunity to establish one.

TV Channels seem to move in mysterious way !!

LegacyUser

the sooner Channel 4 start broadcasting here the better. Channel 5 though are only good for one thing. that is their late night sports programmes. it doesnt really bother me as they are still on analogue satellite but a digital picture and sound would be nice

LegacyUser

Further to his posting in another forum (see earlier posting in this thread) Pat Gleeson has revealed his source on the "Channel 4 in a month" story.

Apparently he was told by someone working for eircom, who have a contract to install Sky equipment.

This person was the one who told him that BBC would be available 'after Christmas' - no dates, just keep looking out - and he was right.

He based his assumption that Channel 4 would be on in a month on the basis that negotiations should be at an advanced stage now.

So there you go. Nothing really concrete, but quite positive. As usual, it's fingers-crossed.

LegacyUser

lets hope he is right again. i would love to be able to get Channel 4 full time rather than relying on high pressure

LegacyUser

"Its an "open secret" that the BBC are planning to introduced the Digital Zone on BBC TWO Digital - its to make up for the loss of BBC CHOICE regions and allow people in the different nations of the UK see each others regional programmes."

Actually - its more than an Open Secret - they were saying as much on BBC CHOICE ni's final days. BTW - which version of the forum are we supposed to be using? They seem to be carrying on indpendently.

Is any of the BBC TWO versions DOG'd?

BBC TWO ni isn't.

The channel bar is still "BBC TWO" as it was when we only had the UK-version. BBC CHOICE ni has become "BBC CHOICE" though. Do DSat viewers (in the UK) see a DOG on BBC CHOICE? Cos via DTT I don't. I think they are still using the same un-dogged version in NI that they used before - just without the opts out.

We don't have the generic version of BBC TWO along side the NI version on DTT. Yet.

BTW - which version of the forum are we supposed to be using?



[This message has been edited by Richard (edited 08-05-2001).]

LegacyUser

Ronan, can you do an announcement on the ezboard ??? If so you can easily inform everyone about the change of address as such.

Cloud

From Mossy Monk:

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">
the sooner Channel 4 start broadcasting here the better. Channel 5 though are only good for one thing. that is their late night sports programmes. it doesnt really bother me as they are still on analogue satellite but a digital picture and sound would be nice
</font>

From icdg:

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">
Its an "open secret" that the BBC are planning to introduced the Digital Zone on BBC TWO Digital - its to make up for the loss of BBC CHOICE regions and allow people in the different nations of the UK see each others regional programmes. See various threads in the Media UK and Digital Spy forums for details.

Yes BBC TWO is going to move slightly upmarket (although not as highbrowe as the proposed BBC FOUR) as more people in the UK recieve all four BBC services (and BBC NEWS 24).
Some of the more youth-oriented programmes on BBC TWO will slowly move to BBC THREE. They won't be able to fully implement the four-channel strategy until most UK homes have the four services - but they will slowly nudge people in that direction.

This of course makes it even more important that ROI viewers have access to the same range of BBC services as digital viewers in the UK.
</font>

From JC:

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">
"Is any of the BBC TWO versions DOG'd?"

Nope. For once, they've had to good sense to realise that the channel's banner gives this information quite clearly.

"The channel bar is still "BBC TWO" as it was when we only had the UK-version. BBC CHOICE ni has become "BBC CHOICE" though. Do DSat viewers (in the UK) see a DOG on BBC CHOICE?

Yes, it's got BBC CHOICE and underneath www.bbc.co.uk/choice (or when CBBC on Choice is on, www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc) - ARGH! Very annoying. My 102 just has BBC TWO banner just says that (obviously) - the others read
964 - BBC TWO Scot, 965 - BBC TWO Wa and 966 - BBC TWO NI (capitals, as on our 215.)

"We don't have the generic version of BBC TWO along side the NI version on DTT. Yet."

Hopefully that will happen for ROI viewers (on 966, say) before the Digital Zone comes in.
</font>

From Richard:

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">
"Hopefully that will happen for ROI viewers (on 966, say) before the Digital Zone comes in."

I doubt it - it isn't a priority of Sky's - they will dictate which BBC channels are available in ROI. Hope I'm wrong though...
</font>

LegacyUser

"It will only become a priority of Sky's if we make it one. We should make it clear we would like both versions, given how much regional material is planned"

Some programmes could be blacked out if they couldn't be shown in ROI. This may happen even within the UK for the non-local BBC TWO variant.

To be honest, not enough people will presurise Sky for anything to happen. Mind you, the beeb might eventually decrypt the BBC TWO variants so it can avoid the encryption costs (as long as the rights issues can be sorted)

Cloud

From JC:

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">
It will only become a priority of Sky's if we make it one. We should make it clear we would like both versions, given how much regional material is planned. (That most of those programme are to be repeated late at night will probably mean refusal, though.) Still, the rights to the extra BBC TWO couldn't cost that much.
</font>

LegacyUser

I guess the most likely scenario is that BBC will move it's channels onto Astra 2D (where they won't have to encrypt them due to the narrow beam). Then we'll be able to pick them up on "Other Channels". We'll have the services and BBC will save money on encryption and the cost of having them on the Irish EPG (much the same as the way we currently receive the radio stations).

Not an ideal solution, but it's one that I could live with.

LegacyUser

Yeah, Charles, that would be OK. Wonder if it'll ever happen though....
Channel Four could do the same

icdg

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by ShaneOC:
Ronan, can you do an announcement on the ezboard ??? If so you can easily inform everyone about the change of address as such.</font>

I've shut up shop on the old ezboard now, except for a message directing people here. All the links on the ICDG site (http://icdg.tvfromireland.com) now point here too.

PS. John, can you do a link to ICDG from this site? Thanks.

LegacyUser

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Charles Slane:
I guess the most likely scenario is that BBC will move it's channels onto Astra 2D (where they won't have to encrypt them due to the narrow beam)</font>

i would like that too but it probably wont happen for BBC1 and BBC2. even though viewers across the UK can watch all versions of BBC2 on satellite but the Irish Cup Final last Saturday had the all too familiar message "This program is not available" coming up on TV screens outside of Ireland (north and south). i hope the other BBC channels will jump aboard this narrow beam and go FTA

Cloud

Yep there's a link there in the announcement.

LegacyUser

There is a report on another forum of UTV (yes UTV!) testing on 11 844ghz H. The guy who posted it said that it's only there some of the time (!) and further posters haven't seen anything.

Possibly a dumb hoax but worth keeping an eye on.

I guess if any of the ITV channels were to be first to start broadcasting on Sky Digital it could well be UTV, since they seem to be most independent of the Carlton/Granada cartel.

Anybody seen anything ?

LegacyUser

i have seen this post too but that frequency has Sky channels on it. i would have thought if UTV were to be testing the tests would be taking place on 1 of ITV's 3 transponders but you never know