BBC goes FTA: 10th July

Tony · 12-03-2003 9:53pm

I agree, is this the fastest growing thread we have ever had on here?

Tony

DMC · 12-03-2003 10:09pm

Probably as quick as the one that was started when ITV dissappeared in early 2002.

Charles Slane · 12-03-2003 10:09pm

The "UTV/ITV Blocked" thread was a flyer too - four pages in one day (wasn't there a Crowded House song about that ?), although I think it had an earlier start.

Charles Slane · 12-03-2003 10:14pm

Woops.... sorry Damo. Great minds and all that.

DMC · 12-03-2003 10:19pm

Great to see Crowded House mentioned in a Satellite thread!

:D

Mossy Monk · 12-03-2003 11:26pm

if the BBC channels go FTA i will be the first on the phone demanding a reduction in my subscription fee.
i think this is a ploy by the BBC to make Sky lower the costs. i can't see it happening for some reason. it is too good to be true for me. time will tell though. i hope i'm wrong

Crowded House were rubbish IMO. anyone agree

carrolls · 13-03-2003 12:31am

With the present financial dispute Viacom are having with BSkyB, I wonder will the MTV channels be next to go FTA?

icdg · 13-03-2003 12:47am

First of all Tony, sorry about having the wrong prices! Still a bit expensive for me, but if I can get a cheap FTV DSat reciever and dish I will. It's the dish and installation that looks rather pricey for me, maybe taking out a Value Pack subscription for one year might be cheaper. (I already get the value pack channels via DCab though).

Now back to topic - I would have been skeptical too. But if it is a negotiating ploy, normal tatic would for this to have been leaked to a Guardian journalist or the like by "Sources close to the BBC" who would then publish it in highly dramatic fashion. The BBC would then offically deny the story. ("Never believe anything until its Offically Denied").

However two pieces of evidence suggest this is for real.

(1) The BBC went to the trouble of putting out an offical and highly detailed Press Release on the matter. This suggests that the BBC have made their mind up on this one.

(2) Sky responded not by saying they were going to try to change the BBC's mind, but by saying they accepted the BBC decision and looked forward to negotiating to provide the service required to implement the decision (ie, the EPG region selector update) This suggests that Sky have decided that negoting is useless, and they better try to get whatever money they can out of the BBC to provide the EPG listing. (And this will be the biggest EPG contract Sky will ever sign, we're talking nearly 25 stations here).

Anyway, its been one of those days. Going to end it with an ICDG update!

Ronan
http://icdg.boards.ie
http://www.boards.ie/icdg .

Tony · 13-03-2003 12:59am

Originally posted by icdg
First of all Tony, sorry about having the wrong prices! Still a bit expensive for me, but if I can get a cheap FTV DSat reciever and dish I will. It's the dish and installation that looks rather pricey for me, maybe taking out a Value Pack subscription for one year might be cheaper. (I already get the value pack channels via DCab though).

http://icdg.boards.ie
http://www.boards.ie/icdg .

No problem at all, value pack for one year is 328 including installation although I'm not convinced BBC FTA will be available on digiboxes, remember the last ITV FTA feed that could only be received on non sky FTA boxes.

Tony

Mossy Monk · 13-03-2003 1:54am

reading the digital spy version of this thread it would seem that ORF is also going FTA but that is happening next year. they are the public service broadcaster of Switzerland or Austria. can't remember which. i look forward to the day when RTÉ is FTA via satellite if it will ever happen

Shamrockman · 13-03-2003 7:25am

ORF is from Austria. But only the 2nd channel is going FTA and I am not really sure you want that...

sayireland · 13-03-2003 9:29am

Now that the BBC will go to Astra 2D what does that mean for the transponders?

Will they take the transponders already being used by Hallmark, Eurosportnews, Sky Interactive Cricket etc???

Does this mean that the Irish channels might move from 10.744H ??

When can we expect some news on what the changes will be??

watty · 13-03-2003 9:46am

There are plenty of spare transponders.

robert muldoon · 13-03-2003 9:58am

Could someone just give me the simple answer s to some basic questions on this subject without being too complicated

1) What will i be able to receive with my Irish sub card post 30th May?

2) Will the BBC channels still be on the EPG as i have now

3) What happens my FTV card post 30th May, as I understand it, I will get NO BBC but just ITV & Channel 4

I think Sky (Irl) needs to make a statement on this whole matter and stop the speculation

DMC · 13-03-2003 10:08am

To answer Robert's questions

1) Probably through "Other Channels" only

2) I'm sure they will

3) No, you will still be able to get all the BBC's services with an existing and future FTV cards. What they BBC are doing is going FTA, eliminating the need to have an FTV card for the BBC channels.

spongebob · 13-03-2003 10:54am

Is it true that the recent software upgrade that SKY sent out to their subscribers had the effect of limiting the Other Channels selection capability from 50 down to 20 on the SKY digiboxes.

The BeeB s alone could nearly max out your selections if that is the case.

M

watty · 13-03-2003 11:19am

50 channels has never worked very well.
It was the "Personal Planner" upgrade some long while ago seemed to coincide with even less reliable "Other Channels"
It seems "mostly" OK with less than 20.

Fit an inline power switch on the power cord (like the ones on lamps), then it is easy to cycle the power of / on with an old cheque card or upside down Viewing card in the slot to get the FTA EPG. Solves the "Other Channels" issue

"Other Channels" if you don't want to turn Digibox off.

BBC1 .. BBC 4 (inc Cbbc and Cbeebies as they are shared with 3 & 4)
News 24
FTA now: Radio 1, 2, 3, 4 4LW, RU, 1 Extra, 6 and 7

= 14 channels
Or 16 if we assume 5Live and 5Extra go clear

Alternate 3 BBC
= 17 / 19 Channels

Leaves space for up to 3 or 1 of the remaining 14 proposed BBC1 regional variations

If you cancel your Sky Sub, then you don't need "other channels" (you really want to listen to McColls, Costcutter etc?)
Leave any non-satellite card in or ROI card upside down after repower box.

timpat · 13-03-2003 11:35am

Tony's last post raises an interesting(but slightly alarming!) possibility of Sky digiboxes not being able to receive the BBC's FTA signal.

Could this really happen? Would that not amount to a form of encryption by Sky contrary to the BBC's policy? If Sky's digboxes in the UK will be able to receive the channels FTA post 30 May, should ours be any different? The only way they could be different is if Sky do something to prevent us getting them - but is that within their remit? And is it in their interests? It would after all strengthen the case for getting a non-Sky receiver.

Tom · 13-03-2003 11:49am

BBC In The Clear QA

The BBC are not pulling any punches.....

Viewers will no longer need to go to Sky to get digital satellite TV. Competitors could now come in, sell their own boxes and dishes, and install them - without having to deal with Sky at all.

jez · 13-03-2003 12:15pm

Fantastic news .Just one query

Is there any realignment of existing dish required???

Thanks

lawhec · 13-03-2003 12:53pm

Originally posted by jez
Fantastic news .Just one query

Is there any realignment of existing dish required???

Thanks

No!

robert muldoon · 13-03-2003 1:21pm

Originally posted by DMC
To answer Robert's questions

1) Probably through "Other Channels" only

2) I'm sure they will

3) No, you will still be able to get all the BBC's services with an existing and future FTV cards. What they BBC are doing is going FTA, eliminating the need to have an FTV card for the BBC channels.

Thanks for the clarity

If BBC goes on 'other channels' how are they on the sky EPG?
How do we get ITV & channel 4.? On the present FTV Card?

I was on to my FTV scource in the UK this am, who was on to the BBC and they said that they no nothing about all this, so I ask, what the hell is going on?
Is there anything on the BBC website?

Is this another well planted leak?

DMC · 13-03-2003 1:30pm

Just pondering further ....

There will be a wee bit of testing on this.....

As they are moving lock stock and barrell, and only one TP on 2D is currently active with BBCi stuff, they will have to move house over the course of the next few months, leading up to May.

I'd say they will replicate the service on 2D in the weeks leading up to the end of May, FTA, viewable through Other Channels and then on the 30th May, point the EPG to the 2D channels and they turn off the channels on 2A.

It wont happen with a big bang, thats for sure. We may see the results of whats to come before then.

DMC · 13-03-2003 1:40pm

Originally posted by robert muldoon
Thanks for the clarity

If BBC goes on 'other channels' how are they on the sky EPG?
How do we get ITV & channel 4.? On the present FTV Card?

I was on to my FTV scource in the UK this am, who was on to the BBC and they said that they no nothing about all this, so I ask, what the hell is going on?
Is there anything on the BBC website?

Is this another well planted leak?

Hi Robert, read the "BBC Press Release" from the BBC Press Office, on the first page of this thread. Its real, no leak, but dont expect the phone monkeys to know too much about it yet, they are always the last to know.

If a channel is on the EPG, its has a channel number, ie 214 is BBC ONE NI on Irish Sky Subs. If it doesnt have a number, its not on the EPG, so then try "Other Channels" and see if you can tune it in there. Any channel on the EPG can also be viewed through Other Channels. On an Irish Sky Sub, we can tune already tune into BBC Radio (not 5 Live or Sports Extra) via other channels. They are not on the Irish EPG, but we can get them in Other Channels.

The only way to continue to watch ITV and Channel 4 is via the FTV card.

robert muldoon · 13-03-2003 1:40pm

Originally posted by robert muldoon
Thanks for the clarity

If BBC goes on 'other channels' how are they on the sky EPG?
How do we get ITV & channel 4.? On the present FTV Card?

I was on to my FTV scource in the UK this am, who was on to the BBC and they said that they no nothing about all this, so I ask, what the hell is going on?
Is there anything on the BBC website?

Is this another well planted leak?

Sorry I was reading all this in a hurry this am and have now looked at the BBC press release. But threre still seems to be questions answered as far as the ROI is concerned, the BBc makes no reference to ROI which is fair enough.

I am still not clear till we have full details why it is such a huge benefit to us or am I missing something? There is no guarantee that the BBC channels are going to remain on the ROI Sky sub
card EPG - tell me more

timpat · 13-03-2003 2:02pm

I would imagine both BBC1(NI) and BBC2(NI Digital) will remain on the Irish EPG as SKy and BBC Worldwide still have an agreement in force.

The only question is whether Sky try to renegotiate that deal to include the rest on the Irish EPG on the basis that we will be able to see all the channels anyway via Other Channels.

Icehouse · 13-03-2003 2:14pm

Does anyone know anymore about this notion that Astra 2D has steerable beams - Theoretically if the BBC can get transponders on those beams they could hit the UK only - maybe that's their plan and we're wasting our time celebrtaing yesterday's news?!

DMC · 13-03-2003 2:15pm

Greg Dyke made a speech to the London Business School's Media Alumni Dinner last night, which makes for interesting reading. I wont post it here, its too long, but its an insight to the decision taken yesterday.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/speeches/stories/dyke_londonbusinessschool.shtml

JDxtra · 13-03-2003 2:16pm

From reading posts on other forums, I believe this is not possible.

watty · 13-03-2003 2:18pm

Originally posted by Icehouse
Does anyone know anymore about this notion that Astra 2D has steerable beams - Theoretically if the BBC can get transponders on those beams they could hit the UK only - maybe that's their plan and we're wasting our time celebrtaing yesterday's news?!

N.I. is still currently in UK.
The Sat Beam that can give PERFECT coverage from Land's end to Shetlands and Essex to Derry while cuting out the Republic doesn't exist yet.

They might as well try to exclude Yorkshire!

BBC goes FTA: 10th July

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