Its Now or Never for getting your FTV cards

carrolls

This was posted on Digital Spy.
A letter from Channel 5 clarifying their position on FTV cards after the BBC move in 3 weeks time.

Thank you for your recent e-mail regarding Five on Digital Satellite.
Following the BBC's decision to change its satellite transmission
arrangements, the Free to View service, whereby special cards were
issued is no longer available. Five will not be distributing Free to
View Cards but you can still find us at the same position on Sky's
programme guide. To receive Five in future on DST you will need to
subscribe to a Sky package, although we remain a free element in any
of Sky's subscription packages.
Please contact Sky on 08705 800 874 for further information.
Thank you for your interest in Five.

Greenman

I wonder how legal that is? This will be an interesting one to watch. When do think my FTV card will die??

rovingrover

Lets hope they don't turn off the existing ones.

rlogue

I would expect that any existing free to view cards won't be turned off - and anyone who phones up Sky or Free to View to get replacements for perfectly good cards are really wasting their time.

Richard

Originally posted by rlogue
I would expect that any existing free to view cards won't be turned off - and anyone who phones up Sky or Free to View to get replacements for perfectly good cards are really wasting their time.

I amagine the same will apply for lapsed UK Subscription Cards.

jabarrett35

I remember this came up before and under the Broadcasting act and the licence that Five operates they are obliged to be accessable to the majority of the Uk via terrestrial and satellite means. I'm sure the ITC will be getting complaints if people have to sub. to Sky to be able to view Five.

watty

Anyone tried asking UTV (assuming you have a NI address) what you do with a S/H or New NON-Subscription Digibox just obtained after 1 June?

I wonder have "Five" got it right?

eoinm1

Hi Lads

I got a new FTV card on Wed. But BBC1 still has not cone on.

It displays "this programe in not availble".

I activated by using the automated telephone process at 8pm.

Should i do this again or should i just wait a while.


Eóin

arkles

there appears to be a problem all round with bbc1 appearing,
it can take up to four days for a picture to appear.
that said many boxes wont get bbc1 activated on 1st call to bbc, for some reason it takes a second call

arkles

interesting to note that there has been very little comment on that " letter" from ch5 on digital spy forum, why?, is it because the amount of ftv cards are far and few over there ? (uk).

ud think that a suggestion of itv ch4 ch5 going sub only would raise a lot of comment.

ShaneOC

I have asked a friend of mine in England to get me a new FTV card before they are no longer available. Will let you know how it goes.

Still haven't got the new sub card yet so the old one is working away.

carrolls

is it because the amount of ftv cards are far and few over there

The only parties concerned with FTV cards are ex-pats and Irish people. UK viewers have Freeview as another (Better ) option if the FTV scheme folds.
I see the Freeview boxes are now £69 Special offer in last weeks Times.
Why go to the trouble of getting an FTV card when you can get 30 HQ Digital channels for £69. And Freeview boxes don't disable themselves if left idle for two weeks.

Wolf

Ok I work for the BBC and im going to sue you all and this board

but seriously I do work for BBC and after the 30th of May all FTV card will become obsolete. However, wether or not BBC will remain on sky or if C4 and ITV will move to the D2 sat is still quite up in the air. I advise that you get a card and just see what happens. Although I must warn you that atm its not looking good.


God I wish I was back in Dublin.

ShaneOC

I would imagine that if as you say all FTV cards become obsolete from the end of May that there will be a bit of an outcry in the UK. People, the number isn't important, there are using the cards to get ITV, Ch4 and Ch5.

Are you saying that these channels will no longer be available on the FTV cards?

arkles

Originally posted by [-UK-]Wolf
after the 30th of May all FTV card will become obsolete. However, wether or not BBC will remain on sky is still quite up in the air.

conflicting statement i think ?
apologies uk-wolf, if im wrong

watty

Originally posted by carrolls
The only parties concerned with FTV cards are ex-pats and Irish people. UK viewers have Freeview as another (Better ) option if the FTV scheme folds.
I see the Freeview boxes are now £69 Special offer in last weeks Times.
Why go to the trouble of getting an FTV card when you can get 30 HQ Digital channels for £69. And Freeview boxes don't disable themselves if left idle for two weeks.

A recent report in UK suggested that "Analog" may never turn off as DTT "freeview" coverage will never be as good. They havn't even rolled out all the planned DTT TX sites and final power / Channels yet, so many folks can only get BBC3, BBC4, ITV2 etc via Digital Satellite.

Chris1

Hi, my BBC card went down after i installed my new sky card,will I have to ger a new BBC card or can the old one be turned back on? If i need a new one has anyone got the phone number I need to ring I have all the detalis as i used my uncles address in london. Thanks in advance for any help.


Chris

ShaneOC

A bit out of date now but the numbers are still the same...

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=37638

God, what a wonderful thread it was!

Originally posted by ShaneOC
A bit out of date now but the numbers are still the same...

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=37638

God, what a wonderful thread it was!

you still have it in your favourites shane, for the ever curious newbie:D
mm

ShaneOC

Yep

DMC

Originally posted by [-UK-]Wolf
Ok I work for the BBC ....

...

God I wish I was back in Dublin.

/me waves frantically.

Wanna swap places?

johnnyq

Originally posted by [-UK-]Wolf
Ok I work for the BBC

Since you do work for the BBC do you know anything about this rumour about BBC going ftv on 14th july.
If so surely wouldn't you have until the nto get the ftv card?

David Robinson

Originally posted by carrolls
UK viewers have Freeview as another (Better ) option if the FTV scheme folds...

Well, that should read 'some UK viewers'! And don't forget to include another £100 for a new aerial which the vast majority of households need. And maybe include a new fridge and washing machine to stop them interfering with reception. :rolleyes:

I saw a very interesting quote from Richard Freudenstein, chief operating officer at Sky. He reckons that the cost to the BBC of providing satellite coverage is £4 per household per year, as against £16 for DTT. OK, he is obviously a bit biased, but even if his figures are anywhere near right, what a scandalous waste of licence money DTT is. Believe me, my Irish friends, you are better off without it!

Richard

Originally posted by David Robinson
OK, he is obviously a bit biased, but even if his figures are anywhere near right, what a scandalous waste of licence money DTT is. Believe me, my Irish friends, you are better off without it!

It costs less per user to get a FTA DTT box than to get a Sky or generic DSat setup, though. Although it may be costing the BBC more now, it'll be interesting to see the situation in 10 years time, when, I predict, there will be many more watchers of Freeview than SkyDigital.

Given that Sky's viewership is currently about 4 times that of Freeview, it isn't suprising that the cost per user is 4 times as much!

watty

Inherently the only difference in user cost is Dish + LNB vs Aerial.

The difference in operator cost is more like 20:1 if you have 99% coverage terrestrially and only pay for Transponder in Satellite.

However I beleive DTT, DSAT, DCable and Analog Tv are for now complementary.

Analog is only mobile / pocket / portable.

Cable suits high rise / high density areas. Also local or Community TV

DTT suits small local / Community TV, Urban areas or areas you don't want dishs (if power good enough, otherwise the UHF aerial can be as unsightly as a dish). DTT as in Irish plan (but not UK version) also allows interactive via wireless "lan style" back channel. Satellite is not sensible for village or small town channels

gmidgely

OK, so everyone has gone on and on about these cards becoming obsolete.

I read on the ITC website (The Independant Television Commission) and their mission statement is among others

Ensuring that viewers can receive television services on fair and competitive terms

and they link to digital TV

This is available using a satellite dish and receiver. You need to buy or rent either a digital TV set with an integral satellite receiver, or a digital satellite set-top box (‘Digibox’) which connects to your existing TV set. An installation fee may be payable.

As most free-to-view transmissions are scrambled to prevent viewing outside the UK, and to make sure regional services appropriate for your area are available, you need to obtain a free-to-view viewing card for your Digibox. These are available free of charge from the broadcasters by calling 08702 438 000.

Once you have obtained an appropriate satellite receiver there are no other ongoing charges, though you can opt to subscribe to Sky Digital at a later date if you wish.

No mention of BBC/ITV/Channel 4 etc, its the ITC's responsible to ensure that all UK residents receive TV, therefore I cannot see the cards being abolished.

jez

My tuppence worth on this issue .

"By the way, I spoke to BBC FTV Center last week. He advised that no old Sky sub cards would be deactivated at any stage."

Sounds good to me!!

Not sure though how long you will be able to order new cards.


__________________
Jez

Koyaanisqatsi

By old FTV cards, you mean pre-changeover?

Cork

Originally posted by watty
Inherently the only difference in user cost is Dish + LNB vs Aerial.

So with freeview you'll just need to purchase an aeriel?

Can these ariels pick up other VHF TV stations?

jez

Reply to last but one post by Koyaanisqatsi

"I mean pre changeover cards. He(FTV Guy)said there was no reason for the cards to be switched off. Obviously I'm not 100% on this but that is what the person said and they sounded well informed."

watty

Originally posted by Cork
So with freeview you'll just need to purchase an aeriel?

Can these ariels pick up other VHF TV stations?

You can use the SAME UHF aerial for analog and freeview if the TV transmitters are in same direction and same channel group.

The Digital Cable uses QAM modulation
The Digial Terrestriam can be QAM or CODFM (depend on Country)
The Satellite Digital is QPSK, I think.

So while the cost and architecture of DCable, DSAT and DTT "set-top box" is similar, they connect to different things and use different modulation (like modem type) to suit the different characteristics of the signal:
Cable: Electrical impulse noise
Terrestrial: Multipath reception, Impulse noise, co-channel interference
Satellite: Thermal Noise

Only some parts of Ireland can receive "freeview" as the signal is much less stonger than Analog UHF BBC/ITV etc.

ShaneOC

Wow that went way off topic and over my head :rolleyes:

Anyway, my new free to view card is on it's way to the address in England so I should get it at some stage next week.

There is still no problem ordering them. Hopefully the activation will go as smoothly.

skyeye

Mod Edit: cross-posting makes DMC cross :mad:

Mossy Monk

multiple posting

/me shakes head

rovingrover

I got my new style FTV card and got it activated
for the same box as my Irish sub. It worked fine.

Card swopping also works fine without having to turn off the box eg press guide and then swop cards.

Happy days!!!!