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Saorview Connect

The Cush

A new service proposed by RTÉ in its 5 year strategy published today

Description

The SAORVIEW DTT service was successfully launched in 2011. Following the completion of digital switchover, there are high levels of awareness of the SAORVIEW brand, and as of the end of December 2012, there were 558,000 SAORVIEW homes.

There are opportunities for SAORVIEW to grow as a DTT only platform, particularly with the launch of new services and the inclusion of new functionality in set-top boxes, such as personal video recorders.

But the growth of broadband and the ability to access on demand and linear video content over the internet has resulted in some free-to-air broadcast platforms launching hybrid services, such as You View and Freesat (Freetime) in the UK. These hybrid services combine access to linear content delivered over broadcast, and on-demand and linear content streamed over the nternet. And all are presented within the electronic programme guide, providing the consumer with a seamless integrated service.

There is an opportunity to capitalise on the growth of IP and the SAORVIEW brand equity to create a service called SAORVIEW Anywhere that is an extension and development of the DTT service.

SAORVIEW Anywhere will provide quality content, including existing and new SAORVIEW channels and services, on-demand and catchup services, accessed through an easy-to-use and intuitive interface.

The service will be free to access (over and above broadband network access charges) and minimal investment will be required by consumers, as the stand-alone broadband service will be designed to be accessed on existing broadband devices. Existing SAORVIEW homes who wish to take up the service will require a new set-top box and a broadband connection.

RTÉ will not be able to deliver SAORVIEW Anywhere on its own, and will need to work with a number of partners to deliver both the stand-alone broadband service and the hybrid set-top box. RTÉ will seek appropriate industry partners to deliver SAORVIEW Anywhere, to enable both the stand-alone broadband service and the hybrid set-top box.

The service supports the growth and take-up of broadband, and supports free access to public-service content. RTÉ will encourage new channel development and new market entrants to be part of the service.

Financial Implications
The detailed business case for SOARVIEW Anywhere is being prepared.

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The Cush

Maysa07 wrote: »

Some clues\clue in there

I assume there is an NDA for anyone on the trials.

Maysa07

The Cush wrote: »

IBC interview with Richard Waghorn, Director of Transformation and Technology, RTÉ

https://www.ibc.org/content-management/interview-richard-waghorn-rte/2258.article

Saorview Connect

Reference to Freesat being included

At IBC2017, Richard Waghorn is one of the speakers at Delivering an Exceptional Consumer Media Experience

Some clues\clue in there

One intention is to use those trials to develop our skills base,” he says.

The Cush

IBC interview with Richard Waghorn, Director of Transformation and Technology, RTÉ

https://www.ibc.org/content-management/interview-richard-waghorn-rte/2258.article

Saorview Connect

Billed as “Ireland’s free digital television service”, the free-to-air DTT platform owned and managed by RTE that can be accessed via a set top box, a smart TV or connected to a satellite dish and allows users to pause, rewind and record live TV.

Reference to Freesat being included

“We brought to the market an advanced free offer – a connected box with access to broadband. It is connected via the aerial and there is a satellite tuner to give users access to free to air satellite channels (Freesat).

At IBC2017, Richard Waghorn is one of the speakers at Delivering an Exceptional Consumer Media Experience

Interview: Richard Waghorn, RTE

By George Jarrett|14 September 2017

New business models, and the new skill sets required if platforms are to stand out from the crowd, are two considerations that brought the Saorview Connect box into play.

Billed as “Ireland’s free digital television service”, the free-to-air DTT platform owned and managed by RTE that can be accessed via a set top box, a smart TV or connected to a satellite dish and allows users to pause, rewind and record live TV.

“We knew there was a massive gap between the RTE offer and what other platforms could deliver, so we wanted to develop a technology road map for the platform to close the gap on pay TV,” says RTE Director of Transformation and Technology Richard Waghorn.

“We brought to the market an advanced free offer – a connected box with access to broadband. It is connected via the aerial and there is a satellite tuner to give users access to free to air satellite channels (Freesat).

“There is also a recording capability,” he adds. “Essentially what we are doing is transitioning from a very basic experience of being a platform that has 10 regular TV channels and a 7-day EPG.”

Waghorn is mindful of the many different UIs users encounter.

“Saorview is formerly a new product with a very nicely designed UI that gives more of a branded feel and more of a consistent experience. It has 20 different features, from access to on demand content to catch-up TV, a rollback EPG, recommendations, and program title search,” he said.

“Then there is the Saorview app. Pair that with the box and you can remote record content. You can also use the app for remote control.”

RTE has created an advanced free product. Next up it will have to continually produce competitive content.

“Absolutely. The big screen in the lounge is where people want to watch content. Ultimately you want to have as much capability as you can get in one box,” said Waghorn. “We are the largest platform in Ireland and it is a free proposition.

“People don’t want to pay for content if they don’t have to, so why should all those features and that functionality only be available for people on pay platforms? One of the strongest propositions with Saorview is no contract. People have access to multiple platforms and they are moving around, so we have make Saorview stand out within that mix,” he adds.

In a very competitive market RTE plainly does not have the same resources as the likes of Netflix, Amazon and Sky.

‘But we know we have a strong product. It is crucial that we sit in as many homes as possible,” said Waghorn.

“Clearly there is so much choice in the market now that consumers are increasingly looking to go a la carte and get their entertainment across a number of devices and from a range of suppliers.

“Ireland is a relatively small market, yet we have four pay TV platforms (satellite, cable and IPTV), plus Netflix and Amazon Prime and free to air broadcast options, including Saorview,” he adds.

“Whilst Saorview has the least number of channels on offer, it has the highest number of homes.”

What new technologies is RTE looking to deploy?

“We have built our own private cloud which already delivers significant operational and workflow efficiencies, and which has allowed us to reduce operational costs.

“We are following a hybrid strategy, and we are increasingly using the public cloud for a range of services and applications,” says Waghorn.

“We are also developing a single storage environment to service long-term storage needs and to facilitate the digitisation of archive content.

“We are keeping a close eye on the move to full IP, and whilst full migration would not be practical now we are looking at undertaking a number of proof of concepts for disaster recovery using IP. One intention is to use those trials to develop our skills base,” he says.

“We have been experimenting with 360-degree video and VR, trying to identify what the added benefits are for consumers. However, it is clear that the traditional linear channel business model will not be under threat from VR and 360-degree content anytime soon.”

Richard Waghorn
Director of Transformation and Technology, RTÉ

Richard Waghorn is Director of Transformation and Technology at Raidió Teilifís éireann (RTÉ), the public broadcaster in the Republic of Ireland.

Since joining RTÉ five years ago, Waghorn has led the consolidation of RTé’s technology operations into a single division and overseen the optimisation of the technology environment, including the build of a private cloud, the HD upgrade of studios and playout, and the digitisation of content and workflows with a new CMS and collaborative tools.

Waghorn has recently taken on additional responsibilities to support transformation across the organisation. Waghorn is the product owner of Saorview, the free-to-air DTT platform in Ireland and has led the strategy and development of Saorview Connect.

Hotblack Desiato

I didn't realise it was supposed to be able to handle rescheduling. If anything gets rescheduled, my box just does nothing and erases the timer.

Often I'll record a match which starts around the time I get home (so I can watch the first half and catch up to live before the second half starts) but usually when I get home, after the programme start, nothing is recording and nothing is in the timers. Then I hit manual record and it says 'This programme has already been recorded, please go to the library to view the recording' :mad: reboot the box and then it'll start recording, so the timer hadn't been erased after all.

There's also a random thing it does where it says the disk is full when it isn't, and about twice a week it pops up a message saying that the hard disk is corrupted when it isn't and it needs reformatting when it doesn't. If you are foolish enough to actually reformat the disk, all your problems will recur just as before but you lose your recordings.

It also randomly starts up with a software bug where the sound is corrupted into barely audible noise, until the last software update this could sometimes be fixed by going into the menu and changing the sound settings and changing them back, but that is no longer possible. The 'good' news is that after an hour or so of being turned on, the sound sorts itself out. Usually.

Atlantic Dawn

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

It's an unreliable piece of crap that misses recordings more often than not.

My only real recording problems is it re-recording repeats of shows that already have been recorded. I find 98% of the time all recordings are done, sometimes if RTE reschedule a show or put something on its place it messes it up but this is more related to whoever is feeding the data to Saorview rather than the box.

Bad points for me with it are:
The menus are like something from 1975.
It takes around 3 minutes to boot up.
When you are playing back you can't access the EPG.
If for some reason usually caused by rescheduling the box manages to have 3 recordings scheduled at the same time it causes havoc and the box crashes until they are deleted or the conflict time passes.

decor58

Hotblack Desiato wrote:

It's an unreliable piece of crap that misses recordings more often than not.

Not in my experience, been using one for a while now and have no real complaints. Not to the standard of Humax but a lot less expensive.

funnyname

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

It's an unreliable piece of crap that misses recordings more often than not.

That's not good news, cancelled sky and reckon can get all of our viewing pleasure from Saorview (box with recording fn) and netflix, there could be some disappointed people in the house.

I don't want to go down the route of a box that requires coding, it's a pity there no Humax type box available for Saorview.

Hotblack Desiato

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Buy the Walker, it's only €90 in Power City.

It's an unreliable piece of crap that misses recordings more often than not.

Atlantic Dawn

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

Are the recordings on that box tied to the bos or are they playable elsewhere such as PC?

I seem to remember someone posting about Walker tying the recordings to the box, but not sure it applies here.

Tied to the box, I've got one but it doesn't allow you to move anything from the box to USB, you can move files from USB to the box.

Johnboy1951

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Buy the Walker, it's only €90 in Power City. There's no chance the Saorview Connect box will be in any shop for 6 months plus.

https://powercity.ie/?par=10-23-WP6500

Are the recordings on that box tied to the box or are they playable elsewhere such as PC?

I seem to remember someone posting about Walker tying the recordings to the box, but not sure it applies here.

Atlantic Dawn

funnyname wrote: »

would I be mad to buy one of these now or should I wait for this new device? I asked Saorview via facebook when it was coming and they said soon, however that was the same answer to a similar question asked last year.

Walker WP6500TTR

Buy the Walker, it's only €90 in Power City. There's no chance the Saorview Connect box will be in any shop for 6 months plus.

https://powercity.ie/?par=10-23-WP6500

byte

galtee boy wrote: »

Nice one, if somebody has seen the new remote control, one would assume that they have seen the Saorview Connect box also ??

There is alright, but I've not personally seen or used it.

funnyname

would I be mad to buy one of these now or should I wait for this new device? I asked Saorview via facebook when it was coming and they said soon, however that was the same answer to a similar question asked last year.

Walker WP6500TTR

Gerry Wicklow

One_Of_Shanks wrote: »

Sorry, one last question..... Is there a Free To Air box out there which can give you record and 7 day EPG so that you can record UK shows in advance?
I realise a combi box cannot do this but can a regular FTA box?

Any enigma based combo box DOES have a 7 day EPG with the ability to set recordings in advance, series link by program name or even just by keywords. For example you could set it to record anything that has the word 'Jazz' in the name, only on Tuesdays if you wished or between xx:00 and yy:30, only on BBCx or any such combination you fancy.

Tigerandahalf

This thread would be dead only for the speculation!

Capt'n Midnight

galtee boy wrote: »

Nice one, if somebody has seen the new remote control, one would assume that they have seen the Saorview Connect box also ??

Maybe it's a universal remote ? :pac:

galtee boy

The Cush wrote: »

So you've seen the new remote control then?

Nice one, if somebody has seen the new remote control, one would assume that they have seen the Saorview Connect box also ??

The Cush

Maysa07 wrote: »

There is a "On Demand button" on the remote for TV players and apps.

So you've seen the new remote control then?

Maysa07

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

What apps are we likely to see on the Connect box?

??
Youtube
Netflix
Facebook

What software will it be based on. I presume it is not android?

There is a "On Demand button" on the remote for TV players and apps.

PabloAndRoy

One_Of_Shanks wrote: »

Sorry, one last question..... Is there a Free To Air box out there which can give you record and 7 day EPG so that you can record UK shows in advance?
I realise a combi box cannot do this but can a regular FTA box?

No.

If you want this and a combined UK/Ireland 7 day EPG, you can always roll your own platform (see other threads on tvheadend/libreelec/Raspberry Pi/S905 boxes).

zg3409

One_Of_Shanks wrote: »

Sorry, one last question..... Is there a Free To Air box out there which can give you record and 7 day EPG so that you can record UK shows in advance?
I realise a combi box cannot do this but can a regular FTA box?

A free sat branded box with recording, can record the free UK channels, even series link. It needs 2 connections to the dish.

See the list here:
https://www.freesat.co.uk/get-freesat/all-boxes

For Irish channels there is recording boxes, but not as slick and reliable.

You will end up with 2 boxes and two remotes.

One_Of_Shanks

Sorry, one last question..... Is there a Free To Air box out there which can give you record and 7 day EPG so that you can record UK shows in advance?
I realise a combi box cannot do this but can a regular FTA box?

Capt'n Midnight

The Moleman wrote: »

Isn't Saorview Combi a box that receives Saorview and FreeSat? Wouldn't that allow BBC HD?

Yes, sort of.

There is no UK EPG, just now and next.
No Series Link , just timers for both UK and Ireland
No second tuner on most combo boxes so no watching one UK channel while recording another.
I presume you can watch Irish while recording UK or visa versa but wouldn't be surprised if you can only record what you are watching depending on how poverty spec the box is.

Gerry Wicklow wrote: »

SaorSat a separate satellite signal that has the RTÉ channels available for free but this requires specialised equipment.

Only specialised in that anyone with a SKY dish already has the dish setup for FreeSat.

To get SaorSat you need a Ka LNB so that's €30 - €35 delivered
you need a satellite dish without holes, so basically anything except a SKY dish. Dish alignment can be tricky , handiest way is to use a normal LNB to pickup the other transponders and then swap in the Ka one.
TBH you could probably pickup a second hand saorview box for similar.

You need a satellite box however that goes without saying.
If you have a generic satellite box , spending a fiver on a DISEqC switch means you can change between LNB's. Handy if you already watch foreign channels.

The gotcha's with SaorSat are
- only RTE and TG4
- some programs are blocked, like live sports events
- signal may be more affected by rain than terrestrial - YMMV
- if you set it up via hidden menus on a FreeSat box then it's only now/next and you may not be able to use the second tuner

Gerry Wicklow

A combo box combines terrestrial channels from an aerial and FTA satellite. Saorview and FreeSat are brand names. FreeSat is software that organises FTA satellite channels and provides a 7day EPG etc. Many combo boxes allow you to watch the same signals inc BBC, ITV, CH4 etc in HD but do not use the Freesat branded software. Likewise there are many boxes inc combo boxes that allow you watch the Saorview terrestrial signals but are not officially approved. I know it sounds pedantic but it is important to distinguish between being an official Saorview or Freesat box. As yet there is no such thing as an official Freesat combo box.

The Moleman

Gerry Wicklow wrote: »

Just for clarity, Saorview is the terrestrial service in Ireland using a conventional aerial. It only has the Irish channels. FreeView is the UK equivalent and may be received if you are in range of a UK mast near the border or in parts of the East coast from Wales. Again this needs a large rooftop conventional aerial.
FreeSat is branded software used by certain boxes to receive the free-to-air (FTA) satellite signals including the main UK channels. Generic FTA, combo, Freesat and Sky boxes all use the same free satellite signals which are receivable throughout the country. Irish channels are NOT free on the same satellite signals. SaorSat a separate satellite signal that has the RTÉ channels available for free but this requires specialised equipment.

Isn't Saorview Combi a box that receives Saorview and FreeSat? Wouldn't that allow BBC HD?

Gerry Wicklow

Just for clarity, Saorview is the terrestrial service in Ireland using a conventional aerial. It only has the Irish channels. FreeView is the UK equivalent and may be received if you are in range of a UK mast near the border or in parts of the East coast from Wales. Again this needs a large rooftop conventional aerial.
FreeSat is branded software used by certain boxes to receive the free-to-air (FTA) satellite signals including the main UK channels. Generic FTA, combo, Freesat and Sky boxes all use the same free satellite signals which are receivable throughout the country. Irish channels are NOT free on the same satellite signals. SaorSat a separate satellite signal that has the RTÉ channels available for free but this requires specialised equipment.

Johnboy1951

The Moleman wrote: »

Sorry for being thick but I'm confused.

Are you saying we can get BBC HD and Channel 4 HD in Ireland on Freeview/FreeSat, just not with Saorview?

Yes.

Freeview is only available in very limited areas using an aerial.

Freesat or Free to Air Satellite can be received in all areas of the country using a dish.

The Moleman

The Cush wrote: »

The BBC channels are free-to-air, and receivable on a FTA/combi or Freesat satellite receiver

List of channels on Freesat - https://www.tvchannellists.com/List_of_channels_on_Freesat_(UK)

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

Not only are BBC , Channel 4, Channel 5 and ITV free on any Freesat or generic satellite receiver they also have HD versions of lots of programs you can only get on SD on Saorview.

Most of TV3/3e is available on ITV HD
Some TG4 docu's are repeated on BBC NI , and RTE too.
Even Channel 5 have shown TV3's Red Rock

RTE2 do a lot of BBC nature programs in HD , but BBC don't have ads.

In fairness RTE do show some stuff ahead of the UK channels , Deutschland 83 was a nice surprise, and TG4 is very much the curate's egg, lots of unwatchable, but more unmissable than certain other channels on Saorview.

Sorry for being thick but I'm confused.

Are you saying we can get BBC HD and Channel 4 HD in Ireland on Freeview/FreeSat, just not with Saorview?

Capt'n Midnight

The Moleman wrote: »

It never occurred to me that the BBC is, of course, not free.

Not only are BBC , Channel 4, Channel 5 and ITV free on any Freesat or generic satellite receiver they also have HD versions of lots of programs you can only get on SD on Saorview.

Most of TV3/3e is available on ITV HD
Some TG4 docu's are repeated on BBC NI , and RTE too.
Even Channel 5 have shown TV3's Red Rock

RTE2 do a lot of BBC nature programs in HD , but BBC don't have ads.

In fairness RTE do show some stuff ahead of the UK channels , Deutschland 83 was a nice surprise, and TG4 is very much the curate's egg, lots of unwatchable, but more unmissable than certain other channels on Saorview.

The Cush

The Moleman wrote: »

It never occurred to me that the BBC is, of course, not free.

The BBC channels are free-to-air, and receivable on a FTA/combi or Freesat satellite receiver

List of channels on Freesat - https://www.tvchannellists.com/List_of_channels_on_Freesat_(UK)