Will Virgin media channels ever go HD on saorview?

Capt'n Midnight · 04-01-2022 12:07PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118412903#Comment_118412903

I'd be happier if we just stopped subsidising the commercial channels.

Without them we'd only need one MUX and those non-PBS channels aren't paying anything close to what it costs to keep the second MUX on air.

Hotblack Desiato · 04-01-2022 09:03PM

There's no reason for us to be paying extra to get HD on these channels - an extra mux is not required so no extra costs (I'm presuming the secondary Virgin channels already have HD feeds for their cable - I'm thankfully not a customer of theirs)

Should be made a condition of them getting any BAI funding to go full HD.

TG4 not being HD is even more ridiculous due to the level of state support it gets.

ForestFire · 04-01-2022 09:20PM

Saorview should be forced (Gov) to cease their SD options at this stage, and only offer HD as the minimum option for transmission.

Then let Virgin pay up and leave the service, and any others!!

Also any chance any of them can go 1080P ion the future?

Or what about 4K in the future, does Saorview have the technology and bandwidth capable of this?

Mickey Mike · 04-01-2022 11:04PM

We are only bearly getting HD, I just don't see 4k on saorview at all at all.

Capt'n Midnight is right about not subsidising the commercial sector, so here I go one more time.

RTE1 Full HD, RTE2 Full HD

RTE3/jr Full HD, TG4 Full HD,

At least that much, and all the rest a higher standard definition ie. 720×576i.

lertsnim · 04-01-2022 11:10PM

TG4 should definitely be HD on Saorview seeing as they are subsidised by tax payers. It's outrageous that they are HD on pay tv platforms only.

munsterdevil · 22-01-2022 02:02PM

I visited my parent who only have saorview, and for the first time in a long time I switched on a Virgin Media channel. I thought something was wrong with the TV setup until I googled and found this thread.

FFS, this is a ridiculous situation.

lgs 4 · 23-01-2022 04:14PM

Problem 1

The whisper is Virgin is selling its tv and broadband interests in Ireland ( looking for a buyer ). When that sale happens Eamon Ryan should step up to the mark and insist the new owners must broadcast only in HD on Saorview. Previous Minister of Communications are quite happy. To do nothing about the license fee funding for RTE. All talk and no action The only minister that did anything about broadcasting in Ireland was Pat Rabbit and set up the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland. Which! today is a bit outdated.

Problem 2

Is the marketing of Saorview.When it comes to the marketing of Saorview it's only Saorview boxes and being subscription-free that get the attention. What Saorview should be emphasizing is its channel selection. This is where 2rn needs to approach European broadcasters that broadcast free to air with English programming on satellite . With the powers to offer broadcasters good deals to broadcasters on Saorview in the higher end of standard definition and HD. Like MTV Germany , Nickelodeon Austria, Germany, NASA tv, and Euronews HD. To promote Saorview as a real alternative to sky and virgin. The broadcaster rights are already there for satellite viewers. It may need some legislation broadcasting change. In licensing and advertising. This is the norm in Europe for cable companies. Carrying neighing tv channels. To me, this would be a real alternative to sky and virgin.

Mickey Mike · 23-01-2022 09:03PM

Isn't it a kind of odd that Sky News is available on saorview, especially when Sky took so many TV & Radio channels off their Irish Sky subscription, and seprately, the UK not allow RTE Radio1 broadcast on their DAB+ network.

We can get British tv on satellite instead of taking up scarce room on DTT.

Hotblack Desiato · 24-01-2022 05:56PM

2rn are not allowed to offer any broadcasters "deals". You pay the same as everyone else per megabit used. If they thought the viewership would justify the cost they'd be on it already. You mention two Austrian/German channels which already have UK & Irl equivalents which are not free to air. Certainly not going to happen with those two.

Millltown · 31-01-2022 03:46PM

My God you’re all so polite. It’s a disgrace. I moved back from the uk 4 years ago having been there for 18 years thinking these things might have improved but Christ nothing has changed. We don’t matter.

Mickey Mike · 31-01-2022 10:50PM

No doubt it is embarrassing to say the least, surely at this stage a government minister or someone like that would have this resolved, we are a quite nation.

Capt'n Midnight · 01-02-2022 12:34AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118522658#Comment_118522658

Saorview tariffs Jan 2022 https://about.rte.ie/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/RTE-Saorview-Wholesale-Access-Reference-Offer-Appendix-B-01-Jan-2022.pdf

HD channels at an average of 6,130 kbps Circa. €1,500,000 per year

SD channels at an average of 2,530kbps Circa. €619,000 per year

The reason UK TV is Free To Air is that it was cheaper to take the hit on the overspill of the UK beam than to pay for the cards and encryption.

Saorsat is also Free To Air, but different satellite and much smaller footprint so very little overspill. Some stuff is still blocked to prevent it being seen abroad. And even thought it only carries Public Broadcast Channels you still don't get TG4 on HD on it. VM weren't ever going to broadcast on it.

Atlantic Dawn · 01-02-2022 01:24AM

Saorsat apparently costs €1.5 million a year to run, that's enough to finance free subscriptions for 4,000 users who can't access Saorview. Have we any figures on how many homes in the country can't actually access Saorview?

L1011 · 02-02-2022 09:45PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118522658#Comment_118522658

Sky didn't take those channels off for the hell of it. They failed to get EU broadcasting licences.

Ballycommon Mast · 02-02-2022 09:45PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118563027#Comment_118563027

I'm still surprised that sky news were all of a sudden willing to cough up 620k per year for Saorview carriage this late in the day. AFAIK "Saorview only" households have declined year on year in recent years, that will surely excellerate when the whole country gets fibre broadband?

Ballycommon Mast · 02-02-2022 09:50PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118563194#Comment_118563194

I have always thought that saorsat was a strange white elephant, RTE launched it completely on their own accord even though Saorview had better coverage than Analogue ever had.

micks_address · 03-02-2022 07:27AM

I think there was a legal obligation to ensure everyone has access to digital tv so that's why saorsat was introduced

Mickey Mike · 03-02-2022 11:01AM

With a €1.500.000 to run saorsat, you would imagine it would be cheaper to fill in the gaps with repeater txs, although its great for the people in the north of Ireland.

Capt'n Midnight · 03-02-2022 02:23PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118574512#Comment_118574512

It would, unless everyone and their dog lined up to ask for a free subscription on spurious grounds.

It also provides coverage in NI.

Bandwidth halved recently so costs may have come down

Glaceon · 03-02-2022 02:32PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118575578#Comment_118575578

We'd need a system where someone would independently assess whether it is possible to receive Saorview or not. Only then could a sub be signed off.

khumbu · 03-02-2022 03:25PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118572878#Comment_118572878

I have to disagree. I think saorsat was a great solution. It killed 2 birds with just one stone.

A. Backup to transmitters when their feed goes down

B. Reception for areas without saorview reception. They my not be densely populated but they do exist.

Both without much/any over-spill outside of target reception area ie island of Ireland.

My only criticism of service is 2rn don't maximise its potential. Reducing bandwidth was short sighted. They could have used it to 1. increase resolution of all channels to full HD including TG4. 2 Increase FEC to allow reception from smaller dishes. Even without VM channels more saorsat dishes or saorsat/astra installations even in saorview reception areas would appear. No switching required between terrestrial/satellite tuners if used with FTA receivers.

Will Virgin media channels ever go HD on saorview?

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