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Freely (free UK IPTV service from BBC/ITV/C4/C5)

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    #32
    icdg
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 11,526 Mod ✭✭✭✭icdg


    I’m led to believe it’s a strategic led decision rather than a tech led one. But let’s see what unfolds.



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    #33
    Tax The Farmers
    Registered Users Posts: 50 ✭✭Tax The Farmers


    One massive issue with the shift to broadband as the sole (or main) platform of TV delivery is how national PSB's are funded.

    As things stand The TV licence model is looking like a quaint anachronism but once conventional TV dies off it's looking pretty much doomed.

    Radio broadcasting is probably going to need an even more radical rethink. With thousands of available services will current concepts of local/national services (and the associated regulatory regime) be rendered obsolete?



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    #34
    TAFKAlawhec
    Registered Users Posts: 590 ✭✭✭TAFKAlawhec


    Radio broadcasting will probably be around in broadcast form for longer than its television counterpart, simply because of the portable/mobile mature of radio broadcasting that is still very popular compared to video.

    Other than South Korea & Japan, people watching TV programmes when travelling hasn't caught on really anywhere else in the world and definitely not in the same way radio broadcasts have done for decades. Of course there is podcasts, but that in itself doesn't directly threaten "live" programming. OTOH live video either as a streaming of as a "linear"/FAST service is one that people usually use when in a settled location (usually at home, hotel etc.) and not when on the move.

    Twenty years ago there was plenty of talk about DVB-H, MediaFLO, 1seg etc. but other than the aforementioned Asian countries, it's all pretty much dead - probably because if your eyes are concentrating on a screen it can't concentrate on anything else.



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    #35
    reboot
    Registered Users Posts: 1,460 ✭✭✭reboot


    Recent viewing of youtube , lots of rubbish of course,but some of the world's leading scientific minds are avaible, and hard to find amongst the mainstream TV broadcasters.? As pointed out above,maybe the lifespan of yogis and Txs,is not as long as we thought?



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    #36
    TAFKAlawhec
    Registered Users Posts: 590 ✭✭✭TAFKAlawhec


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121581173#Comment_121581173

    General lifespan of VHF & UHF transmitters are around 25 years give or take a few either way - I don't know about RTÉNL/2RN but when DSO was being carried out in the UK some anecdotal reports suggested that some of the analogue TXs were on their last legs, in one case a (Channel 4?) transmitter that was installed back in the 80's was kept from switching off because of overheating thanks to a fan from Argos!

    TX transmitting aerials often outlast their transmitter counterparts, even though a good few of them were changed at DSO/ATO mainly to meet different directional requirements. I know that the old analogue UHF TX aerials at Brougher Mountain has been left in reserve when a new UHF TX antenna was placed on the second tower, while the current BBC mixed polarity VHF Band II radio aerial must be coming up to 40 years old with no sign of replacement (it was installed in 1984 IIRC, replacing an old horizontal polarised setup which was originally installed back in the early 60's).



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    #37
    Glaceon
    Registered Users Posts: 2,018 ✭✭✭Glaceon


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121586643#Comment_121586643

    Yes, it was said at the time that Channel 4 were running on their original transmitters right up until ASO. Some weren't in the best shape by the end.



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    #38
    reboot
    Registered Users Posts: 1,460 ✭✭✭reboot


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121586643#Comment_121586643

    I read they couldn't find replacement for the two large o/p valves?, for the Droitwich radio Tx.,and remember seeing the fish pond with Koa using the warm water from Divis.



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    #39
    bazilsul
    Registered Users Posts: 1 ✭bazilsul


    Will it be possible to access this Freely app from Ireland using a VPN?



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    #40
    icdg
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 11,526 Mod ✭✭✭✭icdg


    There’s no discussion on circumventing regional restrictions.



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    #41
    reboot
    Registered Users Posts: 1,460 ✭✭✭reboot


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121551497#Comment_121551497

    Seem to remember back then ,USA went for satellite radio,a pay service with great coverage,think it used AM,I asked questions at the time,but seems we went to Dab,say no more!



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    #42
    decor58
    Registered Users Posts: 831 ✭✭✭decor58


    BBC has announced that, later this year, it is to launch BBC NEWS as a FAST channel on a number of platforms in the US. Samsung tv and other brands to carry the channel will double access to the channel, maybe in time they will launch in Europe.



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    #43
    reboot
    Registered Users Posts: 1,460 ✭✭✭reboot


    Interesting, my Samsung TV ,came with 90 channels over the Net.



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    #44
    decor58
    Registered Users Posts: 831 ✭✭✭decor58


    BBC have announced that the next Series of Doctor Who is to be available in 4K on the iplayer, another step in the online direction, for viewers with the right equipment of course.

    Post edited by decor58 on


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    #45
    reboot
    Registered Users Posts: 1,460 ✭✭✭reboot


    Think the move is certainly on to get a lot of technology on-line.

    Someone's asked Patrick on his daily Vetted podcast on YouTube, about his

    technical set up in the "Studio", and what type of camera he uses on his daily show.

    He replied "It's a Smart phone"

    Hard to believe,the quality is fine and better than some pictures I see from some of my local broadcasters.



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    #46
    decor58
    Registered Users Posts: 831 ✭✭✭decor58


    Another move in the online direction has been announced by Astra 19 operator SES in Germany. The move will see about 100 channels, currently available via satellite by the HD+ service, being made available via an app from an IP subsidiary of SES. The app will be available on Samsung tvs from 2021 models with the the current HD+ app, the app will be updated, so Samsung tv owners can access the range of 100 fta channels via satellite or Internet.



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    #47
    decor58
    Registered Users Posts: 831 ✭✭✭decor58


    A hands on review of the the Freely app has been published on Cordbusters.co.uk, makes for interesting reading. The channels available at launch will be the Freely partner broadcasters, BBC, ITV, C4, C5 and STV, others may sign up before final launch date, on demand will connect to the respective apps, rather than directly through the Freely app, there is no record facility either on board or cloud. Some changes might be available in time but it doesn't look like a replacement for the existing fta r subscription services.



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    #48
    Rain Spreading From The West
    Registered Users Posts: 16 ✭Rain Spreading From The West


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122059222#Comment_122059222

    Link to that Cordbusters review.

    https://www.cordbusters.co.uk/freely-hands-on-review-freeview-future/

    Must say I'm rather underwhelmed reading it. Only on new TVs for now. No date for future Freely capable STBs. Older TVs and STBs won't get it. There will be a Freely app for mobile devices, but all that will do is mimic the current Freeview app which links to the iPlayer etc apps on your device, if you have them. Seems like the whole thing will be gradually phased in rather than a big bang approach. Hardly anybody will be rushing out to buy a new TV just to get Freely me thinks.



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    #49
    The Cush
    Registered Users Posts: 15,500 ✭✭✭✭The Cush


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122063901#Comment_122063901

    DTT is guaranteed until the end of 2030, UHF spectrum is to be reviewed at WRC-31.

    It's likely DTT will be around for at least a decade more, so there is time for this transition to take place.

    The rollout of high speed broadband to the most rural areas will have to be included in that plan too, be it fibre or 5G/6G wireless.



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    #50
    decor58
    Registered Users Posts: 831 ✭✭✭decor58


    The final line up at launch for Freely has been announced, BBC, ITV, C4, C5, STV, about 20 channels in all, not the lineup some were expecting but it is early days and has been said terrestrial and satellite will be around for a while yet, so no rush. It will be interesting to see the take up by manufacturers, the public and broadcasters. I wonder what the Freely charges are like and how they compare with Freeview, Freesat and stand alone apps. Saorview/ 2rn will be watching closely no doubt.

    Post edited by decor58 on


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    #51
    The Cush
    Registered Users Posts: 15,500 ✭✭✭✭The Cush


    Rxtv article

    https://rxtvinfo.com/2024/freely-full-channel-list-revealed/



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    #52
    The Cush
    Registered Users Posts: 15,500 ✭✭✭✭The Cush


    dvb.org article - It comes down to DVB-I versus HbbTV OpApp, right? Wrong!

    Freely will use HbbTV for its IPTV offering while DVB-I appears to be the standard of choice for European broadcasters. RTÉ did a DVB-I proof of concept trial last year.

    https://dvb.org/news/it-comes-down-to-dvb-i-versus-hbbtv-opapp-right-wrong/

    Post edited by The Cush on


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    #53
    decor58
    Registered Users Posts: 831 ✭✭✭decor58


    Sounds like so many of the conversations in the past, early adapters and the consequence of jumping first. Remembering Beta v VHS, how do the choices affect the likes of Netflix, Amazon, YouTube being built into the service versus stand alone apps on tvs,



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    #54
    waywill1966
    Registered Users Posts: 690 ✭✭✭waywill1966


    I'm concerned from an Irish viewer here that we may lose BBC,ITV,CH4 and CH5 if they are only going to be available on a streaming platform in the future.We can't access ITVX or the BBC iPlayer here and i'd say the same will happen with Freely!

    Post edited by waywill1966 on


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    #55
    The Cush
    Registered Users Posts: 15,500 ✭✭✭✭The Cush


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122081163#Comment_122081163

    It'll be the same for Freely, geo-blocked. The eventual end of overspill. But that could be a decade away.



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    #56
    decor58
    Registered Users Posts: 831 ✭✭✭decor58


    IF there is a potential plus to this, albeit a long way off, some of the channels that are currently available fta in Ireland may choose to avail of a fta current or future platform in this country when satellite availability is no longer an option. How many of the channels currently available have Irish advertising, it may not justify an Irish channel but it could open up the possibility for other broadcasters, as happened with TV3 originally. All hypothetical but not improbable.



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    #57
    icdg
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 11,526 Mod ✭✭✭✭icdg


    This comes up from time to time.

    We were never meant to have free access to the BBC or ITV. Freesat happened as a happy consequence of the BBC (followed by others) wanting out of paying Sky for encryption services. Once that occurred Freesat became a possiblity, but it wasn’t the original aim of going free to air.

    The BBC cannot be seen to spend UK license fee payers money being available outside the UK. As a matter of policy BBC Studios is only allowed to offer the UK domestic channels to cable companies in countries that could recieve the BBC during the analogue era from terrestrial overspill - Ireland, Belgium, and the Netherlands. (They are available also in Switzerland for reasons the BBC can do nothing about and have to live with while satellite transmission lasts).

    Once satellite goes - at least five years down the road - the BBC will still be available here the same way it was before Freesat existed - through cable TV providers, or their linear streaming successors, Sky, VM, Vodafone, and eir.

    ITV is a different kettle of fish, it has sold its content to VMTV, there is a formal relationship there and while that lasts ITV1 & 2 will not be available on any Irish platform.


    There’s a separate debate to be had as to how long linear TV itself will last, but I think it’s going nowhere anytime soon and will last longer than a lot of people think.



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    #58
    decor58
    Registered Users Posts: 831 ✭✭✭decor58


    According to Broadcast Tv news and Digitaltv Europe, Freely has launched today, interesting to see what the take up figures are like, given the limited options available at the moment.



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    #59
    The Cush
    Registered Users Posts: 15,500 ✭✭✭✭The Cush


    From Twitter

    https://twitter.com/Everyone_TV/status/1785257817865130240?t=2wu_ZvipqbVcZsdE3mMZZQ&s=19



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    #60
    JDxtra
    Registered Users Posts: 5,871 ✭✭✭JDxtra


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122082487#Comment_122082487

    The takeup will be pretty much zero during the early months. I mean, who is going to rush out and buy a new Hisense TV for this? Absolutely nobody.

    Needs to be more widely available.



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    #61
    decor58
    Registered Users Posts: 831 ✭✭✭decor58


    Various reports say that no Hisence tv's have arrived in the shops yet and the Vestel brands are still a few months away, the soft launch of all soft launches.



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