Whatever happened to Saorview Connect ?

TThe Saorview connect box software was based on the Metaphor software used by Freesat, epg, recommendations, players, excluding VM. That software would have been licensed, at what cost and sales figures would have to justify the cost.

As regards the iplayer, is it Sky or Eir have a restricted version of the iplayer, with their commercial strength, they couldn't get the player, plus to use the player, in the UK, you need to register your tv license number. There is also the rights issue, imagine VM if could call up Graham Norton on the iplayer after they have licenced the programme to broadcast here.

Oh, any time I've tried, this notice comes up.

Saorview Connect was good when it worked.

Recording Saorview Channels with serial link was good and being able to watch another channel while recording.

The satellite FTA channels were a mess, yes the programme guide was fast but only showed now and next.

If you tried to edit the satellite channels it was all good until a channel changed frequency or you wanted to add a new channel and the list became a total mess.

The internet function of RTE and TG4 Player were hit and miss.

However my connect box has now failed as it just keeps rebooting, so I've retired it to the press.

i was in a neighbours house last night and his connect box is still been used. He uses a stick for apps. Where did it go wrong for this box if it had something like the play store were you could add the likes of Disney and netflix it would have been a winner i think. Why did they throw the towel in on it so quick?

Shan Doras: "Yeah i think people were hoping that the connect box would have an integrated saorview and Uk free to air EPG but saorview seemed to have always been reluctant, to even promote the availability of Uk free to air channels in Ireland via free to air satellite, indeed during the digital switch over campaign"

Gerry Wicklow: "You cant expect RTÉ to promote the competition even if every dog on the street knows it's there."

Even morso (than RTE) for other broadcaster on Saorview, VM , where many of the shows VM broadcasts can be seen in much better picture quality on UK channels on a Saorview/FTA sat combination.

However this must be least of VM and RTE's worries nowadays, where it seems every second home has a dodgy stick/dodgy box, so obviously a loss of audience for Irish channels by the users having a vast number of other channels, especially including premium sports/movies etc, for a low cost, and dodgy-sticks also indirectly fuels increased "evasion" of the TV licence, which funds Irish TV broadcasters (not just RTE).

In towns nowadays I often see Sat dishes now left in an obvious state of disrepair (LNBs coming loose etc) and I bet the majority of this is due to dodgysticks being used instead rather than any legitimate streaming services

On my Sony TV there is a generic satellite tuner, no Freesat branding/software, so I can get Saorview, Freeview, UK FTA satellite and any other satellites FTA channels all in one EPG. Only the UK satellite channels have now/next, but the European stuff on 19.2E along with Saorview and Freeview have their 7 day listings.