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

    13»

    Comments

    • #62
      baz9375
      Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 232 baz9375
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      It'll be very interesting to see if RTE/TG4 is carried on the Freely Platform in Northern Ireland. It's on Freeview and Sky/Sky Stream.

      I've emailed and chatted online with Freely this morning to ask but they can't give me an answer! they say that channels available for each area hasn't been finalised.



    • #63
      JDxtra
      Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,041 JDxtra
      ✭✭✭


      Channel 54, 55 & 56…

      freely.jpg


    • #64
      baz9375
      Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 232 baz9375
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      https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122088738#Comment_122088738

      Cheers

      Are these channels delivered through IPTV or is it through aerial? I believe that OTA channels from aerial are added to the EPG.

      Just wonder if the RTE channels will be delivered over the internet.



    • #65
      baz9375
      Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 232 baz9375
      ✭✭


      Response from Hisense on which TVs will be compatible

      "Freely will only be available in new models A6N/E7N/A7N/E7N PRO/U7N/U8N."



    • #66
      decor58
      Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 963 decor58
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      Interesting that they say "will be", not available yet. Many of the launch reports say "a first " was that what the rush is about,pity if no one can use it.



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    • #67
      The Cush
      Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,063 The Cush
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      The freely TV guide can be seen here

      https://www.freely.co.uk/tv-guide?userNid=65017

      Region is set by postcode



    • #68
      icdg
      Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 12,322 icdg
      Mod ✭✭✭✭


      That surely is all the channels on Freeview, rather than just the Freely channels? All the reports have said it’s just the main UK PSBs at first?

      Certainly seems to contradict the table provided elsewhere on the website:

      https://www.freely.co.uk/help/faqs/channel-list



    • #69
      JDxtra
      Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,041 JDxtra
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      https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122088814#Comment_122088814

      It appears that they, like many others, are OTA channels only - which is a shame.



    • #70
      Grey123
      Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 169 Grey123
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      If a new TV is needed for this it will surly take years to implement? How long to people get from a TV 7-10 years for a main TV with much older TVs in the house? And its not even fully rolling out soon all TVs yet?



    • #71
      The Cush
      Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,063 The Cush
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      This is probably the long term replacement for terrestrial broadcasting so it can have a long run in.

      As things stand now terrestrial broadcasting has at least another 10 years in it. The 2031 WRC will decide the future of broadcast spectrum.



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    • #72
      Zackary Fluffy Toupee
      Posts: 0 Zackary Fluffy Toupee
      ✭


      https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122172905#Comment_122172905

      I've a feeling TV via an aerial will outlast TV from a dish (Astra 28.2E that is). Depends of course whether Astra has plans to replace those satellites or not. When do they have to make a decision on this I wonder?



    • #73
      The Cush
      Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,063 The Cush
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      https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122190841#Comment_122190841

      What's the expected life of the satellites currently at 28.2E, could they be around longer than Sky's service?



    • #74
      Red Silurian
      Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,880 Red Silurian
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      https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122088698#Comment_122088698

      I doubt it, RTE can broadcast to the extra ~2m people living in the 6 counties but their rights to various TV programmes won't allow them to broadcast to Scotland, England or Wales.

      If you can pick up RTE on freely just by changing the postcode then RTE would be in breach of many contracts.

      The only thing they could potentially do is allow streaming of the Irish channels dependant on IP address. But do IP addresses differ in NI vs the mainland and does this fly in the face of the ease that freely is meant for?



    • #75
      baz9375
      Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 232 baz9375
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      NI IP addresses show as NI located so Freely could have RTE based on that.

      I know full RTE player catalogue is available in NI and not the limited version available in GB

      see attached for IP shown for Sky Broadband in Enniskillen

      IMG_4716.jpeg


    • #76
      icdg
      Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 12,322 icdg
      Mod ✭✭✭✭


      If RTE can identify NI IP addresses distinctly from GB ones surely Freely can also do so? Mind you the numbers currently watching on Freely in NI are probably pretty small, given you need to buy a whole new TV to get it, so it’s probably not a priority for either RTE or Freely.



    • #77
      galtee boy
      Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,519 galtee boy
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      Just noticed that the Freely TV app is now on the Firestick Appstore, but shows us as unavailable to download ( I'm obviously using an Irish ip address), I didn't think it would appear on the Firestick for long time.



    • #78
      corks finest
      Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,966 corks finest
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      correct

      100 pc will be geo blocked



    • #79
      decor58
      Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 963 decor58
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      https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122993241#Comment_122993241

      That's a bit of a turn around, I thought it wasn't going to be available as an app, exclusive on certain brands of 2024 tv's.



    • #80
      The Cush
      Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,063 The Cush
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      https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122993486#Comment_122993486

      The plan for terrestrial services like Freeview, Saorview, etc. is to make them available via IP across multiple platforms.

      This is also the plan for Saorview via IP over DVB-I.



    • #81
      icdg
      Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 12,322 icdg
      Mod ✭✭✭✭


      Are there such definitive plans for Saorview? I hadn’t heard any.

      Not saying it wouldn’t be a good idea, mind - just that I hadn’t heard of any officially announced definite plans in that regard.



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    • #82
      batistuta9
      Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,509 batistuta9
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      https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122993241#Comment_122993241

      nothing to do with your ip address. amazon app stores aren't geoblocked that way, you can change them yourself on the website. the actual streaming of content from the apps obviously still is though.

      anyway, think the app is only for TVs running fireos at the minute. you can check yours with the device compatibility button

      its not that much different from the live tv on fireos anyway, bbc the only main one that doesn't seem integrated



    • #83
      The Cush
      Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,063 The Cush
      ✭✭✭✭


      https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122994775#Comment_122994775

      According to them the next step is a pilot but nothing official since.

      They did make the effort to be part of the DVB-I stand at IBC 2024 back in September so they still appear to be in the game.

      https://dvb-i.tv/deployments/#ireland

      https://dvb.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2024_dvb-i_ibc_FINAL.pdf



    • #84
      icdg
      Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 12,322 icdg
      Mod ✭✭✭✭


      It does look from that link that they are a good bit away, probably years, from rolling anything like Freely out on a commercial basis.

      It is a pity that we are so far behind - I am using the players as my main source of Irish TV for nearly two years now and their failings are absolutely clear. An Irish Freely would be something I would be happily interested in, but I suspect it will be a while coming.



    • #85
      The Cush
      Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,063 The Cush
      ✭✭✭✭


      https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122995167#Comment_122995167

      Freely uses a version of HbbTV, which RTÉ have been testing for a few years now, so really they could do that quickly enough.

      HbbTV can be added to DVB-I when ready. We'll probably see both tested in the pilot.

      DVB-I is probably a long term plan in any case, a transitional bridge between terrestrial broadcasting and multi platform IP broadcasting



    • #86
      JDxtra
      Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,041 JDxtra
      ✭✭✭


      As much as I would like to see an Irish version of Freely happen, it won’t happen anytime soon.

      Left to our own devices, broadcasting in Ireland is a disaster and change is painfully slow.

      The EU would have to mandate it for any progress to be made beyond wishy washy pilot schemes.



    • #87
      Red Silurian
      Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,880 Red Silurian
      ✭✭✭✭


      https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122995229#Comment_122995229

      There's nothing stopping us doing it at the moment. All we need is an app builder who can create a TV streaming app. Somebody with the technical knowhow could potentially take the Freely apk from the above mentioned Amazon app store and replace the links to the BBC channels with those of the Irish FTA channels



    • #88
      Marcusm
      Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,817 Marcusm
      ✭✭✭✭


      https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122172835#Comment_122172835

      presumably there will be apps or set top boxes?



    • #89
      Red Silurian
      Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,880 Red Silurian
      ✭✭✭✭


      https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123192545#Comment_123192545

      Most likely, in time, don't discount the possibility of freely+ recordable boxes in the future either



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