Freeview - Spectrum Clearance and Technical changes

Yeah, I quite liked Channel 4+1 HD because you could start watching Come Dine With me at 6pm, The Simpsons/Hollyoaks at 7/7:30pm then come 8pm it'd be primetime so you could turn over to the PSBs, basically avoiding the news.

Yes, I used to think +1 channels were pointless, but I've used C4+1 HD quite a lot, because it's HD, All 4 isn't, and I've got two PVRs both 99% full!

Yes, I'd look at C4+1 and 4Seven because they were in HD, the latter of which could be useful for catching a 9pm show at 11pm (Gogglebox on Fridays for example).

Are there still plans to add the "Press Green to watch from start" functionality to the commercial PSBs on Freeview, which may more +1 channels come to an end. I do find myself using it increasingly with the BBC lately, though occassionally the feature hasn't actually let me watch the show till the end.

One thing though is at least C5 and CBS haven't kept hold of their +1 channels by launching a 1-2 hour overnight version.

They all seem like minor channels anyway.

Although I will miss 4+1 HD!!

So the channels that are changing, will the become more available to households? I used to occasionally pick up free sports from Crystal Palace but my local transmitter didn’t carry com 7 and 8

No, as except for Shopping Quarter, they are all moving from COM8 to COM7, and so there will not be any improvement in coverage. It's of no benefit to viewers.

Seems these changes have happened now. The channels have a text slide directing you to the main channel but C4+1 HD and 4Seven HD still have an EPG guide.

Interesting in this scan I've lost ARQ-B due to the heat I suspect and looking at the channels on there I wouldn't miss a single one of them.

What platform are you using for All4?. It's gone HD on some platforms for VOD stuff.

So the great northern reshuffle has happened today, and unlike the BBC who retained a simulcast for months in the end (think it was originally supposed to be a few weeks) it's a clean switch for ITV with no simulcast of the old frequency. On the one hand that's great - avoids another retune to get rid of them, but a bit tough on anyone who may be away this week and recording the soaps for example.

The BBC simulcast was deliberate, it was used to assess likely aerial replacements required from today, without losing service for those affected. The 'old' BBC SD mux continued on EPG 751 upwards, so anyone missing the BBC on EPG 1,2, 9, etc, would not have been without the services, and had time to get their aerial sorted before today (or June in the original timetable)

The same scheme was used at Selkirk in 2017 (as a trial), and Mendip last year, and I think also Pontop Pike ?

As I had to do myself but I suspect it'll have caught many people out, especially those who primarily use the HD channels now and may not have noticed the issues with the BBC in SD.

As I said when we discussed the issue a couple of weeks ago it makes little sense that Freeview are willing to force people to fork out for a new aerial and pretty much take a cliff edge approach when frequencies are reallocated, but still have no plans in place to change the transmission mode which would ideally make HD the standard for the key PSB channels and enable the SD channels to broadcast using less bandwidth.

Yes, although remember as regards people not noticing the BBC SD mux had vanished, I think all of us in here grossly overestimate the use of the HD mux by 'real people', millions probably haven't even discovered the HD stuff at 101 onwards, and those that have will still be going back to BBC 1 SD for their local news every day?