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DTT: Freeview and Top Up TV

(February 2004)

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:-(
A former member
Quote:
There is nothing to stop them, when a timeshare changes, from unencrypting the now off air channel so that it can display an MHEG screen.


Again, I'm not sure how it call works, but I don't think that would be possible - FilmFour wasn't a timeshare channel, and so could switch the encryption on and off whenever it wanted to. But with timeshared channels, switching the encryption off during downtime may cause problems - like CBBC sometimes appearing behind the BBC Three MHEG.

Besides, as the encryption is part of the video data stream, it might not be possible to simply switch it off.

Although I agree - an MHEG screen would be nice.

Quote:
Alternatively, they could easily produce an MHEG barker/information service, fulfilling the dual role of promoting the service to non subscribers, and providing information to current subscribers. Simple services like this take up tiny amounts of bandwidth, are easy to produce and maintain, and for a platform which doesn't seem able to afford much advertising (so far I've only seen Top Up TV adverts overnight and on low key channels like the ITV NC)...


I would like to see a general DTT channel with information about both Freeview and Top Up Tv. I've seen the adverts on ITV2 as well.
CW
cwathen Founding member
Not on Plympton yet (we've still get 'FourText' aswell), although I expect they will appear by the end of today - it seems they're still tweaking on Crystal Palace too, with Bloomberg being reported as being on channel 800 meaning that it has no LCN (other people might be getting it on channel 100).

How many people have received their cards? I signed up within days of being able to, but I've got nothing back from them except an email.
:-(
A former member
cwathen posted:
Not on Plympton yet (we've still get 'FourText' aswell), although I expect they will appear by the end of today - it seems they're still tweaking on Crystal Palace too, with Bloomberg being reported as being on channel 800 meaning that it has no LCN (other people might be getting it on channel 100).

How many people have received their cards? I signed up within days of being able to, but I've got nothing back from them except an email.

No sign of change here in Nottingham from the Nottingham TX either.

With regards to Top Up TV i posted this on Digital Spy on 07-03-2004 at 13:33, which may or may not be of interest to you.
Quote:

I've just phoned Top Up TV to confirm that my subscription had been recived. (Impressed with that - one level of menu options - subscribe press 1, 2 other enquiries, and call answered straight away - British Telecom, British Sky Broadcasting, British Gas and especially Powergen should take lessons from this)

They (a Scottish lass in Top Up TV Customer Services) have told me that :-

a) The confrmation e-mail will be sent when they post my viewing card

b) The viewing cards will be sent out "within the next two weeks", at this time the £10 admin charge will be withdrawn from my account

c) Direct Debits will be set up between now and when the service starts

d) The first £7.99 will be withdrawn on launch day

Also, if my subscriber reference number gives any indication of the number of subscribers - they have got over 100,000 at the time i subscribed, which was well over a week ago.

The post this was a reply into is located here : http://forum.digitalspy.co.uk/board/showthread.php?postid=1792927#post1792927

At this moment in time no Direct Debit has been set up, they have withdrawn no money from my account and the only viewing card i have is a never activated one that says "television is on".

BTW, i've also fixed my site to allow hotlinking of image from this forum. - Don't want to call cwathen a theif!
CW
cwathen Founding member
Quote:
At this moment in time no Direct Debit has been set up, they have withdrawn no money from my account and the only viewing card i have is a never activated one that says "television is on".

Ah, you've got the good old green and block On Digital viewing card. I've got a good few of them lying about too. You know, I'm kindof half expecting to get one of those from Top Up TV.

No, I don't have a direct debit set up yet either.

I wonder quite what the software update will do to the encryption (I'm fairly sure it hasn't been done yet). It would be a great shame if this service fails due to piracy - it was never fully known how many pirate viewing cards were in circulation when ITV Digital was going but it was estimated to be at least 200,000. It's possible that a lot of those cards still survive and unless they've changed the encryption, will work with Top Up TV. And also, unless the security has been tightened up, it won't be long before they start being offered for sale again.
GS
Gavin Scott Founding member
cwathen posted:
it was never fully known how many pirate viewing cards were in circulation when ITV Digital was going...

I can think of at least one.

Not that I would dream of doing it again. Besides, I've lost the mux which serves the Top-up channels.
:-(
A former member
What the point of Freeview if you have to pay monthly Rolling Eyes


I mean the adverts(ads)said its just a one of Payment
CW
cwathen Founding member
centralfan345 posted:
What the point of Freeview if you have to pay monthly Rolling Eyes


I mean the adverts(ads)said its just a one of Payment

OK guys, you're messing with me aren't you? This post is a windup. I hope.
LO
Londoner
I think this is "Im ITV Crazy" from the TV Ark forum...
MN
MarkN Founding member
cwathen posted:
centralfan345 posted:
What the point of Freeview if you have to pay monthly Rolling Eyes


I mean the adverts(ads)said its just a one of Payment

OK guys, you're messing with me aren't you? This post is a windup. I hope.


Unfortunately, this is what some people are really going to think.
DTT = Freeview = No subscription (as told to us many times by promotions on the BBC)
CW
cwathen Founding member
Quote:
DTT = Freeview = No subscription (as told to us many times by promotions on the BBC)

That's fine and I know people will think that, and I do partly blame the misleading topic title for this thread which I have repeatedly requested be changed but still reads 'Freeview Turning Payview' like a tabloid banner headline, but why do people have to keep posting that in here when virtually every other page explains why Top Up TV is not Freeview?

Fair enough if it was mentioned once 20 pages back, but if you go back one or two pages you'll see it.
LO
Londoner
Digital TV cock-up cripples Freeview - Media Guardian

Naturally they don't quite have a grip on the technical side...
MN
MarkN Founding member
cwathen posted:
Quote:
DTT = Freeview = No subscription (as told to us many times by promotions on the BBC)

That's fine and I know people will think that, and I do partly blame the misleading topic title for this thread which I have repeatedly requested be changed but still reads 'Freeview Turning Payview' like a tabloid banner headline,


If "RDJ" won't change it, then surely the administrators can?

cwathen posted:
why do people have to keep posting that in here when virtually every other page explains why Top Up TV is not Freeview?


It may be because they are lazy, and cannot be bothered to read the other posts. Either that, or the person in question is a troll.

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