Freeview: The DTT Thread

And CBBC.

Why is this?

They've completely run out of channel numbers for general entertainment channels. CBS Action had to be added to channel 90 after all the news channels.

Looking at this, there's several numbers available. 50-54, 56, 60 and 62, so I don't know why 90 was assigned there.
http://www.terrestrialtv.co.uk/dtt.cgi

All of those channel numbers are used on the Northern Irish and Manchester muxes except 62. Don't know what 62 was assigned to, presumably something that was recently removed.

They are assigned for various local services (in Manchester and NI), so aren't available nationwide.

It would have made sense really to move the local channels at the same time to either 90+ or 140+ rather than leave them in the middle of the national channels.

They do this every year, but do they actually add any channels or services? I really haven't noticed.

EPG 50 is Movies4men+1 (Manchester Only)
EPG 51 is rte1 (NI) vacant in Manchester
EPG 52 is rte2 (NI) vacant in Manchester
EPG 53 is Lamhe (asian channel in Manchester only)
EPG 54 is Heart TV (Manchester only)
EPG 56 is Capital TV (Manchester only)
EPG 60 is Fire Hit TV (music channel in Manchester only)
EPG 62 is Vacent Nationwide.....former Heart TV slot before it moved to 54

Also, EPG slot 64 is now free nationwide...the former BonanzaBonanza local TV slot.

So at present we still have 62 & 64 free nationwide. And if some if the Manchester channels moved up and used 51/52....we could have say 56 & 60 free nationwide also!

64 is Jewellery Maker.

They hardly do this every year. It's been quite a few years in fact. This past year we've gained about 10 new SD channels (though we've lost three old ones), plus all the HD ones on the new multiplex. There are already placeholders for new channels, and Arqiva has announced that there is some more free capacity in November.

(Also, how's the wiki doing? It's changed a lot since I let it go...)

Bizarre move -

BTTVV+ EPG now no longer showing 38 Quest+1 but has added Pop+1 previously only on the GMan mux on 76. Not able to access programming at present.

Hopefully once the news & kids channels have moved they might consider moving the local channels into a block. Preferably using a channel range that hopefully won't clash when the general national channels, such as 90-99.