So Freesat has officially launched today while nobody was looking, and C4 have managed to grasp E4 and More4 from the grip of those nasty folks at Sky, meaning their portfolio of channels is now available as part of the service, with the exception of C4 HD, which is rather stupid as HD has to be one of the major selling points of Freesat. I imagine though it's all part of the deal to get E4 and More4 on the platform, leaving C4 HD exclusive to Sky HD for now.
AIUI C4 HD is still uplinked and played out by Sky on a Sky-leased transponder currently.
Once C4 shift their playout from Horseferry Road to Red Bee at the Broadcast Centre (BBC Media Village site) then presumably they will take over HD playout from Sky? Whether C4 continue to lease Sky-leased transponder capacity - and thus uplink through Sky I don't know.
I suspect part of the Sky playout deal includes FTV encryption?
On the other hand - it appears as if ITV HD will be freesat-exclusive - and accessed not by the EPG but by "Press Red" interactive functionality instead (presumably allowing ITV2-4 also to have HD access?) The ITV HD stream is up and running - but Sky boxes and most HD FTA boxes are not able to add it - though a few FTA boxes and most PC satellite cards are (it is DVB-S like BBC HD and Luxe TV HD - rather than DVB-S2 as C4 HD and the Sky HD channels are)
Is Freesat using the same satellite as Sky uses? Or does it use a different one? If it uses a different one is it in a different position (higher/lower than the one sky uses)?
On the other hand - it appears as if ITV HD will be freesat-exclusive - and accessed not by the EPG but by "Press Red" interactive functionality instead (presumably allowing ITV2-4 also to have HD access?)
Doesn't that mean though that it won't be possible to record anything on ITV HD if you're using a Freesat PVR?
Is Freesat using the same satellite as Sky uses? Or does it use a different one? If it uses a different one is it in a different position (higher/lower than the one sky uses)?
It'll be the same satellites and transponders. If you're watching BBC Two on Freesat, you're essentially watching the same signal as someone watching it on Sky. It's just the EPG, software, etc. which is different.
Nice little clip at the start with the BBC boxes lighting up, too. Seems more like an ident in its own right, though - wonder why it's stuck on at the beginning of the ad?
Incidentally, do we know which channels will be on the Freesat EPG aside from the obvious?
Will it basically be everything you can get on a Sky receiver when the viewing card's taken out, including all the trashy FTA shopping, gaming and soft porn channels?
My brother has had 'Freesat' for well over a year now. Or at least something simliar, though it's even called 'Freesat' on the invoice he signed when he bought it. Is this the same thing? It's just an ordinary Sky box with a card that only plays free to air channels, but does play E4, More 4 etc just like Freeview. It's not as if it was a dodgy number from eBay either, he got it from an authorised Sky installer. No subscription. As far as i was concerned, Freesat had been running for years.
My brother has had 'Freesat' for well over a year now. Or at least something simliar, though it's even called 'Freesat' on the invoice he signed when he bought it. Is this the same thing? It's just an ordinary Sky box with a card that only plays free to air channels, but does play E4, More 4 etc just like Freeview. It's not as if it was a dodgy number from eBay either, he got it from an authorised Sky installer. No subscription. As far as i was concerned, Freesat had been running for years.
I presume he's got 'Freesat From Sky' which is pretty much the same idea, but uses standard, and most importantly for Sky, upgradable boxes. Also, Sky don't seem to want to publicise it much.
I have that, well, it's a lapsed Sky subscription - they never took the box and card away, and I've moved house since to somewhere that happened to have a dish on the wall.
Pleased to see E4 and More4 are now FTA.
I assume this "Freesat" from BBC/ITV doesn't have a slot either so viewers can't even choose to purchase a FTV viewing card for non-FTA channels (like Five).
My brother has had 'Freesat' for well over a year now. Or at least something simliar, though it's even called 'Freesat' on the invoice he signed when he bought it. Is this the same thing? It's just an ordinary Sky box with a card that only plays free to air channels, but does play E4, More 4 etc just like Freeview. It's not as if it was a dodgy number from eBay either, he got it from an authorised Sky installer. No subscription. As far as i was concerned, Freesat had been running for years.
Sounds like he has "Freesat from Sky"
This is a Sky box with a Free-to-View card that you pay a one-off fee for (and expired Sky subscription cards also revert to)
This may have more channels than the new "freesat" from BBC/ITV, but has more limitations in other areas. (No PVR without paying Sky, an EPG full of pay-TV channels, quite expensive HD box, no non-PVR HD receiver)