ITV1 on Sky Launch Date confirmed

Just checked out Anglia's website :

http://www.angliatv.com/digital/

'Anglia is already on all digital cable networks in our area, and from November 20th will be available on Sky Digital satellite, channel 103.'

This seems to confirm that ITV1 WILL be postcode mapped - with a best-guess of your ITV1 region assigned to channel 103.  I would imagine the other ITV regions will appear in the channel 800s vacated by UDirect - which folded recently-ish.

(I wonder if Channel will be a little delayed - I haven't seen any real programmes from Jersey on satellite - has anyone else?)


(Edited by noggin at 1:08 pm on Nov. 14, 2001)

I have spoken to Channel and they are very close to broadcasting on Sky.
Unfortunatley they have had the added problem of relaying their signal back to the UK mainland.
BT where just finishing the uplink when I called them about a week ago. They relay the Meridian Southampton signal to the Islands and then put their own idents on top. Sometimes things go abit wrong and we have the Meridian hearts and then the Channel globe kicks in !.

Dave - Jersey

p.s you guys are not missing much, it's basically Meridian with poor presentation. Hopefully Channel will have new idents for the sky launch.

Apparantly on HTV's website, it says the same!

I've often wondered why, in the year 2001 when we have large centres supplying multiple regions, and Meridian itself being the hub of no less than 5 sub-regions, that someone hasn't had the bright idea of sending Channel TV a clean feed!!! All Meridian would have to do is black out the signal when Meridian-specific bits came on (which could be linked directly to the Meridian server so it wouldn't even have to be manned). I am right in thinking that Channel have a dedicated link with Meridian and don't just have a big aerial pointed towards the mainland

Surely it can't cost that much, the technology is all there in Southampton...

(Edited by jason at 4:36 pm on Nov. 14, 2001)

A couple of things.

Noggin's link to the Anglia web site seems to only be giving me a 404 error.

Channel TV USED to get their signal off-air from Rowridge, or Stockland Hill using 'SABRE', Steerable, Adaptive Broadcast Recieving Equipment; but I suspect things have moved on now.

In the TVS days, there was open talkback around BOTH the TVS and Channel presentation areas. If you were sitting in pres at TVS, you had to remember not to be TOO rude about the islands, or you'd get a load of friendly abuse in your ear from across the water.

Nick Harvey.

ITV Digital call centre staff have also confirmed the date as November 20th to me today. They have just been informed of the date.

Phil:P:

What ITV Digital giving details of when ITV is coming to Sky Digital, what is the world coming to!

Yeah, Tyne Tees have told me to 'watch this space' for the beginning of next week, so it looks like all go.

Yep, looks like the blue screen will disappear on Tuesday on ch103! But let's all hope for you-know-what!

Currently the squares have disappeared from the tests (yay!) but Carlton London seems to be broadcasting on several numbers on that transponder (inc. ITV2's test channel)

Cheers, Asa

Some of the ITV1 regions' tests are very odd re: aspect ratios. I have widescreen (16:9) shape television set, which allows you to muck about with aspect ratios using the remote control, however none of the settings it's offers seem entirely appropiate for some of the ITV1 regions' Sky offerings.

I hope sky manage to update the Search-And-Scan-Banner to say 'ITV1' instead of 'ITV'. If we are all getting our own region based on postal codes, will the banner evenb mention the regionname?

Well this is certainly good news! BBC Two relaunch on Monday (19th) and ITV launch on Sky on Tuesday - I think I'm gonna have a good week next week!
:

Channel are still not ready and the clock is ticking. I wonder if they will make it in time for Tuesday !

Dave - Jersey