Saorview Rescan for launch of Mux2

2rn (formally RTE NL) had released the information on their website from yesterday.

http://www.2rn.ie/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/SAORVIEW-Rescan-2013.pdf

http://www.2rn.ie/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/SAORVIEW-Rescan-2013-Installers.pdf

It looks the like the possibility of more channels are being launched on this date. 2rn have been doing hidden tests from their transmitters for about 3 weeks or more.

The new possible 7 TV channels (3 of them in HD & 4 in SD) are going to be as follows

HD

RTE ONE HD
TG4 HD (This can be viewed on UPC Ireland already)
TV3 HD (A possible release if they can afford it)

SD (This is the only one I know for definite)

Oireachtas TV (This has been given thumbs up from the Broadcasting Act 2009 to be released on Saorview)

http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/Debates%20Authoring/DebatesWebPack.nsf/takes/dail2013092400072#N14

That's all pure speculation. TV3 have yet to announce any HD channel much less have it ready for launch on Saorview on Tuesday week.

Oireachtas TV won't be happening on Saorview anytime soon either. Never mind what an Act of Parliament says, someone has to pay for it and right now no-one's willing to do so. The Oireachtas Commission, who run the channel (and indeed have done so as an internal CCTV channel for many years) have offered it to TV platform providers free of charge, provided the platform saddles all the costs of carrying it. The problem is that 2RN (formerly RTÉ NL) are required to charge their rate card by Comreg and if they gave the Oireactas Commission free carriage TV3 would be on their door looking for the same treatment the next day. But the Oireachtas Commission has no money to pay 2RN's rate card. Unless they're voted some in the Budget next week, but I wouldn't hold my breath on that.

I'd be more hopeful about RTÉ One HD and TG4 HD though, the latter's ready to go and already broadcasting on UPC, while the transmission suite for RTÉ One HD has been tendered for though I don't know if its actually installed yet.

It could be rather an improvement in picture quality being on the cards for moving some channels over to MUX 2 instead as well as putting TG4 in HD & leaving RTE 1 & 2 HD on MUX 1. I should have told you earlier that RTE 1 is not becoming HD until the new year.

Viewers have to rescan their Saorview equipment because they may lose their service altogether.

It will be interesting to see what happens then on the October 21st. We may get something or could be stuck with the channels being split on a different multiplex. We just have to wait & see what happens next.

I did a rescan for the Mux2 for my Saorview boxes this morning & I found it to be completely all over the place.

Multiplex 1
LCN
Channel

11 no channel name (RTÉ 1 simulcast) SD
02 RTÉ Two HD
03 TV3 SD
04 TG4 SD
05 3e SD
06 RTÉ News Now SD
17 no channel name (RTÉjr simulcast) SD
18 no channel name (RTÉ1 +1 simulcast) SD
200 RTÉ Radio 1
201 RTÉ Radio 1 Extra
202 RTÉ 2FM
203 RTÉ Lyric FM
204 RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
205 RTÉ Pulse
206 RTÉ 2XM
207 (not used**)
208 RTÉ Gold
209 RTÉ Junior/RTÉ Chill
** previously RTÉ Choice

Multiplex 2
LCN
Channel

01 RTÉ One HD
12 (no channel name***) HD
13 (no channel name/testcard) SD - RTÉ Lyric FM audio
14 (no channel name***) HD
15 (no channel name/testcard) SD - RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta audio
16 (not used)
07 RTÉjr* SD
08 RTÉ One +1* SD
211-212 (no radio channel names) no audio
213 (no radio channel name) RTÉ Lyric FM audio
214 (no radio channel name) RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta audio
215-217 (no radio channel names) no audio
218-219 (no radio channel name) RTÉ Gold audio
220 (no radio channel name) no audio

***No HD testcards on LCNs 12 and 14 this morning
* RTÉjr 0700-1845 approx / RTÉ One +1 1900-0100/0200 approx. Not timesharing on Mux2, static on-air caption on RTÉ1 +1 "This channel is currently off air"

I may have to do another rescan sometime after 3pm today to see what the final result will be. What does everyone else think of it at the moment?

RTÉ One HD is the only line-up change for now. Seemingly the dual running of RTE One, RTÉjr and RTÉ One+1 will last about three weeks, according to 2RN.

Will Sky get RTE One HD?