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Test channels on freeview

(August 2007)

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GI
gilsta
Yesterday I rescanned my Freeview box so I can have the pleasure of learning some existing channel's new channel numbers. More interestingly, I got several new channels in the 800s: cBBC - Test, BBC Three - Test, BBC News24Test, Sky Sports 1 and Setanta Ireland.

Nothing happens when I select any of them but I'm wondering what their purpose is? I'm in Northern Ireland, is it a HD test, Irish digital test?

One other possibly useful bit of useful info is I live in a reception blackspot which can't get Sky News, Sky Sports News, Sky Three etc.
ST
steddenm
It's possibly a digital test for Ireland as Sky Sports 1 isn't available on Freeview, and Sentanta Ireland would make sense!

No additional channels in Manchester yet...
PC
p_c_u_k
I presume digital terrestrial in the Republic isn't subject to OFCOM regulation, so Sky, if it has permission from the Irish authorities, can launch Sky Sports 1 over there.
NW
nwtv2003
gilsta posted:
Yesterday I rescanned my Freeview box so I can have the pleasure of learning some existing channel's new channel numbers. More interestingly, I got several new channels in the 800s: cBBC - Test, BBC Three - Test, BBC News24Test, Sky Sports 1 and Setanta Ireland.

Nothing happens when I select any of them but I'm wondering what their purpose is? I'm in Northern Ireland, is it a HD test, Irish digital test?

One other possibly useful bit of useful info is I live in a reception blackspot which can't get Sky News, Sky Sports News, Sky Three etc.


You've picked up Ireland's DTT tests, they're also carrying RTÉ1, RTÉ2, TV3 & TG4 but on another MUX.
GI
gilsta
nwtv2003 posted:
gilsta posted:
Yesterday I rescanned my Freeview box so I can have the pleasure of learning some existing channel's new channel numbers. More interestingly, I got several new channels in the 800s: cBBC - Test, BBC Three - Test, BBC News24Test, Sky Sports 1 and Setanta Ireland.

Nothing happens when I select any of them but I'm wondering what their purpose is? I'm in Northern Ireland, is it a HD test, Irish digital test?

One other possibly useful bit of useful info is I live in a reception blackspot which can't get Sky News, Sky Sports News, Sky Three etc.


You've picked up Ireland's DTT tests, they're also carrying RTÉ1, RTÉ2, TV3 & TG4 but on another MUX.


Yup, picked up the rest now. The terrestial channels and radio are the only ones that work, albeit with very poor reception, the rest must be encrypted. Might get a booster for the RTÉ aerial!
OV
Orry Verducci
As I understand it, at the moment only the terrestrial ones are not encrypted. I think the rest are encrypted in Conax. CBBC and BBC News 24 will probably go FTA once it launched, with Sky Sports 1 and Setanta obviously being subscription channels. However, no plans have been made for after the trial, or who will be running it, so who knows...

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