The Freeview Thread

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I guess it's all to make more space for mobile services. Funnily enough people seemed surprised last week when Netflix revealed that 70% of viewing is actually done on... TVs.


Yes, that 48 inch HD TV is preferred over a 4 inch smartphone for watching TV - who'd have thought it?

https://www.flatpanelshd.com/news.php?subaction=showfull&id=1520485216

Indeed, although really we're talking about the method of delivering content to the viewer, not the device they are watching that content on.

Call me old fashioned, but terrestrial broadcasting is still the most efficient method to deliver the same thing to millions at the same time.

What's happening with the 700 MHz clearance, is that the broadcast UHF band is being shrunk, so broadly
you have to expect to lose services (if all else is to remain the same)

COM 7 and 8 have the lowest priority as far as maintaining and protecting reception is concerned.
I can tell you that during the frequency planning exercise for 700 MHz that there was a certain level of disquiet from the broadcasters that the local muxes retained the same priority level as the PSB muxes in the replan.
(It's worth noting that in London, the London Live mux has taken COM 8's previous allocation of Ch 35).

In short, over the next few years there will have to be a 'roadmap' to remove the simulcasting of SD and HD services on DTT, of course the end game is to migrate all muxes to DVB-T2, which will of course obsoleterise millions of receivers. It's the only way forward really.

Meanwhile, the disruption in London yesterday (which quite honestly is nothing new or a unique experience for everybody else outside of the London region !) will only serve to drive people to other forms of domestic delivery; satellite, cable, and 'streaming', possibly further eroding the 'case' for DTT.

I've still got Com 7 but have lost Com 8. I actually live in Crystal Palace too...
Bit frustrating given until very recently BBC4 HD and CBeebies HD were on Com 7.
I'm sure there's some technical explanation similar to what has happened to Noggin but given I have 7 on ch55, very odd I can't get 8 on ch56. A manual tune of ch56 shows a very low and flaky signal but not enough to bring in any channels.

I live in Dulwich, with the CP transmitter visible from my living room windows. Using a Telecam TCE2000 indoor aerial, both 55 and 56 are 100%.

I've also got a cheap as chips One For All loop aerial in the kitchen, which is blocked by walls and can't see CP directly, where again all muxes are 100%.

BBC Red Button HD on BBC 'B' seems imminent ready to run from 2100-0528 Daily (CBBC Downtime) a shrouded stream is currently on the Mux.

EDIT - Digital Bitrate image

Back in March, ITVBe was added to Freeview Lite PSB2 in the Channel Islands using the space used by ITV3 on the mainland.

I feel the need to apologise.

It's worth noting that the last program shown each day on CITV (Om Nom Stories/Share a Story) is messing with the schedule, going from 17:55-06:00 the next day.

Is CITV still only through to 6pm then on Freeview. There was some thought the changes to ITV3 might allow them to expand to 9pm.

Right now, CITV still finishes at 6pm, but with ITV3 fully transitioning back to PSB2, there is now a real chance of achieving timeslot parity with Sky, Virgin and Freesat.

Realistically, ITV3+1 could be able to extend its hours (with the Store and ITVBe+1 acting as LCN placeholders), CITV extending hours to 9pm on Freeview, and ITV4+1 finally exiting its placeholder channel status by timesharing with CITV on Freeview.

Also - Sewing Quarter was testing on PSB2. Channel 4 looks to have leased their space to Immediate Media, I guess. But this isn't the first time - Top Up TV with its ill-fated Xtraview channel, Price Drop TV and Quiz Call come to mind.

BBC RB HD launched today on 602, as expected on air 2100-0530 daily.