View Full Version : Sky 1, Sports and Movies on Freeview Subscription.
Nicked shamelessly (sp?) from another site, but apparrantly;
"Sky wants to remove Sky News, Sky Sports News and Sky Three, which are currently free for anyone to watch who has a digital terrestrial TV or set-top box.
In their place it would like to broadcast Sky Sports 1 all day, and in the evenings Sky One and Sky Movies SD1 (standard rather than high definition), all of which would be subscription channels. "
Top Up TV, Sentana are worried/complaining. - I bet they are! :lol:
I for 1 would happily pay a smaller sum than a full Sky Package to receive Sky 1 and a Movie Channel through my Freeview Box rather than use Top Up TV's poor offering.
My only concern/put off would be if new equipment is required or whether the CAM Slot in my Humax would be sufficient.
My only concern/put off would be if new equipment is required or whether the CAM Slot in my Humax would be sufficient.
One report I read said you would need a new digibox.
They also want to use MPEG-4 which if everyone switched to would make the current boxes useless.
One report I read said you would need a new digibox.
They also want to use MPEG-4 which if everyone switched to would make the current boxes useless.
Definitely need a new box. Will use the same NDS encryption as Sky already use. Much stronger than the basic one ITV Digital / Topuptv which uses another type.
Also as said above need a box which can handle MPEG4.
Mr Majestik
04-10-2007, 11:46
Freeview should be just that. Free telly
Get rid of top up Tv as well and make room for a couple more channels.
If people wanted pay TV they would have got Sky/Cable by now.
All Sky are doing here is mudding the waters for a smooth transition with the digital switchover.
If people wanted pay TV they would have got Sky/Cable by now.
The problem is that the vast majority of the country would only have the choice of Sky or nothing for pay TV, allowing them to operate as a monopoly, which isn't good for the consumer. This does stink of Sky trying to bury their only competitors though.
Edit: On a related note, does anyone know if they're planning on changing the Freeview standard any time soon to improve the quality, like they are doing with DAB and DAB+? Would be nice to not waste the bandwidth on the old crappy standard. Edit2: To answer my own question, seems they are with DVB-T2.
Andrew WK
04-10-2007, 12:54
Old news, reported back in February: http://www.thedvdforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=463277
Isn't this going to Offcom and a rulling is not expected till mid next year. I think there are complaints about them taking away the three "free" channels and then charging people for a different service.
I never watch Sky News but sky sports news is on all the time in the office in work. Would be a shame to lose that.
steve_smith
04-10-2007, 20:22
There's some coverage of it here:
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/digitaltv/a76765/sky-goes-public-with-picnic-plans.html
They do seem confident of it being approved by OFCOM, because they've already thought of a name and launched a website.
When I read about this a while ago, the rumoured monthly subscription wasn't that disimilar to that of a basic Sky "dish" based subscription. Only rather than getting dozens of channels, you'd only get 4 or 5 extra.
I can't personally see why anyone would bother to pay in excess of a tenner for a handful of extra channels :shrug: I guess its marketed at people who can't or don't want to put a dish on their house/flat.
We got rid of our Sky subscription over a year ago because I felt it was overpriced when compared to what you can get for nowt on Freeview. I believe Freeview should be kept free.
I believe Freeview should be kept free.
I am a Sky subscriber but I agree with you because not everyone can afford Sky's prices especially as they go up each year. I wouldn't read to much into what Sky are saying as they are bound to come out with all the positive stuff in an effort to make it looks a though they are confident of them getting the result from OFCOM they want.
zantarous
04-10-2007, 21:48
Pretty crap then really.
Not entirely as the BBC are also pushing for a switch to MPEG4 as this would give them and the other terrestrial broadcasters enough space to offer FTA HD channels. OFCOM seem to be undecided about this but I can almost see them agreeing to a change to the new standard, which would be pain for almost all the people who have invested in equipment already but in the long run would make a far better solution.
campdave
05-10-2007, 07:03
Needs to be carefully managed - would be crazy to have analouge switchover, then turn round and tell everyone they need to upgrade their freeview boxes!
Needs to be carefully managed - would be crazy to have analouge switchover, then turn round and tell everyone they need to upgrade their freeview boxes!
That's what they're doing with DAB. And rightfully so, because it's a crap standard.
nwgarratt
05-10-2007, 18:15
That's what they're doing with DAB. And rightfully so, because it's a crap standard.
It's not crap, just need decent equipment. Anyway, they can't just switch of either MPEG 2 Freeview or DAB overnight. People are still buying DAB's and Freeview boxes. They would be pretty miffed if they only get a years worth of use out of it.
If Setanta are allowed to broadcast, and charge for, their sports package via freeview then surely it would be anti competitive not to allow Sky to do the same :shrug:
maddogsuk
05-10-2007, 19:08
I think (I'm sure I've read it somewhere) it has something to do with Ofcom rules on the usage of the available multiplex's. Topup \ Setanta broadcast on a couple of multiplex's where the rules mean that they can operate pay tv.
However the current three free Sky channels are on a mux that is designated as 'Keep it free' requirements, therefore this needs to be reviewed before Sky can charge on that Mux.
zantarous
05-10-2007, 19:26
yep maddogsuk you are right, SKY's current Freeview channels are part of Freeview and not the PAY TV service of DTT, they bought those slots to provide a free service.
I am in two minds about this, being on Virgin it would be great to have access to Sky 1 but this seems like a half arsed plan and of course anything to help make MPEG4 a standard so HD FTA is available would be great as well.
danielsesay
05-10-2007, 23:07
Freeview should be just that. Free telly
Get rid of top up Tv as well and make room for a couple more channels.
If people wanted pay TV they would have got Sky/Cable by now.
All Sky are doing here is mudding the waters for a smooth transition with the digital switchover.I agree, and with the introduction of IPTV set top boxes now meaning TV via the phone line (although we need to upgrade the network), there's really no need for pay TV on terrestrial. All this talk of pay TV services on DTT when DSO is about to happen will only confuse consumers more.
Not entirely as the BBC are also pushing for a switch to MPEG4 as this would give them and the other terrestrial broadcasters enough space to offer FTA HD channels. OFCOM seem to be undecided about this but I can almost see them agreeing to a change to the new standard, which would be pain for almost all the people who have invested in equipment already but in the long run would make a far better solution.It would be a good idea if OFCOM would use some of the bandwidth freed up after DSO for MPEG4 HD services. It would buy them some time not alienating people with MPEG2 boxes and newer boxes will use both standards until HD standards take over fully. But I doubt that will happen. :|
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