Freesat Launches Today (UK)

[Bob The Skutter]

For anyone who wasn't aware, Freesat launches today. At launch there's around 80 channels, including radio stations, but that number is expected to rise to somewhere around 200 by the end of the year.

The boxes start at around £50 for an SD model and £120 for a HD model, and £80 for installation of the dish. There will be a HD PVR in a couple of months time, and a line of HDTVs with built in receivers this summer.

At the minute BBC HD is the only HD service, but soon ITV will be launching a HD service, exclusive to freesat, and Channel 4HD is expected before long.

From BBC News

A free-to-view satellite television and radio service from the BBC and ITV is being launched across the UK.
Freesat is available to 98% of homes, including those that are unable to receive Freeview through a TV aerial.
Freesat will carry 80 digital TV and radio channels, including free high definition programmes, with that number due to rise to 200 by the end of 2008.
Users will make a one-off payment for a dish, set-top box and installation, but will not pay a monthly subscription.
HD boost
Emma Scott from Freesat told BBC Radio 5 Live: "It's only homes that really don't have a clear line of sight to the satellite that can't get it, or certain listed buildings.
"But unlike Freeview, you can receive Freesat across the country, which means that in those areas that at the moment can't get access to free digital television this is the first time that you can get free digital TV."

 

[Baldus885]

I got my Technomate PVR to rescan 28.2W today and it found seven new channels. I've now got E4, More4 and ITV4 on top of what I had before. Still no Channel 4.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

I got my Technomate PVR to rescan 28.2W today and it found seven new channels. I've now got E4, More4 and ITV4 on top of what I had before. Still no Channel 4.

I think you mean 28.2E...
Channel 4 is free to air now too, I haven't checked on my Technomate combo box, but on the Foxsat HD box has it listed as 8350, on 10729V 22000 5/6 when switched from Freesat to FTA mode.

 

[wamdue]

the C4 channels going free to air is a good thing, but looking at the channel list, there is nothing that makes me say "I need freesat"

 

[Bob The Skutter]

the C4 channels going free to air is a good thing, but looking at the channel list, there is nothing that makes me say "I need freesat"

The future potential, HD and to screw with sky seems to be the main 3 reasons.
BBC HD is already airing, ITV HD starts soon, C4HD by the end of the year, Five and possibly a HD version are supposed to be on by the end of the year.
They're supposedly enabling VOD through the boxes before too long, too. iPlayer, and Kangaroo were talked about at the launch event. It's be cool if all the catch up services were enabled through it.

 

[diankra]

the C4 channels going free to air is a good thing, but looking at the channel list, there is nothing that makes me say "I need freesat"

The future potential, HD and to screw with sky seems to be the main 3 reasons.
BBC HD is already airing, ITV HD starts soon, C4HD by the end of the year, Five and possibly a HD version are supposed to be on by the end of the year.
They're supposedly enabling VOD through the boxes before too long, too. iPlayer, and Kangaroo were talked about at the launch event. It's be cool if all the catch up services were enabled through it.

Also, Freesat can reach areas that Freeview (Digital Terrestrial) can't, certainly not until the last Analogue station is turned off and the Freeview signal strength can be boosted without fear of intereferring with analogue. For the immediate future, Freeview can only get to 75% of Britain; Freesat covers at 20% of the remainder.

 

[wamdue]

I will give you the HD thing, and the coverage thing, however I have no HD TV, and get all 6 freeview mux's, even if I had the cash, I wouldnt be running out to buy a new box.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

I will give you the HD thing, and the coverage thing, however I have no HD TV, and get all 6 freeview mux's, even if I had the cash, I wouldnt be running out to buy a new box.

Yes, but 10m people do have HDTVs, the fact there's tons of space for channels (up to 200 by the end of the year) that's not available to Freeview, and there's the ethernet connection that serves as a return path for interactive and connection for VOD services.

 

[Baldus885]

I got my Technomate PVR to rescan 28.2W today and it found seven new channels. I've now got E4, More4 and ITV4 on top of what I had before. Still no Channel 4.

I think you mean 28.2E...

Probably, yes.

Channel 4 is free to air now too, I haven't checked on my Technomate combo box, but on the Foxsat HD box has it listed as 8350, on 10729V 22000 5/6 when switched from Freesat to FTA mode.

I'll check it out, it didn't show up on the auto-scan thingie.


I don't really care about HD as I have no plans to ditch my CRT TV until it fails and new TVs are too expensive. My main problem is crappy terrestrial reception, so I got a £30 dish from Maplin and a Technomate TM9100 for £100, dumped a hard disk in it and I have digital satellite with PVR and didn't pay Sky a penny.

Ironically, Channel 4 is probably what I watch the most, so I'm glad it's free-to-air now.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

^Well, I have a HDTV, and I don't want to pay money to Sky just to get HD programming, so that was my main reason for getting it, but aside from that, the full EPG is a plus, and so is the keyword search in the listings.

 

[ITL]

It all sounds like a pretty good deal - and the future looks bright, with more channels hopefully being available. If I could afford it, I'd get one.

I was given a Freeview box a while back, but as I can't afford to even get a digital arial put up, I'm stuck with my crappy indoor arial and a Freeview box I can't use...lol

 

[Baldus885]

^Well, I have a HDTV, and I don't want to pay money to Sky just to get HD programming, so that was my main reason for getting it, but aside from that, the full EPG is a plus, and so is the keyword search in the listings.

EPG is one thing I'd like, but no-one seems able to get it working on the TM. I can program it using a browser and radiotimes.com, so it's not too bad. And it's not as if there's much more than Doctor Who worth watching lately anyway.

 

[wamdue]

I will give you the HD thing, and the coverage thing, however I have no HD TV, and get all 6 freeview mux's, even if I had the cash, I wouldnt be running out to buy a new box.

Yes, but 10m people do have HDTVs, the fact there's tons of space for channels (up to 200 by the end of the year) that's not available to Freeview, and there's the ethernet connection that serves as a return path for interactive and connection for VOD services.

if the VOD services are free, then it might be worthwhile

 

[Bob The Skutter]

I will give you the HD thing, and the coverage thing, however I have no HD TV, and get all 6 freeview mux's, even if I had the cash, I wouldnt be running out to buy a new box.

Yes, but 10m people do have HDTVs, the fact there's tons of space for channels (up to 200 by the end of the year) that's not available to Freeview, and there's the ethernet connection that serves as a return path for interactive and connection for VOD services.

if the VOD services are free, then it might be worthwhile

Well iPlayer will be. I think Kangaroo is aiming to aggregate pay, and free catch up services, so it'll be a mix by the sounds of it.