Utv

GlynD

I'd be more inclined to wonder why I can't get RTE on digital or freesat. I've put in a booster for my aerial and can get it on terrestrial TV but I've been told that RTE are dragging their heels in the digital revolution and that Saorsat isn't up and running yet. Plus they get oodles of dosh from running what services they do have through Sky/BSB.

yorkie98

GlynD wrote: »

I'd be more inclined to wonder why I can't get RTE on digital or freesat. I've put in a booster for my aerial and can get it on terrestrial TV but I've been told that RTE are dragging their heels in the digital revolution and that Saorsat isn't up and running yet. Plus they get oodles of dosh from running what services they do have through Sky/BSB.

The RTE channels on Satellite are encrypted so only available to Sky subscribers in ROI and NI, this is due the copyrights on most of the programs RTE show are licenced for Ireland only so they have to take steps to ensure they cannot be viewed outside. For this reason, they are not available on Freesat.

With Regards to Soarview, it is launched, and fully up and running however, the signal is not yet fully boosted into NI from some sites but this is due to happen very soon.
There is however another problem, the Soarview service uses the far technically superior Mpeg4 system which makes it incompatible with most UK Freeview boxes and also most IDTVs too. More and more TVs which are being manufactured are having Mpeg4 capability built in which does allow viewing of Soarview (if your signal is strong enough).

Finally, Soarsat, a test service is up and running on a new satellite called Eutelsat Ka-Sat at 9°E but before you swing your Sky dish round, it is using a totally different frequency band than that used for most satellite transmissions. This is using the Ka band which is up at 20Ghz. This means that Soarsat will need dedicated LNBs and recievers which are not compatible with 99% of existing satellite equipment.
The full tech details for the trial service are:
9°E Eutelsat Ka-Sat, Frequency 20185 Mhz, LH Circular polarisation, SR 25000, FEC 1/2, DVB-S2, Mpeg4 coding, no encryption.
This signal is on an extremely tight spot beam which only covers Ireland and is not recievable in the UK aside from NI and some far west tips of Wales/England.
I would imagine that Soarsat equipment will be VERY expensive as it is using totally new technology, unless RTE subsidise the price of the equipment as it is only aimed at the <2% of homes unable to get Soarview via terrestrial.

yorkie98

almillar wrote: »

And guess who can't get Virgin Media?!!

Hmm.... That'll be 70% of NI... including ..ME!!..

tyronealan

yorkie98 wrote: »

Hmm.... That'll be 70% of NI... including ..ME!!..

Who can get it outside Belfast? certainly not anyone in the west!! Why do they always drag their heels in, it was the same with Nicam. As for RTE I cant get it through freeview yet a mate 300ms away gets it perfectly, think its an mpeg issue?

almillar

What channel is that on Freeview Smally?
Cabletel laid most of the fibre network, ntl took it over, Virgin Media took that over. Cabletel never made enough money, and ntl and Virgin have been working to get costomers inside their network on board, and have done (almost) zero expansion for about 15 years - they can't afford it. They're in Lisburn, less than 1km from me. So near and yet so far!
You can send an email to CableMyStreet@virginmedia.co.uk to request information about your address, they reply very quickly.

yorkie98

smally wrote: »

Who can get it outside Belfast? certainly not anyone in the west!! Why do they always drag their heels in, it was the same with Nicam. As for RTE I cant get it through freeview yet a mate 300ms away gets it perfectly, think its an mpeg issue?

It might be an Mpeg issue, or it might be a signal issue, when you scan your freeview box/tv, if you get the RTE multiplex you will notice the channels appearing in the channel list in the 800s.
You will be able to hear the sound on the TV channels, even if you cant see the pictures and also you will be able to hear the various radio services without issue.
If this is the case then it is just an Mpeg issue. If the channels don't show up at all then you don't have enough signal.
To have any chance, as a rule of thumb, you should be getting 8+/10 picture quality on RTE1/2 analogue and 6-7/10 for TV3 and 4-5/10 for TG4 as a minumum. (This is assuming the channels and power levels for the Clairmont Carn transmitter).

GlynD

yorkie98 wrote: »

The RTE channels on Satellite are encrypted so only available to Sky subscribers in ROI and NI, this is due the copyrights on most of the programs RTE show are licenced for Ireland only so they have to take steps to ensure they cannot be viewed outside. For this reason, they are not available on Freesat.

With Regards to Soarview, it is launched, and fully up and running however, the signal is not yet fully boosted into NI from some sites but this is due to happen very soon.
There is however another problem, the Soarview service uses the far technically superior Mpeg4 system which makes it incompatible with most UK Freeview boxes and also most IDTVs too. More and more TVs which are being manufactured are having Mpeg4 capability built in which does allow viewing of Soarview (if your signal is strong enough).

Finally, Soarsat, a test service is up and running on a new satellite called Eutelsat Ka-Sat at 9°E but before you swing your Sky dish round, it is using a totally different frequency band than that used for most satellite transmissions. This is using the Ka band which is up at 20Ghz. This means that Soarsat will need dedicated LNBs and recievers which are not compatible with 99% of existing satellite equipment.
The full tech details for the trial service are:
9°E Eutelsat Ka-Sat, Frequency 20185 Mhz, LH Circular polarisation, SR 25000, FEC 1/2, DVB-S2, Mpeg4 coding, no encryption.
This signal is on an extremely tight spot beam which only covers Ireland and is not recievable in the UK aside from NI and some far west tips of Wales/England.
I would imagine that Soarsat equipment will be VERY expensive as it is using totally new technology, unless RTE subsidise the price of the equipment as it is only aimed at the <2% of homes unable to get Soarview via terrestrial.

I've got an MPEG4 setup, ready to receive, but am not prepared to swing my dish around just to get RTE. Looks like I'll have to wait until they decide, if ever, to become compatible.

yorkie98

GlynD wrote: »

I've got an MPEG4 setup, ready to receive, but am not prepared to swing my dish around just to get RTE. Looks like I'll have to wait until they decide, if ever, to become compatible.

You'd also need a Ka band LNB (hard to find and expensive) and a reciever which can handle that kind of LNB.
Soarsat will never become "compatible", this is the one and only way it will be delivered and it is deliberately designed to be incompatible to make it impossible to pick up outside of Ireland.
It is designed purely to allow reception for the <2% of the population who cannot get reception via Soarview terrestrial and not as an extra or alternative service.

GlynD

yorkie98 wrote: »

You'd also need a Ka band LNB (hard to find and expensive) and a reciever which can handle that kind of LNB.
Soarsat will never become "compatible", this is the one and only way it will be delivered and it is deliberately designed to be incompatible to make it impossible to pick up outside of Ireland.
It is designed purely to allow reception for the <2% of the population who cannot get reception via Soarview terrestrial and not as an extra or alternative service.

I think if this becomes standard equipment for RTE reception it'll be very easy to buy in Ireland.

yorkie98

GlynD wrote: »

I think if this becomes standard equipment for RTE reception it'll be very easy to buy in Ireland.

I'd expect it to be reasonable but it won't become anywhere near as cheap as standard equipment as it will be basically using custom equipment.
At present, the only Ka band LNB I can find to buy is $1500 without feedhorn, then you need a reciever..
I would imagine that a cheaper supply will come in for the launch of ther service but this is some months away as yet.