Sky channels on Freeview

herman2811

Apologies if this is in the wrong place... feel free to move.

With all the talk about Virgin/Sky right now, I just wanted to let people know that apparently Sky are also removing Sky 3 and Sky News from Freeview! (Heard this on the radio this morning, but not sure when it's happening.)

They didn't mention anything about Sky Sports News though.... if anyone knows, please post a reply.

Bamber19

as far as i can remember it's been referred to some sort of competition commissioner, to see if it would lessen the appeal of freeview too muhc tor emove these channels

Browntoa

http://www.southgatearc.org/news/february2007/sky_mpeg4_switch.htm

Sky have just announced that Sky News, Sky-3 and Sky Sports News are going to be withdrawn from Freeview and the capacity used for a new subscription services, Sky-1 / Sports / Movies, using the MPEG-4 standard.
None of the existing Set-Top Boxes (STB's) will be able to receive these channels and Sky say once the service has launched manufacturers will produce new compatible set-top boxes and other DTT receivers.
Because of its more efficient compression, MPEG-4 allows many more channels to be available on a multiplex. In the coming years, it is likely we will see other media companies follow Sky's example and change to MPEG-4 which would render existing STB's useless.

http://www.dtg.org.uk/news/news.php?class=countries&subclass=0&id=2233

BSkyB is to offer pay-TV channels on Britain's fast-growing digital terrestrial television (DTT) platform. Subject to approval from media regulator Ofcom, Sky said it would replace its three free-to-view channels, Sky Three, Sky News and Sky Sports News, with pay-TV entertainment, sport and movie channels. The sports channel will include live Barclays Premiership coverage.
Sky said four 24-hour channels could fill the vacated capacity this summer by using the latest MPEG-4 video compression technology. Mike Darcey, Sky's chief operating officer, said the move would bring "some of Sky's most popular content to digital terrestrial viewers. This will give families more choice and increase the availability of leading content and channel brands".
The new channels will not be available on existing Freeview receivers. To access Sky's pay channels viewers will need to buy a new MPEG-4 set-top box with a conditional access system. Sky said once the service had launched manufacturers would be able to produce compatible set-top boxes and other DTT receivers.
Sky said Ofcom would need to approve changes to licences held by Sky and DTT multiplex operator National Grid Wireless, which carries Sky's channels. Last April Ofcom removed restrictions preventing the three commercial multiplex licences owned by the BBC and National Grid Wireless from broadcasting pay-TV channels, saying the right balance between pay and free-to-air channels on DTT was "better left to the market".

amcluesent

>which would render existing STB's useless.<

And flat-panel TV's with in-build freeview decoders :-(

Oh, dear. Looks like that £1000 LCD you saved for will be in the skip...