I've spoken to the Freesat team.
BBC / ITV Freesat is provisionally set to launch during the 1st week of May.
BBC / ITV Freesat is provisionally set to launch during the 1st week of May.
FREESAT TO LAUNCH 1ST WEEK IN MAY - PROVISIONAL
- Thread starter Alsone
- Start date
but as said in the Latest section doesnt this only work in conjunction with digital switchover dates?
Isn't this the Freesat launch and not the Freeview HD proposed for London in 2012?? Great news if we can expect Freesat to launch as early as 1st May. As Clare said in one of her posts, 'launching early Spring' hasn't been updated for a while.
Mathew, freesat is entirely different to Freeview.
Freesat is a satellite service and as its using satellite and not terrestial bandwidth / frequencies it can launch before the switchover is complete because it won't interfere with or take bandwidth from Freeview.
Its also going to have far more HD channels from the look of it as Freeview doesn't have the bandwidth available to launch many. However it doesn't look as if content will be mirrored so what's on Freesat won't always be the same as what's on Freeview. You takes your choices as they say but given the restricted bandwidth on terrestial, I personally view Freesat as potentially the better option.
Freesat is a satellite service and as its using satellite and not terrestial bandwidth / frequencies it can launch before the switchover is complete because it won't interfere with or take bandwidth from Freeview.
Its also going to have far more HD channels from the look of it as Freeview doesn't have the bandwidth available to launch many. However it doesn't look as if content will be mirrored so what's on Freesat won't always be the same as what's on Freeview. You takes your choices as they say but given the restricted bandwidth on terrestial, I personally view Freesat as potentially the better option.
Just spoken to Freesat and they said 1st week in May is "highly unlikely"
- however, a May date does seem certain, as when I said "it'll be June,
then", they were adamant "that's summer - we've promised the service in
Spring".
So, still frustratingly little info, but we're a tad closer....
- however, a May date does seem certain, as when I said "it'll be June,
then", they were adamant "that's summer - we've promised the service in
Spring".
So, still frustratingly little info, but we're a tad closer....
No parade to be rained on - all information gratefully received (and it wouldn't be the first time the customer service part of a business was saying something different to the marketing side!)
I'll go back to Freesat for comment....
I'll go back to Freesat for comment....
Thanks for the info, I've just updated our news story with a link to this post. We'll see what Freesat says to Clare now!
Freesat says the emails re 1st week in May "may have been a little over-enthusiastic".
The 1st of May itself has been ruled out, so i'm guessing week beginning 5th of May is the PLANNED launch time, but that the next few weeks of implementation/testing will determine if that's the ACTUAL date - as Freesat obviously stress, they're only going to launch the service when they're happy it meets all their quality criteria. Oh, and when boxes/support services are in place, too.
Watch this space....
The 1st of May itself has been ruled out, so i'm guessing week beginning 5th of May is the PLANNED launch time, but that the next few weeks of implementation/testing will determine if that's the ACTUAL date - as Freesat obviously stress, they're only going to launch the service when they're happy it meets all their quality criteria. Oh, and when boxes/support services are in place, too.
Watch this space....
Just need you to get your hands on some boxes now and start testing them all for us.
Also, I don't know if its possible for you to report this as a part of your test but would be interested to know what is available as a "package" and what can be bought seperately as the Freesat web site stresses the package options ie. box, dish, installation.
Also, be interesting to know what cabling you get in the package version as I doubt it will be the best and thus this might also be a deciding factor for enthusiasts / those in weak signal areas.
Also, I don't know if its possible for you to report this as a part of your test but would be interested to know what is available as a "package" and what can be bought seperately as the Freesat web site stresses the package options ie. box, dish, installation.
Also, be interesting to know what cabling you get in the package version as I doubt it will be the best and thus this might also be a deciding factor for enthusiasts / those in weak signal areas.
John Duncan
Well-known member
[quote user="Alsone"]
Just need you to get your hands on some boxes now and start testing.[/quote]
Not going to happen. Television companies are having a hard enough job getting hold of them to test them with transmission as it is.
As for first week in May, that's what I thought, if I hear anything else I'll let you know.
Just need you to get your hands on some boxes now and start testing.[/quote]
Not going to happen. Television companies are having a hard enough job getting hold of them to test them with transmission as it is.
As for first week in May, that's what I thought, if I hear anything else I'll let you know.
Hi all, I dont know too much about freesat so sorry if what im saying is totally wrong. I was just on there wbsite and I see they say you can use your existing satellite dish, any-one know how this will work? Is it just a matter of taking the cable out of your sky box and putting it in a freesat box? I wouldnt imagine Sky being too happy about there equipment being used for this.
Hi' does anyone know if BBC Freesat the same as Sky 's Freesat (Astra dish)service.If so does that mean i'll be able to watch all the the Asian channel's and 200 other SD channel's.
Thanks Clare.I just had a look but there is no mention of what channel's we,ll get and no mention of Asian channel's.Thay both use Astra dish so does that mean we,ll get some of the 200 channel's from Sky Freesat service.
[quote user="dynamodrago"]
Hi all, I dont know too much about freesat so sorry if what im saying is totally wrong. I was just on there wbsite and I see they say you can use your existing satellite dish, any-one know how this will work? Is it just a matter of taking the cable out of your sky box and putting it in a freesat box? I wouldnt imagine Sky being too happy about there equipment being used for this.
[/quote]
It isn't Sky's equipment, it's yours! Just replace the Sky box with a freesat box and that's it.
Hi all, I dont know too much about freesat so sorry if what im saying is totally wrong. I was just on there wbsite and I see they say you can use your existing satellite dish, any-one know how this will work? Is it just a matter of taking the cable out of your sky box and putting it in a freesat box? I wouldnt imagine Sky being too happy about there equipment being used for this.
[/quote]
It isn't Sky's equipment, it's yours! Just replace the Sky box with a freesat box and that's it.
[quote user="burhan"]Thanks Clare.I just had a look but there is no mention of what channel's we,ll get and no mention of Asian channel's.Thay both use Astra dish so does that mean we,ll get some of the 200 channel's from Sky Freesat service.[/quote]
You'll get all the unencrypted channels, just like any other "free" satellite channel receiver does. What you will not get is a 7 day EPG for those additional channels, so pretty useless on a freesat PVR unless you don't mind manually setting recording times.
It's the 7 day EPG and interactive functions that make freesat different to Freesat, channels need to pay to appear in the freesat EPG listing.
You'll get all the unencrypted channels, just like any other "free" satellite channel receiver does. What you will not get is a 7 day EPG for those additional channels, so pretty useless on a freesat PVR unless you don't mind manually setting recording times.
It's the 7 day EPG and interactive functions that make freesat different to Freesat, channels need to pay to appear in the freesat EPG listing.
In another forum an alleged Humax employee has said that their freesat PVRs software hasn't even started been developed yet. He said that they are concentrating on getting the simple receiver released first, so a PVR is several months away after launch.
The freesat lot are a bunch of clowns in my opinion, no Channel 5, maybe even no Channel 4, no PVR...it's not rocket science!
The freesat lot are a bunch of clowns in my opinion, no Channel 5, maybe even no Channel 4, no PVR...it's not rocket science!
[quote user="Clare Newsome"]
Freesat says the emails re 1st week in May "may have been a little over-enthusiastic".
.
[/quote]
Then they should stop sending them. I had this six hours after your posting. Freesat is only a small team according to its website, so getting them all singing from the sale hymn sheet shoudn't be difficult.
"Date:* Fri, 4 Apr 2008 17:31:50 +0100
Dear John,
Thanks for your email. Provisionally we are set to launch the first week
of May. Detailed information regarding technical equipment, channels and
special features are to follow on our website very soon!
We appreciate your interest!
Best wishes
Freesat UK Ltd"
Freesat says the emails re 1st week in May "may have been a little over-enthusiastic".
.
[/quote]
Then they should stop sending them. I had this six hours after your posting. Freesat is only a small team according to its website, so getting them all singing from the sale hymn sheet shoudn't be difficult.
"Date:* Fri, 4 Apr 2008 17:31:50 +0100
Dear John,
Thanks for your email. Provisionally we are set to launch the first week
of May. Detailed information regarding technical equipment, channels and
special features are to follow on our website very soon!
We appreciate your interest!
Best wishes
Freesat UK Ltd"
[quote user="Eddiewood"]In another forum an alleged Humax employee has said that their freesat PVRs software hasn't even started been developed yet. He said that they are concentrating on getting the simple receiver released first, so a PVR is several months away after launch.
[/quote]
Not "alleged" according to the news section of that forum's website. It gives his full name, so I assume the information is correct.
I'm certainly not going to spend about 150 pounds for a receiver next month, only to replace it with a PVR later in the year.
[/quote]
Not "alleged" according to the news section of that forum's website. It gives his full name, so I assume the information is correct.
I'm certainly not going to spend about 150 pounds for a receiver next month, only to replace it with a PVR later in the year.
[quote user="J Jones"][quote user="Eddiewood"]In another forum an alleged Humax employee has said that their freesat PVRs software hasn't even started been developed yet. He said that they are concentrating on getting the simple receiver released first, so a PVR is several months away after launch.
[/quote]
Not "alleged" according to the news section of that forum's website. It gives his full name, so I assume the information is correct.
I'm certainly not going to spend about 150 pounds for a receiver next month, only to replace it with a PVR later in the year.
[/quote]
Well *I* believed his posting that he has made over several months, but others have questioned them as being genuine, I don't read the front page much so missed it, nice to see that he is who he says he is!
[/quote]
Not "alleged" according to the news section of that forum's website. It gives his full name, so I assume the information is correct.
I'm certainly not going to spend about 150 pounds for a receiver next month, only to replace it with a PVR later in the year.
[/quote]
Well *I* believed his posting that he has made over several months, but others have questioned them as being genuine, I don't read the front page much so missed it, nice to see that he is who he says he is!
Will this new service be received by the integral digital tuner in modern televisions? and if so will any modifications be required?
[quote user="Lewis P"]Will this new service be received by the integral digital tuner in modern televisions? and if so will any modifications be required?[/quote]
Current TVs have tuners for digital terrestrial TV only. Freesat means a set top box at first. Although there are claims that Panasonic are planning a Freesat/Freeview TV.
Current TVs have tuners for digital terrestrial TV only. Freesat means a set top box at first. Although there are claims that Panasonic are planning a Freesat/Freeview TV.
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