Free View Is To End!!

**Maxi 1** · 16-07-2003

Hello,

As like others I got a message yesterday on my screen saying that I must contact sky as my card will end.

My contact in the UK phoned and they said that it is due to the fact there will soon be no more free ITV c4 etc. We will need to subscribe to the basic sky package in order to recieve them.

They also said the only free tv will be BBC and that will be possible without a viewing card.

So it seems that the free to view is to collapse thanks to the move by the BBC.

Maxi 1

16-07-2003

Am I the only one who heard that there will be an ITV announcement about this in the next few days?

Where the heck did I read it?

**rolfw** · 16-07-2003

No, you are not alone Old Fred and even if you didn't read it, there is sure to be some sort of statement, they will be under a lot of pressure along with the other channels to resolve the upcoming problem.

There is a huge amount of speculation on this subject and much of it is based on either wishful thinking or dire pessimism, it would be far better to wait and see what happems.

17-07-2003

Originally Posted by rolfw

No, you are not alone Old Fred and even if you didn't read it, there is sure to be some sort of statement, they will be under a lot of pressure along with the other channels to resolve the upcoming problem.

There is a huge amount of speculation on this subject and much of it is based on either wishful thinking or dire pessimism, it would be far better to wait and see what happems.

I have heard that the Tessa Jowells (The Gov Minister responsible for Broadcasting) has written to BSkyB and the other 3 broadcasters involved. She has let them know the damage that this latest situation is causing to the move to be ALL DIGITAL in the UK by 2010.

Let's hope they act in the interests of the viewing public and not in the interests of more profit - as is the case of one of the organisations involved. I have also heard that no Solus cards should have been switched off yet ... unless there's a problem with the individual card.

vvcb

**Channel Hopper** · 17-07-2003

Reply from Sky re BBC and FTA

The writing on the wall was in place some time ago

Its up to the other broadcasters whether they see fit to split from Videoguard.

***devonbrown*** · 17-07-2003

Originally Posted by Channel Hopper

Reply from Sky re BBC and FTA

The writing on the wall was in place some time ago

Its up to the other broadcasters whether they see fit to split from Videoguard.

I enclose an email and its reply from Chris Bryant MP who appears to be fighting our cause. Perhaps supporting emails will assist him.

I agree and I have now written to all the Chief Executives and the Secretary of State. Thanks for the email.
Yours
Chris
-----Original Message-----
From: Devon Brown :To: bryantc@parliament.uk
Subject: Digital satellite TV

Dear sir, I am writing to ask you to continue your campain to have ITV1,CH4 and CH5 free to view on the Sky platform. I live on the Isle of Cumbrae in Scotland and to receive CH5 I have no other recourse but to use Sky. It is grossly unfair that I am compelled to pay a licence fee to BBC and for them to claim that it is not their responsibility.

**Channel Hopper** · 17-07-2003

Nice idea, but the 'need' to have a particular channel in your television line up for free is not likely to sway the decision to go FTA

The argument could easily be replied to in that it is your decision to live in Cumbria, and its advantages of scenery/house prices/freedom from city pollution, more than make up for the lack of Channel 5

Be interested in the resultant reply though

**thomo** · 17-07-2003

think you are missing the point channel hopper ! channels 4/5 & itv could do with more viewers, not everyone in blighty can recieve ch 5, so if you pay a tv licence and live in a poor reception area, why should you also pay 12.50 a month to keep your digital reception ????

**Channel Hopper** · 18-07-2003

I dont believe the licence fee goes into the improvement of the UK transmitter rollout anymore.

Since the governments decision to sell off the frequencies that used to give each region a separate part of the spectrum, and adding the less than perfect start to one or two mux freqeuencies for the whole of the UK, your salvation may yet come in the form of some method of carrying what is on Freeview to the nether regions by Crown Castle (but only if they are feeling generous enough)

18-07-2003

Originally Posted by Channel Hopper

The argument could easily be replied to in that it is your decision to live in Cumbria

Hahaha

Although he misspelt "campaign" he actually got "Cumbrae" right. That's going to be one mad Scotsman when he sees you've put him into Cumbria!

Fred

**pajo100** · 18-07-2003

Originally Posted by Old Fred

Hahaha

Although he misspelt "campaign" he actually got "Cumbrae" right. That's going to be one mad Scotsman when he sees you've put him into Cumbria!

Fred

The ITV C4 five contracts with Sky are due to expire next year as is the Irish channels RTE 1 Net 2 and TV3 they are not going to pay Sky for encryption they don't need as the signals from Astra 2d can be made even tighter on the British Isles thereby getting over the legal necessities and as previous posters have said they all need new viewers so the only losers will be the cable companies who have been ripping us off for years.

Free TV foreverrrrrrrrrrrrr

Pajo

**rolfw** · 18-07-2003

Did Channel 5 not just sign a new contract as with Channel 4? Could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that is the case. I also feel that it is unlikely that they would make the beam tighter, or reduce power, they have received problems in the target viewing area with the recent change.

19-07-2003

You are correct. I read that FIVE signed up for another 5 years of scrambling on Sky. And I tend to agree with you about 2D power etc. It already caused trouble when they apparently fiddled with it a couple of weeks ago.

Fred

**Channel Hopper** · 19-07-2003

Although he misspelt "campaign" he actually got "Cumbrae" right. That's going to be one mad Scotsman when he sees you've put him into Cumbria

Auto spell check matey - go blame Microsoft

Same techi answer applies though, a transmitter may come soon (or maybe its about time for a HUGE aerial array - able to catch something even from Cumbria)

**Maxi 1** · 20-07-2003

Hello Channel Hopper,

Sometimes you do write strange stuff with no real input to the forum.

**Channel Hopper** · 20-07-2003

You will notice that its small hour stuff, but as for 'input', dont you mean useful input ?

The immediate solution for devonbrown would be a terrestrial array, able to receive the signals from a transmitter in Scotland, the long term solution may well be petitioning via his MP, but I would not hold out much hope

Darvel does havce a CH5 frequency allocation (Channel 35) and this is apparently at the same power as the main 4, it might even be that the VCR or satellite receiver used in the system is affecting this signal, or the aerial/cable/splitters used are not capable of passing this signal through

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