Any news on five?

[joni_elrockie]

Is there a date for five to joint the freesat offer?

The website says soon... but how soon is that???

 

[Analoguesat]

Pick a date. It will be as accurate as anything we have atm.

At the moment mid November is being touted as a "possible date"

I thought the encryption contract ran until late 2009

 

[Topper]

Pick a date. It will be as accurate as anything we have atm.

At the moment mid November is being touted as a "possible date"

I thought the encryption contract ran until late 2009

I am sure you are correct AS however contracts normally run for 12 month periods therefore it is conceivable (but only guesswork) that if the contract expires end of 2009, final contract payment (normally up front) will take place November 2008 and a request to not use encryption comes a few days later once the money has cleared the bank. Pure conjecture based upon nothing apart from possibly peer pressure from the broadcasting authority who look like complete twits touting a freeview system where one channel is encrypted.

 

[rolfw]

Must be more to it than that Topper, if it were merely a case of paying for the encryption, but not using it, then FIVE could easily have gone free to air earlier in the year, instantly gaining more viewers. It will have more to do with a wide satellite footprint and use of bought in copyright material or perhaps a mandatory encryption imposed on "FIVE" channels, possibly tied to a reduced EPG placement fee.

 

[OldBen]

I would have thought that perhaps 5 signed up certain content on a contract that was linked to their then situation with encryption and sky etc.

Until the all the content that was signed up under contracts based on the old system are broadcast and done I would not have thought they could make a change without a lot of hassle.

If you pick all the US big name shows on 5 for example, can you imagine the cost and complexity in going back to the US studios to re-negotiate the contract to allow freesat broadcast as well?!

 

[Expat]

It is not just the encryption & copyright issues, but a lack of space on Astra 2D. Only Five will be appering on Freesat this year. Yes there are plenty of encrypted channel on Sky that could move, though Sky will not be doing Freesat any favours. There is also quite a bit of simucasting/Tests of BBC and ITV channels, these could be used by five for all their channels.
Come on Five and Freesat, how much longer are we going to have to wait?

 

[derodger]

It is not just the encryption & copyright issues, but a lack of space on Astra 2D. Only Five will be appering on Freesat this year. Yes there are plenty of encrypted channel on Sky that could move, though Sky will not be doing Freesat any favours. There is also quite a bit of simucasting/Tests of BBC and ITV channels, these could be used by five for all their channels.
Come on Five and Freesat, how much longer are we going to have to wait?

Why is the lack of space on Astra 2D a problem. I thought that freesat just used the same transmissions as Sky from the same satellites. The big difference being the epg being broadcast from another satellite. One of the reasons for the delays to channels joining is the tests that sky do to ensure changes allowing channels on to freesats epg do not interfere with skys epg.

 

[PaulR]

There's absolutely no technical reason why 2D HAS to be used - it's all political. Or at least financial.

In order to appease copyright holders of programmes that are sold throughout the world it is necessary to limit the area in which these programmes can be seen as they are sold over and over again to countries. If a programme can be received outside of its normal area then the copyright holders get twitchy that they might not be getting as much money as possible.

$ly can limit reception by encryption and controlling the distribution of cards and decoders (well, theoretically anyway!), Freesat does it by shoving their transmissions onto 2D where reception rapidly falll off as you move away from the UK.

 

[Topper]

Good post Paul

Excellent clarity for a Friday night

 

[jumkie]

And the others Five Us, Fiver,Dave and Sky Three will be fta too

 

[Analoguesat]

And the others Five Us, Fiver,Dave and Sky Three will be fta too

Not anytime soon. C5 have specifically stated 5US & Fiver will NOT go fta due to lack of narrow band capacity on Astra 2D. Id imagine they will go into the entertainment pay package when / if the next card swap takes place (rumours suggest Q2 2009). I cannot see Sky sending Sky3 fta either, and again Id expect them to go into the entertainment package.

The reasoning behind this is that next time there is a card swap I cant see Sky maintaining the FSFS cards just for three or four channels (5US Fiver Sky 3 and Setanta Sports News)

 

[Zorba]

And the bad news is,you're always right

 

[snurgenator]

sorry if i am off topic but aint Dave and Sky Three on Freeview? So whats the difference between that and Freesat...apart from the Aerial and Dish.

 

[mariust5]

Coverage and copyright .

 

[Expat]

Freesat have today announced the forthcoming addition of Five onto the platform on Tuesday 18th November 2008.
Since launching in 1997, Five has developed a strong reputation for a wide mix of entertainment, documentaries, features, news, sport and children’s programmes. The channel’s Autumn schedule includes Paul Merton in India, 1968 Unseen, Dangerous Adventures for Boys, Unbreakable and Axe Men.