All channels available to all?

avuser44

Standard Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2011
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Points
26
It would seem that not all channels are available on all transmitters. Firstly, I use Sudbury TX and although all channels are there, some are on only 1,100 watts. So when DSO is completed for the whole country (2012), will all muxes on a particular TX be at the same max power (e.g. 100,000 watts for Sudbury)? Secondly, it seems where DSO is complete, there are lots of TXs (some may be relays) that don't have all the channels available. Rather unfair if we all pay the same TV licence?
 
Welcome to the Forum. :)

All 50 main stations carry a full compliment of channels, but most of the 1000+ relays only carry the "Public Service" channels (Freeview Lite).

This was a commercial decision and has nothing to do with the tv licence.
 
Hmmm. So if Sky were to put a mesh grid over their transmitter satellite dish and create lots of dead zones over the UK, that would be acceptable then?
 
Hmmm. So if Sky were to put a mesh grid over their transmitter satellite dish and create lots of dead zones over the UK, that would be acceptable then?

[I wish they would.]


After DSO terrestrial reception coverage is predicted to be 90% for all muxes [all channels] and 98% for the Public Service channels .

To achieve better than that is compeletely unrealistic and uneconomic given all the technical vagaries of terrestrial broadcasting.

Selp-help community schemes exist for the few percent who are left out.
 
Hmmm. So if Sky were to put a mesh grid over their transmitter satellite dish and create lots of dead zones over the UK, that would be acceptable then?

I don't think you could force Sky to reach everywhere, if they didn't want to.
 
It would seem that not all channels are available on all transmitters. Firstly, I use Sudbury TX and although all channels are there, some are on only 1,100 watts. So when DSO is completed for the whole country (2012), will all muxes on a particular TX be at the same max power (e.g. 100,000 watts for Sudbury)? Secondly, it seems where DSO is complete, there are lots of TXs (some may be relays) that don't have all the channels available. Rather unfair if we all pay the same TV licence?

Different transmitters operate on various power levels but in general all the muxes at one site will eventually be on similar power. Some existing post-DSO muxes may be on lower power until neighbouring areas convert. Also local muxes like the Manchester one may be lower to cover limited areas compared to the main muxes.

ALL main transmitters will have the full number of muxes although the channels carried may be different. Most obviously, the Welsh transmitters carry S4C rather than Channel 4 and in Scotland viewers can access BBC Alba but loose radio channels when it is on.

It is only the relays that are are limited to 'Freeview lite'. As they previously did not receive analogue Channel 5, the position over TV licences has not changed because of DSO. Indeed, going back to the 1950s people had to pay a full licence even if they could only receive BBC and not ITV. DVB should give larger reception areas from a given transmitter even if the power is lower than analogue. It is also much more tolerant of multipath signals so it is probable that more people will be able to get adequate signals from main transmitters.

Freesat was designed for people who wanted more or less the full range of channels available on Freeview but who lived in locations where reception was impossible. From next week, the only significant channels on Freeview but not Freesat will be Dave and Yesterday. In fact many more channels are available on Freesat than Freeview, including BBC Alba nationwide. Your logic would imply that those who use Freesat or Sky should pay a supplementary amount of licence fee because of these extra channels. Is that what you are proposing?
 
Last edited:
Hmmm. So if Sky were to put a mesh grid over their transmitter satellite dish and create lots of dead zones over the UK, that would be acceptable then?

Sky don't have any connection or capability to do so. They don't own any satellites, like other broadcasters they rent transponder space from SES Astra or Eutelsat. They merely have other broadcasters channels on their epg, very few of Skys own channels can be viewed for free.

You can view the free channels with any digital satellite receiver. B&Q sell a complete kit Dish, LNB, cableing, tuner etc for £25.00. That will give you hundreds of channels for free including nearly all the ones missing from a Freeview-Lite relay.

Your licence fee supports the PSB services. These are transmitted by all transmitters including the relays. The decision of the commercial channels not to fund these to be added to all small relays is a purely commercial decision. The pictures not as black as it looks for many the additional power used by the main transmitters mean that they can use this instead of there local relay.

For the others that's what the Freesat service is designed to solve.
 
Last edited:

The latest video from AVForums

TV Buying Guide - Which TV Is Best For You?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom