A round-up of the week’s stories and observations.
- MON 24TH JUL (11AM)
BBC adds IP channels on Freeview - MON 24TH JUL (11AM)
Sky EPG changes for Scottish viewers - TUE 25TH JUL (1PM)
2RN demolishes decommissioned MW transmitter - THU 27TH JUL (1PM)
2RN demolishes former Atlantic 252 mast - THU 27TH JUL (1.05PM)
Satellite frequency change for some radio stations - FRI 28TH JUL (10.30AM)
Technical problems disrupt live output on BBC News channel - FRI 28TH JUL (11.20AM)
CNN SD service removed from Sky UK
Monday 24th July
11am BBC adds IP channels on Freeview
The BBC has added a number of IP channels on Freeview:
- 301 BBC Three HD
- 302 BBC Scotland HD
- 303 BBC Alba HD
- 501 BBC News HD
- 502 BBC Parliament HD
Not many devices support DVB-I (most Freeview TVs only support DVB-T/T2). Full list available here.
Most DVB-I implemations are low key, as is the one being trialed on Ireland’s Saorview service.
UPDATE: it appears that more devices support DVB-I than those listed on the BBC website. So worth trying out if you have a fairly new Freeview Play TV.
Courtesy @a516digital.
11am Sky EPG changes for Scottish viewers
Sky has just completed a reshuffle in Scotland, which sees SkyQ/Sky+ HD services on channels 121 – 140 move up one [#].
BBC Three HD moves down to 121, meaning Sky now complies with new Ofcom EPG rules which needed to be implemented by the end of the month.
[#] Alternatively, depending on your perspective of an EPG, services on channels 121 – 140 in Scotland have moved down the ranking by one, while BBC Three HD has moved up the ranking to channel 121.
Courtesy @a516digital.
Tuesday 25th July
1pm 2RN demolishes decommissioned MW transmitter
2RN has demolished the old RTÉ Radio 1 medium transmitter at Tullamore.
Transmissions from the 290 metre mast – on 567khz – ceased on 24th March 2008.
Thursday 27th July
1pm 2RN demolishes former Atlantic 252 mast
The transmitter responsible for broadcasting the pop music radio station Atlantic 252 to the UK and Ireland has been demolished.
The long wave Clarkstown mast radiated Atlantic 252 from September 1989 until January 2002, when the radio station closed.
A commercial sports radio station – TEAM252 – occupied the frequency for the first half of 2002 before closing in June.
In 2004, RTÉ Radio 1 launched on long wave from this site.
RTÉ ceased transmissions from Clarkstown on 15th April.
1.05pm Satellite frequency change for some radio stations
BFBS, LBC and Heart have a new home on Astra 28°E:
Frequency/polarisation: 11553H
Symbol rate: 22000
FEC: 5/6
Standard: DVB-S
Service IDs:
- BFBS: 55188
- LBC: 55189
- Heart: 55190
Courtesy @a516digital.
Friday 28th July
10.30am Technical problems disrupt live output on BBC News channel
Technical issues this morning on the BBC News channel meant live programming had to decamp temporarily from the channel’s usual home in Studio C.
Intermittent issues were apparent between 9am and 10am.
At 10am, the previous hour’s output was rebroadcast (with the clock showing the wrong time initially).
The switch to pre-recorded output was to allow a decamp to Studio E and its gallery.
After 7 minutes of recorded content, the channel went live again – this time from Studio E. The presenter apologised for the technical problems.
Studio C was back in use for World Business Report at 11.30am.
11.20am CNN SD service removed from Sky UK
CNN International is available in HD only now in the UK.
Earlier this morning, CNN SD was removed from the Sky platform.
Courtesy @a516digital.
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Acknowledgements
PICTURED: Freeview logo. COPYRIGHT: Freeview.