A recent post (Channel 5, Channel 5 +1, 5 USA, 5 USA +1, 5* , 5* +1, Channel 5 +1 are now available free to air. mentioned that the Channel Five group of channels recently changed their frequencies and became “free to air”.

This was true apart for all but one regional version of “Channel Five”. This lone version of Channel Five used ot be located on a satellite frequency “loaned” to Five by the BBC. This was to help facilitate Channel Fives appearance onto Freesat.

However in the last week, this “Freesat” version has joined the other Channel Five regions on their new frequency on 10965 H 22 5/6.

Most Sky and Freesat box users should not have noticed any difference as the changes should have been done automatically.

However, in some cases it has required the rebooting of a Sky box, to a new “Freesat” channel scan, as some boxes have not automatically updated to be using the new frequency.

This week, the Daly Mail wrote another story about the number of repeated programmes on BBC TV had risen yet again.

It noted that:
BBC One aired 2,736 rerun shows in the year to March 2011, up 1.7% from 2006,
Nearly half of all content shown on BBC Two (49.8%) was repeats over the 12 months, up from just 30% six years ago.
BBC Four’s schedule was made up of 79% repeated programming, but BBC Three hit 84.2% reruns, a total of 3,144 shows.

Read the rest of this entry »

For those using the above ITv1 regions in the Spanish Canary Islands and in Greece, you will that you may have lost reception of these channels. When trying to access these channels, usually via the “Other Channels” option in the Sky box’s Services menu, you will find you get either a “technical fault” or “no satellite signal” message.

The loss of these channels is due to the fact that in the last week or so these ITV1 Central regions changed frequencies. They also moved to the Astra 1N satellite. They also went free to air, meaning they are now available without the use of a Sky card.

Whereas, on their previous frequency, reception was good, even on smaller satellite dishes, now they have moved onto their new frequency, many people with these smaller satellite dishes are now finding that they have lost their reception of ITV1.

It is a similar reason why some people in those areas have also lost access to their “Channel Five” and Five USA channels.

It is simply because their satellite dish is too small to receive these channels on their new frequency and new satellite.

This change for the various channels has also affected some caravanners and motorhomers, who have now found that their small satellite dishes are incapable of receiving some of these channels like they used to.

Note that this is nothing to so with Sky. Sky do not own the satellites. Many people misunderstand and just “blame Sky” for loss of channels.

As part of its cost cutting, erm saving measures, the BBC have renegotiated its Formula One rights.
It will now only be showing 10 races live, with other races being shown later in the day with “extensive highlights.”

For the 2012 Formula one season, the BBC live race coverage will start with the third race of the season in China. After that, it will broadcast the races in Spain, Monaco, Valencia, Britain, Belgium, Singapore, Korea, Abu Dhabi and Brazil.

However, Sky Sports have also won the rights to show ALL sessions, practice, qualifying and races live. As part of the coverage, from March 2012, Sky Sports will be launching a dedicated Formula One channel. They will be covering all sessions, live and in HD, with all races uninterrupted by adverts. I suppose that may mean the rest of the coverage will be full of ad breaks!

The Sky Sports F1 channel will be available on Sky channel 408.

The Sky Sports F1 channel will be provided with no extra charge to all Sky TV customers who take both Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports 2 or the HD pack of channels.

Sky have yet to announce their full programme details, but the former BBC commentator Martin Brundle has confirmed that he will be part of Sky’s broadcasting team.

But what if you do not want to pay for the Sky Sports F1 channel. Well, there are some other options available. On other satellites, like Astra 1 at 19 east or Hotbird at 13 east, some other broadcasters will also be offering the full race coverage. OK the language may not be available in English, but then, if you can, you can always watch the foreign TV broadcast, and listen to BBC Radio 5 live coverage.

Join or upgrade to Sky Sports for Live High Definition Formula One coverage of the 2012 Season.

Channel 5, Channel 5 +1, 5 USA, 5 USA +1, 5* , 5* +1, Channel 5 +1 are now available free to air.

On the 8th December 2011, they will offically joing Freesat, and be available via the Freesat channel guide, on the following Freesat channal numbers:

129: 5 USA
130: 5 USA +1
131: 5*
132: 5* +1

If you cannot wait, then you can put your Freesat receiver into “non Freesat Mode” and performa scan of the new Channel Five frequency on the Astra 1N satellite:
Frequency 10964
Polarization H
Symbol Rate 22000
FEC 5/6

Sky box users will not notice any difference, nor will they have to do anything to accommodate these changes.

It does mean that the “freesat from sky” free to view viewing cards now have sligtly less importance with this removal of these 5 channels. They are still require,for the time being for Five HD.

Channel 5 have announced today that all Channel Five regional variations, Channel 5 +1 ( a new channel which will be a timeshift of the main Channel Five), 5 USA and 5* (plus their +1 timeshift channels) will all be joining the Freesat platform in December.

Channel 5+1 will launch on Freesat on EPG channel number 128 on Tuesday 6th December.

5* and 5 USA, as well as their relative +1 timeshift services, will launch on Freesat on Thursday 8th December. The relevent Freesat EPG channel numbers wil be as follows:

129: 5 USA
130: 5 USA +1
131: 5*
132: 5* +1

Presumably these channels will also be made available free to air on Sky digiboxes also, where as now they are “free to view” and require a sky card to watch them.

Freesat box users may have to perform a freesat scan to be able to receive these channels free to air.
Sky box users hsould not have to do anything.
Users of other digital satellite receivers will have to perform a channels scan for these channels when they go live, on their new frequency of:
Frequency: 10965
horizontal
symbol rate 22000
fec 5/6

There has been no mention of Five HD becoming free to air and joining Freesat. Presumably this is becuase of its contract with Sky HD, and willhave to wait until that contract expires.

Chanenl 4 HD today become the first channel to be available on the Astra 1N satellite.
This meant that it moved from its previous Eurobird frequency of 12606 V, to its new Astra 1N frequency of 11123 V 22000 2/3

Sky HD users will not have to do anything, as their Sky HD box will automatically update to the enw frequency.

Freesat HD users may have to perform a new Freesat channel scan to make sure that their Freesat HD receiver is using the new frequency. If this scan is not completed then you may not be able to watch C4 HD, as your Freesat HD box may be still trying to use the old, now defunct frequency.

Any other receivers will need to be manually updated, usually via the installation menu.

If you have ever wondered “How to build a satellite” well you questions will be answered in a BBC documentary on BBC2 and BBC HD on Sunday 27th November 2011.

As part of its “How to build” series, this programme follows satellite manufacturer Astrium as they build a state-of-the-art communication satellite. With exclusive access to specialist manufacturer Astrium, this programme shows step-by-step how to assemble one of the most complicated machines in the world.

And from the preview, available at http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00lysc9, the satellite being followed is Astra 2F, which will be launched and used for UK Satellite TV.

Astra 1N is a satellite on a temporary deployment providing “additional capacity” for UK TV. It joins the existing 4 satellites, Astra 2a, Astra 2b, Astra 2d and Eurobird 1, in providing more frequencies for more channels. With more and more HD channels coming on line, and the amount of bandwidth these channels use, and with less capacity on the existing satellite, a solution was required, and so Astra 1N has been deployed for the next few years, and will move to its proper location, 19 east, when no longer needed at 28 east.

You should not have to realign your dish. Astra 1N will be in the same “box” in space used by the 4 UK TV satellites. It will be close enough to those existing satellites so your dish should be able to receive it without any realignment.

Any new frequencies and channels that move or appear on Astra 1n, then Sky boxes and Freesat boxes will / should automatically update themselves to those new frequencies. Non Sky and Non freesat boxes will, as usual, have to be manually updated for any new frequencies.

And, on those Non Sky and Non freesat boxes Astra 1N will probably not be on the satellite list. This is not an issue. Just scan the existing satellites, using your “network search” option and when channels start to appear on that new satellite, then your receiver should automatically update and include any new channels.

This new satellite will not provide any issues with UK TV reception in the UK, however, reception of UK TV channels in some “fringe” areas, like south east Europe may experience some loss of channels, as it appears that Astra 1Ns signal reception in those areas is not as good.

Channel Five has said that they will soon be launching a “+1″ timeshift version of their main channel. It is expected the channel will launch in the first week in December 2011, but no date has actually been confirmed as yet. They join other main UK TV channels ITV1 and C4 by having a “+1″ service.

This leaves the BBC the only main UK TV channel not having a “+1″ service. But it is really necessary. These days many people have access to personal video recorders, like Sky+ or Freesat+ or Freeview+, making recording any shows you may miss easier. Also, many people in the UK can access missed programmes via internet and internet connected set top boxes via the BBC IPlayer.

And then , if the BBC do decide to have a “+1″ service for their channels, then you can probably expect the “anti BBC” brigade, led by the Daily Mail, in complaining about there being too many repeats on BBC channels and not getting the idea of a “+1″ catchup channel!