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.

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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.

As part of its cost saving / cost cutting review, the BBC will be closing down the BBC HD channel, and replacing it with BBC2 HD, a simulcast of BBC2.

In addition, BBC2s output during the day will change – dramatically.

According to reports most of the daily BBC 2 output will be repeats, with new programming commencing from 6pm, with some coming from BBC3 and BBC4.

Many popular BBC2 programme will move to BBC1, or just no longer be made.

And to make way for these BBC2 programmes on BBC!, it has been suggested that the “kids strand” on BBC1 will be no more, and will just move to the two BBC Childrens channels – CbbC and Cbeebies. Common sense, as in a few years time everyone will have access to the BBC digital channels, so if every once can receive Cbbc and Cbeebies, why have a kids strand on BBC1.

And there are also budget cuts for BBC News. Which I am not surprised about – when you see press conferences, there are always about 5 BBC journalists from various departments (BBC News TV, BBC Radio 4, BBC Webteam, Newsround!) ,asking question, when surely just one needs to be there to ask questions and to report the answers.

As part of the recent BBC satellite frequency changes (as mentioned here : http://www.uksatellitehelp.co.uk/2011/10/01/lost-bbc-news-bbc-alba-and-bbc-parliament-help-and-advice-here/ ) there have also been changes to the BBC Red Button Sports service.

Sky box and Freesat box users should not be affected, but if you are using any other type of satellite receiver, then you will have lost access to these channels. You may have them listed in your channel guide as “Stream”.

These channels have now been removed from their previous frequency (12441 v) to the old BBC News frequency of 11954 h.

So if you are using a non Sky or non Freesat box, then you need perform a scan (see your user manual for how to perform this) on frequency 11954 H. The “stream” channels are now (currently) listed as and look for the channel marked 6711 6712 6713 6714 6715.

Currently no channels are being shown on the OLD BBC Sports streams frequency of 12441 v. This will be an issue for some motor home users, especially if they have an automatic self seeking satellite dish system. Many of these systems have been programmed to use this frequency to “lock” onto the UK TV satellites. As this frequency is no longer carrying any channels, then these systems will not be able to lock onto the satellites.

Earlier this week a number of free UK TV channels moved to a new frequency.

The channels affected are:
True Movies 1
True Movies 2
True Entertainment
Bliss
Chart Show TV
Dance Nation
Flava
Kix
NME TV
Pop
Pop Girl
Pop Girl+1
Scuzz
The Vault
Tiny Pop
Tiny Pop +1

Whilst people with Sky boxes should not be affected, as their Sky boxes will automatically update to the new frequencies, some Freesat box users and some “generic” free to air receivers may be affected and may no longer be able to receive these channels.

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After many many mamy mnths of promised, launch dates, and press releases, Real Digital now say that they will be launching their satellite TV services in September.

So what is Real Digital TV?

Well, its just yet another name to join Freesta and Sky in providing your satellite TV. They will have their own EPG, their own set top boxes, but use the same “signals” and satellite as the exisiting Freesat and Sky services.

But where they differ, is that Real Digital say they are also able to offer some PAY channels also. It may be that Sky Sports would be made available to Real Digital customers as a stand alone channel, without the need to subscribe to other Sky TV packages.

However, we shall wait and see what happens…if this system does eventually launch…

Earlier this week EU lawmakers have warned that banning satellite dishes on listed buildings, social housing and even private homes could breach the EU laws on Human Rights.

This came around when, in Sweden, two tenants installed a satellite dish on their rented property, and the landlord ordered them to take it down. The tenants refused and the landlord threw them out of the property. The tenants took the Swedish Government to court, claiming the Swedish government had failed in its obligation to protect the couple’s right to receive information.

European judges ruled in favour of the tenants, and said that satellite dishes come under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, as it provides required news and information.

Yet, the EU Television Sans Frontiers (TV without Frontiers, now the AVMS Directive) includes provisions within it for landlords rights and planning permission with regards to satellite dishes.

So do we have a case of two “laws” saying two different things..!

Surely this ruling in relation to the Swedish tenants is in relation to “receiving of information”. Maybe a satellite dish is not required, maybe that information is also available on digital terrestrial. Maybe it’s also available on the internet, so not “TV” service is required to be installed…

Is this another case of the left hand not knowing what the right is doing?

BBC iPlayer: available in the UK and now Europe!

The BBC iPlayer service is a live event, video on demand and “catch-up” service. If you are in the UK, then it is available on various platforms, like internet, and Freesat. It allows you to watch the BBC channel live on the internet, and also, under its catch-up service, view programmes that you may have missed.

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The big boxing bout of the summer between Wladimir Klitschko and David Haye takes place tonight in Hamburg in Germany.

It will be shown live in the UK on Sky Box Office.

However, it is available for free on other satellites, if you are not too worried about watching the fight with a different counties commentary!

You can always tune into BBC Radio 5 Live for commentary in English.

To be able to watch this fight for free, then you will need a satellite dish pointing towards one of two satellites, either Astra 1 at 19 east, or Hotbird at 13 east.

Astra 19 east
RTL Germany (digital) Frequency 12.188 Horizontal Symbol Rate 27.500 FEC 3/4
RTL Austria (digital) Frequency 12.226 Horizontal Symbol Rate 27.500 FEC 3/4
RTL Germany (Analogue) Frequency 11.229 Vertical Audio channels settings 7.02/7.20

Hotbird 13 east
RTL CH (Switzerland) (digital) Frequency 11.054 Horizontal Symbol Rate 27.500 FEC 5/6