The following are references in the BBC's Annual Report (out today, see
bbc.co.uk):

page 17:

"Last year we identified extending the
availability of the BBC’s digital services
as a priority for 2004/2005. Freeview
continues to be a success with total sales
now over 6.6 million. With potential
coverage of digital terrestrial now at
its maximum (for technical reasons)
of 73% of the UK population until digital
switchover, the BBC’s efforts this year
have been directed at investigating the
viability of alternative free-to-air platforms,
including satellite, with a view to launch
in 2005/2006."


page 54 BBC Cymru Wales

"We have noted the serious concern
expressed by the Broadcasting Council
for Wales over the unavailability of free-toair
digital television services in large parts
of Wales. FreeSat (the proposed free-to-air
digital satellite service) may supply
a solution and this is something being
actively pursued."


Also, this is a possible alternative explanation for why the BBC have
just leased another transponder, but I doubt it, and I still think HDTV
is by far the most likely option:

page 53 English Regions:

"We are committed to respond to the
demand for more local (as opposed to
regional) television news services and will
watch closely the forthcoming pilot of a
highly-local BBC television service on digital
satellite"


Highly-local BBC TV on digital satellite?? What a waste of time, money,
resources, bandwidth, transmission power, you name it. Put it on the
fking internet and increase the bit rates of services that matter.


--
Steve - www.digitalradiotech.co.uk - Digital Radio News & Info

Find the cheapest Freeview, DAB & MP3 Player Prices:
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"We are committed to respond to the
demand for more local (as opposed to
regional) television news services and will
watch closely the forthcoming pilot of a
highly-local BBC television service on digital
satellite"


Highly-local BBC TV on digital satellite?? What a waste of time, money,
resources, bandwidth, transmission power, you name it. Put it on the
fking internet and increase the bit rates of services that matter.


--
Steve - www.digitalradiotech.co.uk - Digital Radio News & Info


It's not that much of a waste of bandwidth as you first think.

1 looped DSAT video stream will serve _6_ local areas (making up 1
region). 10 minute local news bulletins will then be broadcast at the
same time on-the-hour for your location (i.e. News for Lincoln will be
on at XX.40 through-out the day). It will also be on the net.

Wilst I can't say that I'd be interested I can see that it will be a
popular service for some people. It will be the TV equivalent of the
local newspaper and a chance for local people to contribute.

I wonder if they'll implement interactive services and an EPG that are
compliant with standard DVB-S boxes before then? Or if "FreeSat" will
still be tied into Sky's proprietary hardware/platform?

I know they think it's pointless "launching" freesat without ITV, but
they could put all the BBC parts in place anyway.

The fact they're not suggests a continued period of catch-up. It would
be better for all (except Sky) if BBC Freesat was already in place, and
they were now looking at implementing BBC free-HD-sat.

It would be interesting (and predictable) for them to throw even more
bandwidth at ultra local news services while keeping their main TV and
radio bitrates low.

How exactly can we (viewers/listeners/awkward sods) get engineering
standards back on the agenda?

Cheers,
David.

On 14 Jul 2005 02:29:41 -0700, "
wrote:

| It would be interesting (and predictable) for them to throw even more
| bandwidth at ultra local news services

Ouch, I watch Look North *because* it gives me the local news, also
because Harry, Christa, and Paul won a prize for best local news program.



--
Dave Fawthrop dave hyphenologist co uk In Case of Emergency
Store the word "ICE" in your mobile phone address book, and
against it enter the number of the person you would want to be
contacted "In Case of Emergency". http://tinyurl.com/79lz9

wrote:
I wonder if they'll implement interactive services and an EPG that are
compliant with standard DVB-S boxes before then? Or if "FreeSat" will
still be tied into Sky's proprietary hardware/platform?


I'd put money on it that they'll have been working on a compliant EPG
ever since they decided that Freesat was a priority.


I know they think it's pointless "launching" freesat without ITV, but
they could put all the BBC parts in place anyway.


With BBC in HD then they could launch it without ITV, IMO.


The fact they're not suggests a continued period of catch-up. It would
be better for all (except Sky) if BBC Freesat was already in place,
and they were now looking at implementing BBC free-HD-sat.


Indeed.


It would be interesting (and predictable) for them to throw even more
bandwidth at ultra local news services while keeping their main TV and
radio bitrates low.


Yeah, their priorities are an absolute joke. 53 Mbps on BBCi on
satellite that only about 8% of everybody with satellite ever uses. The
bit rates of their radio stations on satellite are an absolute disgrace
when you consider that they're only about 1.6 Mbps in total for their
networks stations and they'd only need about an extra 0.5 Mbps to get
them to good levels. But oh no, not the BBC.


How exactly can we (viewers/listeners/awkward sods) get engineering
standards back on the agenda?


Send a question to the BBC Governors in the forthcoming AGM:

http://www.bbcgovernors.co.uk/whatsn...tquestion.html

And then keep hassling them afterwards until something is done. Now that
they're leasing an extra 33 Mbps transponder, it's the ideal time to get
them to sort their stuff out.


--
Steve - www.digitalradiotech.co.uk - Digital Radio News & Info

Find the cheapest Freeview, DAB & MP3 Player Prices:
http://www.digitalradiotech.co.uk/fr..._receivers.htm
http://www.digitalradiotech.co.uk/da...tal_radios.htm
http://www.digitalradiotech.co.uk/mp...rs_1GB-5GB.htm
http://www.digitalradiotech.co.uk/mp...e_capacity.htm

Dave Fawthrop wrote:
On 14 Jul 2005 02:29:41 -0700, "
wrote:

It would be interesting (and predictable) for them to throw even more
bandwidth at ultra local news services

Ouch, I watch Look North *because* it gives me the local news, also
because Harry, Christa, and Paul won a prize for best local news
program.


David was referring to this in the BBC Annual Report:

"We are committed to respond to the
demand for more local (as opposed to
regional) television news services and will
watch closely the forthcoming pilot of a
highly-local BBC television service on digital
satellite"

Highly-local, not regional. Basically, what Fred the cat 5 doors down
the road had for breakfast that morning and other interesting and
important stuff like that. This is what broadband is for, and shouldn't
waste precious bandwidth on broadcast systems for services with a few
hundred viewers.

In fact, there couldn't be a better example of the BBC's warped
priorities. They use mediocre or poor bit rate levels on their main
services that millions of people view at any one time, and then they
squander bandwidth on things that a minuscule number would ever watch
simultaneously.


--
Steve - www.digitalradiotech.co.uk - Digital Radio News & Info

Find the cheapest Freeview, DAB & MP3 Player Prices:
http://www.digitalradiotech.co.uk/fr..._receivers.htm
http://www.digitalradiotech.co.uk/da...tal_radios.htm
http://www.digitalradiotech.co.uk/mp...rs_1GB-5GB.htm
http://www.digitalradiotech.co.uk/mp...e_capacity.htm

DAB sounds worse than FM wrote:
: I wonder if they'll implement interactive services and an EPG that are
: compliant with standard DVB-S boxes before then? Or if "FreeSat" will
: still be tied into Sky's proprietary hardware/platform?

: I'd put money on it that they'll have been working on a compliant EPG
: ever since they decided that Freesat was a priority.

I would not be so sure! All of BBCi on DSAT is currently fullly tied into
Sky's system as well.

They certainly won't want to have TWO systems unless they can co-exist
peacefully (as the number of people watching via Sky (or ex-Sky) STBs is
going to VASTLY outnumber any refusenicks!)

Brian McIlwrath wrote:
DAB sounds worse than FM wrote:
I wonder if they'll implement interactive services and an EPG that
are compliant with standard DVB-S boxes before then? Or if
"FreeSat" will still be tied into Sky's proprietary
hardware/platform?

I'd put money on it that they'll have been working on a compliant EPG
ever since they decided that Freesat was a priority.

I would not be so sure! All of BBCi on DSAT is currently fullly tied
into Sky's system as well.


If they want to launch Freesat then I'd say they'll have to develop
their own EPG.


They certainly won't want to have TWO systems unless they can co-exist
peacefully (as the number of people watching via Sky (or ex-Sky) STBs
is going to VASTLY outnumber any refusenicks!)


Yes, but look at the advertising might of the BBC; we've bought about
5.5 million DTT set-top boxes since Freeview was launched, so they could
get the numbers up pretty quickly. Not to the numbers with Sky,
obviously, but Freesat is supposed to be a completely different
"package" to Sky's package.


--
Steve - www.digitalradiotech.co.uk - Digital Radio News & Info

Find the cheapest Freeview, DAB & MP3 Player Prices:
http://www.digitalradiotech.co.uk/fr..._receivers.htm
http://www.digitalradiotech.co.uk/da...tal_radios.htm
http://www.digitalradiotech.co.uk/mp...rs_1GB-5GB.htm
http://www.digitalradiotech.co.uk/mp...e_capacity.htm

Brian McIlwrath wrote:
DAB sounds worse than FM wrote:
I wonder if they'll implement interactive services and an EPG that
are compliant with standard DVB-S boxes before then? Or if
"FreeSat" will still be tied into Sky's proprietary
hardware/platform?

I'd put money on it that they'll have been working on a compliant EPG
ever since they decided that Freesat was a priority.

I would not be so sure! All of BBCi on DSAT is currently fullly tied
into Sky's system as well.

They certainly won't want to have TWO systems unless they can co-exist
peacefully (as the number of people watching via Sky (or ex-Sky) STBs
is going to VASTLY outnumber any refusenicks!)

The reason they gave for not broadcasting Dolby Digital on DSAT, was
they don't want to be tied to proprietary systems, so I suspect they
will go for an open standard epg at some point.
--
Adrian A

DAB sounds worse than FM wrote:

: Yes, but look at the advertising might of the BBC; we've bought about
: 5.5 million DTT set-top boxes since Freeview was launched, so they could
: get the numbers up pretty quickly. Not to the numbers with Sky,
: obviously, but Freesat is supposed to be a completely different
: "package" to Sky's package.

I would still argue that it's completely different to Freeview - which was
sold on the basis of it being "free" and (rather less accurately) "using
the existing aerial". Freesat will need a satellite dish installed (say
~£80-£100 with no subsidy) - people have proved resistant to that even
for Sky!!

Will Freesat *really* sell in sufficient numbers for a wide range of
STBs to become available (and for the BBC to support two versions of
the EPG plus text and multiscreen) - or will they just do a deal with
Sky to allow the Sky EPG and text system to be built into other receivers?