ITV1 on Sky

You know I really envy all u Sky Digital viewers. On cable, we don't get this presentation. When a new channel starts, they just add it to your package - no screen informing you a new channel starts or nothing.

I think this is stupid! I mean UK Food launches on Mon and we don't even get the channel until you guessed it 0700 on Mon! I mean as Telewest owns Flextech, you might have thought they'd at least advertise the channel!

I really don't see that 'encryption' automatically goes hand in hand with only having one ITV1 region. They need to encrypt to stop oversees viewers watching ITV1. They need the ability to put your region on 103 but that really does not necessarily mean we won't be able to watch any of the other regions.

Ok, I haven't hooked up the minidish to my MPEG II DVB box yet. I've got various bits and bobs to look at the actual data received, but I can't be bothered / haven't got the time to set it up. I seriously hope they are going the soft encrypted route, it's more than adequate.

Asa's right. If they soft-encrypt, it'll get round the problems of other countries picking up the signal and allow the local region to go on channel 103. However as ITV were prepared to go FTA I see no reason why they should fully encrypt (which would cost a fortune!) when they can soft-encrypt (which costs a lot less).

In any case as I say the channels are not currently encrypted. However the fact they are locked out from viewing on a Sky box is worrying to say the least

On a related point...

The 6 on BBC just showed a clip from the Scotland UEFA cup game, which, rather snazzily, they went to live.

So, I think, maybe that's on BBC2 scotland. Retune to 964, and get a message saying 'this programme is not available'.

So why:

- can they show a LIVE clip on BBC1 everywhere but not show the match on BBC2 to other parts of the country?
- if its easy to switch off BBC2 scotland etc. for particular programmes like this, why are you prevented from accessing the other BBC1 nations all the time? Surely they can just lock/unlock them at will?

William

I suppose they did in a way as promo's have been running accross UKTV for a while now...

Cheers,

Hmm, now the labels have changed on the frequencies to show R and then what seems to be a random number, followed by the usual 1-1 or whatever to denote each region.

Ah right so you have to register to post to this forum. Ok then that's
me registered.

I've been browsing this topic for the past couple of days. Let me clear
up a few things.

Firstly, the channels are not really blocked from the digibox (even though you can see them with your non digibox receiver). They are transmitting using the Dynamic Switching System (someone mentioned this earlier on, Logowatch I think). Your digibox doesn't yet know what do do with this extra data, that's why you can't view it.

They could still restrict which region you get, yet. Sky and ITV *are* still talking about full encryption.

Lets not try and assume anything for now. The fact is, DSS is running and that's all we know for now. DSS can also do some clever things regarding fooling the digibox into thinking that all the regions are encrypted, except your own region.

Chris Hudson,
ex broadcast engineer (and getting older)

Firstly, welcome Chris. Thanks for explaining that. But something is still bugging me. If this technology can fool our digiboxes into selecting the right ITV1 region, what about overseas viewers that use different boxes? If you can view all the regions with a non-digibox reciever, doesn't this scupper the point of having encryption in the first place??

Cheers, Asa

My understanding was that they could use a dynamic switching switch to toggle between FTA (or FTV) to a fully encrypted stream. I've researched this quite a bit as part of the work I am currently working with.

But I see your point. They can soft encrypt to stop people outside the UK from viewing, but they can also add a few bits to the switching signals of each stream to stop people from receiving a region which does not match the postcode area. I don't think that is particularly clever, but it would indeed allow them to restrict which region you receive without having to fully encrypt. Sly or what! I'm only hoping that they will not do this. Lets hope that the switch is just a test for the type of things I was talking about, i.e. Champions League (but then why bother with the switching when all the streams will be soft encrypted anyway????)

Two facts appear to be certain at this time:

1) ITV will be encrypted;
2) Your local region will be located at Ch103.

It is likely that other regions will be located elsewhere in the EPG, although that is not certain.

I'm fairly sure that to be able to put the region on 103, they'll need to encrypt fully. Therefore the encryption may or may not be a problem. The decision to restrict access to regions will be a purely political one on the part of ITV. From what they've been saying recently they do not seem too averse to channels being available, so that's probably what will happen. But it is impossible to be certain.

Damn I am getting this feeling I won't be seeing CARLTON idents after all, oh no i'll be in TYNE TEES HELL forever:shock:

(Edited by harshy at 7:46 pm on Nov. 1, 2001)