|
| Freesat from the BBC & ITV |
Freesat is a free-to-air digital satellite television joint venture between the BBC and ITV plc, serving the United Kingdom.
The service was formed as a memorandum in 2007 and has been marketed since 6 May 2008. Freesat offers a satellite alternative to the Freeview service on digital terrestrial television, with a broadly similar selection of channels available without subscription for users purchasing a receiver. The service also makes use of the additional capacity available on digital satellite broadcasting to offer a selection of high-definition programming from the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, RT and NHK.
|
| |
The launch of the Astra 1N in 2011, has made more narrow band capacity available at the orbital position of 28.2° east, allowing broadcaster to transmit free-to-air.
A VOD (Video On Demand) version of BBC iPlayer is available on Freesat channel 901, you can catch up on the last seven days of BBC programmes. ITV Player is only available to viewers with Humax receivers at present.
It is possible to receive Freesat outside the UK and Ireland, although a larger dish may be required as the Astra 2D footprint is mainly focused on the UK and Republic of Ireland. Freesat receivers ask for a postcode during installation, though this is just to determine which regional services to select. |
| |
|
| Why Freesat? |
BBC and ITV, the two main public service broadcasters in the UK, have made their services available digitally through two platforms, digital terrestrial (Freeview) and digital satellite (Sky Digital).
On digital terrestrial, the channels have always been available free of charge with appropriate equipment.
However, Freeview is currently available to only 73% of the population. After digital switch-off, this will increase to 98.5% for the public service channels and 90% for the full Freeview service.
In order to provide fuller coverage and a larger number of channels, a digital satellite alternative is necessary.
The digital satellite platform has largely been controlled by the commercial operator BSkyB. Initially, both the BBC's and ITV's channels were encrypted since the original satellites used for Sky Digital broadcast to most of Europe though the broadcasters' rights for premium content such as films and sports typically covered the UK only.
The use of encryption meant that any viewer wishing to view the channels had to purchase equipment from Sky and pay for a free-to-view viewing card in order to decrypt the channels. Similarly, in order to use the Videoguard encryption, the broadcasters needed to pay a fee to NDS.
|
In May 2003, the BBC moved all of their channels onto the Astra 2D satellite which focuses more tightly on the UK. This allowed the BBC to stop encrypting their broadcasts while continuing to meet their licence and copyright obligations.
In September 2005, the BBC and ITV announced that they would collaborate on a free-to-air satellite service to complement Freeview. Two months later, ITV began broadcasting in the clear.
The free-to-air channels could then be received using any standard digital satellite (DVB-S) receiver. However, the Freesat project aims to provide a more managed service with an Electronic Programme Guide (EPG), interactive features and approved receivers, similar to the Freeview service.
The initial plan was to release the service in early 2006. This was postponed to Autumn 2007 pending approval from the BBC Trust. This approval was received in April 2007. |
| |
| Channels |
| The service launched officially on 6 May 2008. From the launch, Freesat advertised all national television channels from the BBC and ITV as being available on the platform (excluding ITV2+1), as well as all national BBC radio networks. Channel 4 also managed to make most of its channels free-to-air in preparation for the launch. In addition some channels from other broadcasters such as Chello Zone, CSC Media Group, Al Jazeera English and Euronews were included on the channel list. |
| HD Channels |
BBC HD was the only high-definition channel available on Freesat from launch day, with ITV HD added as a "red-button" interactive service from 7 June 2008. On 2 April 2010 ITV HD changed from an interactive service to a full time channel called ITV1 HD, simulcasting the main ITV1 channel. The named was changed back to ITV HD on 14 January 2013.
BBC One HD, a high-definition simulcast of BBC One, was made available on Freesat and other platforms on 3 November 2010.
Channel 4 HD also became available on the platform on 19 April 2011. NHK World HD was added to Freesat on 9 May 2011; it shared its EPG slot with its standard definition counterpart and was therefore only listed on high definition receivers, which were unable to access the standard definition channel via the EPG until it closed on 1 October 2011. On 14 February 2013, RT HD was added to Freesat, sharing its EPG slot with RT. |
| Regional variations |
| Some channels (notably BBC One and ITV) are transmitted in regional variations and the appropriate services are selected by the Freesat receiver from the user's postcode. In March 2010, ITV altered several of their regions from free-to-air transmission to free-to-view (because they were moved to a satellite from which transmission covers a much larger area than just the UK and content licensing means that they had to be encrypted). As a result, many Freesat viewers (who cannot receive free-to-view, encrypted content) were moved to regional variations not corresponding to their actual location. |
| Future Channels |
| There are still many channels missing from the Freesat platform, including Channel 5 HD, STV HD, UTV HD, 4Music, Yesterday, Really and Dave. There is currently no information on when or if any of these channels will be carried on the Freesat platform. |
| |
| Video On Demand (VOD) |
The BBC began to roll out a beta version of BBC iPlayer for Freesat devices in early 2010. BBC iPlayer is an internet based service with around 400 hours of television being available on demand. ITV Player is available for Humax and Manhattan devices, while BoxOffice365 is available in beta for Humax devices.
In 2010, Freesat also indicated an intent to launch a receiver featuring the YouView service (then called 'Project Canvas') and said that the video on demand services 4oD and Demand 5 were under consideration.
On 28 July 2011, the BBC Trust approved proposals to introduce the listing of pay content delivered on-demand via broadband. The trust will allow the BBC to continue to play a part in Freesat as the plans did not represent a significant change to the approval previously given in 2007. There was no need for a Public Value Test or for further regulatory process. Under the plans some pay content, such as films, would be added to the Freesat EPG alongside the existing free-to-air content. However, there would be no adult material or live streamed sports coverage. Freesat itself will not supply any of the on demand content, but will allow third parties to do so through its EPG. Some content will also be made available through existing channels using an on-screen prompt that would take viewers to an on demand environment. Pay-TV sales would be handled by a third party, with Freesat operating the conditional access system that would underpin it. The plan is to use the upcoming launch of G2 spec receivers to add support for Digital Rights Management and where technically possible on existing receivers.
On 29 November 2011, a beta trial for the subscription based on demand movie service BoxOffice365 was added to the Freesat EPG. On 3 September 2012, The Daily Telegraph reported that Freesat was partnering with Netflix, allowing viewers to rent films and programmes over the internet on Free Time devices. However Freesat dismissed the report as “speculation” but confirmed that Freesat was talking to a number of different service providers about offering optional pay services.
On 4 September 2012, Freesat announced that 4oD and Demand 5 will launch on before Christmas 2012 as part of Freesat's second generation Free Time guide, however these have been delayed until early 2013. The Free Time guide also features a backwards EPG and a Showcase section offering recommendations. HTML versions of iPlayer and ITV Player will also launch,[38] both services use MHEG-5 on first generation devices. YouTube will also launch on Free Time receivers during February 2013. |
| |
|
| Freesat Reception Equipment |
At the launch of the service, there were two types of Freesat receivers available, standard definition-only receivers and high definition-capable receivers. As of June 2008 there are only four companies licensed to produce Freesat receivers. Humax launched a Freesat recorder (Freesat+) which was available to the public on 22 November 2008. In the first months of the product being released, there were large stock shortages.
|
Following the initial launch, Panasonic introduced three plasma televisions with integrated HD Freesat receivers. At the end of October 2008, Panasonic brought out 2 more sizes which are the 32" and 37".
In April 2009 LG launched 4 LCD TVs with built-in Freesat receivers. The LG series is the LF7700, with screen sizes of 32", 37", 42"and 47". Sony have released two televisions with Freesat receivers, the W5810 and Z5800 series, available from sizes 32" up to 52" and in 100Hz and 200Hz alternatives. |
| |
|
| Technical Details |
Freesat broadcasts from the same fleet of satellites (Astra 28.2°E and Eutelsat 28A) as Sky. Channels are broadcast using DVB-S. The Freesat electronic programme guide is broadcast from the Eutelsat 28A satellite situated at 28.5° east. Freesat's role is not broadcasting or availability of channels (although the BBC and ITV are substantial broadcasters in their own right) but instead providing a platform for receiving the channels and the EPG.
All of the standard definition channels broadcasting to date are broadcast using DVB-S, ITV HD, NHK World HD and RT HD also use DVB-S. BBC One HD and BBC HD used DVB-S until 6 June 2011 when the satellite transponder carrying them was upgraded to DVB-S2.[46] Channel 4 HD had launched using DVB-S2 but the transponder was downgraded to DVB-S on 28 March 2012. Standard definition channels are broadcast using MPEG-2, while high definition channels are broadcast using MPEG-4. Since the channels are broadcast in-the-clear, they can also be received by non-Freesat receivers and, most commonly, Sky Digiboxes.
Interactive television is done using MHEG-5 rather than the proprietary OpenTV platform used by Sky.
The specification for Freesat boxes includes having an Ethernet port on the back. This is to allow on demand programming from services such as BBC iPlayer or ITV Player to be viewed directly on the customer's television.
Open standards and technologies form the basis of Freesat's second generation Free Time receivers, including those from the Open IPTV Forum (OIPF), the Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV (HbbTV) project and HTML5 browser technology, with the majority of the Free Time user interface built using the latter.
The Free Time spec also includes features such as: DiSEqC 1.2 support; MoCA (Multimedia over Coax Alliance) support including single cable routing; HTML, JavaScript and CSS internet technologies for broadband-delivered interactive services; DRM for online content; and payment mechanisms for broadband services like LoveFilm. James Strickland, Freesat's director of product and technology development, explained that Free Time is a hybrid between HbbTV and MHEG-5. |
| Freesat & Freesat+ User Manuals |
| |
| Freesat Outside the UK & Ireland |
It is possible to receive Freesat outside the UK and Ireland, although a larger dish may be required as the Astra 1N and Astra 2F footprints are mainly focused on the UK and Republic of Ireland. Freesat receivers ask for a postcode during installation, but this is just to determine which regional services to select. The ITV HD channel is currently not made available to receivers set with a postcode in the STV, Grampian or UTV regions.
Please note, the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 will be noving all services from Astra 1N to Astra 2E during the summer of 2013. Astra 2E will have a very similar footprint to that of Astra 2F. |
| Astra 2F is in service at 28.2° East, the following transponders are active, using the UK spotbeam: |
| Transponder 57, 10.964 H, 22000, 5/6, DVB-S/MPEG-2, (Channel 5 (regions 1-5) 5 USA, 5 USA+1, 5*, 5*+1 and Channel 5 +1) |
| Transponder 59, 10.994 H, 22000, 5/6, DVB-S/MPEG-2, (ITV regions) |
| Transponder 61, 11.023 H, 23000, 2/3, DVB-S2/8PSK, (BBC DSAT 8, BBC One HD) |
| Transponder 63, 11.053 H, 22000, 5/6, DVB-S/MPEG-2, (ITV regions and ITV HD) |
| Transponder 68, 11.126 V, 22000, 5/6 DVB-S/QPSK, (Channel Four HD and 4 Seven) |
| Astra 2F Reception Reports Map by www.astra2.org & the Astra 2 Forum |
| Satellite Changes at 28.2° East |
| |
| Contacting Freesat |
| Website: www.freesat.co.uk |
| Email: info@freesat.co.uk |
| Phone: 0845 313 0052 |
| Postal Address: |
| Freesat |
| PO Box 6296 |
| London W1A 3FF |
| United Kingdom |
|
|