Al Jazeera vs. Sky

[waspish]

Unless they show games on a subscription only freeview channel? Then they wouldn't need sky, is that even possible?

There isn't capacity on Freeview for additional HD channels above and beyond the five or so already planned so it's unlikely they would put any new sports channels exclusively on there as SD-only would prove unpopular. Freesat, however, would be possible. There's more than enough space on there, as shown by the fact they are having 48 TV channels on there for the Olympics (24 HD and 24 SD). That would allow people with Freesat, Sky or Freesat from Sky to watch.

Problem with freesat is don't you need a dish?

 

[Irwell]

Problem with freesat is don't you need a dish?

Yeah you need a dish but the cost is nothing like as big as a Sky subscription. It's a shame they didn't opt to scrap terrestrial TV as part of the digital switchover as it's too restricted for HD TV. Freesat could have done the job on it's own.

 

[waspish]

Problem with freesat is don't you need a dish?

Yeah you need a dish but the cost is nothing like as big as a Sky subscription. It's a shame they didn't opt to scrap terrestrial TV as part of the digital switchover as it's too restricted for HD TV. Freesat could have done the job on it's own.

Yeah it could of been a nice little earner for the government every house in England would need a dish % of tax to the government coppers.. Ariels of roof tops! could even get the country out of recession :)

 

[Irwell]

Yeah it could of been a nice little earner for the government every house in England would need a dish % of tax to the government coppers.. Ariels of roof tops! could even get the country out of recession :)

I seem to remember something ridiculous like half of all TV aerials had to be replaced for the digital switchover anyway. TV can't go fully HD while Freeview is around, which is a shame.

 

[waspish]

Yeah it could of been a nice little earner for the government every house in England would need a dish % of tax to the government coppers.. Ariels of roof tops! could even get the country out of recession :)

I seem to remember something ridiculous like half of all TV aerials had to be replaced for the digital switchover anyway. TV can't go fully HD while Freeview is around, which is a shame.

Is it because like you say they only have a limit amount of space for channels? Because I had a freeview box with HD channels on.. Why isn't it capable of having infinite channels?

 

[Irwell]

Is it because like you say they only have a limit amount of space for channels? Because I had a freeview box with HD channels on.. Why isn't it capable of having infinite channels?

They only have so much bandwidth for channels. The less bandwidth each channel uses, the worse the picture quality. That's why channels like Five USA have a much worse picture than BBC One. As an example of the difference, four BBC One regions, BBC Two, BBC Three and CBBC share a 33.8Mbps mux on satellite. BBC One HD shares a 40.6Mbps mux with ITV1 HD and BBC HD. Basically one HD channel is equivalent to about 3 SD channels. (the bandwidth numbers are the satellite ones, but Freeview works using the same concept.)

The bandwidth left on Freeview is enough for maybe three additional HD channels. If they were to try to fit a fourth on they would have to scrap three more SD channels.

Edit: got my muxes wrong!

 

[Dubai Blue]

It's getting confusing. So if al jazeera win the rights to the main packages of 116 games a season, will we have fork out for sky sports, al jazeera AND ESPN if we want it all? 3 different subscription packages? Cos that'd be shit.

The thing is if Al Jazeera win the rights they need sky there platform and there pundits because how are they going to show the games bring a totally different box

The platform is the only thing they'd need to consider. Everything else is in place though as they already broadcast most major competitions (other than the Premier League) across the Middle East and North Africa from their studios in London and with their own team of pundits.

Unfortunately, though, it would mean more Gary Lineker!

 

[Mike D]

Anything that's gonna put the wind up that oily b*stard Murdoch is good news to me.

 

[LoveCity]

FFS, Sky retain the rights. :/

Breaking - BT has won rights for other 38 matches

Who? British Telecom? How do they show Premier League?

 

[waspish]

No surprise there for me