Loading ...4OD and Demand 5 were originally planned to launch this month on the new freetime receiver, but unfortunately due to additional development, both on-demand services will launch early 2013.
A statement from freesat has confirmed this:
Following recent updates from both Channel 4 and Five, we now know that 4OD and Demand 5 won’t be launching on the
service until early 2013. We did hope to launch both On Demand services before Christmas and have been working closely with the teams at Humax and the broadcasters to this end, but unfortunately this hasn’t been possible. Work on the technology that manages the delivery of the programmes via the internet and the software inside the receiver to manage the video play back has taken longer than anticipated. 4OD and Demand 5 also require additional content protection for their programming which is a complex technology that the development teams are still working through. We know this will be disappointing news, but we have confidence from both broadcasters that all efforts are being made to launch these services as soon as possible in the new year.
As we know more we’ll update you.
Note that these two on-demand services will come to the new freetime receiver only, not the previous models.
December 12th, 2012 at 2:30 pm
More broken promises. I’m not sure freetime will take off in this case.
James BQuote
December 12th, 2012 at 3:35 pm
No one at Freesat has “promised” to deliver these sevices by Xmas. There was no legal contract signed between them and us. Freesat can only present the services that other companies create, and if there is additional programming work to be carried out, so be it.
Perspective. It’s only a bit of on demand TV, not a new type of life support machine.
Sensible Paul.Quote
December 12th, 2012 at 3:37 pm
Here we go again more broken promises from Freesat yet the Humax YouView box is fully operational.
Misleading adverts about these services launching before the end of 2012 – reminds me of the Freesat/ITV Player shambles.
Steve HQuote
December 12th, 2012 at 3:54 pm
How come all that wasn’t sorted before launch like it was for YourView. I am fast loosing confidence in anything Freesat says and would not advise anyone buying a Freetime box at this time. BBC and ITV players are available on non Freetime boxes as is The Space player so all you are getting is a fancy EPG.
Where is Netflix and all the rest of the extra stuff? Nowhere that’s where. Loads of lame pathetic excuses from Freesat is just not acceptable anymore. We need someone to come on here and tell us what is really going. It’s just not good enough anymore.
Richard CrichtonQuote
December 12th, 2012 at 4:06 pm
They should bring 4oD and Demand Five to the Foxsat HDR. Unacceptable!
bobQuote
December 12th, 2012 at 4:43 pm
Maybe we’re being offered 5HD and some extra 4 channels in HD instead but I doubt it. Seeing as the team at Freesat who acquire new channels didn’t even know about the launch of RTHD or RT documentary how would they know about anything else. I think the Freesat team just sits on their backsides waiting for channels to come to them.
SaltydawgQuote
December 12th, 2012 at 5:15 pm
Another broken promis
(
To be honest I think I already knew they would not get them I can see it going on most of next year 2013 like itv player took ages …
They must have thought that the 3 sky channels was a softener
Hi admin I suggest to FREESAT that they get uktv channels then I’ll let them off for this broken promis .
And I agree that youview has got all of then and uses freeview aswell and even has NOW TV on demand movies . It’s sounding better all the time
)
DaveQuote
December 12th, 2012 at 5:44 pm
well, there’s a surprise – not.
let’s hope there is still an OTA update before Christmas to sort out some of the bugs.
Al CatrazQuote
December 12th, 2012 at 5:46 pm
bugs in the new 1000s that is.
Al CatrazQuote
December 12th, 2012 at 6:02 pm
I went for the new G2 box as satellite has the capacity to add more channels where Youview doesn’t as terrestrial has a limited amount of space.
However, I read an article today about Youview’s feature to remote record which I’m more interested in than the pending on-demand services. Will we ever see this on the HDR-1000S?
http://crave.cnet.co.uk/homecinema/youview-app-records-from-your-iphone-or-ipad-but-not-android-50009959/
DaveQuote
December 12th, 2012 at 6:03 pm
I have consulted the oracle and discover that my world will not
fall apart due to missing ANY channels now or in the future.
Some of you enthusiasts must have square eyeballs by now !
Merry Christmas one and all.
gweltekQuote
December 12th, 2012 at 6:15 pm
Cleary rushed to market before the bugs had been ironed out and the On Demand services were even close to being ready. Given the ability to use On Demand services is integral to Freetime this is very short sighted.
EamonnQuote
December 12th, 2012 at 6:42 pm
‘Early 2013′ probably means anything up to end of June.
Keith (original)Quote
December 12th, 2012 at 7:45 pm
I smell $ky behind this…
llangatwgneddQuote
December 12th, 2012 at 7:52 pm
@ 13 .. I was thinking coming soon to freesat means anytime in this millennium
They will be on G3 before released
Dave WQuote
December 12th, 2012 at 8:34 pm
Strange Admin is very quiet on this!!!!!!!!!!!!
Soldierboy001Quote
December 12th, 2012 at 9:32 pm
ha ha…… knew this would happen.
glad I have my free TalkTalk YouView box with ALL on demand services.
LSS110581Quote
December 12th, 2012 at 10:04 pm
Not sure what to say really, is disappointing but it isn’t quite clear who is dragging their feet, so hard to point the blame.
adminQuote
December 12th, 2012 at 10:11 pm
Was going to get one after Christmas don’t know now I got the humax youviwe box yes as some one pointed out its got all of the on demand channels on it working well but the same humax freesat freetime box apparently hasn’t that one s gone over my head
MartinQuote
December 13th, 2012 at 1:22 am
Must say got fed up of this now, love the EPG grouping of channels. Technisat only gets the iPlayer. Disapointed all round, and have decided to leave freesat for Sky.
Bye Bye
ScottQuote
December 13th, 2012 at 2:27 am
Not wishing to depress anyone, but I was just trying to remember when the last update (not counting the Olympic quick-fix) was released for the Humax-HDR? You know,… the one that fixed and improved a lot of things but introduced the live-rewind subtitle bug – that they have yet to fix. I think it may be over a year now? Not sure if Humax have even acknowledged it as an issue. Does this bode well for the 1000s, I wonder?
Such a shame about the 1000s. Maybe (and sadly), for once, the lack of promotion for Freesat is fortunate, because at the moment this box is a PR disaster for both Freesat and Humax – especially anyone new to the platform.
Keith (original)Quote
December 13th, 2012 at 9:14 am
And me not to mention a years free Lovefilm Instant on my blu-ray.
Richard CrichtonQuote
December 13th, 2012 at 9:53 am
Goodbye…
Stop moaning, it’s still a great platform. Thanks Freesat for providing stuff FREE!
SteamyQuote
December 13th, 2012 at 9:55 am
Hi admin
All freesats hard work over the last week and they go and knack it all up in 1 day
Hope they know this
DaveQuote
December 13th, 2012 at 11:54 am
I realise that this not the point of the post, but if you hit ‘exit’ the subtitles disappear. If you, Keith Original, posted this workaround first time around, then I apologise for the egg-sucking comment, but it was such a life saver
that it deserves repeating!
John HQuote
December 13th, 2012 at 12:19 pm
As a consolation the 4OD app is now available on Windows 8 !
Night WatchmanQuote
December 13th, 2012 at 3:29 pm
The fact that Freesat has come out and told everyone whats going is enough to applaud really.
Most wouldn’t even go that far and just give you a bunch of excuses but Freesat have said that because further work needs doing with Channel 4 & Channel 5, it will be delayed but they, along with Humax are working on it, so why all the high-and-mighty comments like you have some god-given right to it on a silver platter!?
ianQuote
December 13th, 2012 at 3:45 pm
So 4OD and Demand 5 won’t be launching on the service until early 2013….so what….what’s the big deal ?
I guarantee you, having 4OD and Demand 5 on your freesat box (sometime next year), will NOT change your life.
danceswithhorsesQuote
December 13th, 2012 at 4:50 pm
Very poor. What Freesat have to remember that Youview is now available.
Steven MorganQuote
December 13th, 2012 at 11:23 pm
I think I may wait a while before getting A free time box since only one manufacturer currently have a free time box available. Looks like the manufacturers other than Humax have missed the biggest tv event of the year “Christmas” also are any of the manufacturers planning to launch a much larger box than the current 1tb box?
Ian VallenderQuote
December 14th, 2012 at 4:06 am
Freesat need to get Quest and Quest + 1, also possibly speaking to Discovery about DMAX, they have 3 DMAX channels, surely Discovery would benefit by putting at least 1 free to air. No way are DMAX, DMAX + 1 and DMAX + 2 super successful.
MatthewQuote
December 14th, 2012 at 7:32 am
The other manufacturers with approval to build a freetime box are a long way behind due to reasons I can’t disclose, but personally think they might stall launch anyway to see what happens with Humax and how successful the box is. Freesat’s relationship with Humax is so tight that I’d imagine it has puts other’s questioning their involvement.
adminQuote
December 14th, 2012 at 9:13 am
Humax are good at many things, but communications is not one of them. I’ve just come across this reference to its latest DTR-T1010 machine apparently “soft launched” on the Humax Direct website. (http://humax-global.net/gb/products/product.php?gid=208&pid=2).
I suspect the reference to Freesat HD and SD channel recording is mistake. A great shame, because this is a very smart looking machine, unlike the new freetime box!
Lawrence PearceQuote
December 14th, 2012 at 9:57 am
I mentioned on here over a year ago about getting rid of subtitles by pressing exit on the hdr, can’t believe there’s anyone out there that hasn’t heard of this. Glad i stuck to the hdr, this new box is having the normal problems. Services that aren’t even available yet, and how long before the box works properly. After three years my hdr is working just fine, so I’m not going all through that again!
fatblokeQuote
December 14th, 2012 at 10:01 am
I wouldn’t bank on 4OD or Demand 5 (or anything else) ever coming to Freesat and if they do then that’s a bonus.It’s still a great free platform with a far superior EPG to Freeviews poor EPG which doesn’t even have caterorys. Keep up the good work guys and happy holidays when they come.
Richard CrichtonQuote
December 14th, 2012 at 10:05 am
Blimey Richard, you have such a split personality
adminQuote
December 14th, 2012 at 10:17 am
Hi all, let down again by Freesat – if you call them they blame Humax, the TV channels but they put the package together. 40D and Demand 5 not coming now until early 2013 not late or very late 2012.
Advert on the side of the box says “Humax Portal contains Youtube, Radio, Kids content (and other stuff)” we don’t get it – Freesat say ‘we printed the box before it was decided what was going to be included’ £300 on a box that BBCi buffering ITV roll back does not list many programs and often crashes out half way through on occasions.
The brand Freetime = More of your freetime spent testing the box, dealing with errors and faults and now your freetime at XMAS disappointed by Humax and Freesat by having no 40d and demand 5.
I would say to people under the sales of goods act your store should take the product back and allow refund or exchange: Youview has the on demand plus other content such as Now TV and Love Film (NOW TV and love film subscription required)
Or your £300 would get you a subscription to SKY for two years (not including sports or movies) but has the on demand channels with 40D due next year but they have BBCi, ITV, Demand 5 and SKY portal all working to-date.
BELIEVE IN BETTER – SKY
YOUVIEW – Extraordinary TV for everyone
YouView Remote Record App now available
Use the YouView app to see what’s on TV now and over the next 7 days and set your YouView box to record while on the move. A service that Freesat want and yet faild to launch.
Freetime has failed in my opinion – not worth the money if you have to have a sat dish then go freesat from SKY or get Youview
samQuote
December 14th, 2012 at 10:41 am
Unless you pay extra on top of your normal subscription, you can also say bye bye to the HD channels you get free on Freesat!
RussQuote
December 14th, 2012 at 11:00 am
admin.My previous points are valid but perhaps a bit harsh on reflection.It’s only a bit of fun for me and not a matter of life or death
. I have both platforms (not Anytime just Freesat HD) and although YouView has much more for on demand customers than Anytime the Freeview EPG is very poor compared to Freesat. Freesat has many more minority channels which may be of interest to people who want more than just mainstream stuff or for people who used to live in another part of the UK and there is also the added flexibility of the non Freesat EPG channels.However I think on demand is the future of TV if you have a decent broadband speed that is and it is pretty clear that Anytime was rushed out before it was ready in response to YouView so I very happy to have YouView as a viewing option but I am also very happy to have Freesat HD with the possibility of more HD channels to come.
Richard CrichtonQuote
December 15th, 2012 at 4:53 am
I fele cheated only bought freesat June 2012 noi freetime?
SteveQuote
December 15th, 2012 at 9:14 am
I personally see very little need for either 4OD or Demand 5 as I find little to interest me from either broadcaster at the moment. in any case they both tend to repeat their programs so many times it is not difficult to see them. By the way I have noticed that the picture quality on Channel 5 is very poor on occasions. A bit like You Tube at times!
Kevin Ver 1Quote
December 15th, 2012 at 10:05 am
I decided not to upgrade any of my kit until fibre is available in my area. It shows as due by the end of this year but when I phoned BT they said it had been put back until March 03 and they needed to update their website.
It seems like a backwards race between Freesat and BT at the moment, with the customer being the real loser.
MPDQuote
December 15th, 2012 at 11:07 am
To a point I agree – I very rarely go to on demand TV and now I have a decent recording mechanism, that “rarely” is fast becoming “never”.
It’s just a matter of principles – on the whole I’m happy with the new box, but it annoys me intensely when something is promised and it isn’t delivered. It invites negative thoughts and comments for what is, on the whole, an excellent box of tricks.
Al CatrazQuote
December 15th, 2012 at 11:16 am
I have noticed quite a few homes having Sky installed or upgraded on a Sunday. That would seem to indicate a high demand for Sky. I am a little bit surprised as we have only recently had DSO which has led to a big improvement to choice on terrestrial TV.
Frankly I think that Sky TV does not represent value for money, but I feel in the minority as many of my colleagues at work feel that Sky is essential.
Getting back to these on line catch up services, it is a shame that the manufacturers and TV broadcasters cannot agree on International standards so that these services can be brought to market quickly.
Kevin Ver 1Quote
December 15th, 2012 at 11:31 am
That is simply too many channels squeezed onto one frequency. All the standard def versions of he C5 family are one one transponder:
5 C5 regions
1 C5 +1
5USA, 5USA +1
5*, 5* +1
RoscoQuote
December 15th, 2012 at 11:47 am
@41 Kevin Ver
Totally agree! It’s dismal picture quality at 5. Mind you 5* & +1 are rubbish with terrible picture pix-elating. As with my built in Freeview TV channels, when they switched from analogue to digital it suppose to be better quality, personally I think digital is worse and some broadcasters are not giving us the quality.
stonedimmaculate1962Quote
December 16th, 2012 at 1:54 am
@Kevin Ver 1
You’re right about Sky not being good value for money, however without Sky or Virgin there’s no UK TV channels or Discovery Channels.
This kinda bugs me though, Scripps/BBC should be embracing free to air TV by putting Dave, Yesterday and at the very most Gold on Freesat, and Discovery should slap on Quest and DMAX, Freesat would be a better platform if they did this, for one these are decent channels, you get the best of both worlds on Quest and DMAX and although they’re no Nat Geo, thats enough.
DMAX is free to air in Germany, they have 3 channels in the UK with the name DMAX on them, put one on Freesat damnit, and Quest is freeview, if Discovery can slap Quest on Freeview theres nothing stopping them making it free to air, just say screw it to the sub money and make it back via advertisers with the increase in viewing numbers.
MatthewQuote
December 16th, 2012 at 10:11 am
There is, contracts
adminQuote
December 16th, 2012 at 11:32 am
Do you REALLY think there is sufficient extra advertising money from the potential Freesat viewers to make up the shortfall in funding for half a dozen channels to go fta?? Remembering the economy is still very sluggish with shops going bust every week.
RoscoeQuote
December 16th, 2012 at 11:34 am
OT, but RT HD has launched its programming this morning.
11223V
27500 2/3
Tagged as 53148.
RoscoeQuote
December 16th, 2012 at 11:48 am
That’s why I posted in update scan
Richard CrichtonQuote
December 16th, 2012 at 1:02 pm
Ah so you have.
Ah well never mind – I cant be the only person to have missed it
RoscoeQuote
December 16th, 2012 at 3:46 pm
@. 47-48
Hi admin ano you say there is contracts but dose anyone know when these contracts are up —– or don’t dodgy $ky let this happen
DaveQuote
December 16th, 2012 at 4:17 pm
@Admin: Any word on whether RT HD is going to be added to the Freesat EPG
LiamoQuote
December 16th, 2012 at 4:33 pm
Doesn’t appear so unless freesat have negotiated a last minute deal!
adminQuote
December 16th, 2012 at 8:04 pm
@Admin 55.
Its just i have heard on Joinfreesat and Digital Spy that there is EPG data for RT-HD. That would seem to suggest that it will launch at some stage. Anyway i suppose i am just excited that another FTA HD station has launched. Can anyone confirm that there is EPG data for Freesat?
Thanks in advance!
LiamoQuote
December 16th, 2012 at 10:15 pm
I have to say, after replacing my Samsung SMT S7800 box last month, I chose to take up the option of a free YouView box with TalkTalk – and I am not disappointed. Although the Freesat Freetime epg is an improvement over G1 boxes, I felt that the new Humax box couldn’t offer me anymore in terms of on demand ‘catch up’ tv. I did subscribe to some extra channels for the first month with TalkTalk but found I had so much available in terms of on demand content that I never watched them! I have no cancelled these.
Yes Freesat have extra channels compared to the You/view setup, but then I feel having quality channels such as Dave, Yesterday, Really etc far outweigh this. The new update on YouView has also allowed me to delete channels I don’t want on my epg and the search features for on demand tv is excellent. I somehow feel that Freesat has rushed this ‘Freetime’ service.
LSS110581Quote
December 16th, 2012 at 10:54 pm
I think there’s a good chance we might just see it arrive, PQ is very good, they just need to get all the old 4:3 footage out of the way, presumably that was played out of their old SD galleries set up for full screen transmission. There was a woman earlier doing inserts from Egypt who was in 4:3 (SD), later they’d ARC’d her in to 16:9 so looks like they are busy getting footage ready.
It really is impressive how much HD, and to some extent a graphics facelift, can bring up the appearance of a channel, RT now looks super slick and even on demanding scenes there’s little or no macro-blocking, none I’ve seen so far anyway.
It must be destined for Freesat or guess they’d gone behind the dreaded Sky paywall as no other point making it FTA. Really glad to see another broadcaster go FTA with HD, now lets hope it spurs CNN to do the same!
NeilQuote
December 17th, 2012 at 12:01 am
@admin
Even so, Discovery can’t be making that much money from DMAX on pay TV platforms right? They have 1 channel on Virgin, and 3 on Sky, the viewing figures are kinda low, I thought the kinda fee they’d command would be bottom tier if anything, at least enough for them to revisit the issue once contracts are up with Sky.
Quest is on Freeview and rates much higher than DMAX on average, Quest joining Freesat wouldn’t be too much of a burden for Discovery if anything, in these tough economic times, I would imagine people leaving Sky/Virgin and going for Freesat/Freeview, the more viewers the better right?
The UKTV channels coming to Freesat would be an issue Scripps would have to deal with, even if it was just Dave and Yesterday, the BBC, at least in my opinion, if they were sole owners of these channels they would of had them all on Free to Air a long time ago.
@Roscoe
Probably, other Freesat channels seem to be doing alright, The CBS ones for example. They could still ask for a fee if there channel is popular enough from the major carriers like Sky or Virgin anyway.
MatthewQuote
December 17th, 2012 at 7:42 am
The new update on YouView has also allowed me to delete channels I don’t want on my epg and the search features for on demand tv is excellent. I somehow feel that Freesat has rushed this ‘Freetime’ service.
I have the TalkTalk Youview box and there was no faciltiy to delete channels on the (poor compared to Freesat) EPG last time I looked unless something has changed recently. I certainly would like to do this as there a load of channels on there I don’t watch.
Richard CrichtonQuote
December 17th, 2012 at 9:52 am
Richard – you need to check the YouView website which links you to the TalkTalk help page that explains there was an update on Wed 12th Dec. This either happened automatically overnight, or you need to go into system settings and select search for new software manually. You can now delete channels from the epg, the epg font is bigger, clearer and brighter, and the overall feel and response from the epg is much improved.
LSS110581Quote
December 17th, 2012 at 10:46 am
@61 – sorry, did I miss something?
this is a freeSAT site – if you want to chit-chat about freeview boxes, go find yourselves another site (or get a room!)
Al CatrazQuote
December 17th, 2012 at 3:57 pm
Good point. We can delete channels from our superior Freesat EPG of course.
BTW The only channel on Freeview I would like to see on Freesat is Quest. Not bothered about DAVE or YESTERDAY with their10yr old Top Gear or LOTSW etc. Glad we have the CBS channels.
LSS110581 Got it thanks.
Richard CrichtonQuote
December 17th, 2012 at 6:39 pm
god richard…. youve changed your tuner… lol
LSS110581Quote
December 17th, 2012 at 6:43 pm
Quest and The Travel channels for me. Are you listening Freesat, you know, the guys that didn’t even know RTHD was launching? Even I knew that and I’m not even a techie, like some of the guys on here.
SaltydawgQuote
December 17th, 2012 at 10:52 pm
People chattin about setting freesat recordings away from home.. I bought the EchoStar sling recorder £189, and it has free on the move access to your record box where ever you are in the world via internet access on any computer/notebook, or mobile phone (certain OS’s) and tablets! You can control what you want to record or watch whilst away from home!! I think this feature is an excellent freebee!! Incl free hd channels and the recording facility, I can’t see a better deal.. For movies youtube / facebook / general internet, and downloadable content, I have my X box. The total winners deal!! I havn’t got an epg, blue ray or 3d, but I don’t require them! I’m very happy with my set up. Only costs are my electric bills, my Xbox yearly subscription (well better than ps3 free one) and my t.v.licence…. So, I’m very happy…
prawnQuote
December 17th, 2012 at 10:56 pm
* ref epg, I meant I don’t have a tivo/freetime/sky type epg where you can go back!! But I have on demand iPlayer and ITV player.. That with my Xbox movies apps is more than enough. I can always record anyway, so don’t really need a reverse epg!!!
prawnQuote
December 18th, 2012 at 12:25 am
The Sony movie/Sony Ent Channel should be realistic additions to Freesat in the coming years, hopefully next year. They’re Free to Air but not on Freesat due to being encrypted or something right?(They’re available on Freesat From Sky) Audience numbers for these channels are shit, and I still think DMAX will come to Freesat eventually, I probably sound nuts saying this but I just think with the audience numbers being s***, Discovery will be open to other avenues once contracts come up for renewal, especially if they can get it on Freeview too if more capacity becomes available. It helped with Quests numbers though this isnt on Freesat.
MatthewQuote
December 18th, 2012 at 7:50 am
I’m pretty sure Freesat were aware of RT’s HD launch. They may claim not but just trying to play it down a bit, similar to comments initially mentioned when Pick TV and Challenge ‘accidentally’ appeared on Freesat’s website a few weeks back.
What does DMAX actually show? Quest on DTT is a barker channel to showcase and highlight Discovery’s programming and channels, it isn’t connected to BSkyB as owned by Discovery Networks, however there will be contracts in place with Sky and until such a time they can break off nothing will change. They would also need to go potentially spotbeam as going FTA for rights issues although with the new Satellites having all transponders spot/widebeam switchable this isn’t a big issue.
NeilQuote
December 18th, 2012 at 12:08 pm
New software today for Freetime 1000s,Bug fix version (1.00.16)
ALAN 1Quote
December 18th, 2012 at 1:21 pm
yep, got it! let’s hope it’s cured some of the niggles!
Al CatrazQuote
December 18th, 2012 at 6:44 pm
If they are encrypted then they aint fta! They are ftv – require a sky card but not part of a sky package.
You reasoning is faulty – its quite possible they are spending a year “on probation” so Sky can see what the viewing numbers are like before they are offered a deal to go behind the pay wall
RoscoQuote
December 18th, 2012 at 7:08 pm
Channel five should have to put there HD channel on to freesat first then 5 on demand service to be fair and freesat to only launch HD channel no more SD channels starting Q2 2013 that is what I think and know any new channel launching on all platforms is to be a HD channel only
ConorQuote
December 19th, 2012 at 1:05 am
@Rosco
I’m sorry but how is my reasoning faulty? Virtually every non mainstream channel on Freeview/Freesat has come out from behind the pay tv curtain because of poor viewing figures. Home and Really were doing dreadfully before they joined freeview, after they joined the audience numbers increased significantly. Challenge TV did average before joining freeview now its doing well, and it now ended up on Freesat. Lots of other channels on Freesat that came from behind the Pay TV curtain did so because they wanted a bigger audience because they simply were struggling on just the Pay TV providers.
Sony Entertainment TV and Sony Movies before are doing poorly, as you pointed out they’re FTV(Made a mistake saying FTA), these channels will no doubt appear on Freesat eventually, once things can be sorted contractually.
DMAX is a Discovery Channel that shows random Discovery shows, it has a poor audience level and has 3 channels, theres a high chance of this appearing eventually. And as Quest is on Freeview, the Freesat people might be able to grab this too.
Lets see what 2013 brings eh?
MatthewQuote
December 19th, 2012 at 10:26 am
I agree with Matthew, sometimes less choice for the viewer brings in better revenue for the channel. If the likes of Dmax, Home, Really and the Travel Channel come to Freesat they would get better viewing figures as there’s less competition for them as they’re neich channels
SaltydawgQuote
December 19th, 2012 at 12:35 pm
http://www.ukfree.tv/fullstory.php?storyid=1107052052
looks like freeview might be getting another hd channel first over freesat.
LSS110581Quote
December 19th, 2012 at 5:50 pm
Maybe this is Channel 5′s time to ‘have a third go’, lets see who gets this capacity as if it isn’t C5 then it’s going to be an existing PSB potentially with or without a HD equivalent of their service on Satellite. Alternatively it could go to QVC HD, there’s nothing mentioned about what type of provider it is, previously they’ve stipulated it be a PSB only.
NeilQuote
December 19th, 2012 at 7:38 pm
Freesat has a couple of issues to my mind. Firstly, it’s the poor relation — when people think satellite TV they think Sky, because Freesat doesn’t get much of a push. The only recent Freesat coverage that I can recall was one or two showings of the Humax Freetime ad. That’s hardly gonna stick in people’s minds. Kit availability is lightweight — no ‘mainstream’ box manufacturers provide STBs, and integrated panels are few and far between and aren’t cheap. Finally, there’s the channel line-up. Freeview it ain’t, and whilst it does have stuff like the CBS channels what’s on offer isn’t stellar. IMHO, Freesat is available as a fill-in for areas where Freeview isn’t viable, and will play more of a part when 4G starts taking-out DTV, but to stimulate real interest it not only needs to match the Freeview channel line-up it needs to have some ‘must-have’ stuff too. Until things improve, Freesat will remain a backwater option.
Clem DyeQuote
December 19th, 2012 at 8:05 pm
Tell Channel 5 to get lost until they give us their HD channel – no chance. They already told me that a few months ago when I asked them directly.
Dave PQuote
December 19th, 2012 at 8:33 pm
Or it could go to three SD channels.
Richard CrichtonQuote
December 22nd, 2012 at 11:56 am
Well, I think Freesat has had its day…. With the announcement of 15 HD channels for Freeview by 2018. Freeview will be given more bandwidth. Also, there are fewer restrictions on the freeview box manufacturers with regards features that they can include on their boxes. Speak to manufacturers of Freesat boxes and you will find that many nice features are not allowed due to the restrictions imposed by Freesat.
The Freeview solution is looking better everyday. I have spoken to Samsung and have advised them that they are best to avoid manufacturing freesat boxes. The problem is that the Samsung freesat boxes are very below the standard that Samsung are known for and therefore bringing the name into disrepute.
Maybe, best stick to FTA? FTA boxes are loaded with features.
DelphiQuote
December 22nd, 2012 at 7:59 pm
Freeview will always have bandwidth limitations, BBC services going HD on Freeview will also be on Sky and Freesat thus FTA on both DSAT. Come 2018 DTT will have lost UHF ch.49-60 with everything crammed in to 21-49, less carrier to interference protection which means more reception issues in weaker signal areas. These extra HD mux’s will only cover 60-70% population too, freesat has none of these limitations
NeilQuote
December 23rd, 2012 at 9:04 am
I thought that this would be a good time of the year to push the presence of Freesat through advertising. All I’ve seen are adverts for Youview. Have Freesat given up?
John NaylorQuote
December 24th, 2012 at 1:09 pm
happy christmas to all in joinfreesat and hope more hd come to freesat in 2013
conorQuote
December 24th, 2012 at 5:29 pm
Merry Christmas to all the regular contributors and of course admin for the time in keeping this site running.
NeilQuote
December 24th, 2012 at 11:14 pm
Merry Christmas to everyone have a lovely new year
Hope 2013 is even better for freesat
Dave WQuote
December 26th, 2012 at 10:27 pm
why can not i get itv player on goodmans freesat box. bbc i player works ok
brianQuote
December 26th, 2012 at 10:46 pm
Because sadly Goodmans have chosen not to support an update to include this on-demand service.
adminQuote
December 31st, 2012 at 11:26 am
Its always best to delay the release of a new product/service than release something half baked which does not work
DavidQuote
January 3rd, 2013 at 8:26 am
2013 will be a better year – but by freesat’s timings it will be delayed until 2014
AJQuote
March 5th, 2013 at 11:56 pm
Hi,
Is there an update on this? Do we know when the 4OD and Demand5 will be released now?
ShaneQuote
March 6th, 2013 at 11:00 am
I bought freesat February 2013 and switched off sky because of the demand TV advertisement for 4OD and demand 5 on the box and tv, internet. Now im being lead down the garden path on when its coming on, will the up dates give me this at the end of march or can someone PLEASE tell me with no rubbish or red tape when this is going to happen? or receiver will have to go back and I will have to have youview as this already has it.
RichieQuote
April 5th, 2013 at 8:15 am
It seems that “early 2013″ doesn’t mean the first quarter of the year. Does anyone know if/when we’ll get 4od?
Mark BritonQuote
April 5th, 2013 at 8:25 am
Expected to be end of this month for 4OD, but for obvious reasons, freesat can’t give a definite!!!!
adminQuote