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2008 saw the launch of a brand new digital TV platform, with the BBC instrumental in delivering both channels and interactive content on to Freesat.
The BBC Red Button offering on the new platform was not quite the same as that on our existing platforms such as Sky, Virgin Media and Freeview and this has generated some comments since then. In particular, Freesat viewers have been keen to enjoy the same video content that was made available on other platforms. I want to update these Freesat viewers on some exciting developments.
Today, all Freesat viewers (broadcast and IP connected boxes) will be able to access our single stream video services as well as the Sport Multiscreen service that accompanied the initial launch; this brings Freesat viewers a wider range of BBC Red Button video-based services to enjoy.
episodes
First for Freesat viewers is the new Being Human spin off, Becoming Human, available from 30 January, along with more exclusive content from comedy show Episodes.
This product development enables us to add these video service links via existing scheduling tools which launches an (MHEG) application allowing the viewer to be taken to our interactive streams and back again.
We are aware that still not all services offered on our legacy platforms are available on Freesat; however this is an exciting development for the BBC Red Button team and one we hope to build on in the future.
All BBC Red Button listings can be found here via our regular What’s On posting and we have noted where a service is now available across all TV platforms.
(thanks Adam for the link)
January 28th, 2011 at 4:09 pm
Good, a small step in the right direction
GaseousClayQuote
January 28th, 2011 at 6:53 pm
Sweet abit more extra content for freesat
DanQuote
January 28th, 2011 at 8:45 pm
There’s still no news multi screen option yet though but agree it’s good the beeb have finally invested time in developing all the red button programme related video content on to Freesat too.
NeilQuote
January 28th, 2011 at 10:17 pm
Well I would rather know why when I went to watch The Tudors on iPlayer on my Freesat box it was not available. This was due to ‘contractual reasons’. But it was available via the web, so I had to plug my laptop into the TV and watch it that way. Not quite what I expected when they added iPlayer to Freesat. So before adding more content, can we see the stuff that should be there in the first place. I’m seriously thinking of going the Boxee route for this sort of content as The Tudors was watchable that way as well.
BillQuote
January 29th, 2011 at 1:05 am
Hi does that mean we can get it in ireland if we hook it up to WiFi
robert o mahonyQuote
January 29th, 2011 at 3:10 am
Great news and about time 2
Gordon S ValentineQuote
January 29th, 2011 at 10:51 am
Sorry to be thick, but how do you access all these wonderful new features? Hitting the red button shows me the iPlayer, and sports multiscreen as video options, which is no different than it was before this announcement.
What am I missing?
Al CatrazQuote
January 29th, 2011 at 10:59 am
There were no news headlines available yesterday for the first time ever. I hope they haven’t screwed things up.
Richard CrichtonQuote
January 29th, 2011 at 11:02 am
@7 Al It’s not 30th January yet.
Tony HalesQuote
January 29th, 2011 at 11:33 am
I think the operative phrase here is ‘available from January 30th’. The items will then come up in the main red button menu as options as they become available. Although the BBC red button blog link does list programmes available over the next 2 weeks from today the first programmes available on Freesat will be Episodes available from 9 pm and Becoming Human from 9:55 pm tomorrow.
Night WatchmanQuote
January 29th, 2011 at 11:43 am
Correction – just checked the red button again and the Manic Street Preachers are on the menu under ‘Manic gig’.
Night WatchmanQuote
January 29th, 2011 at 11:46 am
It’s all clever stuff if one can understand it!
But why can’t I get the Travel News on Freesat BBC red button?
I have to revert to my Freeview TV red button for this and many other items.
Keith GQuote
January 29th, 2011 at 1:52 pm
Its all looking good, but i have have had no news about itv i player when will that be up and running
ChrisQuote
January 29th, 2011 at 3:16 pm
when you do a mouseover on the Becoming Human link above, the mouseover text is ‘becoming humax’ is this a Freudian slip?
@MichealWalshQuote
January 29th, 2011 at 4:22 pm
@MichaelWalsh
haha
, nice spot, so use to typing Humax!!!
adminQuote
January 29th, 2011 at 10:19 pm
11 (Nightwatchman): Where’s the link to that Manic St Preachers gig as I can’t see it on my Red Button menu? What equipment are you using as I’m wondering whether this extra content could only be available to Humax users?
NeilQuote
January 29th, 2011 at 10:27 pm
Update: after reading other people having similar issues on a DS thread I just disconnected the network feed to my Panny and hey presto the menu option appeared! It seems the BBC may have a problem with the ‘connected’ menu or just that this hasn’t been updated like the ‘non connected’ one!
NeilQuote
January 29th, 2011 at 11:05 pm
can only the see manic & episodes on my sony tv if i unplug the Lan cable and then press red again. Is this temporary? If not what use is this to anyone who plugs a Lan cable into there TV?
AntonyQuote
January 30th, 2011 at 1:17 pm
I don’t see the point of this .The MSP option only appears on BBC1 SD if my broadband is turned off. Surely that can’t be satisfactory to the majority of viewers who have iPlayer working.
@16 I am using a Technisat HDFS.
Tony HalesQuote
January 30th, 2011 at 5:28 pm
While this is an improvement, What I most want to see is the BBC News Multiscreen service on Freesat. It is provided by the BBC and the BBC plays a big part in Freesat, So why is this only available on a $ky box?.
Someone please correct me if I have missed something here.
bigalQuote
January 30th, 2011 at 5:59 pm
@ Antony – nice to see someone else here who has a Sony Freesat TV! Can confirm Manics gig is on the red button and my TV is connected with LAN. Not sure what your issue is there, very odd
neilQuote
January 30th, 2011 at 7:43 pm
It’s now working on my Humax HD box, which is also connected to the Internet.
Gordon S ValentineQuote
January 30th, 2011 at 10:42 pm
now working on my sony also
AntonyQuote
January 31st, 2011 at 8:00 am
Here’s an interesting one, had a look on a Sky STB for curiosity at a mates house last night, the Red Button menu on there is different again and apart from the extra News Multiscreen option there’s no Sport Multiscreen shortcut or neither a link on the first or index page (199) for either the Manics gig or Episodes! So the plot thickens and it seems the ‘connected’ and non connected Freesat menus, Freeview and Sky services all get differing Red Button menus!!
I’ll check my TV again this eve when I’m home but as others report it’s looking likely that the BBC have now sorted this issue out.
NeilQuote
January 31st, 2011 at 9:11 am
When was the ITVplayer launched in beta. Last night went to the Freesat info, pressed green,green, blue, green green then the red button, went straight into the ITVplayer beta including ITV 2,3 & 4, watched a couple of programs. Look for previous posts on here about the launch, can’t see any, or did I miss something here.
monkeymaniacQuote
January 31st, 2011 at 9:45 am
@25 Was posted on Jan 3rd so yes you missed it.
http://www.joinfreesat.co.uk/index.php/itv-player-beta-code-released
Richard CrichtonQuote
January 31st, 2011 at 10:29 am
@26 Thanks for that, thought I must have missed it some where along the line.
monkeymaniacQuote
January 31st, 2011 at 4:18 pm
hi if any one out there has a panosonic blueray dvd twintuner pvr just a quick up date.
bbci player will be alv from 14 feb 2011 as a update via internet if your pvr is connected via e/net cable or from panosonic website.
this will allow you to use bbc iplayer via red button.
hope this of use .
regards tim automan.
timQuote
January 31st, 2011 at 4:24 pm
@tim
See our post from a few days ago, http://www.joinfreesat.co.uk/index.php/panasonic-offer-tentative-release-date-for-iplayer
adminQuote
January 31st, 2011 at 11:35 pm
Ronald Bullen of BBC interactive has replied to postings on his blog in relation to the News Multiscreen options. Unfortunately it’s not looking as if it’s going to happen in the near future but sounds like it’s on the cards for a later stage:
“News Multiscreen: This is something we would like to add to the BBC Freesat offering, however at the moment, the wider team are focused on other projects and a release is not planned in the near future. Feedback is of course welcome and I will pass everything on to see if this will be included in any future planning.”
NeilQuote
February 1st, 2011 at 10:07 am
Accessed iPlayer via the red button from BBC1 to watch The Reaper but found that instead of getting The Reaper subtitles I continued to get live subtitles from BBC1. Any ideas why this should be and does anyone know if subtitles are available on iPlayer viewings?.
Maurice WQuote
February 5th, 2011 at 12:38 pm
Anyone experiencing red button unavailability over the last few days, I’ve had one successful attempt to get to the menu on channel 200 but the Red Button banner is not coming up on most BBC channels except strangely can get on 901 but no internet access still?
Stephen BamforthQuote
February 5th, 2011 at 6:36 pm
Hi, if I press the red button on my Humax without the LAN cable, I am seeing nothing different on the red button nor any new clips? Am I doing something wrong?
Kyle RQuote
July 15th, 2012 at 10:54 am
I still don’t see why no full Red button service is available, particularly as Freesat is jointly owned by the BBC and they are able to do it for SKY, why not us? This service was set up so people like me in Spain and the rest of Europe could watch British TV legally. As far as I am concerned they are likely to loose customers back to SKY which I have just changed from so we can get a full service but illegally! Crazy when you consider how much they spend on World Service in a multitude of languages paid for by the licence payers of which I was one up until 2 years ago
PHIL HOLMANQuote
July 15th, 2012 at 10:58 am
Huh? Freesat wasn’t launched so you can get UK television legally, you are still outside the broadcast area so are in theory accessing in the same way as Sky, i.e. illegally. Red button works fine on Freesat.
adminQuote