Loading ...May 21 2008
We asked Channel 4 recently when they expect C4HD would be available on Freesat. We informed them that we wanted an official response for publishing on the blog. This is what we got back:
Unfortunately, there are no plans for our HD service to go on to the freesat platform in the foreseeable future. As I am sure you can appreciate, we can’t comment on our contractual obligations with Sky but I am sure that when/if this service does become available via the freesat service we would make some announcement either on our website oron screen.
Certainly suggests that Channel 4 might have a long-term agreement with Sky, which in itself is shocking as Channel 4 have always been one of the more ‘clued up’ broadcasters.
May 21st, 2008 at 2:54 pm
I have no idea how these contracts work – Will this cover all HD Broadcasting from C4 ?? What is to stop them creating a new channel ‘C4HD2′ outwith their contractual obligations from $ky ?? Certainly Sky have always delighted in creating extra channels out of thin air to get subscribers paying for more.
GuyQuote
May 21st, 2008 at 3:01 pm
Not very good at all how could they be so stupid plus also heard fiver and five us are not coming anytime soon either.
garryQuote
May 21st, 2008 at 3:52 pm
Actually it might have been a shrewed move for channel 4. Sky has a 2 year head start with nearly 500000 hd viewers. It could take along time for Freesat to catch up especially with the very limited HD content on offer from Freesat. Sky is expected to have 30 HD channels by next year.
TrevorQuote
May 21st, 2008 at 6:13 pm
Maybe Channel 4 will find a way around this with Sky such as offering certain programs they’re not currently providing on Channles contracted to Sky in exchange for the right to air CH4 HD on Freesat.
AlQuote
May 21st, 2008 at 6:14 pm
l think this is bad news for freesat. only 1 hd channel at this time
NO itv hd yet
thats it.
sorry to say l think freesat will fail for hd channels.
sky is the best but you do have to pay for it.
libQuote
May 21st, 2008 at 6:43 pm
what a stich up by channel 4 and sky(C4 gets a cheap deal to get on sky.sky gets one up on freesat)and sky have the nerve to have a go at ITV HD for denying Sky hd customers
darnall42Quote
May 21st, 2008 at 10:06 pm
C4 could do an interactive function like ITV, and you just press the red button to get the HD version of the program. That way it should not cause a problem with the Sky contract.
Or ITV as part of the freesat club could refuse to launch ITVHD on Sky unless C4 was allowed to launch C4HD on freesat.
Lee BQuote
May 21st, 2008 at 10:26 pm
This makes it clearer why Freesat didn’t make a song and dance about the launch, they didn’t launch anything. Almost everything that is available on Freesat is available for free from fta boxes or even Sky.
Personally I think it was a bad move to launch so early. It got my hopes up and when they were dashed I went and got the pay once thing from sky. I wouldn’t be surprised if they have a relaunch event around november with everything that we all expected at the first launch. I’ll be waiting until then, actually I might have to because I’m not buying anything other than a DTR (are they the right letters this week?)
ColQuote
May 22nd, 2008 at 1:50 am
The problem is maybe that C4 HD is currently on the wide Astra 2A beam and there’s no space left on the narrow 2D beam at the moment. C4 would probably want their HD channel to have a proper Freesat channel number, i.e. to be a standard HD service receivable by all HD receivers rather than just being a red button service like ITV HD, but they couldn’t do that unless it was on Astra 2D otherwise the rights issues come into play. This is especially the case for HD as it is “premium” material and C4 may find studios causing them difficulties if they don’t take steps to limit wider reception.
Maybe if Sky can be encouraged to move some of their encrypted channels off of 2D (they don’t need to be there, they are encrypted so don’t need a narrow beam to restrict reception) then C4 HD maybe could move and go FTA. Sky may be acting tactically by holding 2D capacity to stop this happening, and so keep C4 HD only visible on their own hardware.
TimQuote
May 22nd, 2008 at 10:36 am
Shame, lost would have been awsome. I understand moving the channels about is more upto the satellite owners than the peaple renting space. So let’s hope they do a shuffle. But I’m sure sky pay a premium so it might not happen.
lukeQuote
May 22nd, 2008 at 7:33 pm
to be honest i think freesat is going in the right direction people are complaining that sky has more hd channels one you pay £200 for the hd box alone and then £50 a month so in the first month youve already paid more than freesat hd with installation and then its £50 a month there after its just such a rip off plus they have adverts aswell its because of this greed that i hate sky and will never sign up with them
ChrisQuote
May 22nd, 2008 at 11:09 pm
I think this is maybe a case of Freesat / BBC breaking the Cardinal rule – always know your audience.
I get the feeling that Freesat was conceived mainly as an SD service as the BBC didn’t think the time had yet arrived for HD, but its very much looking from the majority of feedback on here, from the this and the feedback thread, that most people want a full HD service and the time for HD has already arrived.
It looks as if the BBC badly misjudged its audience in terms of what they really wanted definition wise. Lets just hope this can now be addressed and a full HD service put in place ASAP.
Channel 4 HD is of course a seperate issue now contracts are in place.
AlQuote
May 23rd, 2008 at 7:42 am
The only edge that Freesat has over freeview or FreesatFromSky, is the HD content. 1080p tv’s are cheap now, blu-ray has won the hi-def war… Consumers want HDTV!
GordonQuote