Welcome to joinfreesat.co.uk, the unofficial Freesat news site

FreesatFind out the very latest information on the new Freesat satellite television service, available throughout the UK. This site includes all the latest news, reviews and product details, plus where to buy online at the best price.

Freesat is a UK digital satellite TV service from the BBC/ITV, launched in May 2008. Freesat has no monthly subscription, just a one-off payment for the digital box, satellite dish and installation. It even come with subscription-free, high-definition TV programmes. Because Freesat is broadcast via satellite, it’s available to almost every household in the UK.

Jul 02 2009

The Bill In HD...When ITV Remember That Is

Following the announcement that The Bill would be in stunning high-definition on the ITV HD service, ITV seem to have failed in the first week with this evenings episode not flagging the red button prompt required to access the HD feed.

Yesterdays episode (the first part of two) was available with an improved picture over what many have been use to from this long running drama, but alas, the success was short lived.

At least if ITV HD was run as a separate channel like C4 HD (not yet available on Freesat) fans could have enjoyed an up-scaled version rather than just standard-definition.

ITV blame a technical error;

Unfortunately, last night’s episode of ‘The Bill’ did not broadcast in HD as advertised due to a technical problem at ITV. ITV are looking into the matter and apologise for any disappointment caused.

Freesat themselves must be bitterly disappointed following additional promotion carried out in the last few weeks.


Mar 25 2009

BBC have today added the Interactive service on their high definition channel (BBC HD channel 108).

Accessed via the red button, this service should allow for more features such as multi-screen of major HD events, plus text, information and much more.

As soon as we have confirmed uses for this service, we’ll let you know. Maybe Wimbledon multi-screen court action in HD?


Sep 30 2008

Thanks to AndrewM for the link to this interesting article, discussing in detail how the red button service on Freesat was developed, and also briefly mentioning the upcoming launch of “Freesat Radio, due to launch in the coming weeks, to give our digital radio stations a pretty face.”

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/bbcilabs/2008/09/freesat_fitnesse.html