[OnMacca]

According to the broadcast website, OnRequest might go to let Channel 5 launch their services:

"ONdigital is under pressure to increase its capacity for channels as the future of its pay-per-view joint-venture film service, ONrequest, comes under scrutiny, writes Simon Ellery.

ONdigital - jointly owned by Carlton Communications and Granada Media - has yet to confirm whether a deal with Channel 5, whereby On Digital leases the multiplex space it needs to operate ONrequest, will continue beyond next year.

ONrequest, a joint-venture launched last spring between ONdigital and multiplex operator SDN, operates on one of the digital multiplexes awarded by the Independent Television Commission in 1998. The multiplex was initially awarded to SDN and C5. ONrequest leases half of the space it takes on the multiplex from C5 through SDN. The other half of ONrequest's capacity is provided by SDN directly.

However, C5 is thought to be considering taking back the spectrum it rents to ONrequest to launch its own digital services, including a rival to BSkyB interactive service Open... Back in 1998, C5 agreed to a five-year deal to lease its space to ONdigital through SDN. A C5 spokesman said: 'It is an ongoing contract but we are constantly reviewing the way the capacity is used.'

But SDN managing director Emyr Byron Hughes said a clause in the contract would allow C5 to claw back the space early next year. Hughes said: 'ONrequest may lose some capacity but not enough for it to be a problem.'

ONdigital is known to have problems with limited capacity available to broadcast existing services, such as the ITN News Channel, which is supposed to air 24 hours a day but which only operates between 05.30 and 09.00 on ONdigital. The digital terrestrial broadcaster is also considering launching new services such as a sports channel.

ONdigital chief executive Stuart Prebble was unavailable for comment but a spokesman said he did not anticipate problems and insisted 'we are providing a good service'.

However, a submission to the government before last year's white paper drew attention to the spectrum problem. The ITV submission said: 'ONdigital's multiplexes need improved coverage... there is insufficient bit rate to provide attractive text and interactive services.'

Hughes said the multiplex could be 're-jigged' to create more space as compression technologies improve".

[Sloppy Seconds]

Originally posted by OnMacca
According to the broadcast website, OnRequest might go to let Channel 5 launch their services

I'd be quite happy to see ONrequest go if it was replaced by some decent channels. But if the alternative is a channel 5 version of open or a Channel5 Film channel that they were talking about last year then, well, both options are shite.

[Bismark71]

This is an example of a journalist trying to stir up a non event. OnRequest have an agreement to lease space on the SDN mux until 2005 (if I recall correctly). The mux is not owned by Channel 5, the ITC allowed 5 to broadcast on it. The mux is owned by SDN, who have a stake in OnRequest.

B71

[richardadc]

Originally posted by Bismark71
This is an example of a journalist trying to stir up a non event. OnRequest have an agreement to lease space on the SDN mux until 2005 (if I recall correctly). The mux is not owned by Channel 5, the ITC allowed 5 to broadcast on it. The mux is owned by SDN, who have a stake in OnRequest.

B71

But SDN managing director Emyr Byron Hughes said a clause in the contract would allow C5 to claw back the space early next year. Hughes said: 'ONrequest may lose some capacity but not enough for it to be a problem.'



C5 agreed to a five-year deal to lease its space to ONdigital through SDN

That just proves what you said wrong.

[Bismark71]

Originally posted by richardadc

C5 agreed to a five-year deal to lease its space to ONdigital through SDN

That just proves what you said wrong.

Actually, no it doesn't. Channel 5 was granted its space by the ITC, as part of the agreement selling the mux to SDN. 5 didn't need all that space for just one channel, so SDN leased the space 5 wasn't using to Ondigital (via OnRequest) and the BBC (Knowledge with Text). Channel 5 had no real say in this matter, other than a yes or no.

B71

[Sloppy Seconds]

Originally posted by Bismark71
Actually, no it doesn't.[/b]

So why did Emyr say:

SDN managing director Emyr Byron Hughes said a clause in the contract would allow C5 to claw back the space early next year. Hughes said: 'ONrequest may lose some capacity but not enough for it to be a problem.'

???

[arius]

Originally posted by Sloppy Seconds

So why did Emyr say:

SDN managing director Emyr Byron Hughes said a clause in the contract would allow C5 to claw back the space early next year. Hughes said: 'ONrequest may lose some capacity but not enough for it to be a problem.'

??? [/b]

Because ONrequest 5 shares with BBC Knowledge - which is part of Channel 5's "space".
That is the only part of ONrequest that would be lost.

[RichardG_UK]

OnRequest gone for some new decent channels, yes please.
OnRequest gone for some text based information, no thankyou.

[qandrew777]

Originally Posted by Bismark71

OnRequest have an agreement to lease space on the SDN mux until 2005

I find it extremely hard to believe that at the time this thread was originally started, nobody here knew that OnDigital would since be renamed to ITV Digital, then go bust well before 2005!

Anyways, I am a bit puzzled as to how exactly did OnRequest work? From what I understand, it was a bit like an "On Demand" style service, but if somebody here could clarify exactly how it worked, that would be much appreciated!

[AngusMast]

There were 4 full time streams, with a fifth operating at weekends when BBC Knowledge was off air (Channels 51-55). There was also a barker channel with a text service and a quarter-screen preview. (Channel 50)

If you went to one of the movie channels you could watch 2 minutes of each film while it was being broadcast before your box blocked it. You had to connect the box to a phone line to order a film. You pressed Guide and a built in application dealt with the ordering process.

There were also 'Adult' PPV channels introduced after a while, which meant the normal movie channels closed down early

[trilobite]

I seem to remember that I ordered Tea with Mussolini via Onrequest.

I rather liked the concept of the service, and also the other Ondigital channels, like Carlton Cinema, Granada Plus and the UK Gold, etc. collection of channels.

[Bangers]

Originally Posted by AngusMast

There were 4 full time streams, with a fifth operating at weekends when BBC Knowledge was off air (Channels 51-55). There was also a barker channel with a text service and a quarter-screen preview. (Channel 50)

If you went to one of the movie channels you could watch 2 minutes of each film while it was being broadcast before your box blocked it. You had to connect the box to a phone line to order a film. You pressed Guide and a built in application dealt with the ordering process.

There were also 'Adult' PPV channels introduced after a while, which meant the normal movie channels closed down early

Further to this... ONrequest 5, the part-time service, did eventually become a full time service when BBC Knowledge migrated from the SDN mux to mux A.

Ordering by telephone was also possible, the on-screen ordering guide gave instructions for online and telephone ordering as applicable.

Before U>Direct went bust, ONrequest also broadcast sporting events they held the rights to.

ONrequest itself started off with a service called ONrequestADULT. When ITV Digital came along, ONrequest was renamed ITV Select and the adult PPV was renammed For Adults Only, by which time three of them were running when ITV Digital closed.

[AngusMast]

You're right BBC Knowledge relaunched as a 24 hour channel from 17 November 2001, a transitional phase before BBC Four launched on 2 March 2002.