VuTV: New premium pay TV service on Freeview HD channel 238

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  • StrathclydeStrathclyde Posts: 2,888
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    (Copied from an earlier posting in the changelog - A competitive variant approach to VuTV. The RT Doc channel is FTA)


    Without fanfare, RT Doc (RTД) has launched via a red-button accessible IPTV delivered 24/7 channel , attached to RT (Russia Today) on Freeview 85.

    RT Doc shows documentaries and features, mostly from the parent RT English Language news channel.... tho some maybe are only on RT Doc. It has its own website . The channel has been broadcast on satellite (Hotbird) but not so far to UK viewers.

    Interesting is its delivery via Red Button attachment to the parent RT channel. It uses Arqiva's "Connect TV" proposition.

    Only viewers with the right equipment (= DTG D-Book 6.2.1 compliant with MHEG connectivity), and who have connected their broadband to the TV set or the (HD) Set-top box will be able to get the channel. And you only get the Red Button prompt on the RT screen if you have compliant equipment.

    Switching into the channel seems fast, and the stream seems reliable (though of course, that depends on your broadband). Quality is pretty well as good as a standard Freeview SD channel. Now/next and programme synopses are accessible via the TV remote.
  • 1andrew11andrew1 Posts: 4,088
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    a516 wrote: »
    It is unlikely to be made available on YouView receivers, despite these being Freeview HD devices: understandably BT and TalkTalk will want you to go to them for such extra channels.
    The other side of the coin is that Connect TV is a service from Arqiva which owns a stake in YouView. Therefore, Arqiva would be keen for YouView receivers to have such channels. My understanding is it was a software not commercial matter which was preventing the Connect TV channels from working on YouView equipment; time will tell.
  • Everything GoesEverything Goes Posts: 12,972
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    (Copied from an earlier posting in the changelog - A competitive variant approach to VuTV. The RT Doc channel is FTA)


    Without fanfare, RT Doc (RTД) has launched via a red-button accessible IPTV delivered 24/7 channel , attached to RT (Russia Today) on Freeview 85.

    RT Doc shows documentaries and features, mostly from the parent RT English Language news channel.... tho some maybe are only on RT Doc. It has its own website . The channel has been broadcast on satellite (Hotbird) but not so far to UK viewers.

    Interesting is its delivery via Red Button attachment to the parent RT channel. It uses Arqiva's "Connect TV" proposition.

    Only viewers with the right equipment (= DTG D-Book 6.2.1 compliant with MHEG connectivity), and who have connected their broadband to the TV set or the (HD) Set-top box will be able to get the channel. And you only get the Red Button prompt on the RT screen if you have compliant equipment.

    Switching into the channel seems fast, and the stream seems reliable (though of course, that depends on your broadband). Quality is pretty well as good as a standard Freeview SD channel. Now/next and programme synopses are accessible via the TV remote.


    PMSL :D

    Ok here goes my Humax HD Fox T2 shows the Red Button prompt

    Please wait loading stream

    Then says

    Unable to connect to stream

    My Panasonic TX-L39EM5B shows no Red button prompt and does nothing when you press it!

    Connect, 4 Music, The Space, RT, and likely VuTV are a disaster. So much for standards :mad:
  • linkinpark875linkinpark875 Posts: 29,686
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    So is it just HD channels over a broadband service?

    Nothing great here a small niche market. Any pay tv HD won't make a proper foothold on the platform until they get some LCN's on this space where they expect about 10 HD channels to launch?
  • NightdeamonNightdeamon Posts: 3,806
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    So is it just HD channels over a broadband service?

    Nothing great here a small niche market. Any pay tv HD won't make a proper foothold on the platform until they get some LCN's on this space where they expect about 10 HD channels to launch?

    I don't think it I'll be HD:mad: Besides my LG HR600 seems to have a fit when it tries to do anything with the MHEG-IC services, sure it i'll load but it ends up power cycling itself eventually.

    hardly premium, their mid-tier mostly basic pay TV channels.
  • barbelerbarbeler Posts: 23,827
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    I wondered what that channel was. Now I know that it's yet another one to hide from my channel list.
  • chrisychrisy Posts: 9,418
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    Your YouView box might work with it

    It won't, although I'd certainly suggest waiting for the compatibility list to appear before buying anything specifically for this service.

    And just to cover myself: except in the very unlikely event that a firmware update will add MHEG-IC streaming. Even with Arqiva's Connect TV using the same technology and Arqiva being a shareholder in YouView, the prospect of competing subscription services appearing via the back door will be enough to prevent this from being added for a long time.
  • noise747noise747 Posts: 30,691
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    Price will be everything. Can't help but think that Netflix's £6/month for a lot of on-demand films and TV will be hard for TUTV-style operations to compete with.

    Yep, that is the problem. TBH, i don't think there is that much to get excited about, the channels don't look that great and if they charge more than a tenner, it will fail. The right price would be around a fiver, but I doubt they will do that.
  • StrathclydeStrathclyde Posts: 2,888
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    PMSL :D

    Ok here goes my Humax HD Fox T2 shows the Red Button prompt

    Please wait loading stream

    Then says

    Unable to connect to stream

    My Panasonic TX-L39EM5B shows no Red button prompt and does nothing when you press it!

    Connect, 4 Music, The Space, RT, and likely VuTV are a disaster. So much for standards :mad:

    I agree that it is very much a standards issue... but it's more than just being about technical standards. The various parties throughout the value chain are all trying to achieve some sort of exclusivity, and are often abusing technical standards, at the expense of the viewer.

    That said, I don't think that either your Panasonic TV or the Humax box are properly MHEG-IC conformant. The standard was only published in 2010 and devices were rushed into the market, almost certainly with inadequate conformance testing. I wouldn't be confident that anything manufactured before 2012 conforms with the current standards - and that's assuming that the Apps being released to provide new services do themselves conform.

    Sadly, it's a nightmare for consumers (and everyone else), since there's little proper help or guidance available from retailers, who only want to show you the great things that a particular manufacturer can do....and glaze over if you want to know cross-compatibility with other services.
  • Everything GoesEverything Goes Posts: 12,972
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    I agree that it is very much a standards issue... but it's more than just being about technical standards. The various parties throughout the value chain are all trying to achieve some sort of exclusivity, and are often abusing technical standards, at the expense of the viewer.

    That said, I don't think that either your Panasonic TV or the Humax box are properly MHEG-IC conformant. The standard was only published in 2010 and devices were rushed into the market, almost certainly with inadequate conformance testing. I wouldn't be confident that anything manufactured before 2012 conforms with the current standards - and that's assuming that the Apps being released to provide new services do themselves conform.

    Sadly, it's a nightmare for consumers (and everyone else), since there's little proper help or guidance available from retailers, who only want to show you the great things that a particular manufacturer can do....and glaze over if you want to know cross-compatibility with other services.

    My Panasonic TV was first released in 2012 so it pretty new. The manual even states "Notice for DVB / DATA broadcasting. This TV is designed to meet the standards (as of August 2011) of digital services."

    So really I would expect it to work. Like you said this is a problem for consumers as no one will know if it works till they get it home and plug it in. Otherwise visiting forums like this would reveal answers.

    Sadly DTT is a shambles.
  • technologisttechnologist Posts: 13,334
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    My Panasonic TV was first released in 2012 so it pretty new. The manual even states "Notice for DVB / DATA broadcasting. This TV is designed to meet the standards (as of August 2011) of digital services."

    So really I would expect it to work. Like you said this is a problem for consumers as no one will know if it works till they get it home and plug it in. Otherwise visiting forums like this would reveal answers.

    Sadly DTT is a shambles.

    the issue is that the CE manufacturers add features which are totally un supported by anyone ..
    (and in your example it covered BROADCAST data services - not anything like MHEG-IC)

    whilst the wider industries though bodies like UK DTG set specicfications for interoperabilty
    and then in the UK at least Freeview and BIS only license their Branding for boxes / TV which are Tested
    to be compliant ... which actaulally is one thing that makes it all work well.

    So this service is availeable to any Freeview HD box or TV....
    no matter who makes it!!
    No shambles - just a touch of Caveat emptor .
  • Everything GoesEverything Goes Posts: 12,972
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    the issue is that the CE manufacturers add features which are totally un supported by anyone ..
    (and in your example it covered BROADCAST data services - not anything like MHEG-IC)

    whilst the wider industries though bodies like UK DTG set specicfications for interoperabilty
    and then in the UK at least Freeview and BIS only license their Branding for boxes / TV which are Tested
    to be compliant ... which actaulally is one thing that makes it all work well.

    So this service is availeable to any Freeview HD box or TV....
    no matter who makes it!!
    No shambles - just a touch of Caveat emptor .

    Let the buyer beware is not a good way to get consumer confidence. My Panasonic TV and Humax STB are Freeview HD compliant. Which means some stuff may work but satisfaction is not guaranteed!

    This is no way to run a platform which can be best described as guesswork. Otherwise consumers will have to wade through technical specs if available in the hope that it might work.

    Like I said its a shambles.
  • MarkynottsMarkynotts Posts: 5,255
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    PMSL :D

    Ok here goes my Humax HD Fox T2 shows the Red Button prompt

    Please wait loading stream

    Then says

    Unable to connect to stream

    My Panasonic TX-L39EM5B shows no Red button prompt and does nothing when you press it!

    Connect, 4 Music, The Space, RT, and likely VuTV are a disaster. So much for standards :mad:

    The additional music channels, and the connect channels all work flawlessly on my Panny which I purchased last year. I think the only channel it stalls with is The God Channel but it does kick in about 20 seconds after sitting there.

    I then find myself getting angry at the channel and moving on. Something about all the american god speak that just gets pushes me to shouting at them.

    I will have a look at the RT stuff tonight when I get home.
  • technologisttechnologist Posts: 13,334
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    Let the buyer beware is not a good way to get consumer confidence. My Panasonic TV and Humax STB are Freeview HD compliant. Which means some stuff may work but satisfaction is not guaranteed!

    This is no way to run a platform which can be best described as guesswork. Otherwise consumers will have to wade through technical specs if available in the hope that it might work.

    Like I said its a shambles.

    Who runs the UK DTT Platform ????

    the answer actually is no one - as it is a horizontal market -

    BUT if you buy equipment which says Freeview - BIS (i.e the government) has acknowledged that it meets standards
    - viz the D book which binds the Broadcasters/ emitters as much as the CE industry.

    So if you buy a Freeview or Freeview HD equipment you know it will work....

    This is infinitely better than we had with analogue TV !!!!!


    I have pointed out that the CE industry does produce highly proprietary things
    which they may not support or support after a year or so ... but these are NOT D book Features


    The broadcasters on the whole are kept under control by their Technical mux operator and DigitalUK/ DMOL ....
    and many Broadcasters have their own farms of decoders to give an off line way of checking likely errors
    - and much stream analysis before anything goes on air.

    Some MHEG-IC suppliers have not been as good as the broadcasters are ...
    and IP system are a lot less deterministic than DVB systems!
  • Everything GoesEverything Goes Posts: 12,972
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    To find out if your TV or STB is compatible....

    Go to channel 790 and press Red Green Yellow and Blue.
  • BangersBangers Posts: 3,624
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    There's someone who received a beta tester email that said not to mention it on DigitalSpy!! ^^^
  • scruffpotscruffpot Posts: 4,570
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    with turner involved will this be a chance of some adultswim getting to our shores?
  • Darcy72Darcy72 Posts: 177
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    To find out if your TV or STB is compatible....

    Go to channel 790 and press Red Green Yellow and Blue.

    My Sony EX55 is not compatible - as it's currently a beta test lets hope it will roll out to all major manufacturers.
  • Rossby41Rossby41 Posts: 955
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    Bangers wrote: »
    There's someone who received a beta tester email that said not to mention it on DigitalSpy!! ^^^

    Correct
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 14
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    would recommend looking at the web site and the FAQ's, Not available in HD, subscripotion limited to each box, cant record, not available on youview boxes, unlimited broadband package recommended amongst other FAQ's
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 19
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    The channel info on the tv guide has been changed to "coming November" although the on screen glyph remains unchanged.
  • poppasmurfpoppasmurf Posts: 1,781
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    To find out if your TV or STB is compatible....

    Go to channel 790 and press Red Green Yellow and Blue.

    Did that with my nine month old LG Plasma 3D Smart TV which has Freeview HD, and it says it's not compatible. So my TV's not too smart then!
  • BangersBangers Posts: 3,624
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    It's unusual that they are not supporting LG, because the LG Smart TVs ARE compatible with the other IPTV services.

    Given that NOW TV is available on the LG Smart TVs, I expect VuTV to broaden their compatibility in the fullness of time.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 674
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    Having read a few posts here, it has left me wondering, is it taboo/forbidden to chat about VuTV? My TV isn't compatible, but a neighbour has it on free trial and I spent a few hours with it. Happy to give a personal assessment if it's allowed.
  • BangersBangers Posts: 3,624
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    It's only forbidden for the person testing it. YOU didn't sign-up to any agreement with VuTV did you, so what can they do?
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