It's time to take Radio of TV EPG.
tvmad-alan
Posts: 1,996 Forum Member
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I feel with the last week channel move around that as just pushed the real trouble of the Freeview now growing need for space for TV, Internet TV, Red button TV services that Radio should go to DAB transmitters services to allow that to grow it self.
I have always said that the idea of radio using a TV or TV with a box is not green with the power needed, but I also feel that it was space that could be best used for TV.
Yes we know that they had that space due to the way digital muxes were set up at the start, but know we are digital and use of space can be better used and filled.
1) Space could go to the TV streams to help with picture and sound data.
2) Space could go to give better data on text systems, so we get better information like news or bring images on text systems news etc.
3) Space could go to EPG data for TV show data, so we get to read more about our shows.
4) The EPG space could then be given to give a better TV system which is still a mess even after so many changes from 1998.
This how I see the best EPG for TV viewers .....
I feel sister and +1 channels should be next to each other, also HD should be mixed with SD into right area of the EPG.
I also feel that all channels which sell space to other TV channels should take another EPG slot in the right area so betting is taken away from lower EPG numbers, so the so Channel 3 ( ITV ) and Channel 5 will just have a text image up at night telling customers to go to the channel number.
I would also say that about News on BBC1 & 2 should be blocked to as we have digital network were BBC has BBC news channels in SD & HD. BBC can have text or public films like they use to have.
1 BBC 1 SD
2 BBC 2 SD
3 ITV 1 SD
4 CH 4 SD
5 CH 5 SD
6 BBC 1 HD
7 BBC 2 HD
8 ITV1 HD
9 CH 4 HD
10 CH 5 HD ( when it comes next six months )
11 Local TV Channels
12 BBC 3 SD
13 BBC 3 HD
14 ITV 2
15 ITV 2 +2
16 E4
17 E4 +1
18 5 USA
19 5 USA +1
20 BBC 4 SD
21 BBC 4 HD
22 ITV 3
23 ITV 3 +1
24 More 4
25 More 4 +1
26 5*
27
28 BBC 1 +1
29 ITV 1 +1
30 Ch 4 +1
31 Ch 5 +1
32 Dave
33 Dave ja vu
34 Pick TV
35 Drama
36 ITVBe
37 4seven
38 Ch 5 +24
39
40
50 to 99 Information channels like Yesterday, Quest, Really, Travel Channel,
100 to 150 Kids & Music Channels ( SD & HD)
151 to 199 Film Channels ( SD & HD )
200 to 250 News Channels ( SD & HD )
251 to 299 Sports Channels ( SD & HD )
300 to 399 ( internet TV EPG slots for Youview ) ( SD & HD)
400 to 499 ( internet TV EPG slots for Youview ) ( SD & HD)
500 to 599 ( internet TV EPG slots for Youview ) ( SD & HD)
600 to 699 ( Red button Internet TV Systems for boxes and TV with the software )
700 to 799 Betting, Shopping Channels ( SD & HD)
800 to 899 ( for mixed transmitter channels )
900 to 999 Adults channels ( SD & HD)
I have always said that the idea of radio using a TV or TV with a box is not green with the power needed, but I also feel that it was space that could be best used for TV.
Yes we know that they had that space due to the way digital muxes were set up at the start, but know we are digital and use of space can be better used and filled.
1) Space could go to the TV streams to help with picture and sound data.
2) Space could go to give better data on text systems, so we get better information like news or bring images on text systems news etc.
3) Space could go to EPG data for TV show data, so we get to read more about our shows.
4) The EPG space could then be given to give a better TV system which is still a mess even after so many changes from 1998.
This how I see the best EPG for TV viewers .....
I feel sister and +1 channels should be next to each other, also HD should be mixed with SD into right area of the EPG.
I also feel that all channels which sell space to other TV channels should take another EPG slot in the right area so betting is taken away from lower EPG numbers, so the so Channel 3 ( ITV ) and Channel 5 will just have a text image up at night telling customers to go to the channel number.
I would also say that about News on BBC1 & 2 should be blocked to as we have digital network were BBC has BBC news channels in SD & HD. BBC can have text or public films like they use to have.
1 BBC 1 SD
2 BBC 2 SD
3 ITV 1 SD
4 CH 4 SD
5 CH 5 SD
6 BBC 1 HD
7 BBC 2 HD
8 ITV1 HD
9 CH 4 HD
10 CH 5 HD ( when it comes next six months )
11 Local TV Channels
12 BBC 3 SD
13 BBC 3 HD
14 ITV 2
15 ITV 2 +2
16 E4
17 E4 +1
18 5 USA
19 5 USA +1
20 BBC 4 SD
21 BBC 4 HD
22 ITV 3
23 ITV 3 +1
24 More 4
25 More 4 +1
26 5*
27
28 BBC 1 +1
29 ITV 1 +1
30 Ch 4 +1
31 Ch 5 +1
32 Dave
33 Dave ja vu
34 Pick TV
35 Drama
36 ITVBe
37 4seven
38 Ch 5 +24
39
40
50 to 99 Information channels like Yesterday, Quest, Really, Travel Channel,
100 to 150 Kids & Music Channels ( SD & HD)
151 to 199 Film Channels ( SD & HD )
200 to 250 News Channels ( SD & HD )
251 to 299 Sports Channels ( SD & HD )
300 to 399 ( internet TV EPG slots for Youview ) ( SD & HD)
400 to 499 ( internet TV EPG slots for Youview ) ( SD & HD)
500 to 599 ( internet TV EPG slots for Youview ) ( SD & HD)
600 to 699 ( Red button Internet TV Systems for boxes and TV with the software )
700 to 799 Betting, Shopping Channels ( SD & HD)
800 to 899 ( for mixed transmitter channels )
900 to 999 Adults channels ( SD & HD)
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Comments
This why there is no real push for great digital radio network only ( DAB + ) as the radio stations are on Sky, Vrigin, Freeview, Freesat, Youview, Freetime and on some apps too.
If there was a real national push for Radio in Digital on a radio transmitters, they would be better data with each channel that would be shown on better colour LED screen on the radio boxes along with a record buttons that could go to a SD card or USB stick or Hard drive inside ....
You could get better live data on traffic, weathers, sports, news, music ......
but on TV space data is limited and the public loose out on what could be better sound and data on the music etc.....
I don't agree it's less green when using a box as the box will probably be on anyway - I don't have the TV on when listening to the radio via freesat or Freeview. Buying another box and getting another aerial and cabling fitted for DAB does not sound a very attractive alternative to just using my current box with PVR features.
If you want to make space I suggest getting rid of the useless +1 channels rather than the useful radio channels.
I disagree as well.
I use a spare freeview box (no tv connected) to listen to BBC 6 music on my hifi system.
The radio stations do not take up much space on the multiplexes anyway, due to the much lower data rates required.
I would like it expanded on Freeview. I listen to Gold and I'm okay as I have freesat but this is not available on Freeview so okay while I have satellite. It is also becoming unavailable on DAB so that is not an option.
More people have a Freeview aerial than a DAB aerial so a station on Freeview is likely to be more inclusive.
That's true of Classic FM as well, it would be good to see it added to Freeview, if only for pleasant background music when in hotel rooms etc.
Totally disagree.
As other posters have said - The ability to timeshift radio programmes easily is something that is very welcome. Also, the bitrate of BBC radio (in England and Wales at least) is much better than on DAB - with some services only available is stereo on Freeview.
Makes more sense to remove red button services and internet tv from Freeview. There must be a better way to deliver internet TV than to have multiple channels on Freeview as a gateway to these.
In any case Dab signal isn't good everywhere. I only get a signal downstairs by experimenting with the radio in different spots.
But re Freeview I was renting a cottage last week and found the Freeview EPG awful compared to my Freesat from Sky one.
I would also say that a freeview box would use more power then a DAB radio.
Yes DAB radio could be much better with more stations on less muxes with FM closed down and with more data per station, but there will be no real push if people get station on many TV platforms.
Does anyone know if there is difference between Freeview Sky/Freesat Virgin bit rate for radio stations and DAB ???
LCNs can only exist in the range of 1 - 799.
800s are reserved for duplicates and 900s for manufacturer purposes (e.g. analogue channels or there own interactive apps / video streams) - using those for liner channels will result in unpredictable results*
The bodging of internet delivered channels onto the EPG is a mess - they should have been shoved into a private NIT (like the Freesat list is at 28.2'E) with boxes which support them reading that NIT and displaying them as liner channels** with interactive apps*** as appropriate rather than cluttering up the lists of boxes with no EPG support. They could then put the channels in the main list e.g. Motors TV would be on 68****
* as illustrated by my Philips IDTV which uses the 300s for duplicates and had therefore decides that 301 needed to live on 305 and 302 on 303. :rolleyes:
** Heck a well thought out system would allow Pick to be on Channel 11 from the main transmitters where available, or failing that point to the alternate internet delivered stream. Ditto channels like Travel Channel which would use Freeview during broadcast hours in main areas falling back to internet at other times.
*** Interactive apps from all broadcasters would also have been in a private NIT and displayed in an "On Demand" section of supported boxes. Looking back at the first version of the Sky EPG it's not exactly hard to imagine how you could sensibly add stuff onto the original menus they had!
**** (for arguments sake) An explosion in channels from various shopping broadcasters, music channels etc would then give a real impetus into cleaning up the blasted EPG and shoving QVC where it belongs. Freeview working with Youview could allow a much more logical line up for all viewers.
In a word, no. They don't use up much multiplex capacity at all and they are a useful addition to Freeview. You can record radio programmes on a PVR, switch between radio and TV programmes plus they add music and sport variety to Freeview.
In that last capacity, the radio stations such as Five Live, Five Live Sports Extra and Talksport are particularly useful for sports content especially since the departure of Sky Sports News from Freeview back in 2010.
Totally agree with this. Radio is also slightly easier to record from on Freeview than on Sky.
People expect more, not less.
I agree with this. For many people in remote, rural or hilly areas, the radio stations provided by Freeview and Freesat will be greatly appreciated.
I'd rather see the shopping channels and soft porn channels go. That would free up a bit of extra bandwidth.