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Old 03-05-2011, 23:28
Ray Cathode
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If you look at ESPN, I think the encryption flag is absent. It works both ways!
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Old 04-05-2011, 10:51
Greebo
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the mux operators are 'in control'. But the platform configurations (including any changes) are handled centrally by a single entity. Any change requests are done through them.
Another script is hacked together, so I should get an alert shortly after they change the value. We shall see if/how quickly they respond.
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Old 04-05-2011, 12:39
Greebo
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They've fixed it about half an hour ago. Dion box now finds the channel ok. Quite funny really, debugging a broadcast TV channel using a £40 hauppauge nova-t card and a free copy of ubuntu
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Old 04-05-2011, 16:30
marria01
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I remember speaking to an Arqiva transmission engineer who said that nowadays the two most used items in his tool kit are a laptop and a USB lead.
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Old 16-05-2011, 16:07
Greebo
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They were running 16QAM until yesterday [28th April], I understand they're doing coverage tests on QPSK over the weekend with a view to moving over to it (and getting the necessary changes made to the NIT) until they can make the necessary improvements to the aerials, then they'll probably go back to 16QAM.
It is still running QPSK 1/2 1/2 over two weeks on from the previous change, however the NIT as broadcast both on BBCA and the local mux still hasn't been updated to reflect this. I guess they've either forgotten to update it, or have good reasons for leaving the NIT set at QAM16 3/4 1/2.
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Old 16-05-2011, 20:46
a516
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Noticed how far behind Digital Spy is with the story?

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/digitalt...al-agreed.html
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Old 16-05-2011, 21:00
Greebo
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Noticed how far behind Digital Spy is with the story?
I like the way the start date is stated as a week later than it really was (May 10th cf. May 3rd) - a hint that someone is slightly embarrassed!
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Old 16-05-2011, 21:29
Ray Cathode
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That was because Canis Media announced it launched on 10/5/11, one week after it actually did. DS copied their press release.
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Old 16-05-2011, 21:31
a516
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That was because Canis Media announced it launched on 10/5/11, one week after it actually did. DS copied their press release.
DS should consult us for news stories!
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Old 17-05-2011, 10:42
marria01
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It is still running QPSK 1/2 1/2 over two weeks on from the previous change, however the NIT as broadcast both on BBCA and the local mux still hasn't been updated to reflect this. I guess they've either forgotten to update it, or have good reasons for leaving the NIT set at QAM16 3/4 1/2.
It takes several weeks to submit a change.
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Old 17-05-2011, 10:42
marria01
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I like the way the start date is stated as a week later than it really was (May 10th cf. May 3rd) - a hint that someone is slightly embarrassed!
Given the SI went live on the 3rd, I'd take that as the 'offical' launch date.
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Old 17-05-2011, 17:38
omnidirectional
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Adverts for Movies4Men channel 201 are now running on GMG's North West radio stations, heard one on Real Radio about 10 minutes ago.
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Old 22-05-2011, 19:28
Prestonian
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Adverts for Movies4Men channel 201 are now running on GMG's North West radio stations, heard one on Real Radio about 10 minutes ago.
Anyone managed to pick up ch. 201 in the Preston area?
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Old 22-05-2011, 21:05
radioredcat
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Well thats a funny one because the other day i was playing about with my HD box and as it was tuned to winter hill i tried the HD mux from the wrekin.

I didn't delete winter hill i just tuned uhf channel 30 but after i had done that movies 4 men appeared on 201 in the list but just a blank screen.

I did a factory reset and retuned to winter hill and it was gone so i don't whats going on yet.

Andy
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Old 22-05-2011, 21:11
Ray Cathode
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Well thats a funny one because the other day i was playing about with my HD box and as it was tuned to winter hill i tried the HD mux from the wrekin.

I didn't delete winter hill i just tuned uhf channel 30 but after i had done that movies 4 men appeared on 201 in the list but just a blank screen.

I did a factory reset and retuned to winter hill and it was gone so i don't whats going on yet.

Andy
Channel M's mux is on UHF57 the same frequency as The Wrekin Mux D. It's probably in the Winter Hill network but not The Wrekin network.
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Old 22-05-2011, 21:12
Muzer
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The Manchester local multiplex is broadcast at lower power than the other multiplexes from Winter Hill (only), so it's possible that if you're not in a strong signal area, you won't get the local multiplex (with 200 Channel M and 201 Movies4Men). I can't explain why it only appeared when you tried to tune Wrekin, though.
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Old 22-05-2011, 21:33
radioredcat
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I did receive channel m once for a day when they were working on the mast and they accidentally moved the aerial but it was gone later that night.

As to why i received when tuning the wrekin is a mystery to me as well but i will investigate it and let you know it was received on a Technika STBHDIS2010 Freeview HD Set Top Box.

Andy
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Old 23-05-2011, 11:21
radioredcat
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I tried repeating tuning UHF CH 30 from the wrekin but no sign of movies 4 men this time.

I next retuned back to winter hill and i checked the signal on UHF CH 57 and i am getting a fluctuating signal and quality so i could be just on the edge of the ch M's mux.

The winter hill aerial can't see the wrekin but also there's a Llandonna mux on that channel but i don't think that will be the signal i am seeing.

I have noticed when auto tuning on the HD box that it list's UHF CH 57 so maybe the channel M signal was just strong enough to tune the mux on that day.


Andy
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Old 23-05-2011, 19:21
Colin_London
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Staying in a hotel near ManchesterAirport for a few days this week on business. Just tried retuning the hotels Freeview room TV for them and Channel M & Movies for Men have popped up

Considering there are only 2 channels on the mux the PQ of Channel M is fairly poor with blockiness on fast movement indicating a low bitrate is being used.

Still Movies 4 Men is a welcome addition for boring evenings stuck in a hotel.
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Old 23-05-2011, 19:30
Muzer
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That's probably because they use QPSK. QPSK is even more robust than QAM16, so even a very weak signal should be viewable, but the trade-off is that even less bandwidth is available.
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Old 23-05-2011, 21:04
marria01
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Considering there are only 2 channels on the mux the PQ of Channel M is fairly poor with blockiness on fast movement indicating a low bitrate is being used.
The mux only has a usable payload of just over 6 MBit/s, of which you lose approx. 1 MBit on SI. Given Movies4Men has the same terrestrial bit rate as the satellite service, it would appear they're just remuxing as opposed to re-encoding (which, IMHO is the best practice for a situation like this). This leaves you with less than 2 MBit/s for Channel M. Given M4M is probably generating income, I'd say they're making the right choice.
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Old 24-05-2011, 17:57
The Turk
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Noticed how far behind Digital Spy is with the story?

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/digitalt...al-agreed.html
The bottom of that article concerns me though. It says its been reported this month the CH6 plan could be delayed or even scrapped and infuriatingly it doesn't say why. I don't even remember seeing any previous reports about this. Does anyone know any more about this?
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Old 24-05-2011, 18:04
Marti S
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The bottom of that article concerns me though. It says its been reported this month the CH6 plan could be delayed or even scrapped and infuriatingly it doesn't say why. I don't even remember seeing any previous reports about this. Does anyone know any more about this?
I have found an article here http://channel6uk.blogspot.com/2011/...n-for-new.html
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Old 24-05-2011, 19:33
The Turk
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Thanks for the article. Very interesting. Actually, the concern by the local operators is justified in my view. By having local tv channels affiliated US style to a national network risks over time morphing into just another national tv channel with local programmes reduced again and again as happened with ITV. When I lived in Italy, I noticed their local tv channels didn't seem to be affiliated to any national tv network. I saw the local tv channel's DOG on a corner of the screen but never any network logo. There were network programmes but the local tv channels didn't seem to need any national tv network to supply them with the programming.

IMO rather than copying the US system which leaves local tv channels having to give up most of their primetime schedule to national tv networks we should be looking to countries like Italy and Spain where the local tv channels are free to broadcast seperately from the national channels and are free to air as much local programming as they wish and make their own choice as to what network programme to buy to fill the rest of the schedule and free to choose when they broadcast it. That's the local tv model the UK should be following in my view.
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Old 25-05-2011, 12:44
omnidirectional
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I noticed quite a few people have posted reception problems on http://www.ukfree.tv/showchannel.php?id=MVS4MN

Incidentally the site's author keeps calling it the 'MEN' Mux. It should be GMG of course, since Channel M was retained by GMG when MEN Media was sold to the Mirror Group last year, severing ties between Channel M and the Manchester Evening News.
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