[rapido]

Originally Posted by GPW

I remember the days when UK Gold was FTA on Sky and had a decent range of programs from the BBC & Thames tv.

Pretty sure it wasn't in the clear, I remember it being soft encrypted with Videocrypt.

-rapido

[Winston_1]

That's as good as clear as virtually everyone has a videocrypt decoder and a £25 card was not required.

[rapido]

Originally Posted by Winston_1

That's as good as clear as virtually everyone has a videocrypt decoder and a £25 card was not required.

In 1992 and 1993, "virtually everyone" didn't have a Videocrypt decoder.

And not to mention outside the UK and Ireland where they were extremely rare even upto 2001 when Videocrypt was last used.

-rapido

[GPW]

Originally Posted by rapido

Pretty sure it wasn't in the clear, I remember it being soft encrypted with Videocrypt.

-rapido

Maybe, but no subscription was required.

[lnp]

Originally Posted by rapido

In 1992 and 1993, "virtually everyone" didn't have a Videocrypt decoder.

And not to mention outside the UK and Ireland where they were extremely rare even upto 2001 when Videocrypt was last used.

-rapido

Videocrypt decoders were hardly difficult to obtain in the UK as they were bundled within satellite receivers sold from the main electrical retailers. Prices for analogue kit with the decoder inbuilt were around £100 in the mid 90s.

When Sky multichannels launched September 1993 it was pretty much impossible to do without a Videocrypt decoder as most of the major UK channels were encrypted at that point.

[rapido]

Originally Posted by lnp

Videocrypt decoders were hardly difficult to obtain in the UK as they were bundled within satellite receivers sold from the main electrical retailers.

I never said they were difficult to obtain, I said "virtually everyone" didn't have one, especially before the launch of Multichannels. This is 1992 and 1993 we are talking about.

True, those with Sky Sports or Movies will have had them, but most other people had no reason to shell out for one before UK Gold came about, and even then many people didn't bother (there was no indication that major FTA channels like Sky One or The Children's Channel would encrypt until a few months before it happened).

I would hardly say it was impossible to do without a Videocrypt decoder. The only encrypted channel I watched was Channel 5, the others required a card and subscription.

-rapido

[Antbox]

Originally Posted by rapido

I never said they were difficult to obtain, I said "virtually everyone" didn't have one, especially before the launch of Multichannels. This is 1992 and 1993 we are talking about.

Videocrypt decoders had been built into many satellite receivers (starting with the Amstrad SRX400 and continuing through the enormously successful Pace series) since late 1990. I think it's fair to say that they will have accounted for the vast majority of receivers sold for several years prior to the introduction of Multichannels. Even if you didn't want to pay for any channels, a videocrypt decoder was useful in the earlier years because it was the only way to get Sky Sports, which was free-to-view for the first couple of years on the air.

[linkinpark875]

Back on topic about "GOLD" going free:

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/broadcas...uktv-deal.html

If Scripps buy them all there channels are on Freesat and BBC have the other half so maybe they will push to replace Dave Ja Vu with GOLD? It will be interesting to see how much more gets shown on Yesterday, viewing figures and so on. Also be interesting to see if GOLD leaves TUTV's linear service sometime soon.

The fact it's lasted years mean UKTV must still consider it a good channel to have on DTT. It's had it's hours cut back and cut back they could make it FTA 24 hours per day. I think it would do quite well but all I will say is GOLD is not the channel it once was.

For it to be FTA they would have to show more than "comedy" as ABC1 failed on that. Eastenders, The Bill, Casualty would all have to make a return to the schedules.

[Richardcoulter]

Originally Posted by rapido

Pretty sure it wasn't in the clear, I remember it being soft encrypted with Videocrypt.

-rapido

It was soft encrypted. I wonder why when Sky Digital started they didn't use the ability to soft encrypt again. This would save everyone messing about for cards for FTV services.

[NorthernHotel]

whatever happened to men and motors

[user196]

Originally Posted by NorthernHotel

whatever happened to men and motors

It closed on 1st April 2010 on Sky ,Freesat and Virgin and was replaced with ITV1 HD and most of it's programmes have been moved to ITV4. It closed on Freeview on 12th April 2006 and was replaced by ITV Play which closed itself on 13th March 2007 and was replaced with ITV2+1.

[linkinpark875]

Originally Posted by NorthernHotel

whatever happened to men and motors

It did surprisingly well on Freeview but ITV decided to replace it on DTT for a more profitable phone in scam channel 'ITV Play' that failed so ITV2+1 launched. The channel finally closed this year when ITV1 HD replaced it on Sky. By which time they stripped of most of it's high rated shows, the classic car shows are now gone and they removed it way down the EPG so it would fail.

They mulled a sale for a while but must have not wanted any competition from any other channels. It never had the ITV brand so it was always outcast. My best memory of it was in 2005 when it did amazingly well on Freeview.

Sad to see it's demise as it had been around since ITV Digital. And I never watch ITV4 - poor channel.

[linkinpark875]

Originally Posted by user196

It closed on 1st April 2010 on Sky ,Freesat and Virgin and was replaced with ITV1 HD and most of it's programmes have been moved to ITV4. It closed on Freeview on 12th April 2006 and was replaced by ITV Play which closed itself on 13th March 2007 and was replaced with ITV2+1.

Most of it's programmes were moved well before then. Men & Motors at it's close had shows ITV4 never and they have just vanished.

All your Used Car Road Show, Car Cruzin, History of cars/auction shows all gone.

[bobmeades]

Originally Posted by Secret-Squirrel

I seriously doubt that UK Gold will ever come to Freeview as it's a pay-to-view channel on other platforms.

even tho it is all ancient repeats with 30 mins of adverts in a typical 2hour slot they still expect you to cough up dosh to watch it.

Yes, there is no way I am being ripped off like that - scrap the adverts & it might be another story.....

[Richardcoulter]

Originally Posted by user196

It closed on 1st April 2010 on Sky ,Freesat and Virgin and was replaced with ITV1 HD and most of it's programmes have been moved to ITV4. It closed on Freeview on 12th April 2006 and was replaced by ITV Play which closed itself on 13th March 2007 and was replaced with ITV2+1.

As SD channel EPG slots are in high demand due to the queue being closed, I wonder why they chose to swap a SD for a HD channel?

Surely they would have been better off creating ITV1 HD from scratch and selling off/reusing the Men & Motors slot for a SD channel.

[linkinpark875]

Originally Posted by Richardcoulter

As SD channel EPG slots are in high demand due to the queue being closed, I wonder why they chose to swap a SD for a HD channel?

Surely they would have been better off creating ITV1 HD from scratch and selling off/reusing the Men & Motors slot for a SD channel.

I assume you mean on Sky?

They mulled a sale but decided to dispose of the brand altogether. Either nobody wanted to buy it or it would have been too much competition for ITV4 under new ownership.

The EPG launch queue is closed on Sky. They can take new HD channels but there would have been a waiting list. By removing M&M they had access to a slot right away.

[russellelly]

Originally Posted by linkinpark875

For it to be FTA they would have to show more than "comedy" as ABC1 failed on that. Eastenders, The Bill, Casualty would all have to make a return to the schedules.

You're not seriously comparing a channel which was daytime only, filled with (mostly) second rate American imports to ne of the UK's top pay TV channels? There's no comparison to be made!

Gold could do very well on Freeview, maybe a new owner for half of UKTV will take it in that direction. However, I can't say it's my cup of tea, so I'll be unlikely to watch.

[Dancc]

ABC1 only failed because of its inability to secure 24 hour carriage on Freeview. The channel was actually performing quite well, but predictably its viewing share collapsed each night after 6pm. Its fate was sealed when its contract on DTT came to an end and they were practically forced off the multiplex as ITV wanted the space for CITV. And with no interest in continuing solely on satellite and cable where the channel was less popular, Disney announced its closure.

[Spot]

I'm sure this must have been discussed before, but surely Dave+1 must have been put in place with a view to securing the space, so that it might then be available for further expansion of UKTV's FTA offering at some point. The programmes on Dave are repeated ad infinitum anyway (as indeed they are on all the other channels, including Gold!) so the loss of a +1 channel would hardly be a disaster if a better use could be found for the slot.

[Ray Cathode]

Originally Posted by Spot

I'm sure this must have been discussed before, but surely Dave+1 must have been put in place with a view to securing the space, so that it might then be available for further expansion of UKTV's FTA offering at some point. The programmes on Dave are repeated ad infinitum anyway (as indeed they are on all the other channels, including Gold!) so the loss of a +1 channel would hardly be a disaster if a better use could be found for the slot.

Presumably nothing will happen until the new owner, whoever it is, settles in. Not only is Dave ja vu squatting on a scarce Freeview slot, it is also squatting on a lowish LCN adjacent to another UKTV LCN, ideal for a channel and its +1.

[Richardcoulter]

Originally Posted by linkinpark875

I assume you mean on Sky?

They mulled a sale but decided to dispose of the brand altogether. Either nobody wanted to buy it or it would have been too much competition for ITV4 under new ownership.

The EPG launch queue is closed on Sky. They can take new HD channels but there would have been a waiting list. By removing M&M they had access to a slot right away.

Yes, I meant on Sky. I didn't know there was a queue for HD EPG slots, which answers my question.

[linkinpark875]

Originally Posted by Ray Cathode

Presumably nothing will happen until the new owner, whoever it is, settles in. Not only is Dave ja vu squatting on a scarce Freeview slot, it is also squatting on a lowish LCN adjacent to another UKTV LCN, ideal for a channel and its +1.

I agree.

Hopefully the new owner will ditch the names and go back to UKTV names.

I'd rather have a documentary channel over GOLD but no doubt GOLD would be popular. Even Watch could go FTA but that's all newer repeats.

[keicar]

Sorry to bump this one up, but have noticed that UK Gold are showing a few good comedies right now, does anyone know the cheapest way to get UK Gold be it terrestrial or satellite?

[ndev70]

Gold is included in TalkTalk's Entertainment Boost which costs £10 PCM. You'll need to be a TalkTalk customer, and be on their Plus TV package.

[lstar337]

Originally Posted by keicar

Sorry to bump this one up, but have noticed that UK Gold are showing a few good comedies right now, does anyone know the cheapest way to get UK Gold be it terrestrial or satellite?

UK Gold ceased to exist years ago.