Digital TV - Terrestrial

[TerenureJim]

Dave not sure if this is a sky/UPC thing but how come the RTÉ digital project hasn't come up on any of the platforms i.e. the new channels RTÉ 2 HD and RTÉ News Now or are they there and I just haven't seen them?

RTE HD is dvb-t only. It is not available through any other platform. RTE News Now is only available through dvb-t and online. They will be maintaining this exclusivity for the foreseeable future as a USP of the platform

Very informative, thanks

[Oldschool]

Thanks firstly to Brian_C for your initial response.
And thanks to everyone else who posted - The discussion has been very informative.
However
I have a sony DVD recorder (with HD) which has both an analogue and digital tuner.
I also have a Commtel free to air box, which also happens to have a digital tuner.
Are these digital tuners likely to be compatible with the RTE signal or I'm going to need yet another box.
My concern is being triggered by the info from one post about RTE2 sports being a HD broadcast.
Can anybody clear this up for me.
I live in a valley so I'll need a roof mounted aerial and don't want to go to the bother, until I know what I need.
(Tree Rock would be my source signal)

[Dave Cahill]

Not without further information.

For example, on either of the boxes, does it say 'Freeview' or 'Freeview+' or 'Freeview HD'?

If it says the first two, you're boned. If it says the last, you're okay.

Is your FTA box for DTT or Satellite?

[Broken Wing]

I have a sony DVD recorder (with HD) which has both an analogue and digital tuner.

If you select the Digital source and set it to self tune what does it pick up?

I have a HDD/DVD recorded which has a digital tuner. (I also have a digital aerial but that may or may not matter.) Picking the DVB as the source on the recorder I can tune in the Irish TV stations. Alas it's a Freeview recorder so I can only pick up the sound and not the picture (Mpeg2 instead of Mpeg4 format).

[Dave Cahill]

a digital aerial but that may or may not matter.

May as well nail this one from the get go.

There is no such thing as a digital aerial.

[TerenureJim]

a digital aerial but that may or may not matter.

May as well nail this one from the get go.

There is no such thing as a digital aerial.

But I bought one and a sky hook to put it up last week in lidl

[Broken Wing]

a digital aerial but that may or may not matter.

May as well nail this one from the get go.

There is no such thing as a digital aerial.

Say what now? But these people are installing "Digital Ready TV Aerials". Will a standard aerial pick up the digital transmission? If so what are they on about?

https://www.eirss.ie/services/satellite ... tions.html

[EDIT]

Hmm, a quick google tells me an aerial cares not a whit whether the signal it receives be analogue or digital. I'm not concerned though as I still needed an aerial installed to pick up the signal. I'll just stop referring to it as a (mythical) digital aerial.

[Dave Cahill]

Sorry BW, just that it became quite a scam during the UK Digital switchover, people charging a premium for these. Wanted to warn others out there

[IanD]

Where exactly have they been broadcasting, Nutley Lane? I'm in Terenure, so it's not quite the sticks, have all the mod cons re receivers etc. but haven't picked up anything despite my best efforts whenever I heard mention of testing in the papers.

My Dad has been using the system in Wicklow for over 2 years. It was in a 'test' phase but as Dave C said ready for use for a long time.

He bought new tellys 2 years ago and got MPEG 4 Decoders built in. No need for extra box just change aerial direction and polarity then plug into the telly. You do have to point aerial at a digital transmitter.

You can get any MPEG 4 Decoder box to get the Digital stations but some may not have the EPG and may have to be manually re tuned when the system updates. Story is someone thought they were getting a contract from Sky made loads of boxes and did not get contract. Boxes are going for about €20.

[lff12]

It's launched, they were obliged to do it by law, if they had any interest in it they'd have implemented a proper system rather than the waste of time they've gone for.

How do you mean a proper system? The system being used is far more advanced than that being used in the UK for example. Remember, RTE have delivered what they said they'd deliver when they said they'd deliver it. Any delays have been caused by political interference on foot of vested commerical interests. Indeed, RTE were ready to launch 5 years ago, but were prevented from doing so.

There was originally a tender out for a more ambitious system but the consortium winners pulled out leaving RTE to do something more modest by themselves. Reason I recall is I was involved with one of the unsuccesful bidders of the time. Very disappointing to lose as at the time the company had a lot to do with the BBC system - which actually largely started as an inhouse BBC media labour of love. Especially on the radio side. It was noticed that it generated a lot of hits and so financing was put together to develop a bigger service. Very disappointing that we lost that bid, considering the shambles and collapse of the winning consortium in the end.

In fairness, the terrestrial system is in a terrible state, and I find it very hard to believe that there is truly 92% roof aerial coverage - look in any country town and you'll get a row of Sky dishes because they are only getting maybe 1 channel out of 4. It really is that bad. Or perhaps thats why the original o2 led consortium pulled out???

[Dave Cahill]

There was originally a tender out for a more ambitious system but the consortium winners pulled out

As did both their replacements!

[Drico]

its currently upscaled SD pictures. Its appreciably better than SD, but also not as good as native HD. RTE tendered for HD playout equipment last summer, when this is up and running it will allow the latter.

RTE 2 HD for rugby is certainly the best available picture for the Magners League.

Hang on just 1 second there. There was a big auld HD sign on the side of the transmission truck in TP on friday night.
To me thats all the proof I need that they are broadcasting in HD.

[Oldschool]

Not without further information.

For example, on either of the boxes, does it say 'Freeview' or 'Freeview+' or 'Freeview HD'?

If it says the first two, you're boned. If it says the last, you're okay.

Is your FTA box for DTT or Satellite?

The FTA box has both a FTA satelite D connection and separately a coax digital aerial onnection.
The Sony DVDHD has both a coax analogue connection and a coax digital connection.
Sounds like it's RTFM time + a bit of ladder work.

[Dave Cahill]

That was the Hot Dog truck dude

[Dave Cahill]

That was the Hot Dog truck dude

[IanD]

http://www.saorview.ie/make-the-switch/ ... erage-map/

Aim your aerial at the nearest one on the map to you.

[meinster]

2 minor clarifications:
Saorview is in soft launch. A step up from the trial broadcasts (in that standards & most frequencies are now set).
RTE 2 HD has had some HD trials (as in real HD). The tendered playout is just to allow them output their own HD content, but OB units / foreign host providers, can uplink directly to the transmission network. We should see live sport in HD before the wait for RTE to be HD-equipped.

Oh, and "digital aerial" == total scam as DJC has said.

[Drico]

http://www.build.ie/national_news.asp?newsid=127274

RTÉ Creates HD History

RTÉ Sport will broadcast the first ever free-to-air HD broadcasts on Irish free-to-air Television this weekend, in what is set to be a bumper two days of sporting action.

The HD broadcasts will be available on RTÉ Two HD, the first Irish free-to-air HD service now available on SAORVIEW.

The first ever free-to-air HD broadcast in Ireland will feature the Magners League Grand Final as Munster face newly crowned European Champions Leinster this Saturday 28th May live from Thomond Park. The HD action then continues with the highly anticipated Munster Hurling Senior Championship Quarter Final in Semple Stadium between Cork and Tipperary on Sunday 29th May broadcast live on RTÉ Two HD on SAORVIEW.
RTÉ Group Head of Sport, Ryle Nugent said: "RTÉ is proud to announce the HD broadcast of rugby and GAA matches for the first time ever on RTÉ Two HD as part of the new free-to-air television service SAORVIEW. This is a first for RTÉ and for SAORVIEW. These two great sporting fixtures are the first of many set to be broadcast by us on RTÉ Two HD on SAORVIEW over the coming months."

In what is set to be a thrilling finale to the season, Daire O'Brien will present live coverage of the Magners League Grand Final this Saturday afternoon as Munster battle Leinster in an All Ireland final. Daire will be joined by George Hook, Brent Pope and Conor O'Shea live at Thomond Park for reaction and analysis. The match kicks off in HD on RTÉ Two HD at 5.05pm with commentary by Hugh Cahill and Ralph Keyes.

(BMcN)

[Broken Wing]

Is RTÉ Two HD the standard RTÉ2 which is broadcast digitally or are there two RTÉ2s available for tuning in?

[Broken Wing]

Well BW, I just went to the Saorview site (www.saorview.ie) and it only lists RTÉ2 HD. There being no RTÉ 2 listed suggests to me that there's only the one available. Now if only you'd gone and done that simple check before posting your question....