Saorview Updates - 2023

StreetLight · 04-03-2023 7:04am #1

After months of being on Audio Only, the 2rn test pattern is visible again on Channel 51.

StreetLight · 09-03-2023 1:28am

The test pattern has now disappeared from Channel 50, becoming Audio Only, with an old RTE Radio standby jingle being played on a continuous loop.

The Cush · 09-03-2023 9:19am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120332938#Comment_120332938

The tune is O’Donnell Abú, 2RN Station Identification Signal, brings back memories of school days pre-24hr radio

I have the testcard on both 50 and 51, HbbTV and MHEG-5, depending on internet connection on/off.

On 51 MHEG-5 testcard with audio, no HbbTV testcard on 51 - blank screen with audio only, . On 50 almost instant switching between testcard data when enabling/disabling TV internet connection, no MHEG-5 slate.

I wouldn't be able to decipher the mux data but 51 has an MHEG-5 data PID which triggers the MHEG-5 slate, this is missing from 50

LCN 50 - Mux 2

2902 Data (AIT)
2903 0x13

LCN 51 - Mux 1

1007 0x13
1801 Data (AIT)
1802 0x13

On going HbbTV testing I assume.

The Cush · 09-03-2023 3:23pm

Info on 51

"Dual Stack HbbTV/MHEG Test - HbbTV will load in preference to MHEG on a suitably equipped and enabled HbbTV device"

Blank screen in HbbTV mode.

MHEG testcard with internet disabled.

Tested on a Walker WP4K43221BRD TV purchased Christmas 2022

The Cush · 09-03-2023 3:35pm

Info on 50

"HbbTV Test - HbbTV will load on a suitably equipped and enabled HbbTV device "

Blank screen, no MHEG screen.

NOTE - this test crashes the TV, with internet connection enabled or disabled.

Tested on a Walker WP4K43221BRD TV purchased Christmas 2022

The Cush · 09-03-2023 3:50pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120333342#Comment_120333342

I did this test this morning on an older Walker TV, WP-4K4017, TV didn't crash, enabled or disabled

Info on 50 with this TV

FRIENDO · 09-03-2023 8:56pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120335542#Comment_120335542

Working on Saorview Connect, internet enabled or disabled.

When I press info on channel 51 test screen goes black, music stays on

StreetLight · 12-03-2023 8:52pm

The picture quality on Challenge TV appears to have improved slightly. The horizontal line mismatch effect has disappeared, but the quality on Sky News looks to have degraded a bit. Maybe someone able to access more details on the picture resolution would like to confirm?

The Cush · 13-03-2023 12:40am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120350777#Comment_120350777

Looking at the official bitrate monitoring Challenge continues with a fixed video bitrate of 1.2 Mbps while Sky News is stat-muxed on that same mux, varying between 1.3 and 5.4 Mbps.

NorthDown2 · 13-03-2023 1:20pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120350777#Comment_120350777

I agree that the smooth lines for text that were on Sky News has deteriorated over the weekend - this has happened twice before - when they first were on air, and then a few months back to correct an audio fault where audio went blank, the picture quality went down. No one here seemed to know why fixing audio caused the slightly pixellated text - I can see the poorer quality, and it's annoying as when Sky News Saorview (720 lines) is broadcasting properly, picture quality is far superior than Freeview (566 lines).

medoc · 13-03-2023 8:20pm

Any update or timeframe on TG4+1 and Cula4?

Mickey Mike · 13-03-2023 8:40pm

Don't know, I see that Sky news Arabia is due for launch on saorview, "Did you ever hear the likes of it" a station that means nothing to us.

dxhound2005 · 13-03-2023 9:16pm

When is Sky News Arabia launching?

FRIENDO · 13-03-2023 9:23pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120355031#Comment_120355031

Obviously this is Mickey taking the Mick!

If I'm wrong I'll certainly apologise 😘

dxhound2005 · 13-03-2023 9:37pm

He posted this on the Challenge TV thread a month ago.

"Sky News "WHAT" Arabia, you're joking, this is becoming a laughing stock."

dublinman1990 · 13-03-2023 9:43pm

I would be a bit surprised to learn if Sky News Arabia would actually launch on Saorview. It wouldn't gain much of a viewership here when compared to Pick or Sky Arts.

Glaceon · 13-03-2023 9:49pm

I see it’s listed on Wikipedia, is this where it came from? [citation needed] I think.

medoc · 14-03-2023 6:34pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120355270#Comment_120355270

Had a look at the Saorview wiki page and I see Sky Arts and Blaze listed as launching soon as well as Sky Arabia. It even mentions a Saorview launch on the Blaze wiki page. Is this wishful speculation or someone messing around?

mackersdublin · 14-03-2023 7:04pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120358618#Comment_120358618

I just checked the Saorview wiki page and the user who added the 3 channels on the 3rd March has not posted anything else on Wiki, so fair to say there's no truth to them launching anytime in the future

Mickey Mike · 14-03-2023 10:26pm

They may have to open another Multiplex if it is so, but we don't want rubbish, more HD content will be appreciated.

TAFKAlawhec · 14-03-2023 11:35pm

There's no citations on the Wikipedia Saorview page concerning a potential launch of Blaze, Sky Arts & Sky News Arabia on the platform. Given the open editing nature of Wikipedia, unless there is a trustworthy citation then you should never take anything written on it as gospel.

Widescreen · 15-03-2023 4:27pm

Any new stations appearing on Saorview I would take as a positive. Sky News and Challenge are good editions. It would be great to see Saorview develop in a similar way to Freeview.

If we could get BBC NI, and C4, the Virgin channels in HD , maybe BBC News, Sky arts etc it would start becoming a desired platform.

I for one am p----d off paying Sky 40 yo yos a month to watch as my missus calls it ' our own stations!'

Anyway, as more stations leave Satellite in the next several years, we might rely on Saorview more for our Free tv fix

TAFKAlawhec · 15-03-2023 6:40pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120362335#Comment_120362335

Not a hope of any BBC domestic channels on Saorview unless someone other than themselves charitably pays for the carriage. As it is, if you cancel your Sky subscription you can still receive the main UK channels that way (though if it's a Sky Q setup you'll probably need to change the LNB on the dish) with either a Freesat badged or standard free-to-air satellite receiver.

Widescreen · 15-03-2023 8:14pm

I have freesat and Sky HD, so its the standard lnb I am using. I have a good set up but the whole Sky thing is becoming a joke price wise. I need to keep the basic signature pack for convenience of my better half, so she can record and watch all her bits and pieces.

The only hope of us cancelling Sky is if it becomes totally unaffordable or this Saorview service keeps improving, hopefully it will!

Aidan McCarthy · 28-03-2023 1:57am

What channel is coming to channel 51. We all want to know

dermo2014 · 28-03-2023 2:11am

Sky News +1 🙂

lgs 4 · 31-03-2023 12:36am

RTE One 8K . Following Spanish TV .Testing terrestrial 8K at the moment .🙂🙂🙂🙂

Aquos76 · 31-03-2023 5:20pm

Picture quality of Virgin Media channels is shocking on Saorview, that should be a priority before any more new channels imho.

Mickey Mike · 31-03-2023 7:23pm

Yes, its picture quality is awful and I've been saying it for years.

Aidan McCarthy · 05-04-2023 11:22pm

RTE 1 in 4k not 8k and no way to get spainish television channels. Why spainish television and we cannot understand what they are saying in spainish. Maybe some more uk television channels instead that will be better

Aidan McCarthy · 05-04-2023 11:24pm

I know saorview could have virgin media tv channels in HD and also have virgin media one +1 on saorview

StreetLight · 17-04-2023 12:44pm

A new SD Test card has appeared on LCN 14. Presumably for TG4+1 / Cúla4.

LCN 50 has changed from an audio-only test to the MHEG5-generated test card, similar to LCN 51 with three audio tracks.

The MHEG5 Saorview channel list on LCN 29 has been replaced by the animated Video presentation.

The Saorview Channel list is now on a new LCN 30.

EDIT: The above was visible for most of the day. As of this evening, it has reverted back to previous configuration.

The Cush · 17-04-2023 7:55pm

Yes, did a check this evening and found all as it was. With internet enabled 50/51 still crash the TV.

Without internet enabled 50 still crashes the TV but 51 displays the MHEG 5 testcard.

No testcard on 14.

Aidan McCarthy · 18-04-2023 7:10pm

So what channel number will TG4+1 be on on saorview and will it be also on virgin media platform too

Mickey Mike · 18-04-2023 8:17pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120492864#Comment_120492864

Ch14, I'm 99•9% sure.

Not sure about Virgin Media.

medoc · 18-04-2023 9:25pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120493085#Comment_120493085

Yea on Saorview and presumably Cula 4 will go on 18 with both time sharing the bandwidth

StreetLight · 24-04-2023 8:49am

Revised configuration with the new SD testcard on 14 active again from early this morning.

Glaceon · 24-04-2023 4:21pm

Getting nothing on 14 here so I wonder if it's gone again? digitalbitrate.com shows it was active an hour ago so I might have just missed it.

doney84 · 24-04-2023 4:57pm

Currently active on Clermont Carn. An old saorview walker TV I have is flagging it as HD. May mean nothing though as currently showing no video.

NorthDown2 · 24-04-2023 5:02pm

Will Cúla4 will start tx with little fanfare, like TG4 going HD? According to their submission, they hoped to have started tx Cúla by 1st Feb this year.

Glaceon · 24-04-2023 5:14pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120515951#Comment_120515951

That's what I was getting too, also from Clermont Carn. I could go to channel 14 but just got "service unavailable".

Mickey Mike · 24-04-2023 6:11pm

Test card on ch. 14 and its in Mono from Mulliganish

dublinman1990 · 24-04-2023 6:34pm

I have my Triax Saorview combi box on now. There is no HD flag or video shown either on Ch 14.

StreetLight · 25-04-2023 12:03pm

The audio on the new SD Test card on 14 has changed from mono to stereo.

Another new test card in MHEG5 format has appeared on LCN 18.

doney84 · 13-05-2023 4:05pm

In addition to the tests on hidden channels 14 & 18, Saorview information channel on LCN 29 has changed to showing an old setting up saorview video. Hidden LCN 30 is labelled Saorview information and is now showing the MHEG slate listing all the channels that was previously on LCN 29.

dublinman1990 · 13-05-2023 7:52pm

Is the test data on hidden channel LCN 14 and LCN 18 known to come from TG4 and Sky?

Aidan McCarthy · 14-05-2023 6:03pm

I am sure channel 14 will be TG4+1 and channel 18 will be the Irish kids channel i am 99.9 per cent but not so sure about sky tv

Mickey Mike · 14-05-2023 8:27pm

TG4 have yet to go HD on Saorsat, there's no excuse for TV3/VM1 not to go HD on Saorview, there's still room on the multiplexes wherever its coming from.