Freeview over broadband

[DaveSwan]

Apologies, I replied to the wrong post.

I hope we don't have to wait too long either. Although the service has yet to be officially announced, if it works neatly within the YouView ui, then it would be a game changer for me - perhaps even give me the push I need to drop Sky completely. 

Whilst Sky Glass perhaps offers more features than BT TV, their standalone 'puck' launching later this year will use the same platform as Glass and also carry the main FTA channels alongside subscription ones. 

Add that to the fact you can't actually record anything on Glass, and BT TV starts to look like a real contender. 

[DarrenDev]

It wasn't an 11th hour issue as such - just an 11th hour decision. It's an issue that has plagued the YouView box since it was launched: the lack of accurate recording over IP.

When recording over DTT, the recordings are scheduled to start and end at the published times, however an extra signal sent down the stream (EIT p/f) ensures each recording begins and ends exactly as the broadcaster intended.
This EIT p/f signal isn't (currently) available on the IP channels, so recordings can only start and end as per the schedule. This causes recordings to be cut short very frequently on our current list of IP channels.

Now imagine that ALL channels are IP - what was previously an annoyance is now a complete pain as it affects every single recording on the box. Thus the decision was made quite late on to NOT launch until support for accurate recording was added. This is a HUGE change to the software that has taken many weeks of effort to implement, and will take many more still to test, trial, and rollout. We want to make sure you have the best possible experience before launching this for everyone.

I don't know any dates yet, but I would guess at least another couple of months.

Note: the rebrand doesn't affect anything. We've known about that for many months, and it hasn't detracted from any other core feature development.

[StewM]

Thanks for the info @DarrenDev 

For me it can’t come soon enough. I have several rather large wood pigeons fighting and using my aerial as a landing and pooing seat. The result is that I now have little Freeview signal!

Stew

[DaveSwan]

Thanks for the insight!

It does seem odd that if this was something that was already an issue with IP channels, that it wouldn’t of been considered from the outset. My box is constantly chattering back and forth with YouView servers, you’d think there might be provision to include these triggers over IP.  Or perhaps the developers didn’t consider it an issue until feedback from testers?

Whatever the case, knowing the backlash Sky Glass got for not including traditional local storage and recoding, the fact that BTs version has been held up to ensure it works properly can only be a good thing. 

[gomezz]

That is quite an admission. For years we have been complaining about Accurate Recording not working on IP channels and only now the disclosure that there *is* no Accurate Recording on IP channels!

Puts the poo-pooing of there being a need for fixed time recordings in a whole new light!!

[garybs29]

There is some form of accurate recording on BT Sport channels (at times)

[DaveSwan]

If correct, it does seem a very big and obvious oversight; especially when you consider this new service adds more than 120 new multicast streams. If Freeview’s channels are more likely to be recorded over IP subscription channels, and they’re used to an experience of recordings starting and ending using data from the DVB-T NIT, then it could cause trouble for many more people.

We’re not talking about a proprietary stream format though, the specs for multicast contain very similar flags to DVB, and it’s used by providers around the world. If it’s not been implemented until now, then it looks like current BT IP subscribers are not a priority.

[enapace]

This is very good to know that when it does launch later this year that the recording feature should be sorted out. Another tick towards me considering moving to BT TV when i move this summer. A lot will say recording is a thing of the past in this current age of catchup etc. But I still think it has a role to play definitely with sports.

[Weerab1983]

Spoiler

Hopefully forces tv will be included in this when it launches.  Great channel on multiplex 7 I believe,  that is getting switched off soon for 5g

[DaveSwan]

Certainly at the moment, it's not. It looks like BT's only done deals with the bigger service providers. (As with Sky Glass), shopping and special interest services are not included. 

If the channel is to come off Freeview at the end of June, then it's unlikely to be included in this service anyway.

It'd have to be part of the subscription channels, and given that BT's somewhat given up on this by handing the process to Sky through Now, it's probably very unlikely. 

You should be reaching out to Forces TV directly, they're they only ones who can book carriage on Freeview, or be aware of the alternatives once COM 7 does close. It was always going to happen, they must have some plan or contingency for when it gets switched off.