OFFICIAL FREESAT DIRECTIVE.
The following information is now in the public domain and is very important to any one considering future purchases of FREESAT equipment and we have been screaming from the rooftops advising everyone to make sure their new equipment is 100% FREESAT LOGO'D.
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freesat is a new free digital satellite TV service launching in spring 2008. Any free-to-air channels
carried on Astra satellites may be part of both freesat and Sky. The transmissions will be shared by
the two platforms. This means two different sets of channel information “metadata” must be carried in
the same transmission. The new freesat data must not affect the millions of Sky receivers already in
use. BBC Research & Innovation have designed the architecture and system specification so that
freesat data is effectively invisible to non-freesat TVs and set-top-boxes.
freesat metadata includes the information needed to display an EPG such as program names, times,
and descriptions, and to indicate the presence of subtitles, audio description, and interactive
elements. In addition it also carries the following:
Genre information for both channels and programmes.
Guidance information for each programme which enables the receiver to display a warning of
the level of violence/language/sex and to allow the user to restrict viewing of certain
programmes.
Content management to control copying and export of content.
Regional information, to ensure viewers in different areas receive the appropriate regional
variant of each programme.
Triggers and data which enable accurate recording and series linking to work.
To reduce the bulk of all this data we have designed a compression method which will speed up
transmission of all this data and thereby improve the user experience.
Current and future work
The main thrust of work is in two parts:
Firstly, maintaining and updating the system management section of the freesat specification, while at
the same time conducting our own internal proof-of-concept testing and validation.
Secondly, collaborating with other organisations to help them implement the specification. For
example:
Manufacturers who will create freesat TVs, recorders, and set top boxes.
DTG Testing Ltd who will provide the receiver conformance testing which products will have
to pass if they are to carry the freesat logo.
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This statement may also highlights why anyone trying to pick up test signals cannot, because any other satellite receiver may not see the signal.
2 comments:
could you please confirm if I can pick up the freesat signal in los angeles california
Hi! Bharat,
I would love to tell you that you could get the benefit of this brand new FREE TV FROM THE BBC/ITV joint venture from 28.2 degrees East. Normally we would suggest that the signal would be over the horizon and therefore not possible from your location in Los Angeles California, but we are now aware of the possibility of encircling the globe via satellite hopping so it may be possible to receive it this way, the only problem we see is the receiver or Freesat hd digital box will have to be bought in a U.K. location as it has been strongly suggested that the manufacturers of the Freesat receivers or box have technical spec within the box to make it invisible to any other make of receiver. In conclussion; if you can overcome the satellite hopping from over your horizon, and you purchase a Freesat receiver or box, make 100% sure it has the OFFICIAL Freesat Logo stamped on it.
We hope you have read the thread "Digital TV American style", simply because it maybe the parts of the U.S. are going to go along the same direction...ie; perhaps even some free tv.
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