Cable Forum - View Single Post

cheekyangus · 22-06-2021, 13:34

That's TV Gold - Channel 91 on COM7.
Shopping Quarter (Channel 72) has moved from BBCB (aka PSB3) to COM6.

So it looks like Local TV operator That's TV is launching a nationwide music TV station.

No confirmation of content, just a guess it's music based on their current "local" output. The slogan on their new Twitter account says "The Home of Nostalgia", while the slate on Freeview says "Celebrating The Decades"

The Shopping Quarter multiplex move is interesting. Not because of the channel itself, but because it has moved from the highest geographic coverage coverage of PSB3 to COM6 which has lower coverage. Of course the chanfe from approx 98% population coverage to appox 90% also comes with a change from being DVB-T2 which only newer HD-capable Freeview tuners can decode, to DVB-T which all Freeview tuners can show.

The electronic programme guide seems to indicate that Shopping Quarter has a 24hr schedule so maybe it's taken the remaining COM6 stream that's been empty for a while. It's still broadcasting as I type so it's not taken sister channel Jewellery Maker's 8am-1pm timeshare slot. JM timeshares with PBS America, which is still broadcasting on Freeview so it's not that stream. SQ was broadcasting its content until 1pm then switched to JM content, so maybe SQ is sharing with JM on a full stream? And as I've just noticed whilst typing this, it is indeed sharing, there a notice on the Channel 71 off-air slate that says it is on Channel 72 from 1pm to 5pm.

Now SQ has vacated PSB3 maybe the other SD channel there will be following suit soon? TBN UK now has nowhere to go (if SQ took stream 16 on COM6) unless it Arqiva ups the total number of video streams on its two multiplexes from 16 to 18 to match SDN (COM4).

If both SD channels are leaving BBCB (PSB3) then that's the first indication, in my opinion, that (at least) another HD stream is to be fitted onto it. Though with new encoders it could be more, and needs to be if the BBC is going to fit BBC News HD and BBC4 HD/CBeebies HD in time for (temporary multiplex) COM7's closure due June 2022, or earlier if EE wants its spectrum sooner.

With the commitment to have BBC1 English regions HD by end of 2022 then BBCB(PSB3) needs changes/upgraded equipment anyway, so there's the opportunity to do more at the same time.

22-06-2021, 13:34	#119
cheekyangus cf.mega poster Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 2,526	Re: Freeview changes That's TV Gold - Channel 91 on COM7. Shopping Quarter (Channel 72) has moved from BBCB (aka PSB3) to COM6. So it looks like Local TV operator That's TV is launching a nationwide music TV station. No confirmation of content, just a guess it's music based on their current "local" output. The slogan on their new Twitter account says "The Home of Nostalgia", while the slate on Freeview says "Celebrating The Decades" The Shopping Quarter multiplex move is interesting. Not because of the channel itself, but because it has moved from the highest geographic coverage coverage of PSB3 to COM6 which has lower coverage. Of course the chanfe from approx 98% population coverage to appox 90% also comes with a change from being DVB-T2 which only newer HD-capable Freeview tuners can decode, to DVB-T which all Freeview tuners can show. The electronic programme guide seems to indicate that Shopping Quarter has a 24hr schedule so maybe it's taken the remaining COM6 stream that's been empty for a while. It's still broadcasting as I type so it's not taken sister channel Jewellery Maker's 8am-1pm timeshare slot. JM timeshares with PBS America, which is still broadcasting on Freeview so it's not that stream. SQ was broadcasting its content until 1pm then switched to JM content, so maybe SQ is sharing with JM on a full stream? And as I've just noticed whilst typing this, it is indeed sharing, there a notice on the Channel 71 off-air slate that says it is on Channel 72 from 1pm to 5pm. Now SQ has vacated PSB3 maybe the other SD channel there will be following suit soon? TBN UK now has nowhere to go (if SQ took stream 16 on COM6) unless it Arqiva ups the total number of video streams on its two multiplexes from 16 to 18 to match SDN (COM4). If both SD channels are leaving BBCB (PSB3) then that's the first indication, in my opinion, that (at least) another HD stream is to be fitted onto it. Though with new encoders it could be more, and needs to be if the BBC is going to fit BBC News HD and BBC4 HD/CBeebies HD in time for (temporary multiplex) COM7's closure due June 2022, or earlier if EE wants its spectrum sooner. With the commitment to have BBC1 English regions HD by end of 2022 then BBCB(PSB3) needs changes/upgraded equipment anyway, so there's the opportunity to do more at the same time.