16-12-2023, 01:09 PM
Hello all. First time poster (to Pres Café - I was a user back on the blue place for many many years, under a different username):
Reposting my posts to a Cordbusters comments section in the hope they're helpful:
"1) Give it a chance. Even Freeview had to start somewhere – it also wasn’t available on existing tellies without a box, which weren’t particularly cheap up-front. And don’t forget, Freeview came from the remnants of OnDigital / ITV Digital, which would have ‘locked-up’ most of the terrestrial TV spectrum for pay TV channels. We wouldn’t have nearly as many free channels now had On / ITV Digital succeeded.
2) It’s more like Sky Stream or Virgin Stream, or even current Freeview / Freeview Play TVs. A ‘Freely’ branded EPG which delivers the channels over broadband instead of terrestrial, and likely the catch-up services (iPlayer, ITVX etc.) also.
3) We don’t know if it will be back-ported to older TV’s / boxes, but there’s a chance some will get it. It make sense to start with one ‘platform’ and ensure everything goes well, then expand if necessary.
4) The deal with Hisense is likely not exclusive and there will probably be more manufacturers in due course.
5) It likely won’t be available on dongles / sticks / boxes immediately, and possibly never will be. In the long-term, you will just buy a TV and instead of plugging in your aerial like you do with Freeview, you will plug it into your broadband, either via ethernet or wi-fi. It will, eventually, be a direct replacement for Freeview (and possibly / probably Freesat).
6) With increasing broadband coverage (mobile networks, fibre, LEOs), by the time Freeview is switched off, the vast majority will be able to use Freely. It may even cause a drop in pay-tv subscriptions. There will be a better service for those that are currently on ‘Freeview-Lite’ transmitters as they will get all channels, as everyone else does.
7) There will always be someone, somewhere who won’t be able to get it easily, or at all. This is the same now; there’s plenty of places that get limited or no service from terrestrial transmitters, be that TV or radio, and / or limited or nor service from mobile networks, fibre broadband etc.
8) Freeview isn’t going anywhere – at least not yet. Partially that depends on any frequency decisions made by the ITU as to when the current TV frequencies will be passed over for other uses (likely mobile networks). These decisions are outside of the Government’s (and BBC’s and other broadcasters) hands. Either way, we will have Freeview until 2030 at least.
9) Freely will become a bigger ‘thing’ as-and-when people upgrade their TVs. Nobody is saying everyone has to upgrade as soon as this comes out and throw away perfectly good tellies. If you have Freeview / Freesat now, you can still use them for a while yet (see point 8). If you have Sky / Virgin / other pay-tv provider, then there’s no change there either.
10) There’s nothing sinister here. The BBC isn’t out to get anyone or make anyone pay more for a new telly. Neither are any other broadcasters. All of the terrestrial Public Service Broadcasters are involved in Everyone TV, and they all make joint decisions for the organisation, which runs Freeview, Freesat and, now, Freely. They may well have provision for any future changes to the BBC’s funding (e.g. subscription instead of a licence fee), but this will likely work in a similar way to how Netflix, Disney+ etc. work. E.g., you pay and you log in, either via your TV or another device like a tablet, laptop or mobile."
also
"Freely is the direct replacement, eventually, for Freeview and Freesat.
The idea is the you will be able to buy a TV, hook it up to your internet and get free linear TV channels, delivered via the internet instead of transmitters. Being integrated into TV’s means they can also offer catch-up / on-demand services such iPlayer, ITVX etc. It will work in the same way as a Freeview Play TV does today, but with all linear channels via the internet. Everything else will be pretty much the same: EPG (guide), on-demand etc.
There would be no use for a Freely app on other sticks, boxes etc., as these already have apps for broadcasters to provide their linear channels and on-demand / catch-up content.
That being said, the public service broadcasters *may* choose to offer a Freely app on sticks, boxes etc., but this would likely only be their (PSB) linear channels, possibly with links to their respective on-demand / catch-up services. They wouldn’t put all their on-demand / catch-up content into a Freely app on sticks, boxes etc., as they already have apps available on those devices. However, this isn’t yet known, and not likely for a year or two at the earliest."
Reposting my posts to a Cordbusters comments section in the hope they're helpful:
"1) Give it a chance. Even Freeview had to start somewhere – it also wasn’t available on existing tellies without a box, which weren’t particularly cheap up-front. And don’t forget, Freeview came from the remnants of OnDigital / ITV Digital, which would have ‘locked-up’ most of the terrestrial TV spectrum for pay TV channels. We wouldn’t have nearly as many free channels now had On / ITV Digital succeeded.
2) It’s more like Sky Stream or Virgin Stream, or even current Freeview / Freeview Play TVs. A ‘Freely’ branded EPG which delivers the channels over broadband instead of terrestrial, and likely the catch-up services (iPlayer, ITVX etc.) also.
3) We don’t know if it will be back-ported to older TV’s / boxes, but there’s a chance some will get it. It make sense to start with one ‘platform’ and ensure everything goes well, then expand if necessary.
4) The deal with Hisense is likely not exclusive and there will probably be more manufacturers in due course.
5) It likely won’t be available on dongles / sticks / boxes immediately, and possibly never will be. In the long-term, you will just buy a TV and instead of plugging in your aerial like you do with Freeview, you will plug it into your broadband, either via ethernet or wi-fi. It will, eventually, be a direct replacement for Freeview (and possibly / probably Freesat).
6) With increasing broadband coverage (mobile networks, fibre, LEOs), by the time Freeview is switched off, the vast majority will be able to use Freely. It may even cause a drop in pay-tv subscriptions. There will be a better service for those that are currently on ‘Freeview-Lite’ transmitters as they will get all channels, as everyone else does.
7) There will always be someone, somewhere who won’t be able to get it easily, or at all. This is the same now; there’s plenty of places that get limited or no service from terrestrial transmitters, be that TV or radio, and / or limited or nor service from mobile networks, fibre broadband etc.
8) Freeview isn’t going anywhere – at least not yet. Partially that depends on any frequency decisions made by the ITU as to when the current TV frequencies will be passed over for other uses (likely mobile networks). These decisions are outside of the Government’s (and BBC’s and other broadcasters) hands. Either way, we will have Freeview until 2030 at least.
9) Freely will become a bigger ‘thing’ as-and-when people upgrade their TVs. Nobody is saying everyone has to upgrade as soon as this comes out and throw away perfectly good tellies. If you have Freeview / Freesat now, you can still use them for a while yet (see point 8). If you have Sky / Virgin / other pay-tv provider, then there’s no change there either.
10) There’s nothing sinister here. The BBC isn’t out to get anyone or make anyone pay more for a new telly. Neither are any other broadcasters. All of the terrestrial Public Service Broadcasters are involved in Everyone TV, and they all make joint decisions for the organisation, which runs Freeview, Freesat and, now, Freely. They may well have provision for any future changes to the BBC’s funding (e.g. subscription instead of a licence fee), but this will likely work in a similar way to how Netflix, Disney+ etc. work. E.g., you pay and you log in, either via your TV or another device like a tablet, laptop or mobile."
also
"Freely is the direct replacement, eventually, for Freeview and Freesat.
The idea is the you will be able to buy a TV, hook it up to your internet and get free linear TV channels, delivered via the internet instead of transmitters. Being integrated into TV’s means they can also offer catch-up / on-demand services such iPlayer, ITVX etc. It will work in the same way as a Freeview Play TV does today, but with all linear channels via the internet. Everything else will be pretty much the same: EPG (guide), on-demand etc.
There would be no use for a Freely app on other sticks, boxes etc., as these already have apps for broadcasters to provide their linear channels and on-demand / catch-up content.
That being said, the public service broadcasters *may* choose to offer a Freely app on sticks, boxes etc., but this would likely only be their (PSB) linear channels, possibly with links to their respective on-demand / catch-up services. They wouldn’t put all their on-demand / catch-up content into a Freely app on sticks, boxes etc., as they already have apps available on those devices. However, this isn’t yet known, and not likely for a year or two at the earliest."
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