Why Sky should put Prime on Freeview

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#204205 30-Mar-2009 15:09

lchiu7: What isn't clear to me is TVNZ's motivation for allowing Sky to re-broadcast TV1/2 HD.

Actually hadn't realised until today that TVNZ 6 & 7 are also going to be re-broadcast. http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/2291754/Sky-customers-to-get-TVNZ6-7

ageorge

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#204211 30-Mar-2009 15:24

Seems the bods in TVNZ and Freeview who make managment decisions dont comprehend that if they threatened to revoke TVNZ from Sky that they would hold the top hand. I cant see Sky being able to afford losing free TVNZ transmission; especially the HD part. Also TVNZ seem to lose sight of the fact that Sky has for years charged for the Free TV option (albeit a low charge, its still a money-making scheme) provided by TVNZ.
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1gkar

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#204213 30-Mar-2009 15:35

I think you might find part of the reason, at least, as to why TVNZ's FTA are on Sky & won't be removed is the access TVNZ have to sports' broadcast material. There goes the sports' sections of One News & probably the other shows reliant on Sky-only boradcast material.

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lchiu7

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#204214 30-Mar-2009 15:35

Ragnor: Prime has a lot of good stuff, all the people saying they don't watch Prime hence don't care about it.. what about Top Gear!!!

What about Top Gear? A bunch of middle aged men trying to relive their errant youth through driving fast cars which they could not afford at that time!? Hardly compelling viewing IMHO

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#204215 30-Mar-2009 15:36

nate: Sky has realised there is a group of subscribers who love Prime and would ditch their monthly subscription if Prime was available for free. By locking Prime into Sky only, they retain this customer base.

Prime IS (almost) available for free digitally. You can pay Sky a one-off fee of $155 and they'll give you a dish and decoder with Prime. You can then hook a Freeview receiver up to the same dish and get all the channels there too :)

Jaxson

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#204226 30-Mar-2009 16:04

Behodar:
Prime IS (almost) available for free digitally. You can pay Sky a one-off fee of $155 and they'll give you a dish and decoder with Prime. You can then hook a Freeview receiver up to the same dish and get all the channels there too :)

Yes you are right, but this does require yet another stb and is only available to those who can not receive a UHF signal.

In this day of digital tv transmission and the move to freeview, a lot of us just hoped this sort of petty crap could be dealt with. We're just hanging out for one device like the PS3 with PlayTV or a single PVR that could do the lot. Prime will miss out as more of us go to freeview equipped PVR's which simply can't record the old analogue UHF signal, or even Prime off a limited Sky box.

ageorge

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#204233 30-Mar-2009 16:19

With all the activity on this topic lets put our heads together and do something constructive like come to some concensus on how to move the powers that be into getting Prime online Freeview Satellite. I have done a fair bit of background work myself in the past writing to both Labour and National ministers of broadcasting and Manager Freeview but so far without any progress. Anyone got any better ideas on how to 'put a rocket up em' ??
Al.

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Ragnor

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#204257 30-Mar-2009 17:37

lchiu7:
Ragnor: Prime has a lot of good stuff, all the people saying they don't watch Prime hence don't care about it.. what about Top Gear!!!

What about Top Gear? A bunch of middle aged men trying to relive their errant youth through driving fast cars which they could not afford at that time!? Hardly compelling viewing IMHO

I couldn't find any NZ numbers but in the UK 7million viewers or 25% of the marketshare for 8pm disagree with you.

To each their own I guess.

lchiu7

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#204266 30-Mar-2009 18:20

Ragnor:

I couldn't find any NZ numbers but in the UK 7million viewers or 25% of the marketshare for 8pm disagree with you.

To each their own I guess.

All that tells me is that the taste of UK viewers is somewhat lacking

But then my kids (boy 10, girl 15) love the show so there's not accounting for taste

Staying in Wellington. Check out my AirBnB in the Wellington CBD. https://www.airbnb.co.nz/h/wellycbd PM me and mention GZ to get a 15% discount and no AirBnB charges.

mruane

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#204268 30-Mar-2009 18:30

@ageorge - given that all Sky need to do is stop encrypting Prime on their platform, there will be no need to "move" it to the Freeview platform at all. That tells you that the cost aspects (as outlined by the SKY CEO to move to the Freeview platform) are not the whole story - in fact are probably not even remotely related to the bigger picture!

I am sure that all will become clear in the fullness of time.

old3eyes

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#204269 30-Mar-2009 18:35

Ragnor: Prime has a lot of good stuff, all the people saying they don't watch Prime hence don't care about it.. what about Top Gear!!!

I refuse to watch Top Gear on Prime as they cut out about 12+ minutes from the BBC one which runs full 60 minutes

Regards,

Old3eyes

ageorge

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#204276 30-Mar-2009 18:49

mruane:

@ageorge - given that all Sky need to do is stop encrypting Prime on their platform, there will be no need to "move" it to the Freeview platform at all. That tells you that the cost aspects (as outlined by the SKY CEO to move to the Freeview platform) are not the whole story - in fact are probably not even remotely related to the bigger picture!

I am sure that all will become clear in the fullness of time.

Actually, thats pretty logical; I never thought of that. Once encryption is removed a standard scan of Optus for FTA would reveal Prime. So you are spot on; there would be no added cost at all. Perhaps this should be suggested to the Powers that be that have no clue about broadcasted formats?

Re particular shows guys - get the bigger picture; most of us want Prime for the additional programs offered. Just because you dont like Rugby, or Top Gear or whatever, thats irrelivant.
Cheers,
Al.

Alistair Grant George

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#204282 30-Mar-2009 19:15

Here is the response Sky will give.

We cannot remove the encryption from Prime off D1 because lobing may mean programs that are only licenced for NZ will be able to be picked up in Australia. Or words to that effect.

Funnily enough it doesn't seem to be a concern for other FTA channels being beamed from D1 for Freeview....

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1gkar

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#204308 30-Mar-2009 21:27

old3eyes:

Ragnor: Prime has a lot of good stuff, all the people saying they don't watch Prime hence don't care about it.. what about Top Gear!!!

I refuse to watch Top Gear on Prime as they cut out about 12+ minutes from the BBC one which runs full 60 minutes

I was never aware of that fact. But it is Sky we're talking about here. I'll never subscribe to a broadcaster that charges its client-base top dollar and forces them to watch advertising

Besides, that's been going on for years: the original Star Trek series was cut by some 7-8 minutes years ago: and that was on TV3. Yet, when Prime re-ran them (before Sky got their grubby hands on the channel) they were shown virtually uncut.

nate

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#204337 30-Mar-2009 23:44

Behodar:
nate: Sky has realised there is a group of subscribers who love Prime and would ditch their monthly subscription if Prime was available for free. By locking Prime into Sky only, they retain this customer base.

Prime IS (almost) available for free digitally. You can pay Sky a one-off fee of $155 and they'll give you a dish and decoder with Prime. You can then hook a Freeview receiver up to the same dish and get all the channels there too :)

Ah good idea, thanks for pointing out my mistake

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