FreeviewPlus Q&A

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freitasm

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#169779 25-Mar-2015 14:24

Hey folks... We have an opportunity to post Freeview questions about their upcoming service FreeviewPlus. CEO Sam Irvine and Freeview Technology Manager Tim Diprose will answer the questions.

The format is similar to the ones we ran before: post your questions here. On the 5th April I will lock this thread and forward these to Freeview. When I get the replies I will post here and unlock for discussions again.

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#1267653 25-Mar-2015 14:30

Are any of the set top box's already out there able to use the new service or possibly with software upgrade capable of it or does it mean more new equipment?

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#1267654 25-Mar-2015 14:33

Is there any options for this on games consoles, smart bluray players, PCs etc or is it purely limited to devices with a legacy DVB tuner and antenna?

Richard rich.ms

openmedia

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#1267657 25-Mar-2015 14:35

Any plans to support this outside of Freeview|DTT?

For example plenty of DTH customers (Satellite) have reasonable internet connections and would benefit from the interactive and on-demand content.

Likewise generic web-browser support for HbbTV 1.5 rather than requiring a supported STB or TV.

Generally known online as OpenMedia, now working for Red Hat APAC as a Technology Evangelist and Portfolio Architect. Still playing with MythTV and digital media on the side.

alasta

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#1267671 25-Mar-2015 14:57

What will be the resolution of the streaming?

Will content be available to stream as soon as it has aired, as opposed to having to wait several hours for it to appear on the existing 3Now service?

mm1352000

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#1268523 26-Mar-2015 17:01

Will new or existing (ie. compatible by firmware/software upgrade) FreeviewPlus-certified products be required to support any other new technologies/standards other than HbbTV? I'm thinking of DVB-T2, IPTV of some description...

Background/assumptions...
I'm curious about plans for future broadcast platforms. People don't like to replace their TVs and set top boxes too often. Introduction of FreeviewPlus seems like a perfect opportunity to ensure new hardware will be future-proof for the next few years.

JimmyH

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#1268577 26-Mar-2015 19:05

Is it compatible with any of the more recent existing FV certified hardware (TVs, recorders etc) that people will already have, or is in unambiguous that everyone who wants to use this will need to upgrade hardware?

Will users be able to fast-forward through the ads, like they can with existing recorders?

Will there be a tablet client, so that material can be watched away from the main screen?

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mattwnz

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#1268583 26-Mar-2015 19:17

Will the TV manufacturers Freeview have approved on your website be required to support this for a minimum period of time? What I am getting at, is there any risk of the feature being removed from TV after a certain amount of time as the software changes?

Disrespective

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#1268835 27-Mar-2015 09:15

Will all Freeview channels have to supply ondemand content or is it still at their discretion?

If no to above; Which ondemand content providers are being supported?

sdavisnz

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#1268849 27-Mar-2015 09:38

Im interested in the xbox one Freeview accessory,

If xbox one One-Guide was supported in NZ via Freeview or Freeview plus that would make me very happy.

please look into xbox Freeview accessories for me,

Cheers,

Voice gives context

gjen

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#1268909 27-Mar-2015 10:53

Are you looking at a virtual Set-Top box type architecture, where the functions sit in a Data Center and the Customer Premise Equipment is a low cost Common Intel unit? This allows for new features and functions to be added seamlessly vs h/w upgrades of Set-top boxes and expensive Smart TV's. You can have a software based virtual Set top box (App) for Smart TV's & offer Cloud PVR and remote access to individuals Freeview content. Is this on the Roadmap or plans ?

ilovemusic

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#1269034 27-Mar-2015 13:58

alasta: What will be the resolution of the streaming?

Will content be available to stream as soon as it has aired, as opposed to having to wait several hours for it to appear on the existing 3Now service?

Plus what sound format will be used ?

These days anything less than HD with surround will get short shrift...

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peterds

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#1269452 28-Mar-2015 11:01

Will FreeviewPlus be available ONLY in the Digital Terresstrial areas?
Have Freeview got plans to put it on satellite?

I live on the eastern seaboard ot the Coromandel where we only have the satellite service and VERY slow broadband (download speed 1.0 to 1.6 max)

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mm1352000

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#1272550 28-Mar-2015 19:24

ilovemusic:
alasta: What will be the resolution of the streaming?

Will content be available to stream as soon as it has aired, as opposed to having to wait several hours for it to appear on the existing 3Now service?

Plus what sound format will be used ?

These days anything less than HD with surround will get short shrift...

Freeview's traditional answer to such questions has been that the content providers (AKA broadcasters, channels) determine these things. I'd expect the same for FreeviewPlus.

Disrespective: Will all Freeview channels have to supply ondemand content or is it still at their discretion?

If no to above; Which ondemand content providers are being supported?

The FreeviewPlus page on Freeview's website lists TVNZ OnDemand, 3Now, and Maori Television On Demand at the bottom of the page. Presumably other channels will be encouraged to join the platform. Channels can't be forced because they may not own the requisite content rights etc.

alasta

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#1272694 29-Mar-2015 08:52

mm1352000:
ilovemusic: Plus what sound format will be used ?

These days anything less than HD with surround will get short shrift...

Freeview's traditional answer to such questions has been that the content providers (AKA broadcasters, channels) determine these things. I'd expect the same for FreeviewPlus.

Of course, but it would be good to know whether the platform is capable of delivering HD, or even decent resolution in SD, if Mediaworks choose to utilise it.

mm1352000

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#1272766 29-Mar-2015 11:28

alasta:
mm1352000:
ilovemusic: Plus what sound format will be used ?

These days anything less than HD with surround will get short shrift...

Freeview's traditional answer to such questions has been that the content providers (AKA broadcasters, channels) determine these things. I'd expect the same for FreeviewPlus.

Of course, but it would be good to know whether the platform is capable of delivering HD, or even decent resolution in SD, if Mediaworks choose to utilise it.

The quality of the content you'll get from an HbbTV platform (which is what FreeviewPlus is) is limited by 2 things:

The capabilities of your network connection, due to HbbTV's specification of MPEG DASH for video delivery (DASH is adaptive streaming).
The encoding of the content.

Freeview does not have any control over either of those limits.

Another way of saying this...
HbbTV does not impose restrictions [on the aspects of content format that you're asking about] that the existing "on demand" platforms don't have. I'd expect what you're getting from TVNZ OnDemand, 3Now and Maori Television On Demand to be representative of what you can expect to get from FreeviewPlus.

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