Freeview (Australia)
| File:Freeview (Australia).png | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Digital Television |
| Founded | 2008 |
| Headquarters | , |
Area served | Australia |
Key people | Robin Parkes - CEO |
Number of employees | Unknown |
| Website | www.freeview.com.au |
.png){kind=link}
Freeview (Australia) is the brand given to the digital terrestrial television platform in Australia. It is intended to bring all of the free-to-air (FTA) broadcasters on to a consistent marketing platform to compete against PayTV, in particular Foxtel, and coincides with the expansion to 3 digital channels for each FTA network. Freeview will emphasise its members' 15 free over-the-air channel, will produce an enhanced EPG (electronic program guide) - and will also certify TVs, set top boxes and PVRs which meet their requirements.
The Freeview brand was launched in November 2008 with teaser commercials promising 15 channels in 2009. The first new "Freeview" channel started on 26 March 2009 with TEN Network's OneHD sport channel. Further advertising began on 26 April and more information is due in May 2009 along with the first Freeview certified devices.
Freeview has been criticised as being ambiguous and light on details, with criticism that certification is more about restricting devices than enabling them. [1] TEN Network's simulcast of "One" in HD & SD is criticised by some as a single channel, as it is not unique content and the introduction of One HD means TEN Network's non-sports programming is no longer broadcast in HD. [2] Freeview certification will include at least two phases, with the Phase 1 Freeview devices not required to feature the MHEG-5 technology Freeview intends to use to support its Electronic Program Guide. [3]
Launch
The brand was launched on November 24, 2008 at 6:29pm through the use of a 60 second advertisement shown on all networks, in a roadblock.[4]
The proper service will launch in 2009 along with a number of Freeview badged Set Top Boxes and Integrated Digital Televisions.[5] At least four manufacturers intend to release Phase 1 Freeview devices which do not support MHEG-5. [6]
Ownership
The not-for-profit Freeview organisation comprises the free-to-air licencees; Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Special Broadcasting Service, Seven Network, Nine Network, Network Ten, WIN Corporation, Prime Media Group and Southern Cross Broadcasting.[7].
An ABC release says these groups are shareholders of Freeview[8], though a company search reveals all shares are owned by the Nine Network.[9]
Freeview Certification Requirements (for TVs, PVRs, and Set Top Boxes)
Part of the Freeview initiative is to certify boxes as capable of receiving Freeview. Although certification requirements have not been formally released, Phase 1 Freeview devices will be high definition, and capable of more advanced video encoding (MPEG-4). Recorders will not be able to skip over ads, and must enforce digital rights management.
Phase 2 requires Freeview devices to feature the MHEG-5 technology, which Freeview intends to use to support its Electronic Program Guide (EPG) and future EPG enhancements.
The Freeview advertising for their 15 channel platform and certified products, combined with the Australian government's commercials warning of the closure of analog TV transmissions, is intended to help consumers buy appropriate devices.
High Definition
To obtain Freeview certification, devices must include at least one high definition digital tuner.
Note: In April 2009, it was not known whether displays needed to meet high definition standards
Advanced Video Codec (H.264/MPEG4)
Freeview devices must be capable of receiving and decoding H.264/MPEG-4 Advanced Video Coding, a far less data hungry standard than current MPEG-2.[10] The Advanced Video Coding standard allows higher quality transmissions or more TV channels in future, and Freeview has said that the TV networks will not broadcast with this codec until the majority of the population has a device that can receive it.
The federal government has not approved any change in TV broadcasting standards.[11], and Australian broadcasters have not announced a timetable for switching to MPEG-4 broadcasting.
Ad skipping restrictions and DRM standards - for Digital Video Recorders
Freeview devices can not skip an ad block - they can skip 10 minute blocks, and fast forward and rewind at 30x speeds
Hard drive-based recorders must offer a minimum of 160 GB internal storage, with Digital Rights Management applied to recordings copied off the device. Restrictions must also be in place to ensure recordings can not be accessed if the hard drive is removed from the recorder.
Enhanced EPG (MHEG-5) - phase 2
Freeview Phase 2 certified devices will use a new Electronic Programming Guide (EPG).
Phase 1 Freeview devices are not required to feature the MHEG-5 technology that Freeview intends to use to support its Electronic Program Guide. As of April 2009, Freeview was still negotiating an MHEG-5 licensing deal. [3] Freeview has agreed that manufacturers can sell Phase 1 devices without MHEG-5 for another three years, and are not required to label such devices as Phase 1. [3]
Freeview has not released details of when this EPG will be launched or what enhancements it will feature compared to the EPG data already embedded in the broadcast signal, which is available to all digital television devices. After some confusion as to whether non-Freeview devices would still have access to the EPG, Freeview chief executive Robin Parkes confirmed the broadcast EPG would remain and the Freeview EPG would be based on the exact same data, only using MHEG-5 to present a common interface across devices. [12]
Australian EPG provider IceTV's high court victory over the Nine Network, securing its right to supply a third-party EPG service, may influence Freeview's long term plans for the broadcast and MHEG-5 EPG services. [13] Freeview is still negotiating both a license to use MHEG-5 [3] and a license to use the traditional information grid pattern EPG of which the copyright is owned by Macrovision. [14]
Non Compliant Devices
Existing digital TV devices should continue to operate without Freeview certification, with the following caveats:
- Only HD devices can view the HD channels
- If the TV networks start transmission in MPEG-4 in the future, non-MPEG4 capable boxes will not be able to receive those channels
- Non Compliant devices (and Phase 1 Freeview devices) will not have the enhanced EPG, which will be encoded to prevent non certified boxes reading it. Initially the enhanced EPG will contain the exact same data as the broadcast EPG [15], although eventually it may feature higher quality and more accurate information to use for scheduling recordings.
Government Digital Ready Labelling Scheme
In April 2009, the government released a new labelling scheme for digital television devices, to help people buy the correct equipment in the transition from analog to digital television. This is unrelated to the Freeview labelling endorsed by the major commercial and public broadcasters.
Televisions will have the following labels:[1]
- Digital TV Capable - for analog TVs which require a set top box
- Digital TV Ready (Standard Definition) - for TVs able to receive SD broadcasts
- Digital TV Ready (High Definition) - for TVs able to receive HD broadcasts
Freeview devices meet the High Definition Digital TV Ready standard, in addition to the other Freeview standards.
Channels
Each free-to-air broadcaster, from 2009, is permitted to transmit 2 channels in Standard Definition (SD) and 1 in High Definition (HD). Freeview has announced that the service will launch with 15 channels, three from each of the current broadcasters[16] - 10 SD and 5 HD services.[5]
Network Ten has announced that they will have 2 channels - a regular entertainment channel (in SD) and a sports channel[2] (in HD and SD). In March 2009, The Nine Network has annouced they'll launch GO!99 in August. So far, The Seven Network has not announced their channel plans.
Logical Channel Numbers (LCNs) vs Actual Channels
The digital Television standard allows for multiple channel numbers to point to the same television stream. All the broadcasters use this - it can appear that there are several separate channels when they each point to the same transmission.
The broadcasters are permitted to broadcast 3 separate channels. When the HD and SD channels show the same program, they use different streams - one in standard definition, the other in high definition.
The Freeview advertising says they will have 15 channels.
Metropolitan Channels
Not all channels are available in all areas, duplicate channels omitted. [17]
ABC4 coming next year| LCN | Channel | Genre/Type | Resolution | Current Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ONE HD | Sport | 1080i HD | Active channel |
| 2 | ABC1 | General entertainment | 576i SD | Active channel |
| 3 | SBS TV | General entertainment | 576i SD | Active channel |
| 7 | Seven Digital | General entertainment | 576i SD | Active channel |
| 9 | Nine Digital | General entertainment | 576i SD | Active channel |
| 10 | Ten Digital | General entertainment | 576i SD | Active channel |
| 12 | ONE | Sport (Simulcast One HD) | 576i SD | Active channel |
| 20 | ABC HD | No announced changes | 720p HD | Currently simulcasts ABC1 NSW with rare breakaway programming |
| 22 | ABC2 | General entertainment | 576i SD | Active channel |
| 23 | ABC3 | Children's programming - coming late Nov 2009 | 576i SD | Promised by the Howard and Rudd [3] governments |
| 30 | SBS HD | No announced changes | 720p HD | Currently simulcasts SBS TV |
| 32 | SBS Two | Non-English language general entertainment | 576i SD | Starts June 1 2009. Currently SBS World News Channel |
| 70 | Seven HD | Unannounced - coming Oct 2009 [18] | Unknown HD | Currently 1080i simulcast of 7SD with some breakaway programs |
| 7x | Reserved for 7SD-2 | Unannounced - coming Oct 2009 [18] | 576i SD | Not available. |
| 90 | Nine HD | Unannounced | Unknown HD | Currently 1080i simulcast of 9SD with some breakaway programs |
| 99 | GO!99[19] | General entertainment - coming August 2009[20][21] | 576i SD | Not available. |
Regional Channels
Some regional areas receive a different combination of metropolitan and regional channels. Below lists the general regional networks, see metropolitan channels where necessary. For example, most areas in regional Queensland have Seven Queensland broadcasting instead of an affiliate.
| LCN | Channel | Genre/Type | Resolution | Current Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | ABC1 | Mature Entertainment | 576i SD | Active channel |
| 3 | SBS TV | Foreign Programs/General Entertainment | 576i SD | Active channel |
| 5 | Southern Cross Ten | Youth/General Entertainment | 576i SD | Active channel (Regional Network Ten Affiliate) |
| 6 | Prime/Southern Cross | General Entertainment | 576i SD | Active channel (Regional Seven Network Affiliate) |
| 8 | WIN/NBN | General Entertainment | 576i SD | Active channel (Regional Nine Network Affiliates) |
| 20 | ABC HD | No announced changes | Unknown HD | 720p HD, currently simulcasts ABC1 |
| 22 | ABC2 | Youth/General Entertainment | 576i SD | Active channel |
| 23 | ABC3 | Children's programming - coming Dec 2009 | 576i SD | Promised by the Howard and Rudd [4] governments |
| 30 | SBS HD | No announced changes | Unknown HD | 720p HD, currently simulcasts SBS TV |
| 32 | SBS Two | Non-English language general entertainment | 576i SD | Starts June 1 2009. Currently SBS World News Channel |
| 5x | ONE HD | Sport | 1080i HD | Coming August 2009. Will retransmit Ten's sport channel "One", in HD.[5] |
| 5x | Southern Cross Ten SD2 | No plans | 576i SD | No plans as of March 2009[22] |
| 60 | Prime/Southern Cross HD | Unannounced | Unknown HD | Currently 1080i simulcast of 6SD |
| 6x | Prime/Southern Cross SD-2 | Unannounced | 576i SD | Not available. Coming in 2009 |
| 80 | WIN/NBN HD | Unannounced | Unknown HD | Currently 1080i simulcast of 8SD (also carries Nine HD in selected regional areas) |
| 8x | WIN/NBN SD-2 | Unannounced | 576i SD | Not available. Coming in 2009 |
Online Video Portal
Through Freeview, the free-to-air broadcasters have signed a new initiative for an industry-wide video hub - details of what content will be carried is unknown. A consultant has been commissioned to advise on vendor partnerships, and ABC's iView technology is the frontrunner to deliver the service. [23]
The ABC, Seven Network and Nine Network each currently offer "catch up" internet television services in Australia, allowing viewers to watch locally produced content after it has been shown on their respective channels.
Criticisms
Freeview has been criticised as being ambiguous and light on details, with criticism that certification is more about restricting devices than enabling them. [1] TEN Network's simulcast of "One" in HD & SD is criticised by some as a single channel, as it is not unique content and the introduction of One HD means TEN Network's non-sports programming is no longer broadcast in HD. [24] Freeview certification will include at least two phases, with the Phase 1 Freeview devices not required to feature the MHEG-5 technology Freeview intends to use to support its Electronic Program Guide. [3]
In addition to the lack of detail, the minimal information given by channel 7 & 9 management regarding new channel launch dates appears to show a continual slip into later release dates. The original Freeview announcement planned May releases, a later 7 release said mid 2009 [25] and then October.[18]
References
- ^ a b Picture not clear on Freeview
- ^ Nerds pay the price for One HD's 24 hour sport
- ^ a b c d e Freeview in a fog
- ^ "Freeview to launch 6.29pm Monday". MediaSpy (The Spy Report). 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
- ^ a b UNITES NETWORKS IN THE DIGITAL REVOLUTION 24 Nov 08.pdf "Freeview unites networks in the Digital Revolution" (PDF) (Press release). Freeview (Australia). 2008-11-24. Retrieved 2008-11-24.
{{cite press release}}: Check|url=value (help) - ^ Half of Australia's first Freeview devices won't be Freeview compatible
- ^ "Freeview About Us". Freeview. 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-24.
- ^ Freeview to Drive Digital Take-up in Australia
- ^ So who's really behind Freeview?
- ^ Clock Ticks for Plasmas, LCDs
- ^ Battle over Australia's TV future
- ^ Freeview confirms new Aussie EPG is backwards compatible... coz it's nothing but a skin
- ^ IceTV cracks Nine - a win for viewers
- ^ Freeview To Cut EPG Deal After IceTV Win
- ^ Freeview confirms new Aussie EPG is backwards compatible... coz it's nothing but a skin
- ^ "Freeview FAQs". 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-29.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|Publisher=ignored (|publisher=suggested) (help) - ^ "Freeview Channels". 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-29.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|Publisher=ignored (|publisher=suggested) (help) - ^ a b c Foxtel ponders internet-only subscriptions
- ^ GO!99 for entertainment? : TV Tonight
- ^ David Gyngell (9) confirms plans for digital
- ^ Nine confirms new sales model for second channel, plus August launch
- ^ ONE HD: SC10 & Foxtel ‘fess up
- ^ Freeview beats off US rivals
- ^ Nerds pay the price for One HD's 24 hour sport
- ^ Leckie Hits out at Network Ten
External links
 | This Australian television-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |