Freeview and Red Button Coverage

[Enja]

Hi, sorry if this is the wrong place, didn't know where to put it.

This is primarily for those in the UK who use Freeview digital boxes and also enjoy the BBC's red button coverage of F1. It provides a live, uninterrupted onboard feed of the races and alternative commentaries (which is useful if you don't like the TV commentators).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressr ... view.shtml

Part of this new arrangement involves switching off two of the three interactive streams it uses on Freeview to deliver Red Button content.

The switch off happens on the 27 October but Freeview viewers will still be able to see sport, music and entertainment on the remaining interactive stream.

Viewers will no longer see the BBC News Multiscreen and for other content including sport and music there will be less repeats with content played out in smaller blocks of time.

This now may mean that these alternative commentaries and onboard feed are scrapped for TV viewers (BBC online users will presumably still be able to use them), and with many other red button services and shows being shown, viewers may find that other, more exclusive programs are preferred over the 'extended' F1 coverage.

Going by the reception on the BBC red button blog, this decision won't be liked by a lot of Freeview users ;

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/pressred/200 ... view.shtml

There's similar reactions from the Digital Spy forums and some others too.

Personally I love using the red button for the alternative commentaries and the decision to jump for HD coverage is severely disappointing, especially when it comes at a big expense for the vast majority of viewers. I've also heard from Digital Spy that the reception of HD is very limited in certain areas of Britain (apparently London and Manchester are the only places to get perfect HD receptions).

If you have any thoughts on this I'd like to hear them. The BBC Trust is currently conducting a survey so if you feel strongly about the cutting of services (which, by the way, will affect the London 2012 coverage), voice your opinion on it.

 

[McZiderRed]

Unbelievable! I don't see why the BBC are doing this. The HD TV is not worth bothering with. They switch off the red button content for most of the country, purely so that a few people in London can watch HD!

I love watching the F1 forum on the red button, after the race. Suppose this will stop now. Totally off...

 

[Brogan]

I'd better not say anything....we don't have Freeview, just Sky HD

 

[McZiderRed]

I plan on getting up tomorrow morning for FP1, at 6.00am (cries at my lunacy! ) so I really hope it's going to be on the freeview red button as advertised...

Friday 30 October
First practice: 0600-0730, BBC Red Button/online & BBC Radio 5 Live sports extra/online

If not, I may be forced to watch it on-line. My bandwidth allowance from BT will suffer if that's the case.

 

[Brogan]

FP1 is at 0900 UK time McZ - check the times on the home page which are correct according to F1.com

 

[McZiderRed]

Thanks for telling me Bro, I could have been spitting blood at sat 6 o'clock tomorrow morning! I really need to pay more attention to the C_t_A homepage!

I think the chances are, as the BBC haven't deemed it necessary to update their website , that the freeview red button won't be showing free practice tomorrow. Just as well that I haven't paid to wa... oh wait, I have paid my licence fee! What a crock of !

As I don't watch most programmes on BBC1/2, the pap that's on BBC3, or the "news channel" (sic), I'd like to ask - apart from the threat of prison, why exactly do I pay for the licence fee....?