Digital TV Blog

BT give live footy away for free

BT is offering customers free access to Setanta Sports 1 when they sign up for one of its BT Vision packages, in an attempt to win back ground from its competitors in the battle for the broadband market.

Customers will be given Setanta free when they take out a BT Vision bronze, silver or gold package starting at £14 a month – half the cost of Sky’s equivalent. Each package includes the Freeview channels, a digital video recorder and TV Replay, and customers can opt into a number of viewing packs, depending on which package they chooser. These include Kids, Music, Standard Sport and Picture Box, BT Vision’s movie service.

With the addition of Setanta Sports 1, customers can tune into 46 live Barclays Premier League matches, as well as live action from the Scottish Premier League and every round of the FA Cup. Football fans will also have access to ‘near-live’ footage of 242 Premier League matches. The world’s major sporting tournaments will also be broadcast, including the home nations World Cup qualifiers, live US PGA Tour Golf and World Championship Boxing.

Scottish football fans are also in for a treat, as BT Vision announced yesterday that it had signed a deal with Setanta to show 28 on-demand games in addition to the 60 live matches already available to subscribers.

Analysts say that customers are more wary of signing up to pay-TV subscription packages in the light of the current credit crunch. In a press release, BT Vision said “we offer customers the chance to save money by giving them the choice of when they pay and what they pay for.”

In a challenge to rivals Sky and Virgin Media, BT Vision’s Chief Executive Dan Marks said “Our compelling offer… proves you don’t have to pay sky-high prices to watch top-flight football, and our packages offer so much more value than [rival] TV packages on Sky or Virgin… We now have more to watch than any other on-demand TV service in the country”.

Well, sort of.

This just in from the guys at Setanta Sports - the following pre-season friendlies and qualifiers have been announced, including the dates for the Vodacom Challenge mini-tournament games between title holders Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Cheifs and Manchester United. Please note that one of the dates is tob be confirmed, and that all fixtures are, naturally, subject to change.

Sat 12/7 Tranmere v Liverpool 15:00 LFC TV

Thu 17/7 EB / Streymur v Man City (Faroe Islands) UEFA Cup 19:00 Setanta Sports 1

Fri 18/7 Southampton v Celtic 19:45 Celtic TV

Sat 19/7 Kaizer Chiefs v Man United 14:30 Setanta Sports 1

Sat 19/7 Barnet v Arsenal 15:00 Arsenal TV

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Personal Services Required gets personal

RDF Media, the TV production company that sparked a row after falsely portraying the Queen as storming out of a photo shoot with Annie Leibovitz when, in fact, she had been walking in, has again been accused of misrepresenting the truth. Participants in the Channel 4 reality show Personal Services Required claimed that the production company made them look “ridiculous.”

The show films families seeking to employ a housekeeper, and follows them through the recruitment process. Headhunters Gabriella and Danny Grasso claim that when looking for a housekeeper, they were wrongly depicted as offering someone a job below the minimum wage. They are worried that the slur will have a negative impact on their business and are considering suing for libel.

“For us this was a serious process, but RDF belittled us and tried to make us look ridiculous on television,” said Danny Grasso. “They’ve given us unfair representation and made us look like people who are exploiting other people for entertainment. Had I known about them and their reputation, I wouldn’t have agreed to it.”

Well, the whole BBC/Queen/photoshoot/apology fiasco was pretty big news last year Danny, and Wife Swap is one of Channel 4’s biggest pulls. RDF Media are also responsible for shows such as Location Location Location, Rock School, and Shipwrecked. You might have heard of them. You might want to check them out.

The Grassos were approached by RDF, when they posted an advert for a housekeeper on the website Gumtree. They initially declined the offer because they were living in Dubai at the time, but later accepted when RDF offered to fly the couple and their 13-year-old daughter back to Britain first-class. Three housekeepers were interviewed and filmed at the couple’s five-bedroom home near Flitwick, Bedfordshire, having been chosen by the production company, supposedly on the basis of their suitability and experience.

37-year-old Danny Grasso said: “We were told the housekeepers would be qualified and vetted, so it would be a service to us. But when they sent in the first one it was clear they had chosen people who were ‘entertaining’.”

The couple ended up employing Wendy-Anne Passmore, but at the end of last week’s programme she said she doubted whether she was being paid even the minimum wage, at £250 a week. However Danny insists this is a ludicrous claim. “We were offering separate living accommodation and food with all utility bills paid; there’s no way that’s below the minimum wage.”

However, RDF maintains the episode gave “a fair and accurate representation of what happened”. Another applicant for the position of housekeeper called the couple “chavvy Lottery winners” to the camera. The last RDF fiasco, which showed the Queen apparently storming out of a photo shoot, prompted the BBC and ITV to stop commissioning productions from the company for a limited period. It also led to the dismissal of RDF’s creative director Stephen Lambert and the controller of BBC1 Peter Fincham.

1080p for all, at last

Word on the street is that since the launch of Freesat a couple of months ago, take up of HD TV equipment has really started to take off. According to sales figures, there are approximately 10 million HD TV sets currently in use in British households, half a million of which are being used in conjunction with the Sky HD service, which, incidentally, is set to take a price tumble tomorrow.

Virgin, which has proudly boasted its own V+ HD digital TV service since inception, also commands a portion of this figure. However, it is thought until now, the majority of HD Ready TV sets have been purchases with the purposes of enjoying next-gen home entertainment in the form of Blu-Ray and HD DVD players, not to mention the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Yes, and the Wii, although we realise it’s technically not a next-gen console…

Anyway. Just as Freeview and Freeview Playback drove the increase in sales of switchover-ready Digital TV sets, Freesat looks all set to do the same for HD-compatible kit. Like Freeview, the main selling point of the Freesat package is the one-off install fee, no subscription deal which sees punters able to sign up for a whole bunch of HD channels all in one go.

If that wasn’t enough HD access to keep people happy, the BBC are reportedly trialling HD transmissions over Freeview, using the Guildford transmitter as a test bed, putting paid to rumours that HD on Freeview would never happen. The broadcast utilised the newfangled DVB-T2 spec, which apparently offers 30% more capacity than the standard DVB-T, on which the existing Freeview equipment runs.

Justin Mitchell, head of the DVB-T2 development team at the BBC, said: “This is a big step forward in enabling the introduction of full HD terrestrial on Freeview by the end of 2009.”

The DVB-T2 specification means that Freeview punters will almost certainly have to buy a new set-top box, which prompts the question why bother waiting when you could just shell out for Freesat now? Well, the problem with Freesat is that it requires a dish to be fitted to the side of a property, and for structural and contractual reasons, this isn’t an option.

2009 is also well in advance of the 2012 switchover and just in time for the Olympic Games, meaning that every British household ought to be able to see that high-watermark acheivement of graphic design that is the London 2012 Olympics logo in super-high 1080 progressive scan resolution.

Satcaster in Scottish Switchover Stink-up

The decision to award Sky the contract for a digital switchover help scheme has been criticized by a Scottish MP.

The scheme, set up by the British government, helps elderly and disabled people make the switch to digital TV by converting one of their televisions to digital. Individuals aged 75 or over as well as those eligible for certain benefits will be offered digital equipment fully installed by Sky at a cost of £40, or free for the less well off, enabling them to access over 200 Freeview television and radio channels without subscription. They will also receive extra Sky channels and the Sky Plus digital recording facility free for two months, after which period they can opt to pay for the additional service or simply retain their Freeview channels.

However, the Liberal Democrat MP for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk has criticized the scheme sharply, saying that the digital market is no long a level playing field for Sky’s competitors: “What it fundamentally does take away is the idea that the transfer to digital television is done on a neutral basis, without any particular choice between the different television platforms. This is giving Sky an unprecedented marketing opportunity to some of people who are the most vulnerable in our Borders’ communities.”

He said that people on the scheme would have to pay for installation if they opted for an alternative provider which “seems to me absolutely crazy”.

However, chief operating officer of the Switchover Help Scheme Tony Noakes insisted that the decision to award the contract to Sky was a fair one: “The Help Scheme chose Sky as the standard offer because it represents best value for money and a high-quality service for eligible people. People using the Help Scheme in Scottish Borders will be free to choose from a range of other ways of going digital.”

Totally Mexico

Alex De Gale, the most aggressive and obnoxious idiot to be allowed into TV’s Pavlovian charnel house so far has been evicted by Big Brother chiefs after she apparently threatened to have her fellow housemates gunned down drive-by style once the show was over. A short transcript of her lunacy follows:

“I’m not throwing water at anyone. It’s bigger than that… personal offence is never forgotten. Do you know what I mean?

We are just inside the house. I’ve got a very, very, very, very, very strong team outside the huse.

I just can’t wait to see my mans and them and see what their plans are, who they got… I’m not talking about those mans, I’m talking about my gangster friends. They got some instructions to follow out.

I get to go out, see everyone’s friends, I get to see their family. I get to do the s**t that I wanna do. Pow, pow, pow.”

Angela Jain, Head of E4 and Big Brother at C4 said: “Alex’s comments will be widely interpreted as having been intended to intimidate. Other housemates have said they found her comments to be threatening and we believe that is a reasonable conclusion for them to have reached given the way Alex has behaved previously.

“Big Brother has very clear rules about housemates’ conduct and that kind of behaviour is not acceptable. She had already been spoken to twice about her behaviour and, like all housemates, was clearly informed before entering the house that she faced eviction if she acted in an unacceptable manner.”

This was indeed the final straw for Big Brother after the insane chip incident, and an incident this Tuesday, which seemed to have all the hallmarks of last year’s Jade Goody/Emily Parr racist double whammy.

Alex, who describes herself as a ‘non-practicing Muslim’, (kinda like a vegetarian who occasionally eats chicken) launched into housemate Mohamed, criticising his faith – the same one she allegedly subscribes to.

The 23-year-old Croydonian, accused him of misogyny, saying “Because you are Muslim, you look down on [women],” to which Mohamed, visibly annoyed said; “I don’t look down on [women]. My mum and I are very close and all the women in my family are strong. Don’t say things like that. It really pi**es me off.”

Blogs have been congested with anti-Alex remarks, and Facebook groups have reached apoplectic status.

Alex was called into the diary room around 8pm on Wednesday, where she was told that she would be removed from the house without any further contact with the other housemates. She was quietly ushered out of the house before an official announcement was made, so as to avoid any gathering crowds: a post on the Facebook group ‘ALEX HAS GONE AND THIS IS WHAT BB HAVE SAID..’ reads; “she wont get the booing she deserves now”.

It turns out that Alex is going to be in for a nasty shock when she gets home however. An article published a couple of days ago on Sky.com revealed how Alex’s black BMW has been keyed and tagged with graffiti reading “fake”, “bitch” and “slut”, which must officially make her the most hated BB contestant in TV history. Knowing her, she’ll probably be proud of that title.

Sword and Sandal action on Sky

Maybe its the Gladiators effect (Sundays, Sky One, 11pm), maybe not, but Sky have seem to have got Romans on the brain; recently they snapped up the rights to the stunning six-part miniseries Empire, which tells the life story of Gauis Octavius Thurlinus, better known as Octavius, who would later assume the mantle of Emperor under the name Augustus. Confused yet?

Shot in 2005, the six-parter follows the life of Octavius and his struggle to fulfil the dying wish of his great uncle Julius Ceasar; for him to take command of the Roman Empire. The show, broadcast in both standard and High Definition is said to be “visually stunning” and casts Santiago Cabrera (aka Issac Mendez from Heroes) in the lead role. Emily Blunt, who starred in The Devil Wears Prada, features alongside Cabrera, as does Jonathan Cake, star of Channel 4’s Mosley.

Sky says: “Empire is an epic drama bringing to life the fate of the entire Roman Empire and arguably one of the most significant figures in modern history, Octavius - the boy destined to become Emperor Augustus.”

Empire was filmed way back in 2005, probably conceived as a screen rival to the lavish BBC/HBO series Rome, and has been available on Region 1 for some time now. Empire will begin airing on Thursday nights from June the 26th on Sky One and Sky One HD.

Brilliant TV for everyone?

Apparently, Freesat has been unable to keep up with orders for its HD equipment, and has issued a warning of a shortage “due to very high demand”.

In the May Update message on its site, Freesat say that; “there is a shortage of Freesat HD boxes in the shops at the moment. We are working with Freesat retailers and manufacturers to increase supplies as soon as possible.

“In the meantime some Freesat retailers will allow you to reserve HD boxes for collection when stock comes in. The Freesat website will continue to give you updates.” Of the HD Ready Freesat boxes on offer, there are/were four models available from Bush, Goodmans, Grundig and Humax, all priced between £120 and £170 each.

Freesat, the new subscription-free satellite service developed by the BBC and ITV, was formally launched last week, and looks pretty sweet all in all, with the traditional Freeview channels – BBC’s One to Four, More 4, etc – plus HD options from BBC HD and ITV HD, with presumably 4 HD, currently available on Sky, to follow.

Picnic basket shut until next year

Sky’s Picnic pay-TV service on Freeview will be launched until this time next year, if at all, after Ofcom announced that the ongoing inquiry into whether the service will be damaging to competition within the digital TV market.

Sky wants to replace its Sky Three channel on Freeview with a range of other entertainment, news and sports channels, allowing DTT customers to get access to selection of Sky’s premier content, presumably, Sky One, Sky News and some of the Sky Sports channels.

Ofcom has now said that is has to consider the bigger picture with regard to the Picnic proposals and how it will affect the pay-TV market as a whole, and not just Freeview customers. Factors influencing this will be the result of the Sky and Virgin Missing Channels saga, and a separate investigation launched concerning Sky’s dominant position in the marketplace.

The regulator said that: “Ofcom [has] recognised that there are issues raised by the Sky proposal that will inform the [wider] market investigation and vice versa.”

Sky proposed Picnic over a year ago - this further delay will be very frustrating for the satcaster, who see the provision of their sports content on Freeview as not being any different to Setanta selling their Setanta Sports pack to terrestrial viewers.

Mike Darcey, Sky’s chief operating officer, said: “Ofcom has already recognised that Picnic would deliver increased choice, and it is disappointing that customers will be denied these benefits by an extended regulatory process. More than a year has passed since our initial application, with no definitive conclusion in sight.”

Gladiators Ready?

Last night we got our first taster of the new, improved Gladiators, on Sky One. So how was it?

Difficult to say at this stage; at Digital TV towers we were looking forwards to this with an unnerving degree of anticipation, to the point that we were beginning to invent Gladiator names for each other (Inhaler, the Slanket and Ampersand).

So we’re quite sad to report that the inaugural showing was something of a misfire. The new theme tune is forgettable to say the least - no squealing guitars, no 80’s drum fills, no horn section - sounding as it does like one of the tracks left on the cutting room floor from Nine Inch Nails’ ambient glum-hop Ghosts I-IV album.

Worryingly the audience was noticeably smaller, there was no sea of big foam hands, and where was ‘Another One Bites the Dust?’ Britney Spears’ ‘Hit Me Baby One More Time’ isn’t a worthy replacement.

New Gladiators include Oblivion, a lairy ‘did you spill my pint?’ type with a neckline like a flying buttress who fancies himself as the new Wolf, mouthing off to contestants and generally being an arse. Thing is, Wolf was a badass by virtue of the fact that he was a man of few words and he had a mullet. Enigma also has a pretty stupid nom de guerre - the only real enigma being why the producers decided to roll with such as crap name.

The show was saved (only just) by the knowingly camp Spartan, the ancient Greek-type warrior ponce who loved it up for the cameras with some frankly baffling poses, and some awesome pratfalls courtesy of the contenders falling arse over tit into the giant swingballs on the Hit & Run event.

The pugil-tastic Duel matches lasted a mere handful of seconds each, with the Gladiators sending the mere mortal contenders into the drink below. Oh yeah, we forgot to mention: instead of the huge inflatable red mats, all the events involving a big fall now take place over huge swimming pools, and so a more satisfying splash follows those unlucky combatants who take a tumble.

Hopefully the series will pick up - we want to see more of Inferno, Spartan, and Anderson please. And bring back the old theme! The new one sucks!