Sky Text launches on Freeview

Sky Text is now available on all Sky channels by pressing "Text".
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Top Up TV troubles

Several channels on DTT have been affected by technical problems this morning. ABC1 did not start broadcasting until 13:00, while Discovery Home & Leisure and Discovery are broadcasting "in the clear" on some transmitters. Cartoon Network is off air. Various other Top Up TV channels are broadcasting either in the wrong timeslots or on the wrong channel numbers.
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Five advertise Top Up TV via red button

Much to the annoyance of people trying to watch programmes, a "press red" prompt has appeared on Five which explains how to subscribe to Top Up TV. The subscription company uses some of Five's broadcasting space to provide its channels.

BBCi rolls out page numbers

BBCi text pages on Freeview are now accessible using page numbers. Pages also available on Ceefax keep their existing three-digit numbers, whilst pages exclusive to Freeview have new four-digit codes: the News Multiscreen is on page 1001. Not all pages have numbers.
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Top Up TV Sampler launches

The Top Up TV Sampler channel has launched on channel 36. It shows a video loop explaining how to receive the service and what channels are available.
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Sky Text testing on Freeview

Sky Text is now testing on all Freeview Sky channels. The service can currently only be accessed by typing in the following code using the coloured buttons on the remote control: yellow green blue red green red yellow blue. The tests reveal a similar service to BBCi and Teletext, with page numbers and a hide/reveal function:

Source: Telly Aerial

Switchover trial villages given DTT

A small relay transmitter in Ferryside, south Wales has started broadcasting four DTT multiplexes (1, 2, A and B) today. The village, which has been earmarked for use in a digital switchover trial, will be monitored to see how popular take-up of digital services is and to identify any problems. Analogue services to the towns of Ferryside and Llansteffan will continue for now but are expected to be switched off in March next year.
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Top Up TV Sampler appears

The "Top Up TV Sampler" channel has appeared on channel 36, broadcasting on multiplex A. In separate news, "Teletext C" has also appeared on channel 56.
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More changes to BBCi on the way

The BBC has announced some major upcoming changes to the BBCi text service. Starting first with digital satellite this month and followed by Freeview and digital cable, the main difference will be the introduction of page numbers. Additional content will also be added to the service. The BBC is keen to make the service as familiar to use as Ceefax on analogue TV, which is not available on Freeview and only in a very limited form on digital satellite.
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Ten O'Clock News goes interactive

The Ten O'Clock News will be interactive from this evening on all digital platforms. This week it will include more in-depth information and features on the US elections, which take place today. The service will run for 45 minutes at 22:00 from Monday to Friday.
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ITV3 launches on Freeview... and cable and Sky!

ITV3 has launched on Freeview channel 34. The channel will broadcast 24 hours a day, and in some regions has replaced the ITV News Channel while engineering works on multiplex 2 are completed. Despite initial reports the channel would be exclusive to Freeview at launch, an eleventh-hour agreement between ITV and Sky has seen ITV buy-out Sky's share in "Granada"-branded channels Plus - which has been forced to close to allow the channel to launch - and Men & Motors. ITV3 is also available on cable.
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UKTV to launch gardening channel

UKTV plan to launch a new channel, "UKTV Gardens". According to Broadcast magazine, the channel could replace UKTV Bright Ideas on Freeview.
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New look for Teletext

Teletext has relaunched with a new look on Freeview channel 9. The new service also includes the introduction of page numbers (similar to analogue teletext) on Teletext on 4.
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ITV3 appears on Freeview

A placeholder for ITV3 has appeared on Freeview channel 34. The channel will launch at 21:00 on November 1. A video preview of the channel will be broadcast from October 25.
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ITV News Channel removed for engineering

The ITV News Channel is to be taken off-air in all regions except London to allow engineering work to take place on multiplex 2. Work has already been completed on the Crystal Palace transmitter, which allows more channels to be broadcast. The channel's removal allows for the launch of ITV3 next month.
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Price-drop.tv moves

Freeviewers must re-scan their receivers to continue to receive Price-drop.tv on channel 24, following its move to multiplex A.
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ABC1 launches on Freeview

ABC1 has launched on Freeview channel 15. The channel, broadcasting between 06:00 and 18:00, shows programmes from American broadcaster ABC, part of the Disney Corporation. The channel is not available in Wales, and will not be carrying adverts initially.
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Price-drop.tv on the move

Shopping channel Price-drop.tv are advising viewers to retune their digital receivers on October 1, when the channel will move from multiplex 2 to multiplex A to allow ITV3 to launch.
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3C begins testing

3C (Continuous Cool Country), the radio station launching on Freeview on September 29, has started testing on Freeview channel 95. The station broadcasts on Mux C and has an MHEG screen showing the telephone number and website address but is not broadcasting any EPG data yet.
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BT to launch "Freeview Plus"

British Telecom is to launch a new service next year in conjunction with Freeview. To be called "BT Freeview Plus", the service will combine Freeview with subscription content delivered via a broadband modem. BT will begin testing with a few pre-selected customers next week but full launch of the service is expected to be about a year from now. The service has the support of the BBC as well as other broadcasters.
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Freeview closing the gap on Sky

MediaGuardian reports that Freeview now has as many as 4.4 million viewers and is rapidly closing the gap on Sky (7 million). In 2004 Q2 the satellite operator saw its share of the digital TV market fall from 55% to 53.5% while the growth of Freeview has seen it increase from 26.5% to a 28.4% share. 55.4% of households now have access to digital TV.
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ITV3 to launch exclusively on Freeview

ITV boss Charles Allen today revealed that ITV3, a new channel starting on November 1, will be available exclusively on Freeview at launch. Sky have told ITV that they have no space for the channel, while negotiations with NTL and Telewest are still on-going.
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Wake up to the Community Channel

The Community Channel is to change its broadcast hours from September 6. It will move from its "graveyard" slot to 06:00-09:00.
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Shopping and changing in Wales

QVC and Bid-up.tv now appear to be timesharing in Wales: previously, QVC was entirely unavailable and Bid-up broadcast 24/7. Bid-tv will now broadcast between 08:00 and 19:00.
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