BBC begin DTT-HD testing

The BBC have begun broadcasting test high definition broadcasts from the Guildford transmitter, in preparation for the launch of high definition services on Freeview. Unlike the previous HD trial in London, the newly-approved DVB-T2 codec is being used – a more efficient technology which allows for more data to be broadcast in the same bandwidth.

Warner Bros added to Top Up TV

Programmes from Warner Bros TV will be available on Top Up TV Anytime from June 30. According to on-screen advertisements, subscribers can look forward to shows like The West Wing, Studio 60..., Supernatural and Nip/Tuck. Meanwhile, it's rumoured that UKTV Gold could shortly be switching to a downloads-only service (rather than the current, "live channel" system), as one of several big changes to the Anytime service.

BBC Sport interactive goes permanent

The BBC's interactive sport service will become a permanent fixture on digital television after the Olympics, according to Broadcast. The move is designed to make greater use of the corporation's sports rights, from television (including US basketball, next year's Formula 1 season and Premier League highlights) and radio (such as the scorecard service available during Test cricket matches), as well as their extensive archive and news operations.

Ofcom investigates selling off "white space"

Ofcom has launched a consultation into the feasibility of using "white space" – small blocks of spectrum only available in certain tightly-defined geographic areas – for broadcasting low-power regional services. The move could create the opportunities for local multiplexes, carrying regional channels like Manchester's Channel M.

Top Up issued with data broadcast licence

Ofcom have issued a licence for a data service on DTT to Top Up TV, suggesting they have successfully bid for some of the spare capacity on multiplex A. It is not yet known what the service will be used for.

Setanta extends weekend broadcast hours

Setanta Sports 1 will extend its broadcast hours at the weekends, according to the latest electronic programme guide information. Saturday night broadcasts will now cease at 05:00 (on Sunday morning), two hours later than at present. The capacity is being taken from Top Up TV Anytime 1.

Discovery channels shake-up on Anytime

Animal Planet has been removed from Top Up TV Anytime today, and has been replaced by a re-vamped Discovery channels line-up. On-demand content has been aligned with the Discovery and Discovery Real Time channels (rather than being filed under "Lifestyle" and "Factual").

Virgin 1 goes widescreen

Virgin Media Television channels are now available in widescreen. Channel presentation, adverts and selected programming is now available in 16:9 format on Virgin 1 for Freeviewers, and on Living for Top Up TV subscribers.

Q Radio re-launched

Q Radio, from the people behind Q magazine, has re-launched. The station now features live presenters and shows, and is also available on DAB in London, having been a “jukebox” service since launch.

Freeview changes kill Brum’s old boxes

Around 1% of digital terrestrial receivers in Birmingham and the West Midlands can no longer receive DTT services, due to transmission changes at Sutton Coldfield. The effected boxes, which include models by Daewoo, Labgear, Triax, Portland, Bush and SetPal, were all released before official Freeview specifications were released, and can’t cope with the latest “network enhancements”. Freeviewers hit by the change will just have to buy new boxes.

Ravensbourne College raves on air

The Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication has become the latest academic institution to begin broadcasting via DTT. The College, based in Chislehurst, South East London, has the capacity to broadcast three television channels and one radio station (along with EPG data). The project is part of the “Rave On Air” event, run by the college each year to showcase student talent, and is being supported by multiplex-operator Arqiva.

The Jewellery Channel leaves Freeview

The Jewellery Channel appears to have ceased broadcasting on Freeview channel 44. The channel, which has been available on a dedicated channel number between 19:00 and 21:00 for six months, is still broadcast in the mornings on Five US. The capacity previously used by The Jewellery Channel is owned by Turner, the people behind Nuts TV.

Setanta move to capitalise on Picnic delay?

Setanta Sports are considering plans to enhance its presence on DTT – and possibly even Freeview – in the wake of Ofcom's decision to further delay a ruling on Sky's Picnic plans. According to a senior Setanta source, the company is now looking to exploit this advantage, although they declined to reveal specifics: "We are looking at some developments in the coming months, not around pricing, but to do with content".

Freeview spec update includes HD, broadband

The Digital Television Group, who are responsible for creating and maintaining technical standards for Freeview receivers, are poised to release the latest version of the specification. According to their technical director, Simon Gauntlett, the new document includes standards for an Ethernet (broadband) connection (like all of the new Freesat boxes), and many of the requirements for potential HD services (there's still some issues surrounding the DVB-T2 standard to sort out).

Rabbit launches on Freeview

Teletext's new chat and dating service, Rabbit, launched on Freeview channel 102 this morning. The service, available daily between 11:00 and 04:00, allows users to send in text and picture messages (at 50p-a-pop) which are then displayed on-screen. Some receivers, such as the Netgem I-Player, are incompatible with the service.

BBC Parliament to take Olympic recess

The BBC will replace BBC Parliament with an extra interactive stream for the duration of the Olympic Games on Freeview. On digital satellite, up to eight individual interactive streams are available, but this number is limited to just two on DTT. As Parliament will be in recess during the Beijing games anyway, this will increase the number of ‘red-button’ video streams to three.

Sky’s Picnic postponed again by Ofcom

Sky’s plans to launch a subscription television service on DTT by replacing their three existing channels on Freeview with programming from Sky Sports, Sky Movies and Sky One have been dealt another blow by the media regulator Ofcom. Two separate consultations – on the state of the pay-TV market as a whole, and of Sky’s proposal – have already been carried out, but now a third has been announced to examine the impact the move could have on the UK television market as a whole. The consultation will last until the end of the summer, pushing any Picnic launch back to Summer 2009.

Rabbit hops on to Freeview

A placeholder for Teletext's new "chat and dating" service Rabbit has appeared on Freeview channel 102. The service, which replaces Teletext Cars, will allow users to set up profiles with pictures sent in by mobile phone.

Freesat launched

Freesat, the satellite television service with no monthly subscription, launches today. Backed by the BBC and ITV, the service is based on Freeview, but is available to a much larger percentage of the population – 98% compared to Freeview’s 75% coverage. Around 80 television channels are available from launch, including the High Definition service BBC HD; E4 and More4, both of which began broadcasting FTA on satellite from this morning; plus a wide selection of channels not available on DTT including Pop, The Vault and EuroNews.

ITV’s Grade attacks Ofcom’s HD plans

ITV chairman Michael Grade has attacked Ofcom’s plans to launch HD service on Freeview by re-arranging existing channels, rather than providing new, dedicated spectrum. Grade said that “closing the door to HD on Freeview would undermine [efforts to ensure] that everyone has access to the same quality of broadcasting and to the main public service broadcasting channels”. ITV are currently developing their own HD channel in preparation for its eventual launch on Freesat.

Five Life replaced by Fiver

Fiver launched on Freeview channel 36 this morning at 06:00, replacing Five Life. The channel is essentially just a re-jigged Five Life, with much of the programming staying the same, but with a new schedule and a few new acquisitions like series two of Dirt and the five-minute-episode My Space series Sofia’s Diary. Most digital receivers won’t need re-scanning, as only the channel name has changed. In other news, Teletext is now available from Channel 4+1.

Sky considering launching Picnic on IPTV instead

Sky are considering launching their controversial subscription service Picnic via broadband, rather than wait for regulator Ofcom to make a decision over their plans to stop broadcasting on Freeview. According to reports, the broadcaster is in talks with software developers about launching a BT Vision-style IPTV service.

Switchover transition period to be halved

Digital UK have announced the biggest change to the UK’s switchover plan to date. Feedback from the first UK region to switch to digital, Whitehaven and Copeland in Cumbria, has suggested that the four-week transition period was too long. Viewers had to switch between analogue and digital for over a month, just to receive the five basic terrestrial channels. As a result, the time between the first analogue channel being switched off to the last has been halved to fourteen days for the switchover at Selkirk and in the Westcountry.

Teachers TV added to Top Up Anytime menus

Teachers TV has been added to the Top Up TV Anytime service today, amongst a few other changes. The channel names for UKTV Gold and UKTV Style have been capitalised, and British Eurosport now appears as “Eurosport UK”. Despite the fact it broadcasts on Freeview, and that the box simply records its one hour of programming each day, Anytime users can now add Teachers TV to their subscribed channels. The channel broadcasts using Top Up TV capacity.