ITV completing upgrade to HD viewing on satellite in October, with SD channels closing.
- ITV1 and ITV2 will no longer be broadcast in standard definition (SD).
- Coincides with Sky terminating subscriptions on SD-only boxes.
- Only small number of viewers affected.
- Knock-on effect on STV.
ITV has confirmed today that it will be concluding its switch to all-HD broadcasting next month with the last two main channels closing.
During the course of October, all remaining regional versions of ITV1 SD will be removed from satellite.
Additionally, ITV2 will cease broadcasts in SD, becoming HD-only on Sky and Freesat.
This follows ITV3, ITV4 and ITVBe going HD-only in January. Back then, a number of ITV1 SD regions also closed, leaving viewers with older satellite receivers with limited access to regional news programmes.
ITV hasn’t yet disclosed what will happen to its timeshift (+1) channels will are currently SD, and share satellite transponder capacity with the channels that are closing. However, ITV is currently making some changes to the way its HD channels are organised on satellite (see below).
ITV’s closedown coincides with Sky terminating subscriptions on older SD-only boxes during October.
Who is affected
You’re only affected if you have an older Sky or Freesat receiver that can already no longer receiver BBC channels. Affected Sky subscribers will have already been contacted by the Sky. Older Freesat boxes are now redundant; a helpscheme to help users of older boxes ended in the spring.
If you have BBC One HD on channel 101, (RTÉ One HD on channel 101 in Republic of Ireland), you are not affected.
However, Sky Q users in England, Wales and the Scottish Borders will soon lose access to ITV1 SD on channel 803, with the channel continuing in HD only on its primary position of channel 103.
Knock on effect on STV
Also affected by the closure is Scottish broadcaster STV. Its SD services are carried on the same transponder as ITV1 SD.
Sky already offers a fully regionalised STV HD service to its subscribers.
But for Freesat, most STV HD regions have traditionally been encrypted – behind Sky’s paywall and thus unavailable to Freesat. That’s forced Freesat to offer viewers their local STV in SD-only beyond the Glasgow and West of Scotland region.
However earlier this week, STV North HD – serving the former Grampian TV region – went free-to-air on satellite. This prepares the ground for Freesat HD viewers to continue to have access to STV beyond October.
ITV’s been making other changes
Some of ITV’s HD channels are moving to a new satellite frequency. Some including ITV3 HD have already switched to a new frequency.
This affects mostly viewers in the Republic of Ireland who have manually tuned in ITV, where ITV isn’t included on Sky’s channel list.
You can find updated tuning information on the RXTV ITV/STV/UTV manual tuning page.
However, for Sky UK and Freesat viewers, if your box missed the update and you are now missing some ITV channels, reboot your box. Ensure your receiver remains plugged in so it can capture any updates.
The changes move ITV HD services to wider transponders (i.e. they have more bandwidth) which can technically carry more channels per transponder. This would provide room for +1 channels to continue. RXTV has reached out to ITV for more information.
By: Marc Thornham | Image: ITV