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Freeview channel numbers change on September 19th 2012

Following a consultation earlier in the year, from lunchtime on Wednesday 19th September, you will have to retune to get the new numbers allocated to some Freeview channels; in particular those used for News, Adult, Children and high definition services.

Following a consultation earlier in the year, from lunchtime on
published on UK Free TV

DMOL (DTT Multiplex Operators Ltd), the company that manages the channel numbers used on Freeview, have decided to make some changes to the allocations to allow the Freeview platform to grow over the next three to five years.

The changes will happen from lunchtime on Wednesday 19th September 2012. In summary the changes are:

  • Adult channels move to 171-198
  • News channels move to 131-150
  • Children's move to 121-130
    Proposed changes to the News and Children's genres will be put on hold pending the outcome of an appeal by Sky. All other changes will continue as planned on 19 September 2012.
  • HD channels move to 101-120
  • General entertainment channels now have 1-99
  • Text services move to 200-224
  • MHEG services move to 225-299
  • Interactive channels stay on 300-320
  • IPTV channels move to 400-499
  • Radio stays at 700-750
  • Manufacturer allocation remains 800-899


Adult channels move to 171-198

The "adult" channels on Freeview move up from 92-99 to start from 171. Channel 170 and 199 will be "bookend" pages to note the presence of the adult channels for those who flick up and down the channels.

171 Television X; 172 smileTV2, 173 smileTV3, 174 Babestn, 175 PARTY, 176 Blue, 177 Babestn2, 178 Playboy.

News channels move to 131-150

131 BBC NEWS, 132 BBC Parliament, 133 Sky News, 134 Al Jazeera 6-8, 135 Al Jazeera Eng, 136 Russia Today, 137 Community. Proposed changes to the News genre will be put on hold pending the outcome of an appeal by Sky. All other changes will continue as planned on 19 September 2012.

Children's move to 121-130

121 CBBC; 122 CBeebies, 123 CITV. Children's genre will be put on hold pending the outcome of an appeal by Sky. All other changes will continue as planned on 19 September 2012.

HD channels move to 101-120

The "normal" order of channels is restored to HD:

101 BBC One HD; 102 BBC HD [or BBC TWO HD]; 103 ITV1 HD or STV HD; 104 Channel 4 HD; 105 S4C Cirlun.

Note that S4C Cirlun is due to close at the end of the year. BBC TWO HD is planned to replace the BBC HD channel at some point in 2012.

General entertainment channels now have 1-99

There will be twice as many channel numbers now for "general entertainment", allocated on a first-come first-served basis. Most channels do not move numbers, except

48 Food Network; 49 The Jewellery Channel.

Channel 8 is reserved for the Local TV services in England and Northern Ireland, 45 for Local TV in Scotland and Wales.

100 is a "Navigation page", but only on Freeview HD.

Text services move to 200-224

200 BBC Red Button; 201 Teletext Holidays; 202 Rabbit; 203 Gay Rabbit; 204 1-2-1 Dating; 205 Mail Travel; 206 Sky Text.

MHEG services move to 225-299

225 VISION; 226 CCTV; 227 Sports Tonight; 228 Connect 1; 229 Connect 2; 230 Connect 3; 231 Racing TV; 232 The Space.

Interactive channels stay on 300-320

301 301; 302 302; 303 301 HD; 304 Channel 0; 305 TUTV Anytime 1; 306 TUTV Anytime 3; 307 TUTV Anytime 5; 208 TUTV Anytime 6.

IPTV channels move to 400-499

These will be used in future.

Radio stays at 700-750

No changes to radio.

Manufacturer allocation remains 800-899

No changes to manufacturer allocation.

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Comments
Friday, 14 September 2012
M
Mike Dimmick
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

7:16 PM

JG, Kev: "SI Data" stands for "Service Information" data. This is a broad-ranging term for any information carried on the multiplex that describes how the streams of data packets make up the multiplex, the information about what frequencies are used by transmitters transmitting this multiplex, and the electronic programme guide, along with programme delivery control information (accurate recording).

You would have to contact DMOL (www.dmol.co.uk) about any changes that have been made to the format of the SI data. The most recent changes listed relate to Network Change Notification Descriptors, which advertise (to compatible boxes) the retunes required for DSO in Tyne Tees and Northern Ireland, and for the renumbering exercise that was expected to occur on 19 September.

DMOL do use the DTG Testing lab to verify that their changes work on the majority of equipment in the wild, but it's possible they don't have a 3View box.

link to this comment
Mike Dimmick's 2,486 posts GB flag
K
Kev
8:31 PM

Mike Dimmick.
DMOL have not answered my question --- believe me I have tried.
Maybe you could contact them and report back.
JG come and join us here....
Freeview channel numbers change on September 19th 2012 | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice
Regards Kev

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Kev's 14 posts GB flag
K
Kev
8:32 PM

JG sorry wrong paste --- here ...
• Index page

Regards Kev

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Kev's 14 posts GB flag
Richard
10:17 PM
London

Thanks for the pic Dave, I used to live in Harrogate so I know the Shambles in York very well!

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Richard's 5 posts GB flag
Richard's: mapR's Freeview map terrainR's terrain plot wavesR's frequency data R's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Saturday, 15 September 2012
J
JG
10:10 AM

Hi Kev
Am already on that site

Thanks

link to this comment
JG's 2 posts GB flag
K
Kev
11:22 AM

JG .
So I see !!
I'm going to get another email off to DMOL today.
Regards Kev

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Kev's 14 posts GB flag
Monday, 17 September 2012
K
Kev
12:28 PM

Still no reply from DMOL .
Have also email the BBC as they are also responsible (?) for broadcasting in the UK.
.Regards.

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Kev's 14 posts GB flag
Wednesday, 19 September 2012
Dave Lindsay
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

3:11 PM

I have a Sony RDR-HXD870 and am served by Emley Moor. I haven't seen any messages telling me to retune and I haven't retuned either.

I don't intend to retune as every time I do this I have to skip all those I don't want and set the timer for the programmes that were set before carrying out the retune.

It is absolutely ridiculous that this reform of the numbering is being carried out on more than one day.

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Dave Lindsay's 5,724 posts GB flag
R
Russell Smith
6:05 PM
Wirral

19 Sept 5pm. Winter Hill/Wales border. Have just retuned but all the HD channels have stayed on Ch 50-54. When will Chs 100+ come in with HD ?

link to this comment
Russell Smith's 1 post GB flag
Russell's: mapR's Freeview map terrainR's terrain plot wavesR's frequency data R's Freeview Detailed Coverage
M
Mark
10:12 PM

19 Sept 22.00 Mendip transmitter
Have just retuned and have lost all HD channels - gained Argos so feel like i have got a bit of rough deal out of this!! Any ideas?

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Mark's 2 posts GB flag
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