I'd like to add to the voices in favour of having a channel number system. This is important both for sorting in the Guide (not available now so I have had to build it by prefixing the Channel Name with a number), as well as for quick selection (as is now available).
While I hear those that say channel numbers are becoming outdated in some parts of the world (particularly when you have hundreds of channels), the situation here in the UK may be somewhat different.
I have asked Brian Butterworth, who has run the
ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice site for the last decade, to explain why channel numbers are so important to UK television users:
In the UK, there are a number of broadcasters that have a special status in law: the BBC (funded by universal television tax), the Channel 4 Corp. (a public not-for-profit broadcaster), S4C (ditto for Welsh language programming), the "Channel 3 Licencees" (ITV plc, STV, UTV), and the "Channel 5 Licencee".
The Broadcasting Act 2003 recognises the status of these broadcasters by making provision for "due prominence" on any EPG.
Statement on Code on Electronic Programme Guides Statement by Ofcom IssuedThe upshot is that the first five slots of any EPG must go to BBC One, BBC Two, Channel 3 Licencee, Channel 4 (or S4C in Wales), and Channel 5.
For this reason, channel numbers are an important part of the UK broadcasting ecosystem.
THE UK TV ECOSYSTEMThere are four main EPG operators:
- DMOL (Digital Multiplex Operators Ltd.) who are responsible for the "Freeview" digital terrestrial system -
DMOL Post-DSO Logical Channel Numbers- SSSL (Sky Subscriber Services Ltd.) who operate the Sky subscription satellite system
- Freesat (a BBC/ITV joint venture) who operate the EPG for free-to-air satellite
- Virgin Media, who operate the cable EPG
This is complicated by there being 15 BBC One local regional variations
Which BBC regions are on satellite? , four national BBC Two variations, and many local ITV variations
ITV regions map. In addition, Channel 4
Macro Map - Interactive Map of Our Regions with Data and Channel 5
Spot Advertising Macro Map - Channel 5 have six subregions but only for advertising.
So, for example, position 3 on Freeview (103 on other systems) is STV in Edinburgh, UTV in Belfast, ITV 1 Wales in Cardiff, ITV 1 Meridian South in Brighton.
To make this work, there is a complex network of transmitters and multiple streams on satellite
Astra 1N at 28.2°E - LyngSat.
The BBC also operates a number of other stations on television and radio. These are also public services but the other channels operated by ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 are not. There are hundreds of other channels provided by private companies, but all are licensed by OFCOM.
This has led to each of the systems that could easily be linked into JRiver having their own channel number systems:
---
All free-to-watch channels - ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV adviceIt is also expected that the LCN channel numbers will continue into IPTV, launching this year as "YouView".
DTG :: News :: DMOL publish LCN consultationSo this means that the 60 million UK users of digital television are accustomed to using these numbers, as they have been in use for over a decade.WHAT THIS MEANS FOR JRiverIMHO, JRiver should automatically be able to read the logical channel numbers (LCN) from the NIT tables provided as part of the free-to-air broadcast and provide these to UK users as the default sort option, for both legal and practical reasons.
It is a fair question to wonder how systems with overlapping logical channel numbers (say DVB-T Freeview and DVB-S Freesat) should be handled.