Recent changes on the VM Network

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  • There were changes overnight according to the scan data but the changes were to complex to be analysed, the scanner's log just shows that further analysis is required. Analysis hasn't been done as there wasn't a post am scan, so there may be further changes.

    Catch 22!! :rolleyes:

    There were changes to the NIT CDS section, which invariably gets analysed quickly as it means frequency changes, which the scanners need to have analysed so that they know which frequencies to scan. Apparently, mothballed TSID 19, which recently had all frequency data removed from the NIT, once again carries frequency data. Interestingly, the scanners didn't use the early extract of frequency data (which they had previously requested) - so I'll check what's going on there.

    Edited once, last by jj20x (February 13, 2020 at 2:56 PM).

  • So, I guess Sky aren't interested in grouping channels into categories on satellite anymore, if this is being plonked in the middle of entertainment channels.

    I guess it's the fault of the channels. Little things, such as UKTV showing comedy strands on "Yesterday", blurring the genre boundaries. Everything is "entertainment" now.

  • I posted the above in the VM Change Log thread.

    Interesting they've finally made it visible to customers, as it still is clunky in its implementation, unlike the Press Blue for HD equivalent.

    Interesting that there hasn't been a global batch of NIT Linkage / Tivo updates for this. Perhaps the recent firmware updates (restricted to 3 VM regions) were linked to this. As far as I know, the original "press blue" code was added in level 5 updates rather than firmware level updates, but the level 5 version numbers haven't changed either. Also, there were no NIT Linkage changes on last night's early scan.

  • I guess it's the fault of the channels. Little things, such as UKTV showing comedy strands on "Yesterday", blurring the genre boundaries. Everything is "entertainment" now.

    UKTV purposefully changed the mix on Yesterday to get the channel moved further up the EPG, then Sky changed its category number range policy and did away with a specific number range for documentary channels, and the likes of Discovery got moved up without having to change their schedule genre mix. The change also got them moved on VM, and since VM haven't adopted this approach Yesterday is much higher than Discovery.

  • UKTV purposefully changed the mix on Yesterday to get the channel moved further up the EPG, then Sky changed its category number range policy and did away with a specific number range for documentary channels, and the likes of Discovery got moved up without having to change their schedule genre mix. The change also got them moved on VM, and since VM haven't adopted this approach Yesterday is much higher than Discovery.

    Yesterday was just an example of a trend, History channel also departed significantly from its genre. C&I content closely matches that of crime based channels in the entertainment genre.

    Discovery and Nat Geo channels along with Eden still, largely, sit within their genre but with the change of content of other channels in the genre, how much of a need is there to keep a specific genre?

  • The need to stick to genre is simply one possible strategy so you can find content you like. I'm not saying it's always the best one, and it doesn't apply in all cases. Some people ignore, or are unaware of, shows simply because of the channel, for a variety of reasons.

    Many people who like David Attenborough and have access to Sky One may not have even known there were several Attenborough shows on Sky One over the last few years simply because they don't associated the channel with Nature Docs. Yes, the BBC equivalent are on a general entertainment channels (in this country anyway) but certain channel's get associated with certain expectations and they are extremely hard to shake.

    Yesterday's change did help them move to a more prominent position, that later events enabled others to do the same without changing doesn't change that.

  • Ok, the early overnight changes:

    The HUM Masala red button service was activated with TSID 18 SID 1801 being added to the NIT of customer facing networks.

    And a new channel but VM aren't giving any clues with this one:

    Date Serial ID TSID SID EPG Service Name EPG Name Genre Flag EPG Flags Subscription Pack Flags Testing on internal networks Notes
    13/02/2020 2123 18 1802 666 HZNFATST HZNFATST Documentaries Broadcast Baby TV TTA Knowsley DMC (Hayes_RHE) New Channel.
                        Code Download Test (Portsmouth)  

    So, erm, yeah. Apparently testing unencrypted with one of VM's internal promo channels. EPG data states "Channel coming soon." - let the speculation begin...

    I don't know if there will any further scans today, so can't confirm whether or not there were any other changes. As mentioned earlier, frequency data for TSID 19 was added back to the NIT CDS section overnight.

  • As soon as you said about a mystery channel I looked on DigitalBitRate and found HZNFATST like you just posted. The screen grab doesn't even help, it's a VM preview reel and clearly just a test.

    The Baby TV tag is just as puzzling.

  • Yesterday's change did help them move to a more prominent position, that later events enabled others to do the same without changing doesn't change that.

    The primary reason for changing the content on Yesterday was to bring in more viewers and advertising revenue. Genre based broadcasting doesn't male sense for FTA channels, which need a larger audience to attract advertising revenue. The "genre rot" set in when many channels in the Lifestyle genre were showing exactly the same type of content as reality entertainment channels. I agree that genres make a specific type of content easier to find but, as channels make a grab for a wider audience, genre based EPGs become less important to the broadcasters.

  • As soon as you said about a mystery channel I looked on DigitalBitRate and found HZNFATST like you just posted. The screen grab doesn't even help, it's a VM preview reel and clearly just a test.

    The Baby TV tag is just as puzzling.

    And channel 666... Fun and games at VM perhaps.

    Having the same sub pack code as Baby TV just adds to the mystery. ^^

  • The primary reason for changing the content on Yesterday was to bring in more viewers and advertising revenue.

    Yes I agree, but they aren't going to get as many viewers if people have to do a lot of scrolling, no matter if they are showing a wider range of genres or not.

    Viewing of BBC4 in Scotland went noticeably down as a result of it moving from 9 (?) to the 80s on Freeview when it was shunted down the guide for BBC Scotland Channel.

    Yesterday was able to be much more visable in the Sky and VM guides by becoming mixed genre and so able to get a much better number as it was now able to qualify under their rules (as they were at the time). A much better number enables your schedule to be seen by more people.

  • Anyone attempting to ascertain a pattern of possible new additions to VM will be mystified by the unique serial numbers issued to new channels and the amount of blanks left unissued.

    The series jumped from 2091 La Liga to 2118 Sky Comedy & 2119 Sky Comedy +1, skipping 2120 with HUM Masala taking 2121, then skipping 2122, with HZNFATST taking 2123.

  • You may not be far off, I think one of the Nick channels is missing. Either a HD or +1, I can't remember.

    It appears to be something unusual and possibly not a regular channel. It has been dumped on "mothballed" TSID 18, as HUM Masala was. It's also using MPEG-2, and the recent policy has been to convert MPEG-2 channels to MPEG-4.

    The "Documentaries" genre is Genre 1, "Entertainment" is Genre 2. "Documentaries" has sometimes been used for internal channels, even though VM could probably use codes 14 or 15.

    CodeGenre                                                                                                                     
    0 Unlisted
    1 Documentaries
    2 Entertainment
    3 International
    4 Radio
    5 Kids
    6 Lifestyle
    7 Movies
    8 Music
    9 News
    10 Sport
    11 Events
    12 Adult
    13 Shopping
    14 Information
    15 Tests

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