Recent changes on the VM Network

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  • TSID 104 has gone from the regionals. From the old national HD and SD overflow transport streams, 36-41, 43 & 44 have been decommissioned, similarly 42 & 45 have been decommissioned but have been left in the NIT. The frequencies for those have been redeployed but could be clawed back if needed. Although any other services, such as DOCSIS, now using the frequencies would have to be rolled back. VM's plans for DOCSIS 3.1 aren't really in the public domain, so guessing at future spectrum allocation isn't really helpful.

    Of the original SD transport streams, TSID 12 has been cleared and is mothballed other than the occasional Channel Update slate, TSID 13 has been redeployed to HD, TSID 14 has been redeployed to BT Sport 4K and adhocs, TSIDs 15-19 have been cleared of services and mothballed.

    The next step will, possibly, be repopulating and reallocating TSIDs 12-19 to restore the number sequence and maybe clearing out services from the higher numbered national transport streams and either mothballing or decommissioning them.

    Mothballed transport streams can be brought back fairly quickly and whatever is happening to TSID 19 may give an indication of what will happen next. The decommissioned transport streams no longer have frequencies allocated, so bringing any of those back would depend on VM's other needs.

  • Other overnight changes were a batch of placeholder channels removed from the NIT but not from the SDT. A summary table will follow at some point. Unfortunately, even after the removal, there are still a lot of placeholders bulking out the NIT.

  • Bringing the summary tables up to date:

    The rebrands:

    Date TSID SID EPG Previous Service Name Previous EPG Name New Service Name New EPG Name
    17/01/2020 32 3202 402 Sky Superheroes HD Sky Hero HD Sky Cinema Will Smith WillSmthHD
    21/01/2020 2 208 279 Home Home HGTV HGTV
    21/01/2020 3 310 283 Home +1 Home +1 HGTV +1 HGTV +1


    The LFC TV free to view period:

    Date TSID SID EPG SID Name Channel Code Pack Codes Added
    17/01/2020 26 2607 544 Liverpool FC TV Override added M/Player, More, Mix, M+, L/Fun, XL/Full House (SD Versions)


    Date TSID SID EPG SID Name Channel Code Pack Codes Removed
    20/01/2020 26 2607 544 Liverpool FC TV Override removed M/Player, More, Mix, M+, L/Fun, XL/Full House (SD Versions)


    Placeholder channels removed from the NIT:

    Date TSID SID Service Name Notes
    21/01/2020 2 254 Good Food Placeholder services removed from the NIT but not from the SDT
    6 652 BBC ONE NI
    6 655 BBC TWO
    10 1053 BBC ONE Scotland
    10 1054 BBC ONE Wales
    12 1251 Good Food +1
    16 1661 BTSport2SD
    19 1951 BTSport1SD
    19 1963 BTSport3SD
    27 2751 BBC TWO HD
    33 3350 Good Food HD
    101 10190 BBC TWO Wales
    101 10192 BBC TWO NI
    101 10193 BBC TWO Scotland


    The NIT Linkage (Tivo download) updates:

    Date Region (ex-Telewest & ex-C&W regions only) Change Type
    16/01/2020 TTA Knowsley DMC (Hayes_RHE) NIT Linkage level 3 update (1 change) - Cisco - [Thursday]
    17/01/2020 TTA Knowsley DMC (Hayes_RHE) NIT Linkage level 3 update (1 change) - Samsung
    17/01/2020 Various Residential Networks NIT Linkage level 1 updates (42 changes)
    17/01/2020 Various Residential Networks NIT Linkage level 2 updates (68 changes)
    17/01/2020 Various Residential Networks NIT Linkage level 3 updates (8 changes)

    Fewer changes than last time as Southampton didn't receive the level 1 or level 2 updates.

    Edited once, last by jj20x (January 22, 2020 at 2:06 AM).

  • Overnight changes include Sky Comedy appearing on SID 316 Sky Comedy HD appearing on SID 1305, joining Sky Comedy on SID 1852 from Sky Cinema.. that's not going to be at all confusing. :rolleyes:

    No elementary streams were present at the time of the scan.

    Several regional variations of ITV (SD) have been migrated from TSID 102 to TSID 101. Not all regions have been moved at this stage, so this is just the first step.

    Also, the placeholder channels removed from the NIT yesterday now appear to have been removed from the SDT. Any other changes will be masked in the scan analysis, so further details will be posted tonight when the detailed analysis has been completed.

  • It depends how far they take it. The next move should be the other half of the channel 103 ITV regionals, after that we'll see. TSID 101 has traditionally been for BBC channels so this is a departure from the norm. I'd like to see the remaining +1 regions being added to VM, it's weird that, say, Wales, western England and the south west all share a single regional version on VM but other platforms carry 3 versions.

    It could be to bring in additional ITV HD regions but I'm not sure why that would need more space on TSID 102 - unless they plan to carry extra HD versions in cross over areas.

  • No major changes overnight, other than the NIT Linkage (Tivo download) updates arriving slightly ahead of schedule.

    A further note from yesterday, the "hidden" flag was added to TSID 8 SID 820 Brit Asia TV, meaning the channel is no longer visible on the EPG.

    A full summary of recent events will follow later in the day, delayed slightly from yesterday as the "regions" module of the database is undergoing a major update.

  • Time to bring the summary tables up to date:

    Firstly the EPG Flag changes - service closures and removals from the EPG (including those missed from the last update):

    Date TSID SID EPG SID Name Flags added Notes
    13/01/2020 20 2006 739 ZooMoo HD "Hidden" Service removed from the EPG
    15/01/2020 5 522 330 Box Upfront "Hidden" Service removed from the EPG
    15/01/2020 8 820 840 Brit Asia TV "EndOfService"
    "Placeholder"
    End of service / placeholder status.
    Channel showing a closure information slate.
    16/01/2020 13 1304 554 LaLiga TV "HD" Service now live (added to customer networks).
    HD flag added to EPG section.
    22/01/2020 8 820 840 Brit Asia TV "Hidden" Service removed from the EPG


    Placeholder services removed from the SDT:

    Date TSID SID Service Name Notes
    22/01/2020 2 254 Good Food Placeholder services removed from the SDT
    6 652 BBC ONE NI
    6 655 BBC TWO
    10 1053 BBC ONE Scotland
    10 1054 BBC ONE Wales
    12 1251 Good Food +1
    16 1661 BTSport2SD
    19 1951 BTSport1SD
    19 1963 BTSport3SD
    27 2751 BBC TWO HD
    33 3350 Good Food HD
    101 10190 BBC TWO Wales
    101 10192 BBC TWO NI
    101 10193 BBC TWO Scotland


    New additions:

    Date Serial ID TSID SID EPG Service Name EPG Name Genre EPG Flags added Subscription Pack Flags Notes
    22/01/2020 2118 3 316 334 Sky Comedy Sky Comedy Entertainment Broadcast, Sky1 & Sky2 Not set Testing on internal networks.
    22/01/2020 2119 13 1305 333 Sky Comedy HD SkyComedyHD Entertainment Broadcast, Sky1, Sky2 & HD Not set

    Testing on internal networks: Code Download Test (Portsmouth), NGRHEE Bromley, NGRHEE Knowsley, TTA Bromley DMC (Bromley RHE), TTA Knowsley DMC (Hayes_RHE) & VM Hammersmith.


    Housekeeping changes to ITV regions (stage 1):

    Date USID Old TSID Old SID New TSID New SID EPG Service Name Region
    22/01/2020 60 102 10201 101 10161 103ITV London
    50 102 10202 101 10162 103 ITV Granada
    63 102 10204 101 10163 103ITV Central - West
    67 102 10206 101 10164 103 ITV Central - East
    62 102 10207 101 10165 103ITV Wales
    69 102 10208 101 10166 103ITV West
    81 102 10209 101 10167 103ITV South West
    68 102 10210 101 10168 103ITV Meridian - Thames Valley
    58 102 10211 101 10169 103ITV Anglia - East


    The NIT linkage (Tivo download) summary:

    Date Region (ex-Telewest & ex-C&W regions only) Change Type
    22/01/2020 TTA Knowsley DMC (Hayes_RHE) NIT Linkage level 3 & 4 updates (4 change)
    23/01/2020 Various Residential Networks NIT Linkage level 1 updates (44 changes)
    23/01/2020 Various Residential Networks NIT Linkage level 2 updates (70 changes)
    23/01/2020 Various Residential Networks NIT Linkage level 3 updates (8 changes)

    An increase on last time as Southampton is receiving the level 1 or level 2 updates again.

    Edited 6 times, last by jj20x (January 24, 2020 at 5:19 PM).

  • Note that Serial IDs of 2118 & 2119 have been issued to the Sky Comedy tests. The previous Serial ID was 2091 issued to LaLiga TV, so quite a gap there for potential new additions. In reality, the missing numbers are possibly used for background tests which will never make it to the NIT/SDT/EPG, such as the duplicate ITV regions prior to relocation.

    The EPG slots of 333 & 334 issued for the Sky Comedy tests will be temporary allocations, assuming that Sky Comedy isn't, secretly, a new music channel. ;)

  • Note that Serial IDs of 2118 & 2119 have been issued to the Sky Comedy tests. The previous Serial ID was 2091 issued to LaLiga TV, so quite a gap there for potential new additions. In reality, the missing numbers are possibly used for background tests which will never make it to the NIT/SDT/EPG, such as the duplicate ITV regions prior to relocation.

    The EPG slots of 333 & 334 issued for the Sky Comedy tests will be temporary allocations, assuming that Sky Comedy isn't, secretly, a new music channel. ;)

    On satellite, Sky Comedy is now testing with programmes under the label 5143; about an hour ago they were showing 'The Mindy Project'.

    I wonder if VM will be testing things out with this off EPG broadcast of programming, or if they will be doing it using something of their own??

  • Thanks for all that jj, must have taken you ages.:thumbup:

    Editing it was a PITA. As is getting the regions module up to date. The analysts have done a good job of updating it with new information as changes happen. Removal of obsolete data doesn't seem to have been a priority. I've changed the module to read in the unique service IDs and removed anything that doesn't have a current ID. The next step is to make the USID the primary field and update TSID/SID data automatically as it changes. That should avoid the analysts having to create new records and removing (or not removing) old records as housekeeping changes are processed.

    The downside of this is that the analysis will have to be run twice whenever this type of change happens. Firstly to update the regions module and a second time to parse the updated data into the main database tables.

  • It's still not yet known if the new Sky News international channel will be distributed in the UK according to this:

    https://www.rxtvlog.com/2020/01/summer…-sky-world-news

    Two of the three Asian channels that were reported to be closing soon have occurred. Neither were on VM anyway (UK 44 and A1TV), so it doesn't affect the platform.

    I don't think that we can count Brit Asia TV as, even though it closed on VM, it continued on satellite. I wonder what the third one will be. If it's currently on VM, it will further diminish the VM international offering.

  • Overnight changes include a second batch of ITV regions migrating from TSID 102 to TSID 101, subscription pack codes added to the Sky Comedy channels & various changes to the SDT root.

    On TSID 28, SID 2808 ITVEvents HD has been rebranded as BT Sport PPV One and SID 2809 BT Events HD has been rebranded as BT Sport PPV Two. Further details will be posted later in the day. Those changes were from an early scan at around 1.30am, at this point, I don't know if there are any further changes.

    Housekeeping changes to ITV regions (stage 2):

    Date USID Old TSID Old SID New TSID New SID EPG Service Name Region
    24/01/2020 56 102 10212 101 10170 103 ITV Tyne Tees
    49 102 10213 101 10171 103 ITV Meridian - South Coast
    55 102 10214 101 10172 103 ITV Meridian - South East
    65 102 10216 101 10173 103 ITV Yorkshire - Calendar North
    1411 102 10217 101 10174 103 ITV Yorkshire - Calendar South
    61 102 10220 101 10175 103 Ulster TV UTV - Northern Ireland
    64 102 10221 101 10176 103 ITV Anglia - West
    1778 102 10251 101 10177 103 ITV Border


    Further tables for the remaining changes will be posted later.

  • The other changes:

    Sky Comedy Subscription Packs:

    Date Serial ID TSID SID EPG Service Name EPG Name Subscription Pack Flags
    24/01/2020 2118 3 316 334 Sky Comedy Sky Comedy Mix, M+, L/Fun, XL/Full House (SD versions) plus Drama Tier
    24/01/20202119 13 1305 333 Sky Comedy HD SkyComedyHD XL/Full House (HD version) plus Full House Extra Tier


    Changes to the SDT Root:

    Date TSID SID EPG Service Name SDT Root
    24/01/20203 316 334 Sky Comedy Run status changed from "not running" to "running"
    24/01/202013 1305 333 Sky Comedy HD Run status changed from "not running" to "running"
    24/01/20205 522 330 Box Upfront CA Mode changed from "encrypted" to "not encrypted"
    24/01/20208 820 840 Brit Asia TV CA Mode changed from "encrypted" to "not encrypted"


    The PPV Rebrands:

    Date TSID SID EPG Previous Service Name Previous EPG Name New Service Name New EPG Name
    24/01/2020 28 2808 40 ITVEvents HD ITVEventsHD BT Sport PPV One BTS PPV 1
    24/01/2020 28 2809 50 BT Events HD BTEvents HD BT Sport PPV Two BTS PPV 2


    There were no further changes reported on this morning's scan.

  • On satellite, Sky Comedy is now testing with programmes under the label 5143; about an hour ago they were showing 'The Mindy Project'.

    I wonder if VM will be testing things out with this off EPG broadcast of programming, or if they will be doing it using something of their own??

    We'll probably never know as the encryption flag has been added according to the overnight scan. Fortunately, the scanners put the early scan on the database and flagged it for an early analysis. Any raw stream or PAT/PMT scans taken haven't made it onto the database, so no information there yet.

    The ITV Regions summary had been prepared in advance, so that was relatively easy. A slight rethink of the new Regions Module led to a 2 stage update with some manual intervention. A safety measure to avoid "catastrophic" data loss, the regions data comes from the module not from scan data, so internally overwriting it could, potentially, lose the data. The data will be protected and the process automated, hopefully, before the next batch of regional housekeeping at VM. We need to be careful as the main data parsing stage of the analysis is probably doing too much processing for 32 bit software. It's over the size limit we like to use and is starting to feel "sluggish" when running the updates.

    Another problem is that it takes a long time to get data through the gateway for regions on the ex-NTL Langley networks, that isn't a real time update, so the gateway TSID/SIDs for NTL-Langley NIT services have to be updated from the SDT. This probably needs to be automated in a similar way to the Regions Module. Still awake? If you read this far, congratulations! :D

  • A few NIT Linkage (Tivo update) changes on the Saturday overnight scan. These were possibly added late on Friday but there wasn't a Friday evening scan as the NIT Linkage changes appeared to have been completed early. The changes are level 0 (firmware) changes on 7 internal and TRIALS networks.

    Date Region (ex-Telewest & ex-C&W regions only) Change Type
    25/01/2020 Various Internal & TRIALS Networks NIT Linkage level 0 (Cisco firmware) updates (7 changes)


    These networks had been running the old Tivo firmware (pre deactivation of the 3 tuners for live broadcasts). They continue to use old firmware for Samsung models. The updated firmware is the same version as that currently used on customer facing networks.

    VM Hammersmith continues to use the older firmware version for Cisco models.

    Edited 2 times, last by jj20x (January 25, 2020 at 2:10 PM).

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