Quest launches, kinda, sorta, not really…

Well, there was supposed to have been a big new channel launch on Freeview on Thursday May 14th, called Quest, and it was going to be on Channel 47.  Well, the day has come and gone, and the MHEG has been replaced by a video stream, but no programming, just a slide.  I never saw this happen, but there was a rolling promo.  It started at about 7am on the morning of the supposed launch, and ran for 3 hours, before switching back to the afforementioned slide.   Here’s the last moments…

So when will Quest properly launch?  Well not before Virgin 1 goes 24 hours on Freeview, which is set for Wednesday.  Discovery Networks Europe say it will launch in the near future, which probably means by the end of the year.  Whatever happens, we’ll keep you apprised.

Price Drop TV disappears on Freeview

It was actually around 9am this morning when Price Drop TV was switched off of Freeview transmitters around the UK.

As far as I'm concerned, it's good riddance to bad rubbish. I was surprised I actually stayed watching it for as long as I did last night. To my mind, shopping channels, along with gaming channels and religious channels, are the most mind-numbing, boring, uninteresting, sleep-inducing, unentertaining rubbish that digital television has to suffer.

Freeview currently suffers with too many similar channels like Price Drop. QVC and Bid TV are two more such channels along with the two Smile TV channels and Gems TV. Losing these channels will not just help Freeview, but help the whole digital switchover, which is already underway.

At least a decent station is on the way to replace. EPG information for Quest, a new channel from Discovery Networks Europe, is due to launch soon, but we do not yet know when. All the EPG data says is "Quest Coming Soon". There's also no video or MHEG being transmitted either.

As soon as I can find out any more information, I'll bring it to you.

Freeview starts changing!

At about 1.30am overnight tonight, Price Drop TV will leave Freeview after being outbid for its slot on the multiplex.

This represents the first move in a major set of changes for Freeview, and for British and Irish broadcasting.

It has been reported that Discovery Networks Europe has bought the slot, and we will see a new channel called Quest arriving soon. At the moment though, there is little information about this channel, and nothing from the Freeview EPG.

I will be watching this happen, and I will report back later with any new information that I come up with. But this is only the first move to happen just this week in the UK and Ireland broadcasting scene. Lots more due to happen, especially on Monday. More information on that shortly.