Real Digital

Real Digital was the brand name of a British digital satellite television and radio service developed as an alternative to established satellite and free-to-air platforms. The service used capacity on satellites positioned at approximately 28 degrees east, including SES’s Astra fleet and Eutelsat 28A, the same general orbital neighborhood used by Sky and Freesat. This made the service technically accessible to households that already had a suitably aligned satellite dish, although viewers needed a compatible Real Digital receiver or set-top box. The venture was founded by David Henry, previously associated with Rapture TV, and Fred Perkins, associated with Information TV. Its proposition was initially based on carrying free-to-air channels that were already available through other distribution systems. Real Digital nevertheless planned to differentiate itself through its electronic programme guide, dedicated receivers, and a future subscription proposition. The planned pay-TV packages were expected to include Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports 2, as well as a high-definition version of Blackbelt TV. The company also proposed month-to-month subscriptions without a minimum contract, pay-per-view services, and support for BBC iPlayer and ITV Player on-demand services. The launch was delayed repeatedly. Real Digital eventually began broadcasting on 1 October 2011, but the platform remained limited in scale. Test receivers reached reviewers and a small group of beta testers in December 2011. The service offered single-tuner and dual-tuner personal video recorder boxes, manufactured by Fortec Star and Digital Stream. Although demonstrations of the electronic programme guide and channel interface reportedly received positive reactions, hardware availability and software readiness were persistent problems. A proposed retail arrangement with Maplin Electronics did not develop into broad high-street availability, and problems with delivery and incomplete receiver software contributed to the cancellation of Maplin orders involving Fortec Star equipment. The service experienced a major interruption at the end of March 2012, when its transponder lease on Eutelsat 28A expired. On 31 March, Real Digital stopped transmitting its electronic programme guide and described the outage as essential maintenance expected to last roughly a week. Subsequent company communications indicated that the interruption had continued, but did not provide a firm reopening date. The deletion of the service’s Facebook page and removal of associated website links later in 2012 heightened uncertainty about whether the platform remained active. A submission to the Competition Appeal Tribunal stated that Real Digital hoped to conduct a soft launch of its pay-TV service in the first quarter of 2013, but that launch did not occur. In April 2013, David Henry told The Guardian that a relaunch was intended for the autumn; no such relaunch had taken place by January 2015. Management and ownership also changed during the company’s difficult operating period. Henry was disqualified from acting as a company director in November 2011 in connection with failures involving tax obligations at a former company, and he resigned from Real Digital in February 2012. Between 2014 and 2016, General Satellite, a Russian set-top-box manufacturer, held a majority of the voting shares in Real Digital TV Limited; Dmitry Pasechnik served as chief executive during that period. Real Digital TV Limited was dissolved in September 2018. The brand is therefore defunct, with its intended combination of free-to-air satellite channels, flexible pay-TV subscriptions, and interactive television services never reaching sustained commercial operation.

Real Digital emerged in the United Kingdom as an attempt to establish an independent digital satellite television platform alongside the larger Sky and Freesat ecosystems. Its founders were David Henry, associated with Rapture TV, and Fred Perkins, associated with Information TV. The service was designed for the Astra and Eutelsat satellites serving the 28-degree-east orbital position. Because these satellites were also used by existing British satellite services, households with an appropriately aligned dish could in principle receive Real Digital by changing or adding the receiver equipment. The initial service proposition centered on free-to-air television and radio channels. These channels were not generally exclusive to Real Digital, so the company’s intended differentiation came from its user interface, electronic programme guide, dedicated hardware, and proposed future subscription services. The company announced plans for pay-TV packages containing Sky Sports 1 and 2 and a high-definition version of Blackbelt TV. It also described flexible month-to-month subscriptions, pay-per-view programming, and compatibility with BBC iPlayer and ITV Player. For conditional access, the proposed subscription system was expected to use Conax technology. Real Digital missed several anticipated launch dates before beginning transmissions on 1 October 2011. In December, reviewers and beta testers received receivers. The planned hardware range included a single-tuner box and a dual-tuner personal video recorder, with equipment supplied by Fortec Star and Digital Stream. Demonstrations of the electronic programme guide and channel interface were reportedly well received, but the commercial rollout was hindered by late deliveries, incomplete software, and the absence of broad retail distribution. A proposed relationship with Maplin Electronics did not result in sustained high-street availability, and Maplin cancelled orders associated with Fortec Star after delivery and software difficulties. The platform’s operational life was short. At midnight on 31 March 2012, the lease for a transponder on Eutelsat 28A expired and the transponder was cleared. This removed the electronic programme guide stream, leaving beta testers with only standard DVB-S now-and-next information. Real Digital initially characterized the interruption as essential maintenance and indicated that service would return in about seven days. Later social-media communications referred to an Easter break and denied that the company had closed, but they did not give a dependable restart timetable. The company deleted its Facebook page on 29 May 2012. The proposed pay-TV business also failed to launch on the schedules announced by the company. A December 2012 communication to the Competition Appeal Tribunal referred to a possible soft launch in the first quarter of 2013. In April 2013, Henry told The Guardian that an autumn relaunch was intended. By January 2015, however, the platform had not returned. The venture’s corporate structure changed during this period. Henry was disqualified from acting as a director in November 2011 in relation to tax failures at a former company and left Real Digital in February 2012. General Satellite held a majority of the voting shares from 2014 to 2016, when Dmitry Pasechnik was chief executive. Real Digital TV Limited was dissolved in September 2018. The brand consequently represents a discontinued satellite television project rather than an operating British media service.

• 2018

  Operating company dissolved

  [1]Real Digitalen.wikipedia.org

  Real Digital TV Limited was dissolved in September.

• 2013

  Proposed autumn relaunch fails to occur

  [1]Real Digitalen.wikipedia.org

  A relaunch discussed publicly by David Henry for the autumn did not take place.

• 2012

  Transmission service is suspended

  [1]Real Digitalen.wikipedia.org

  The Eutelsat 28A transponder lease ended on 31 March, removing the service’s electronic programme guide transmission.

• 2011

  Service begins broadcasting

  [1]Real Digitalen.wikipedia.org

  After multiple delayed launch dates, Real Digital commenced digital satellite transmissions on 1 October.

• 2011

  Beta testing begins

  [1]Real Digitalen.wikipedia.org

  Test receivers were supplied to reviewers and a limited number of beta testers in December.

A proposed British alternative to Sky and Freesat, combining free-to-air satellite channels with dedicated receivers, an electronic programme guide, and planned flexible pay-TV and interactive services.

• Digital satellite broadcasting · 2011

  Real Digital satellite television and radio

  The core service transmitted free-to-air digital television and radio channels in the United Kingdom through Astra and Eutelsat satellites at the 28-degree-east orbital position. It was intended to use the same general satellite reception infrastructure as Sky and Freesat, but required a compatible receiver or set-top box.

• Consumer electronics · 2011

  Real Digital single-tuner set-top box

  A dedicated receiver designed to decode Real Digital broadcasts and provide access to the service’s electronic programme guide and channel listings. The hardware was part of the company’s attempt to build a recognizable platform rather than rely solely on generic satellite receivers.

• Consumer electronics · 2011

  Real Digital dual-tuner PVR

  A dual-tuner personal video recorder intended to support Real Digital reception and recording functions. The receiver was manufactured for the platform by the company’s hardware partners, although supply and software-readiness problems limited commercial availability.

• Subscription television

  Planned Real Digital pay-TV packages

  Real Digital planned subscription packages featuring channels such as Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports 2, alongside a high-definition version of Blackbelt TV. The proposed offer was to use month-to-month subscriptions without a minimum contract, but it did not reach sustained launch.

• 2012

  Suspend transmissions for stated maintenanceOther

  Background

  The service lost its Eutelsat 28A transponder capacity when the lease expired at the end of March.

  Action taken

  Real Digital stopped transmitting and publicly described the interruption as essential maintenance expected to last approximately seven days.

  Aftermath

  The service did not return on the announced timetable, and later plans for a pay-TV soft launch and relaunch also failed to materialize.

  Source

• 2012

  Plan a flexible pay-TV soft launchProduct launch

  Background

  The free-to-air service had limited differentiation and the company sought to add subscription and pay-per-view revenue.

  Action taken

  Real Digital told the Competition Appeal Tribunal that it hoped to soft-launch pay television in the first quarter of 2013, with monthly subscription options and proposed sports and specialist programming.

  Aftermath

  The proposed soft launch did not occur, and the broader platform remained unavailable by January 2015.

  Source

1. 1Real Digitalen.wikipedia.org
2. 2The Guardiantheguardian.com