News

Stay up to date with the latest news and information from Saorview.

Two new TV channels have launched on the Saorview platform, adding to the growing choice available to viewers on Ireland's free-to-air TV platform.

TG4+1 is now available on Saorview channel 14, and the first ever dedicated Irish language children's channel, Cúla4, is on 18.

Cúla4 will air for 14 hours daily, from 6 every  morning until 8 every evening and will include a wealth of entertainment, drama, a children’s news service, a mix of home produced content and acquired shows as well being a valuable source of educational Irish language content. 

The new channel, aimed at 0-12 year olds will provide an entertaining and fun daily point of contact to the Irish language for children. The channel will include newly commissioned content from the Independent production sector in Ireland, as well as acquired international animation, which are revoiced to Irish by independent sector.  

The channel will have a six-minute news service  from Tuesday to Friday at 1.30pm, produced by Fíbín Media and hosted by Aisling Ní Dhonnabháin  and Seán Ó Maoilchiaráin. Schools will be able to tune in from their classrooms and keep up to date with the news of the day. The channel will be anchored by presenters Seosamh Mac Seoin, (from Belfast) who wraps the morning slot from 6am, Síle Ní Chonghaile (from Galway) presents the educational zone from 9am and Niamh Ní Chróinín (from Dublin) has a fun packed slot in the afternoons from 3pm for the older age groups.

Most Saorview viewers will be able to receive the new channels with no adjustment necessary. Some may need to re-scan their Saorview TV or box to update the channel list. 

For help and advice, please contact our friendly helpdesk at 0818-212221, [email protected] or Live Help on our homepage.

We are updating the systems used to deliver Saorview, in order to facilitate the addition of new services.
 
This activity includes technical changes to how radio stations are listed.
 
Most viewers with Saorview Approved TV sets or boxes will not notice any change, because their receivers will automatically update the channel listings.  Some may notice a change in radio station listings in the electronic programme guide (EPG).
 
If affected, a re-scan of the DTT channels on your Saorview TV or box will restore the radio station listings to their normal settings.
 
For information and advice, please contact our friendly helpdesk at 0818-212221, email [email protected] or access Live Help on the Saorview website.

On February 1st 2023 a new channel launched on Saorview.

Challenge is the latest addition to the Saorview lineup, and adds to the growing choice available to viewers of Ireland's FREE digital TV platform.

You'll find Challenge on channel 8 on your Saorview Approved TV or box. Some TVs or boxes may need to be retuned to receive the new channel, but many will just display it with no action needed.

Want to get Saorview? If you changed your TV in the last 8 years or so, just plug in an aerial, tune in and sit back. 

For information and support please call 0818-21-22-21, email [email protected] or contact our friendly helpdesk via Live Help on this website.

TG4 and Saorview are delighted to announce that television viewers will be able to watch TG4 in high definition as the channel is now available in HD on Saorview. 

TG4 HD will provide a better viewer experience and will be enjoyed in particular for sports and live events, films, high-end entertainment and documentary programming. TG4 has been available on Saorview in standard definition on the service since it was established in 2011. 

Television audiences have a large choice of platforms and devices which they can watch television. Today’s announcement will give TG4 audiences increased choice in how they choose to watch TG4.  

TG4 Director General Alan Esslemont welcomed the announcement saying, ”I would like to thank Minister Martin and her officials in the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media for their supplementary allocation to provide TG4 in HD on Saorview.  Provision of HD services for public service media on a free to air platform such as Saorview is essential as HD has become established norm in broadcasting. Audiences now expect high quality across all platforms and TG4 viewers will now enjoy excellent pictures and increased engagement in high-quality content that TG4 continues to deliver to its audiences.”

Saorview Business Development Manager, Jim Higgins said “We are pleased to note the availability of TG4 in High Definition on Ireland's free-to-air digital TV platform, and we expect to see a good reaction from our audience to this welcome development.

Virgin Media Four launches at 11:00 today, August 24, on Saorview, Ireland's free digital television service.

The new channel from Virgin Media features great choice in home produced and international content, including weekly NFL American Football coverage and the first TV broadcast of The Group Chat with Zara King, Gavan Reilly and Richard Chambers' take on major news stories.

The first in a three-part documentary series, Two Sides, gets its Irish TV premiere on the new channel at 9pm tomorrow. The behind-the-scenes documentary looks at the British & Irish Lions rugby tour and explores what transpired in the opposing camps in South Africa last year.

To watch Virgin Media Four on Saorview, just go to channel 7 on your Saorview Approved box or TV. If you need help receiving the new channel, just call our friendly helpdesk at 0818-21-22-21, email [email protected] or contact us via Live Help on this website.

UCB IRELAND (United Christian Broadcasters) are excited to announce that they have launched their radio station on the Saorview platform.

The new channel will be available on position 211 in the Saorview EPG. 

Programmes will include Christian music, interviews, daily devotional, encouragement and Bible teaching.

For further information on UCB Ireland please see ucbireland.ie

Sky News is now available to view on Saorview, Ireland's free digital TV service.

To watch Sky News on Saorview, go to channel 23 on your Saorview Approved TV or box.

On some devices, Sky News may appear on channel 27; in that case, simply unplug from power for a few seconds and reconnect the device, and the service list should update with the correct channel number.

If you cannot receive Sky news, you may need to re-scan your TV or box. For information please see our help videos at Saorview | Get Help or call our friendly helpdesk at 0818-212221, email [email protected] or contact via Live Help on this website.

Sky’s flagship international news service, Sky News, will become free to air in Ireland as the channel launches on the Saorview platform from Tuesday, 30th November.

Users of Ireland’s free digital television service will find Sky News on Saorview channel 23 – giving viewers access to Sky News’ live 24-hour news bulletins and programmes, with all the latest breaking news from around the world and developments closer to home with reporting from Sky News correspondents covering breaking stories across the island of Ireland.

For information and advice on how to get Sky News on Saorview, please call 0818-212221 or email [email protected], or contact us via Live Help on this website.

Christmas and New Year arrangements for customer support

The Saorview Customer Support centre will operate on a reduced schedule over Christmas and New Year 2020 as follows:

Thursday 24th December 10:00 - 18:00

Friday 25th December Closed

Saturday 26th to Monday 28th December 10:00 - 18:00

Thursday 31st December 2020 10:00-18:00

Friday 1st. January 2021 Closed

The Saorview helpine, 1890-222012 / 01-2583540 will be available during the above opening hours. These hours will also apply to email queries to [email protected] and Live Help via the Saorview website.

We wish all of our viewers a safe and peaceful Christmas, and a Happy 2021.

Why choose Saorview?
Contract TV can offer a mix of options to TV viewers but the market is changing. Many Irish homes now have access to a wide range of viewing options. Online streaming is more popular than ever and there’s lots of free-to-air choice available. Many households can pick and choose between these to find a mix that suits them. With more of us at home than ever before this mix must be versatile and affordable while letting each of us watch what we want, how we want.

Saorview offers some of Ireland’s most-watched TV programmes; it's easy to set up and has no contract or monthly bills. It would make a great addition to any Irish household. Connect an aerial to a Saorview approved TV or box, do a quick tune-in and you're done. You get immediate access to a great choice of trusted news, entertainment, comedy, drama, movies, documentaries and factual content with no additional commitment.

Get Saorview in a bedroom, box-room or kitchen. Add your favourite online TV or movie service, or connect to a satellite dish for even more free-to-air choice in addition to Saorview. And consider Saorview Connect – the service that combines your favourite channels with online content, series link recording and programme recommendations to give you a multitude of options.

Just add an aerial
For viewers in many cities it may be possible to receive Saorview with an indoor aerial, depending on your location. Alternatively you may have an outdoor aerial already wired into a room. If either is available to you, why not connect your TV and try a quick tune-in? And if you’re lucky enough to have more than one TV in your home, it may be possible to get Saorview in every room by connecting an aerial to each. Getting Saorview can be as simple and flexible as that.

For advice on how to get Saorview, or to find out more, check out your local TV retailer or installer or call our helpdesk at 1890-222012.

Saorview. For Flexible, Free TV.
 

Saorview Connect now includes the new RTÉ Player, offering you a great choice of box sets and catch-up TV content with many programmes available in High definition. 

The new RTÉ Player has been developed to offer greater choice of online TV content to today’s TV audiences, who expect to be able to view their favourite TV shows when and how they want. Together with Saorview Connect’s catch-up TV guide and Spotlight recommendations service, the new RTÉ Player gives Saorview viewers great entertainment choices with no contract or monthly bills. 

In order to view RTÉ Player, customers should ensure that their Saorview Connect boxes are running the latest software, currently version 20.19. Boxes that have not been upgraded to the latest software will display a message when a customer tries to access the RTÉ Player or RTÉ programmes via the catch-up TV guide. 

For more information on Saorview Connect, and to access customer support and advice please visit www.saorview.ie or call our helpline at 1890-222012. 

On Monday 22 July 2019 a software update will be pushed out to all Saorview Connect boxes.

This software update is a maintenance release to prepare for the launch of a new feature on Saorview Connect. 

Most users will see an automatic notification on their screens, advising of the update. You may either accept, delay or deny the update at that point. You can activate the update at a time of your choosing by going to Home > Settings > System settings > Software update > and selecting 'Check for online software update' and following the on-screen instructions. Please note that the box should not be disconnected from power or internet until the update is completed and the box reboots automatically.

Users will not notice any immediate change in the operation of their Saorview Connect box following this update. The new software version will be titled 20.19.

If you need any assistance with this software update please contact our helpline at 1890-222012 or 01-2583540, email [email protected], or via Live Help on the Saorview website.

Following completion of testing, a new software upgrade for Saorview Connect boxes will be released on Monday 15th April 2019. This upgrade will add the capability to record your favourite TV shows, and to pause live TV. 

If you already own a Powerpoint Saorview Connect box, you will need to ensure that a couple of things are in place before downloading the upgrade. 

Firstly, please ensure that you have a hard drive available to connect to the box when the upgrade is completed. We recommend a USB 3.0 hard drive to ensure that you can record and playback HD content reliably. A 500GB drive will allow approximately 100 hours recording, or you could opt for a larger size – 1TB or more – if you want extra capacity. We don’t recommend USB thumb drives or SSDs – your local TV retailer can advise you on this if needed. 

Secondly, may have noticed that your Saorview Connect box has two satellite connections at the back. If you are using satellite* to receive extra channels, you will need to ensure that two satellite cables are connected to the box before downloading the upgrade. This is in order that the box can record one channel while you are watching another and is necessary to ensure stable reception of satellite. 

The Saorview customer helpdesk will be available to assist with any queries that you may have with the upgrade, and can be contacted via 1890-222012, email [email protected] or Live Help at www.saorview.ie 

*Satellite tuner is an additional feature provided by the manufacturer. Note satellite channels are not part of Saorview. 

We have been working with the software developers to get our recording software upgrade ready for release to all Saorview Connect users.

As part of this process, we want to roll out a new beta* version of the recording software to a larger group of Saorview Connect users than that in the original test. This is so that we can gather information on customer experience of use of the software in their homes.

Please note that you will need an aerial, and an internet connection - either wired or wi-fi. If connecting to a satellite dish, two satellite connections available to the box will be needed. You will also need to connect an external USB hard drive to the box once the beta software is downloaded and the box has completed installation.

If you wish to participate in this public test, please email [email protected] in the first instance with your contact details. We will select a number of respondents to participate in the beta test group and follow up with details of how to participate.

 

*Beta testing is a common means of testing new software or product upgrades among a selected group of users. It is commonly used by mobile phone and computer manufacturers for final testing of a new software release before it goes live to all customers. Beta software may carry some minor bugs or glitches but is generally complete. If for any reason you wish to return to the previous version of software, you can email us with the details and we can reverse the change. 

With a busy weekend of sport available to TG4 viewers this Saturday, we're lighting up the Red Button to make sure you don't miss out on your choice of Rugby or GAA action.

This Saturday TG4 presents live coverage of the Eirgrid under-21 GAA football championship final between Galway and Dublin at O'Connor Park Tullamore  (KO 17:00), after which Connacht will confront Scarlets at the Sportsground at 19:35. In the meantime, Munster fans can choose to follow their heroes by pressing the Saorview Red Button to catch Benetton Treviso V Munster with a kickoff time of 18:05.

Want to find more great entertainment on Saorview? we've something for everybody - check out our What's On section for our pick of great viewing choices over the next seven days.

Saorview, Ireland’s free digital television service, has launched a new mobile app. The free app is designed as a companion to Saorview’s TV service and allows Saorview viewers to plan their viewing.

The app features a 7-day programme guide, a new recommendations service called Spotlight, and links to on demand players. Viewers can use the Saorview app to search for specific programmes on TV and radio, and to set reminders for their chosen programmes or series.

This is the first phase of the app. Later in the year additional features will be enabled including a backwards guide with deep linking to on demand programmes. Then, with the launch of Saorview Connect, users will be able to manage their recordings with the Saorview app and use the app as a remote control for their Saorview Connect box.

The Saorview app is designed to work on mobiles and tablets, Android and Apple, and is available for free from both Google Play and the App Store.

Commenting on the new app, Jim Higgins, Saorview business development manager said ‘The new Saorview app is a great companion for the Saorview service and we hope that many Saorview users will download it and use it to plan their viewing and find out more about the great range of programming on Saorview. With the launch of Saorview Connect in the coming months, we will be switching on more features in the app providing users with a more enhanced free TV service.’

This Saturday, TG4 will be using the Red Button interactive service on Saorview to broadcast the Guinness Pro 12 Rugby match between Connacht and Opsreys with coverage starting from 7pm. The match will be broadcast live from the Galway Sportsground as part of the station’s Rugbaí Beo series and it will be available via the Red Button on Saorview during TG4’s coverage of the Election 2016 count.

Viewers watching TG4 on a Saorview Approved box or TV will be able to access Rugbaí Beo by pressing the Red Button on the remote control for their Saorview box or TV when the icon appears on screen.

The Red Button feature is built in to all Saorview Approved receivers, and can be used by broadcasters on Saorview that wish to make additional content available.

Saorview Approved products are available from retailers and installers in the Republic of Ireland. Always ask for Saorview Approved products as they are designed to work with the features available from the channels that broadcast on Saorview.

RTÉ has partnered with Freesat, the UK free-to-air television company, to develop a new product for Saorview, Ireland’s free digital television service and the largest television platform in Ireland*. The new product, called Saorview Connect, will allow viewers to access a range of on demand content as well as the Saorview television channels, all integrated in a new set-top box with a range of additional features.

Noel Curran, Director-General of RTÉ, said: “Saorview has come a long way since digital switchover just a few years ago: it is now the largest television platform in Ireland. Saorview Connect will offer viewers a richer experience and, by connecting a Saorview Connect box to broadband, viewers will be able to access a wider range of content. We are pleased to be partnering with Freesat, who have successfully run their connected service in the UK for the last three years. We hope to achieve the same success with Saorview Connect.”

By connecting a Saorview Connect box to both broadband and a television aerial, users will be able to watch on demand and catch-up content alongside the Irish television channels. The new Saorview Connect set-top boxes will feature an easy-to-use programme guide, including a roll-back television guide providing one-click access to catch-up programming.

Saorview Connect will be based on Freesat’s cloud-based connected television guide solution, Metaphor. The recently launched service for satellite, terrestrial and cable operators is based on Freesat’s award-winning UK based Freetime service. Freesat will integrate the Metaphor platform, set-top box application and mobile applications with Saorview’s existing linear service to create the Saorview Connect offering. Freesat will provide the solution as a fully managed service.

Saorview Connect will have a range of new features, including content recommendations, programme title search, enhanced recording capabilities, and a new standard Saorview remote control. Together with a forthcoming Saorview mobile application, Saorview Connect users will be able to remote record programmes from wherever they are.

Alistair Thom, Managing Director of Freesat said: “Freesat is extremely pleased to partner with RTÉ and Saorview to deliver their next-generation connected service. Through Metaphor, we have been able to take our experience of operating a successful integrated television service to help other platforms integrate their own broadband services. We are delighted that Irish viewers will be able to enjoy our technology through Saorview Connect.”

Saorview Connect is due to launch later in the year. 

* There are 676,000 homes in Ireland that have Saorview, 43% of all TV homes. Source: Nielsen Establishment Survey, January 2016. 

Saorview is currently carrying out test transmissions of Oireachtas TV. Viewers may receive the test transmission on Saorview channel 22. For further information please see the Oireachtas press release here

A video guide on how to tune in the test channel can be found in our Get Help page

Saorview, Ireland’s free digital television service and the largest TV platform in Ireland, today launched its brand new look in conjunction with the announcement that the number of households in Ireland with Saorview has increased. Over the last four months 30,000 homes have joined the revolution to ‘FREE THE TV’ with Saorview, meaning that 676,000 homes now watch TV for free in a way that suits them, that’s 43% of all homes in Ireland.

Conceived and created by design consultancy, Aad, the launch of the new Saorview brand sees changes to its logo, a consumer friendly website with TV listings that encourages Irish consumers to explore the world of Saorview, and a new TV ad which launches on RTÉ on Sunday, December 20th. This is the first 60 second TV ad commissioned by Saorview, and it is directed by Cannes Grand Prix winner and animator Johnny Kelly, who has worked with a range of clients from Google and Vitra to Coca-Cola and the V&A. Saorview doesn’t just offer freedom from bills, but freedom in how, when and where consumers access TV and the new TV ad mirrors this.

The new Saorview website features a live help service and enhanced search tools to easily enable users to find retailers that stock Saorview boxes and TVs. The new site is also mobile compatible and available in both English and Irish. With the added benefit of an online programme guide and brightly coloured icon illustrations highlighting different programme categories, www.saorview.ie allows users to find out how to watch for free and what and Saorview aims to reflect how people live their lives and offers empowerment, choice, flexibility and access. Saorview offers the best of Irish television, and with the Saorview combi box or TV, customers can also access a wide range of free television channels from the UK for even more choice. This is about more than just no monthly bills; this is about consumers getting the TV they want, the way they want it.

Richard Waghorn, RTÉ’s Chief Technology Officer and product owner of Saorview, said: ‘The way people are watching TV is changing and so Saorview is too. Saorview does not just offer freedom from bills, but freedom in how you access TV. The new figures from Nielsen show that more and more people are joining the free TV revolution, and with our new look, we hope to encourage even more homes to make the change and free their TV.’ For more information on Saorview visit www.saorview.ie and to follow the conversation join us on Facebook and Twitter

The way people watch TV is changing and Saorview is too. #FreetheTV

Saorview, Ireland's free digital television service, is now in more Irish homes than any other TV platform, according to the latest data from Nielsen*. Welcomed by the brand, the results from Nielsen show that more people in Ireland receive all the Irish free TV channels** via Saorview than from Sky or any other TV service. Saorview is in 646,000 homes, whilst the number of homes paying a subscription to Sky is 645,000. This is the first time that Saorview leads this service category.

Since digital switchover in 2012, more and more homes have been getting Saorview as it provides an ideal and low cost solution allowing users to access the best of Irish television and the most watched programmes on TV for free. A number of Saorview homes also have a free-to-air satellite service, providing them with even more free television channels from the UK. Combining Saorview with free-to-air satellite means homes can have access to over 100 free television channels.

To receive Saorview, viewers need an aerial (outdoor or a good quality indoor aerial) connected to a Saorview Approved TV set or a Saorview Approved box. With Saorview, customers receive all the Irish channels for free including RTÉ One and RTÉ2 in HD.

* Nielsen/TAM Ireland Establishment Survey, September 2015
** RTÉ One HD, RTÉ2 HD, TV3, TG4, 3e, UTV Ireland, RTÉ Junior, RTÉ One +1, RTÉ News Now

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