4TVInteractive was an

Electronic Programme Guide Electronic programming guides (EPGs) and interactive programming guides (IPGs) are menu-based systems that provide users of television, radio and other media applications with continuously updated menus that display scheduling information for ...

(EPG), launched in 2002, for television services in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

. The service, which supplied up to 14 days worth of listings data, was available through compatible

digital terrestrial television Digital terrestrial television (DTTV or DTT, or DTTB with "broadcasting") is a technology for terrestrial television in which land-based (terrestrial) television stations broadcast television content by radio waves to televisions in consumers' ...

receivers. The service was created by 4TV Limited, before the launch of

Freeview Freeview may refer to: *Freeview (Australia), the marketing name for the digital terrestrial television platform in Australia *Freeview (New Zealand), a digital satellite and digital terrestrial television platform in New Zealand *Freeview (UK), a ...

DVB Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) is a set of international open standards for digital television. DVB standards are maintained by the DVB Project, an international industry consortium, and are published by a Joint Technical Committee (JTC) o ...

seven-day EPG in 2004, and had been operated by

Inview Technology Inview Technology (Inview Technology Ltd or simply Inview) is a UK-based digital TV software company. It specialises in advanced EPGs, interactive broadcast, IP services and solutions for Pay-TV and analogue switch off markets. Their OTT TV ...

since November 2006. 4TVInteractive was found on channel 300. Data was broadcast overnight (between 03:00 and 04:00) and stored by the receiver. Compatible receivers relied on this data rather than the "live" EPG broadcast on each multiplex. As a result, receivers dependent on 4TV data lack the ability to react to late schedule changes by broadcasters. During June 2010, InView Technology ceased updating the EPG and confirmed plans to terminate the service, with the final update providing EPG information until 7 July 2010. A representative said that the contract to distribute the updates had ended and therefore had no access to the necessary bandwidth to maintain the service. The companies involved were asked to maintain these services, but were unable to do so. However, they continued to offer advanced EPG information to

Radio Times Extra Radio Times Extra is a means of extending advertising into the medium of digital programme guides provided by Inview Technology. It offers full television listings and synopses forward 14 days, as well as editorialised selections include 'pick o ...

EPG based devices. The list of affected boxes included:

Digifusion Digifusion was the brand name of Fusion Digital Technology Limited, a British consumer electronics company that began trading in 2002, producing a range of digital terrestrial televisions and receivers. Fusion was part owned by Beko, the Turkish e ...

FRT101, Digifusion FVRT100, Digifusion FVRT145, Digifusion FVRT150, Digifusion FVRT200, Digifusion FVRT400, Inverto IDL-7000T, Inverto IDL-7000M,

Thomson Thomson may refer to: Names * Thomson (surname), a list of people with this name and a description of its origin * Thomson baronets, four baronetcies created for persons with the surname Thomson Businesses and organizations * SGS-Thomson Mic ...

DHD4000 and the

Sony , commonly stylized as SONY, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. As a major technology company, it operates as one of the world's largest manufacturers of consumer and professional ...

SVR-S500. No new devices using the 4TV EPG had shipped for four years prior to the services closure and none of the boxes were authorised to carry the Freeview label. Digifusion and Sony incorrectly featured the "Digital Tick", the

Digital TV Group The DTG (Digital TV Group) is the association for British digital television broadcasters and annually publish and maintain the technical specifications for digital terrestrial television (DTT) in the United Kingdom, which is known as the D-Boo ...

, which represents the digital TV industry, claims that these products were not entitled to carry the Digital Tick badge, and that they were 'self declared', the Digital TV Group has since tightened the licensing system and no longer allows self-certification. In July 2010, a petition calling on Freeview to help consumers left without the advance electronic programming guide (EPG) data had attracted over 760 signatures of consumers who didn't want to lose 4TV. In a statement, Freeview said that the situation demonstrates the need for consumers to always purchase Freeview products with Digital Tick. "We have contacted the third party involved to see if a solution can be found." The Digital TV Group added: "Any product that carries the Digital Tick will have passed the Digital TV Group's rigorous test and conformance regimes. The failure of even a small number of ageing receivers in the market emphasises the need for all manufacturers to co-ordinate their production efforts through the specification and test and conformance procedures of the Digital TV Group to achieve the Digital Tick and Freeview trade mark licence, which are proven indicators that a product is compliant, reliable and robust." On 2 August 2010, 4TVInteractive was removed from the Freeview EPG on channel 300. Viewers who retune the box will lose/remove the channel from the line-up. Old boxes which people doesn't use it anymore still have "4TVInteractive" on the channel list.

References

{{reflist Digital television Freeview (UK)

See also

References