Freebox TV

In a broad way, Freebox TV indicates the service of Télévision on ADSL accessible by the Freebox from Free in zone dégroupée. It is available only subject to technical eligibility of the line, namely a Band-width minimal of 3,5 Mbit/s (for the channels encodés in MPEG-2). Since May 21st, 2007, the chains of the TNT are also available in MPEG-4 under the mention " Low débit" thus the flow necessary to receive them is only 1,7 Mbit/s). However only the Freebox HD is equipped with a material chip of decoding for the MPEG-4 (the previous models are equipped to decode flows MPEG-2). Certain computers are sufficiently powerful to decode the flow of the encodés channels MPEG-4 also available via the service of multipost (put aside the chains TF1 and Canal+ which do not wish to appear on the service of multipost). Thus Freenautes equipped with Freebox v3 or v4 can also receive the channels encodés in MPEG-4 and the lira via their computer thanks to the service of multipost.

To receive the television service by ADSL Freebox TV, it is necessary also that Free connected with bonds fiberoptic into clean the telephone distributer (NRA) dégroupé. The whole of equipment ADSL of Free (DSLAM Freebox) are indeed compatible with the TV by ADSL. October 4th, 2007, Free finished to connect out of fiberoptic (operated into clean) the whole of the dégroupés NRA.

The offer

The offer is incompatible with the non-dégroupées zones because France Telecom invoice with volumes of data (enormous for the video), contrary to the contracts “black Fiberoptic” that Free exploits for its dégroupé network.

Launched on February 1st 2003, this proposed service currently (May 2006):

A hundred free channels

Included in the bouquet BASIC . One finds there in particular the chains TNT, the chains AB Sat and of the foreign chains. Since January 5th, 2007, and after long talks, the national chains TF1, M6 are also accessible.

A hundred paying chains

Available in individual options or in " Packs" sets of themes (for example Canal+ bouquet)

A bouquet of repeated radios (free)

More than one about sixty radios (General practitioners, Sets of themes, Local, Musical) are thus available in its stereophony and numerical quality on channel 199.

Those can be listened on television or thanks to the exit digital audio S/PDIF (optical) available to Freebox HD (v5).

The bouquet CanalSat

Approximately 80 additional chains

Following fusion Canalsat/TPS, authorization was given to Free to distribute TF1 and M6, on its television offer via ADSL. It is a reality starting from January 5th, 2007. On this same date also on the Free bouquet the chains Tfou and Odyssée appear and the offer of VoD will be reinforced with the contribution of the 2 services TF1 Vision and M6 Video.

A service of Video to the request

Since December 13rd, 2005, the user can view during 24 hours a film of his choice among part of the catalog of Canalplay, for a variable price between 0,99 euros and 3,99 euros. Free also has just seen arriving the video services at the request TF1 Vision and M6 Vidéo.

There exists also a service of VoD proposing of extreme films the day and films X the night: Extreme shivers, as well as a service of VoD proposing in the concerts: iConcerts.

The " Multiposte" (visionnage on the screen of the computer)

Since December 23rd, 2005, Freebox (starting from version 3) can redirect the video stream of the chains " Basic" , and even certain optional chains, towards a computer. The computer (with a software) can then post the television channel. According to the band-width available, it is possible to look a chain on your television and one or more chains on the computer.

This is valid only for the chains having given their agreement for the multicasting. Thus TF1, M6, W9, Channel + and the majority of the paying chains refused it and cannot be viewed by this biais.
The Freebox has in-house a mailing list compatible with various software (VLC for example) accessible to the following address: http://mafreebox.freebox.fr/freeboxtv/playlist.m3u

Summary mosaics

For the chains Freebox TV and the regional alternatives of France 3

The " low débit"

Since June 2007, the free channels of the TNT (except Canal+), are also available in " low débit" , encodées in MPEG-4 (channels 451 to 468). One can thus look at these chains with a connection with flow limited, where to be able to use the multipost one and/or to record while looking at another chain.

Since August 2007, the following chains are also accessible to the not dégroupés Net surfers in low flow, via the computer:

These chains are available on the http://tv.freebox.fr site realizing validation of new general terms of sales at Free and installation of the last version (0.8.6c) of VLC.

The measurement of audience

Since the end of September 2005, Free makes it possible to follow in real-time, on its television or a dedicated site, the 15 best audiences of its bouquet Freebox TV

The system Freeplayer

Supported formats

The service supports the chains with the format 16/9, the possibility of a multilingual use, the Télétexte and the Sous-titrage for the Malentendant S. Free proposes also technology Dolby DIGITAL 5.1 for the chain NRJ 12.

New functionalities of Freebox HD

Since the last version of Freebox (V5 known as HD), the freenaute has a Hard drive of 40 Gigaoctets on the case television. This space can be used to record emissions starting from the television channels or to store digital contents in order to view them on television. An access via ftp to the case Freebox HD (ftp://freebox@hd1.freebox.fr/) thus makes it possible to send data on the hard drive but also to recover on its computer the recordings carried out.

The Timeshifting is also present on this Freebox news and makes it possible to put in pause an emission diffused on Freebox TV to continue to look at it later.

This Freebox news also has a tuner TNT making it possible to the noneligible subscribers on television on ADSL to have access to the 18 chains of the TNT (main reason being especially the absence of TF1 and M6 on the bouquet Freebox TV at the time of the exit of Freebox HD) as well as material decoder MPEG-4 making it possible to look at the chains proposed in High-definition (on the bouquet Freebox TV like on the TNT via the integrated tuner).

External bonds

Freebox TV: Presentation of the offer, the chains/pack available and the tariffs
Audience15Live: The 15 best audiences Unit Freebox TV into instantaneous
Freebox Universe: All topicality of Freebox TV
CanalPlay: Downloading service of vidéos (protected by digital rights)
TF1 Vision: downloading service of vidéos (protected by digital rights)
M6 Video: downloading service of vidéos (protected by digital rights)

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