- What is "IPTV", how does it work and what does it cost?
- So this is TV - do I need a TV licence?
- Wait a sec, haven't you broadbanded the residences - won't this count towards my utilisation?
- What TV channels are there?
- What Radio stations are there?
- How do I get it?
- Is there any help to get me started?
- I've fired it up - but I see a mainly pink screen that wobbles.  Is there something I'm missing?
- What can I do if my PC isn't powerful enough, are there any other options?
- Can I view/listen-to channels without the software?
- Do I have to register - where's my registration Email?
- What about subscription channels?
- What about High Definition, PVR (Personal Video Recorders), Video on Demand (VoD)?
- Can I take the service with me?
- What about other channels?  Student TV - Student radio?
- On your front page you were careful to say this was only available via 'wired points' - what about wireless?
- I've got a connection in: Mary Chapman Court / SISJAC / East Anglian Film Archive / Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kings Lynn - but it doesn't appear to work?
- When I use the system it comes back with "You appear to be using the program on a network which is not enabled" or similar?
- What does "channel not available" mean?  What do I need to do?
- What about if I've subscribed and it breaks?
- Sometimes the channel freezes or the video and sound get out of sync - what do I do?
- I've got the software - but I can't get it out of full-screen mode, help!
- I'm on the main campus - can I watch TV as well?  Is it going to be added to the standard desktop?
- I've just installed and it says that it can't "change to full-screen mode"..  what does it mean?

Q. What is "IPTV", how does it work and what does it cost?
A. IPTV is "Internet Protocol TeleVision" - in other words, it's TV over the Internet.  It works by a technology called 'multicasting' which is not too dissimilar to the traditional view of broadcasting (where everyone hears it) - but, on a network, only those computers or set-top boxes which are watching a particular channel will receive that channel.  (The "calling up" of a channel off the network is automatically done by the software).  The system is free...  although..

Q. So this is TV - do I need a TV licence?
A. Pretty much the answer is yes..  you're best looking at the TV Licensing website for more details.  We're not authorised to answer questions about the implementation of UK law.

Q. Wait a sec, haven't you broadbanded the residences - won't this count towards my utilisation?
A. The TV service is using a system called multicasting - this is not counted by our system as part of your use of the network.  It is worth noting, though, that the computer program is quite resource hungry so you may find that your PC has problems maintaining a smooth TV or radio reproduction if it is being asked to undertake much other work at the same time.

Q. What TV channels are there?
A. The 25-strong freeview channel list (as at January 2008) includes: BBC1 (East), BBC2 (England), ITV1 (Anglia), Channel 4, Five, BBC3, BBC4, E4, More4, Five US, Five Life, Virgin1, Propeller, CBBC, CBeebies, Film4, BBC News 24, The Hits, TMF, Al Jazeera, TV5, PCNE and Zee Music.

Q. What Radio stations are there?
A. The 16 radio stations (as at January 2008) are: BBC Radios 1, 2, 3, 4 (DAB), BBC 7, BBC Asian Network, Gaydar Radio, Virgin Radio, KISS, Smash Hits!, The Hits, Kerrang!, Q, Mojo, Magic FM and Heat.

Q. How do I get it?
A. You need to visit the FreewireTV website at http://www.freewiretv.com/ and download the PC software.  Mac software is in beta - keep an eye on the Freewire website for full details.  The trials with the previous version of the software on UEA PCs have shown quite a high specification PC is required to run the program.

Q. Is there any help to get me started?
A. FreewireTV offer a variety of information regarding their service on their web pages at http://www.freewiretv.com/ - together with the information on this web page, this defines the extent of support which is available which has been sufficient for all installations so far.

Q. I've fired it up - but I see a mainly pink screen that wobbles.  Is there something I'm missing?
A. This is typical when your PC isn't powerful enough to run the program - Freewire have worked hard to make their software as easy on the host computer as possible.

Q. What can I do if my PC isn't powerful enough, are there any other options?
A. If the software doesn't work for you - then Freewire are bringing out a set-top box for around £90.  UEA was one of the first places in the country to use the set-top boxes and they're currently deployed in the INTO residences.

Q. Can I view/listen-to channels without the software?
A. Yes and no, Freewire encode their channels and use the client software or set-top box to decrypt it for viewing so you can't watch these channels without the software or box.  This seems only fair given the level of investment they have placed in providing the service and, indeed, the fact they provide the viewing software free of charge.

There are other multicast radio channels available.  See the BBC multicast website for details.

There are also a number of TV and radio stations which have a view or listen now button.  See your favourite TV or radio station's web site for details.  Note, however, this use of the network will count towards your broadband allocation.

Q. Do I have to register - where's my registration Email?
A. You do have to undertake a free registration - sometimes the reply Email can be incorrectly identified as SPAM (because of the use of the word FREE in the subject line) so it's best to check in your SPAM folder incase it gets delivered there.

Q. What about subscription channels?
A. These are subject to change - but, at November 2008, include LivingTV, Bravo, Paramount Comedy 1, MTV etc.  Full details are available by logging into the FreewireTV website and checking out the TV packages.

Q. What about High Definition, PVR (Personal Video Recorders), Video on Demand (VoD)?
A. These are all in Freewire's roadmap - although their timescales could change.

Q. Can I take the service with me?
A. Freewire have an agreement with one of the main ADSL service providers (i.e. broadband over a BT line) to provide the service away from campus.  Freewire, as we understand it, will be able to provide you with broadband services if you're not on the campus.

Q. What about other channels?  Student TV - Student radio?
A. We have touched on this with Freewire and they are open to providing the means by which NexusTV and Livewire could transmit over their service.  If you are connected with either of these media societies and are interested in doing this then please do get in touch via itcs.netteam@uea.ac.uk.

Q. On your front page you were careful to say this was only available via 'wired points' - what about wireless?
A. The wireless network has its own statement which excludes it from being provided for streaming media (such as TV and radio) - this is mainly because the way that the wireless technology works does not provide much by way of bandwidth.  With each TV (standard definition) signal taking up 2Mb of capacity, of a - best case - 6Mb usable bandwidth of an 802.11b signal.  That does not allow much for others near to that base-station.

Q. I've got a connection at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kings Lynn - but it doesn't appear to work?
A. The service is only available to sites located in Norwich.  QEH is connected back to the campus at 20Mbits - which is insufficient for providing this service.

Q. When I use the system it comes back with "You appear to be using the program on a network which is not enabled" or similar?
A. This is the error message you get if you try to use the software on another set of IP addresses (i.e. not 139.222.x.x which are assigned to the University).  You need to be on the UEA network in Norwich or on the Freewire broadband service in order to use the system.

Q. What does "channel not available" mean?  What do I need to do?
A. This means that, whilst the network is correct - the software has not been able to find the relevant channel to pass to your computer.  This could be a variety of reasons such as overloading of our core router, a break in our link to the feeds or engineering work at Freewire.  We'll post news on any known issues and expected resolution timescales on our website.  Any known issues at the Freewire end will be on their service portal website.

Q. What about if I've subscribed and it breaks?
A. Freewire are working up an agreement with the University regarding the coverage of the network and working through thresholds of service.  As with all telecolms providers, the University cannot react immediately to faults or provide a service which it can guarantee will never break down.  Freewire are understanding of this and will put in place a claims process for those who are adversely affected by any break in paid-for service.

Q. Sometimes the channel freezes or the video and sound get out of sync - what do I do?
A. We have noticed this in early versions of the software but is less prevailent in the latest ones - it seems related to the number of other applications you have running and how powerful/effective your computer is in running the software.  We have found that switching channels, forward and back, allows the video and audio to get back in step and minimising any intensive computer calculations helps to prevent the problem from occurring.

Q. I've got the software - but I can't get it out of full-screen mode, help!
A. You need to press the escape key (usually marked "Esc" in the top left-hand corner of the keyboard) to put the display back into a window.

Q. I'm on the main campus - can I watch TV as well?  Is it going to be added to the standard desktop?
A. We have no intention of providing access to the TV service on the main Norwich campus at this time.  The service is aimed towards the student residential market.

Q. I've just installed and it says that it can't "change to full-screen mode"..  what does it mean?
A. It seems as though your computer needs to be able to do 24-bit colour depth for the service to operate.  This is to do with the number of colours your computer can put on the screen at any one time.  Right-click on the desktop with the mouse, to bring up a menu with "Arrange icons by..." on it and with the word "Properties" at the bottom.  Select properties and then choose the "settings" tab on the window that appears.  The bit you're interested in is called "Color quality" and should be a drop down box half way down the right-hand side of the window.  This needs to be at least 24 bit...  it seems.  Note that this MAY make the screen work at a lower resolution (i.e. drop down from 1600x1200 to 1280x1024) so you'll need to weigh up the implications of making this change.  Most of the time the computer will give you a ten second taster of the settings before dropping back to the original values (incase you've mistakenly set it to something which you can't see!)...  you'll need to click on the "I want to keep these settings" button for the values to stick.  Windows may also, helpfully, rearrange your desktop icons to allow for the smaller settings if it does this - so be prepared to search for any documents you normally keep on your desktop!