Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 14 May 1996

Vol. 465 No. 3

Written Answers. - Cork Cable Television Standards.

Tony Gregory

Question:

241 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the licensed cable television provider for Cork city uses a system which effectively precludes the full use of modern video recording equipment, charges over £60 per annum for a decoder which is necessary to make even minimal use of video recorders and declines to provide any television channel, including RTÉ, in stereo sound; and if he has satisfied himself that such a service is of a similar standard to that provided by other service providers and is in accordance with the licence issued by his Department. [9515/96]

Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications (Mr. Lowry)

Cork Communications Limited have, for a number of years, been encoding all channels on their cable system, except for RTE 1 and Network 2. Subscribers require a decoder to view coded channels, and this is provided by the company, and the cost is covered by the ordinary rental charge. Coding was introduced primarily to prevent piracy, which, apart from the effects on business, interferes with the service to legitimate subscribers. I recognise that it would be preferable if basic services were not coded. If a service provider decides to use an encoded system, I expect that it will be done in a way that will not degrade the facilities offered to viewers in the original broadcast signal.

The problem is that, generally, only one channel at a time can be decoded by the appliance provided. This is also true of MMDS and satellite TV decoders. This does not preclude the use of video recorders — there is no problem viewing and recording the same channel in the ordinary way. However, one coded channel cannot be videotaped while another is being watched. RTE channels, however, are not coded and so a coded channel can be taped while an RTE channel is being watched or vice versa. To use two scrambled channels simultaneously an extra decoder and output are necessary, and these are available from the company for a charge of £60 a year.

With regard to the availability of stereo TV, I understand that Cork Communications Limited are installing equipment to transmit RTE in stereo to their cable subscribers. In fact, RTE 1 has provided a stereo service in the Cork area only recently, and service will be available on Network 2 before the end of next year. It seems, unfortunately, that the decoders currently used in Cork do not allow stereo on coded channels, even when it is already broadcast.

In the light of these limitations, I would expect the company concerned to look at ways of modifying their system so that their customers can enjoy the full range of services that are open to users of other systems.