Babestation has joined Freeview (Channel 42). for those not familiar with Babestation’s format, it consists of scantily-clad women jiggling in response to premium rate text messages and voice calls.

Babestation is on-air from 1am to 6am, sharing with Virgin +1

A new version of software for BT Vision set-top boxes has started to be rolled out (slowly). Version 1.6.25077.83x started rolling out on the 18th August 2009, and includes the following changes:

• Auto Standby / Power Saving – now 8 hours.
• Automatic channel scanning – once a day.
• Recording padding – to stop you missing the beginning or end.
• Series record stacking.
• Audio Description now supported.
• Ability to switch Stereo or 5.1 Surround Sound.
• SCART now live when using HDMI.
• A bunch of bugfixes and tweaks – including the Green light problem.

Updates will be rolled out automatically to boxes according to BT Vision’s mysterious update rollout plan.

A placeholder for a new text service, Mobilizer, has appeared on channel 109. The the catch-line “Mobile Fun 4 Everyone”, we don’t have info on what this text service will offer, or when it will launch.

Update: Thanks to Robert N for this update on 06 October 09: “I got Mobilizer on BT Vision last night on Channel 109 when I went down the Menu it said No Information Available so I selected it to see what it would do and after a few minutes a Screen came up Mobilizer Loading and then the main screen came up titled Mobile Fun 4 Everyone TXT Rate it Vote for the girl of your Choice”

Shopping channel Price Drop TV is set to return to Freeview on the 27th of August. The channel vanished in January 2009, but apparently, pressure from viewers has prompted the channel to make a return.

Price Drop TV will be on Freeview channel 43 from 27 August 2009

Channel 4 is set to experiment with a week of 3D TV in a matter of weeks.

This Autumn, 4 will run a week of peak-time programming in 3D, including rare 1953 colour 3D footage of the Queen’s coronation, Derren Brown’s 3D Magic Spectacular, Jaws 3D and the Greatest Ever 3D Moments.

3D will be brought to our screens using the Danish ColorCode system, which require the user to wear blue and amber glasses. These will be given away free at Sainsburys in the run-up to the 3D TV week.

Other upcoming 3D events include the screening of an episode of Chuck in 3D on Virgin 1 on the 25th of August, and the launch of a dedicated 3D channel on Sky in 2010.

After the recent failed launch, Quest, the free documentary channel from Discovery, is set to have another go at launching on Freeview – this time on the 30th of September.

The 2009/10 Barclays Premier League football season starts tomorrow – You can catch the action on Sky Digital, Virgin Media, BT Vision and Top Up TV. In case you’re not yet signed up to a digital TV service that’ll get you the sporting action, all is not lose – you can watch tmorrow’s action, plus the rest of the Premier League with the Sky Player.

Chelsea vs Hull (on Sky Sports) and Everton vs Arsenal (on EPSN) will be available to watch live online at skyplayer.sky.com

Our podcast team has just released an audio update. In this 10 minute show, we look at the following:

• Quest Take 2
• September’s Freeview Retune
• Latest on ESPN, and
• Digital Switchover in Wales

Download our update or listen online at http://www.frequencycast.co.uk/update.html

Feed details: iTunes Feed | RSS Feed

ESPN is now available on Freeview Channel 34. There are three ways to watch ESPN on this channel:

1. Using BT Vision
2. Using Top Up TV
3. Using a box or TV that has a suitable card slot (such as one used for Setanta)

For full details of the options, see http://www.radioandtelly.co.uk/channels/espn.html

Towards the end of September, Freeview viewers will start seeing messages asking them to “retune” your Freeview. The campaign, “Remember to Retune”, is to get people ready for a re-shuffle of Freeview channels at the end of September.

These changes are partly to get ready for the Digital Switchover, and partly to make room for the High Definition channels that will be coming to Freeview over the next 2-3 years.

We’ve put together a page of info on the Autumn retuning.

Retune your Freeview: http://www.radioandtelly.co.uk/freeviewhelp/retune.html

As of today, ESPN is available on BT Vision. If you’re a football fan, you’ll be aware that Setanta Sports went into administration in June 2009, and ESPN acquired the rights to the English and Scottish Premier League matches previously owned by Setanta.

ESPN now has a UK sports channel to cover the Premier League matches, plus other sporting events. ESPN’s UK sports channel went live on Sky and Virgin on the 3rd of August and is now also available on BT Vision.

BT Vision customers will get ESPN at no extra cost if they subscribe to any one of the Vision packages (Bronze, Silver, Gold). This applies to new and existing customers.

If you don’t yet have BT Vision, BT’s also running on online exclusive deal – if you sign up to a BT phone, TV or Broadband package, you’ll get 3 months of free broadband. Include a BT Vision package for inclusive ESPN. More details: productsandservices.bt.com

Coverage of the Barclays Premier League starts from Saturday the 15th of August 2009 with Everton vs Arsenal. Then there’s the West Ham vs Tottenham Hotspurs match the following Sunday – both exclusively live on ESPN.

Top-Up TV customers can also get ESPN – for a monthly subscription of £9.99 a month. New customers signing to Top Up TV will get the first month for free, then it’s £9.99 a month.

Latest info, prices and links: radioandtelly.co.uk/channels/espn.html

Quest TV is to have a second go at launching on Freeview. Many of our readers may remember that Quest TV was meant to start broadcasting on Freeview in mid-May this year, but at the last minute, the plug was pulled.

According to a report in Broadcast, the industry magazine, Quest has a new launch date, the 30th of September 2009.

Quest TV, from Discovery Channel, will provide free-to-view factual, entertainment and lifestyle programming… if it launches this time.

More information on Quest TV at radioandtelly.co.uk/channels/quest.html

Show 42 of Frequencycast, the UK’s TV and Tech podcast is out now.

As well as looking at the latest news on ESPN, we review the various catch-up TV services for watching BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Five and Sky shows on a PC and on the TV.

We also look at the TubeStick, the smallest Freeview receiver we could find, answer listeners questions on a range of subjects, and cover a few other TV news stories.

Show 42 out now – Meaning of Life not included. Listen or download from www.frequencycast.co.uk/latest.html

Also, today our podcast hit the Top 5 Tech News podcasts on iTunes – well done us!