The Latest..<br />Lions live on TV3 if Sky signal fails <br /><br /><br />From http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3301710a1869,00.html<br /><br /><br />Can't afford Sky but want to watch the Lions live? Your wish may be granted if a piece of equipment in space fails. <br /><br />The broadcaster is scrambling to make sure transmission of the Lions tour will go without a hitch, after problems with the satellite that serves 500,000 of its subscribers. <br /><br />The satellite's main processor, the computer that runs the satellite, failed last week, and it is running on a backup. If that fails, the satellite will be useless and most Sky subscribers will lose their signal. <br /><br />With the Lions tour due to kick off tomorrow, Sky chief executive John Fellet said if the worst happened games would be broadcast live – and free – on TV3. <br /><br />Sky was looking at its broadcast options should the satellite's backup processor fail. Its most likely choice would be to bring a new satellite into orbit over New Zealand. <br /><br />This would depend on how long it would take for the satellite's owner, Optus, to make alternative arrangements for its existing users. It could take anything from a week to a month. <br /><br />So, in the unthinkable scenario of equipment failure just as the whistle blows to kick off the first test, Mr Fellet said coverage could resume on TV3 within a matter of minutes. This arrangement was a long-standing one as part of the delayed coverage rights held by TV3. <br /><br />If the thought of losing even a few minutes of coverage makes you break out in a sweat, Mr Fellet offers reassurance, saying the chances of the backup failing in the next month are slim. <br /><br />There are 36 satellites of the same make in space. One has had its main and backup processors fail at the same time, indicating a satellite fault. <br /><br />Of the other seven main processor failures, the shortest time for the backup to remain working was 16 months.