"Please excuse my ignorance - but is freeview the same as freesat?"
FREEVIEW
"Freeview" is the brand name of a UK Digital TV service ONLY AVAILABLE IN THE UK. it is available via TV aerials on the houses, and is only transmitted from TV transmitters in the UK. you will need either a freeview "set top box" or a TV with freeview built in.
Freeview is not available in spain.
Freeview channels are listed at http://www.freeview.co.uk/
There are channels on freeview that you have to pay for on freesat!
Spain has its own version of "Freeview" called TDT - 30ish digital Spanish TV channels via a TV aerial...many programmes you can change the programmes into their original audio...not always English as a few German programmes have cropped up...you will need a TDT "set top box" or a TV with TDT built in.
FREESAT
You have "Freesat" receivers - they only have about 100 channels on their EPG at the moment. they receive "free to air" channels. Freesat receivers will have the Freesat logo on them.
Freesat Channel List
FREESATFROMSKY
You have Sky receivers and a £20 "freesatfromsky" card, - many more channels than Freesat. They receive "free to air" channels and Five, Five US and Fiver, Sky Three, Liverpool FC TV and Viva TV ("known as "free to view" channels)
Freesat From Sky Channel List
SKY TV SUBSCRITPION
If you have a sky receivers and want to pay monthly used for Free to air, free to veiw and subscription channels...
Sky Channel List
Note that many installers are using generic receivers (sometimes called Free To Air receivers) and calling them Freesat or Freeview receivers which may be confusing people. Official Freesat and Sky receivers have a full 7 day programme guide...generic FTA receivers only have now and next programme infomation.
Genuine Freesat recivers have the Freesat logo on them:
Note that reception of Freesat Sky and other UK TV channels depends on your location and dish size
REBROADCASTING
Be wary of:
- companies offering BBC and ITV on a small dish - these can only be legitimatly received direct from the Astra 2D satellite for free via a minimun of 1.4m dish (some areas 1.8m)
- companies offering BBC and ITV for a monthly subscription - BBC and ITV are free on satellite and do not need a subscription
- companies offering "Freesat" with only 20 or 64 channels - by satellite you will recieve over 100 free tv channels, not 20 or 64. the BBC have over 15 regional variations on satellite alone
- companies offering Sky Sports for less than £36 per month or ESPN sports for less than £14 per month - the costs of legitimate subscriptions to these channels.
- companies showing other countries sports channels like Showtime
- companies saying they get BBC and ITV from a satellite (like Hotbird) other than Astra 2 - BBC and ITV are only broadcast on one "satellite constellation (those satellites at 28.2 to 28.5 degrees)
as these companies will more than likely be a rebroadcasting servies whos signal may be terminated just like Telemicro.
PETAL DISHES
Some companies are jumping on the rebroadcsat switch-off bandwagon and offering inferior and poor quality "petal" satellite dishes. In my and many other installers opinion these "fortecstar" petal satellite dishes are a waste of money - one installer said that the 2.4 petal dish performed as good as a 1.4m solid dish and "avoid if you can".
If in doubt, try and find out how long the company has been installing for - check past issues of local newspapers, as since the problems with Telemicro lots of new installation companies have appeared on the scene, and offering poor dishes and receivers in an effort to make money for themselves out of the situation. Be wary of companies using just a mobile phone number, a free hotmail and gmail email addresses and free websites.
ADVANTAGES OF TRUE SATELLITE INSTALLATIONS
With a Sky or Freesat receiver you can get BBC interactive, Sky Active and a full 7 day programme guide. you may need a big dish, youo may pay more for the installation, but at least the signal is pretty much gaurenteed as it it a digital signal direct from the satellite and is not reliant on a third party.
Pure digital broadcasting, not reliant on second or third or fourth generation signals as the signals gets past from one rebroadcast transmitter to another. many ex rebroadcasting clients have commented on how ggod the signal direct fromt he satellite is compared to that of a rebroadcasted signal.
For more information please visit:
The Sat and PC Guy - Digital Satellite and Terrestrial Installations and Maintenance for the Costa Blanca
or the forum
The Sat and PC Guy FORUM - Digital Satellite and Terrestrial Installations and Maintenance for the Costa Blanca
No comments:
Post a Comment