Satellite TV Update

[sws97sdg]

I have been reading this with interest and as rental places was mentioned I thought I would say that I for one am not all that interested in watching British TV while on holiday, or at least would like the option to watch spanish tv as well.
How is spanish tv received, do you just need an ariel or do you need a dish? Why do most rental places not offer both.
I am considering doing the opposite and having a dish here to watch spanish tv, anyone else doing that, I will start a new thread to ask advice.

[Deanscroft]

I regret that there is no definite answer to this until it actually happens. There are allot of TV companies around who will happily sell you a big dish for around 2000€. Equally there are also allot of internet Companies who want to tell you that the only way forward is internet tv but at the moment it is all speculation. The best guess at the moment is that if you don´t have Ch5 now then in a few weeks time you will loose all mainstream UK TV and a bigger dish is needed. If you can at the moment get CH5 sometimes then perhaps re-alignment of the dish, new top quality cable with no joints, better connections etc might just be enough to sort it. If at the moment you can get CH5 then sit back and wait (and possibly gloat a little).
With regard to Spanish TV - you only need a dish (and a subscription) if you want to watch Canal (the Spanish equiv´to Sky). For ordinary Spanish TV you just need an digital aerial and a digital TV or decoder.

[sws97sdg]

Thanks Deanscroft, that is interesting, if it has to be a digital tv that may explain it as most tv's in rental places mainly seem to be analogue or older style ones!

[JMD40]

Its worth noting that with the spanish tv, many of the programmes can also be viewed in their original language by going under menu.... considering the number of American programmes, it could be enough to satisfy most people!
I am moving soon and am unsure whether to bother removing my Sky dish, I have lost channel 5 in Pollensa town, and paying out for the installation.
Lets hold tight and see.

[Deanscroft]

SES the operating company have announced that Satellite 2E has today reach its permanent position and as of today is operational. Over the next few weeks all programming for Sky, Ch4, ITV and BBC will be moved on to the new UK beam.

[Nick]

And that means?

[Belladonna]

Beam me up Scottie? We have so many channels that say No Signal, I am now wondering if some of them will receive a signal from the new ... whatever it is, if it has changed polarity ... or whatever it is!!!!

[Deanscroft]

All channels settings for transmissions from the new satellite will be exactly the same. Frequency, bit rate and polarity will not change.

[Deanscroft]

BBC TO DISAPPEAR TONIGHT
The BBC have announced that the long anticipated transfer of their channels onto the new satellite will take place in the early hours of tomorrow morning (Thursday 6th February) so when you wake up tomorrow cross your fingers and switch on your TV. If you can still get any BBC programmes then breath a big sigh of relief. If BBC has gone then ITV and Ch4 will also soon follow.
In order that we can get some idea of what is needed to keep our TV can I please ask that those of you who don´t loose BBC tonight please post a reply here stating where you are and how big your present satellite dish is. That way we can work out how big a dish is needed for each area.

[sws97sdg]

Got this from the Euro weekly news here :- http://www.euroweeklynews.com/news/s...switch-tonight, looks like a 60cm dish will be needed!!

THE long wait is nearly over for expat TV viewers, tonight is the night that the BBC will start to switch to the new satellite.

The BBC has issued an official announcement stating that the migration of its free to view channels to the new Astra 2E satellite will be carried out in the early hours of Thursday February 6. This will improve viewing across the UK but may have some effect on European viewers – especially in southern Spain

Astra has released a map (above) showing a footprint of expected television coverage following the move. It appears that the Costa Blanca, Mallorca and inland Spain areas will continue to receive a good quality reception. The Costa del Sol and Almeria are in a borderline zone, it is currently unclear how the move will affect these areas. The Astra map shows the size of the satellite reception dish needed for each zone.

ITV and Channel 4 have not yet announced when they will migrate from Astra 1N to Astra 2E, but it is expected to be soon.

Several Sky pay channels, including Sky Sports, Sky Movies and Fox, have already been changed over to the new satellite this week; after much speculation regarding reception in Spain, some areas of the country are currently reporting improved viewing on these channels. In eastern Europe the quality of the reception has diminished.

Once migration is completed, adjustments are still due to be made by satellite operator SES Astra, this could alter the quality of reception once more.

[Deanscroft]

Sorry to to pop your bubble but the diagram shown is for the European beam. All UK tv is migrating onto the UK spot beam for which the coverage diagram doesn´t show anything further south than mid-France

[sws97sdg]

lol, ok, I don't understand what is happening but thought this would be of some use!!

[Deanscroft]

OK - to start us off.
I have a 1.25m dish mounted on the roof of my house in Gotmar.
This morning I have no signal on any BBC channel TV or radio









,

[Fencer]

In Siller 1.5 metre dish no BBC

[barefoot]

In Pinaret, have BBC this morning, not problems at all, but have lost BBC1 and 2 HD, although we can now get the new BBC News 24 HD. (It could be a time of day thing, depending on where the satellite itself is). I think our dish is 1.8, but not absolutely certain.