bbc sat system help plz

deegs

...hope this is the correct forum
HI folks,

I'm a comkplete novice and so i don't want to get screwed by some TV guy.
Basically i am interested in getting these new bbc digital channels and a free digital sat system. i cant find any real info on this topic and was wondering if anyone here can help.
I want the cheapest and best bang for buck...

I was looking at getting the astra2 system installed for €350, good price?

I was then told by someone else that the astra2 needs astra1 first; and also that the astra2 system is not the same system that gets the bbc footprint signal..

This was a topic on corks 96fm show with neil prenderville but i missed it saying the pros and cons of both...

Essentially i want a sat system that will get the bbc footprint and all the rest when they come online for free, and i want to get a good system that wont need upgrading in a few years...

Thx for all the help in advance
deegs

ShaneOC

Hi deegs,

€350 seems like a reasonable price for a fully installed freee to air digital sat system. There are probably cheaper but I would think that this is fairly ok.

Astra 2 does NOT need Astra 1. Whoever told you that is trying to pull a fast one. Astra 2 is the one that you want for the free BBC channels as well as a host of other free channels. They are listed in the FAQ at the top of this page.

Tony

hi, €350 installed is a good price if receiver has Rf output, if not it can be done cheaper. Cheaper still if you install it yourself

Tony

deegs

so 250 for a system that i have to install myself is good...but not if it doesnt have an rf output....
How much extra is this on its own, and how many t.v's can i hook up? can i change the channel on one tv only?

Thanks again for the help (i appreciate this has probably been said many times b4)

swoofer

for anyone reading this post the best and cheapest way to get the free bbc channels is by buying a second hand SKY digibox end of story. DON'T LISTEN TO ANYTHING ELSE.

All the sats are at 28% E and reference to individual sats only mean something if u live in southern spain, tenerife, russia etc.

A quick look at the footprint of 28%E sorts that out once and for all.

gb--

swoofer

I have seen a complete sky system on buy and sell for €95.00 so where these amounts of €350.00 and €250.00 come from beats me.

the sky box has 1 rf input for terrestial aerial, 2 rf outputs, 2 scart outputs, and the grundig has even got an s video.

if u by a box other than sky u don't get the ELECTRONIC PROGRAMME GUIDE = EPG, u can't access the BBCi interactive features, u don't have access to the personal planner etc. Anyone getting a system other than a sky box should be given it for nothing!!

gb--

Tony

Originally posted by GBCULLEN
I have seen a complete sky system on buy and sell for €95.00 so where these amounts of €350.00 and €250.00 come from beats me.



gb--

350 is for new receiver dish and installation, thats where it comes from. Bear in mind second hand digiboxes were probaly free to start with hence the price differential. A new digibox dish and installtion would be well in excess of 350

Tony

Greenman

GB Cullen wrote

Anyone getting a system other than a sky box should be given it for nothing!!

Wouldn't agree there. The FTA receiver is very flexible for other channels & sats, you can find channels that aren't possible to get on the $ky box, you can set up your channels in the order you like, you can set upto 4 lnbs on one cable.
The big thing I love is NO RED DOT!!!

swoofer

I should have said " anyone getting a system to receive BBC fta ... etc

for other sats u need to go motorised = more expense, u can't at a later day get a card to receive ITV CH4, CH5, or get a subscription card to get SKY.

A fta digital receiver in IRELAND is a total and utter waste of money if from the outset u want to get the ENGLISH speaking channels located at 28%e.

The red dot can be controlled within other channels, use the backup button or buy the gadget that acts like a tv link but kills the red dot.

As for all the other channels u can get with a NON SKY DIDGIBOX they are total and utter c+++p, very few are in english, the majority of them are in german, they usually have american prrogrammes that are dubbed.

I think the person aksing the questions was looking for the least expensive route to get BBC.

It is like everything in IRELAND if there is a chance of a rip off u get ripped off and as always buyer beware.

heres a quote from deegs " I was then told by someone else that the astra2 needs astra1 first; and also that the astra2 system is not the same system that gets the bbc footprint signal.. ""

SKY are doing an offer at the moment sign up for €15.00 and subscribe to a family pack at about 56 euro for the 1st month and u can then go down to about 27 pm after 1 month at the high rate and at the end of 12 months u keep the system but u dont have to fork out €350.0 up front.

need I say more
gb--

Icehouse

>>>SKY are doing an offer at the moment sign up for €15.00 and subscribe to a family at about 56 euro for the 1st month and u can then go down to about 27 pm after 1 month at the high rate at the end of 12 months u keep the system but u dont have to fork out €350.0 up front.

need I say more
gb--

Sounds expensive if he only wants BBC. I personally if I were a non-techie and not interested in having a million foreign channels, would go for a Sky Digibox from an eBay seller with a good feedback rating and willing to send registered mail to Ireland, ideally with a type-2 FTV viewing card (for ITV, Channel 4 and five). The max I would pay for a dish + digibox would be about €150 and you'd have to add to that installation charges if you're not able to do it yourself, or get a mate to do it.

swoofer

icehouse the last bit of my final post makes sense if u can digest all that has gone before ie he is quoted €350.00 upfront to get BBC and that includes installation but does not include a sky viewing card. So I was making the comparison that by going down the SKY route he would only pay €15.00 euro up front and then get ALL the premium channels for 1 month and then RTE NE2, TV3 TG4 etc for 11 months and this would work out at €353.00. A lot better value.

I am just amazed at some of the things that are quoted.

And the ebay route is the way to go as u suggest but I am not sure how good ebay is here in Ireland.

gb--

Koyaanisqatsi

Right now you can get a decent Sky Digibox on E-bay for €45 Sterling + £8 p/p
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3064433179&category=29784
and
http://search.ebay.co.uk/search/search.dll?MfcISAPICommand=GetResult&ht=1&SortProperty=MetaEndSort&cgiurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcgi.ebay.co.uk%2Fws%2F&query=digibox&ebaytag1code=3&shortcut=2&currdisp=1&maxRecordsReturned=300&maxRecordsPerPage=50&SortProperty=MetaEndSort
This is much more suitable for general satellite use than a stand alone FTA box.
You have interactive available on a lot of channels, and you also have the option of buying a FTV card for £23.50 giving you ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 immediatly.
(Interactive is not available on FTA boxes).
€350 is NOT a reasonable price for installation of a FTA box.
Borrow your neighbours drill and buy 20 meters of satellite cable and do it yourself. Its not rocket science.

Mossy Monk

if you are interested mainly in BBC then go for a Sky box. with that you can go interactive and use BBCi