Sat4Free/Freesat in Ireland

byte

HPMan wrote: »

Can you change the postcode from say Granada's to Channel's or Ulster's if you either move house or want the default itv channel to be a different one? Are you stuck with the change after a set / fixed number of changes - like dvd decoders?

Yes, it's possible to change it.

channelsurfer

sorry to sound silly or ask the question again but to clarify is it possible to change the sat4free box to another uk regioni? some of the posts says its locked on the northern ireland epg?

copacetic

channelsurfer wrote: »

sorry to sound silly or ask the question again but to clarify is it possible to change the sat4free box to another uk regioni? some of the posts says its locked on the northern ireland epg?

no, it doesn't appear to be possible on the sat4free boxes.

It appears a lot of questions about the sat4free boxes are being cross posted above with replies on freesat boxes.

The Cush

HPMan wrote: »

Can you change the postcode from say Granada's to Channel's or Ulster's if you either move house or want the default itv channel to be a different one? Are you stuck with the change after a set / fixed number of changes - like dvd decoders?

Yes, with the UK freesat receiver the region can be changed by carrying out a fresh reinstall on the box and entering the new postcode but you lose the manually added channels.

channelsurfer wrote: »

sorry to sound silly or ask the question again but to clarify is it possible to change the sat4free box to another uk regioni? some of the posts says its locked on the northern ireland epg?

It appears that the sat4free receiver's postcode is locked in to N Ireland region change not possible.

Tony

With Bytes kind permission the discount code for my site is "Boards.ie"

Tony wrote: »

There is a discount code for boards.ie users but I'll need to check with the mods here if its ok to post it.

channelsurfer

how much is the discount Tony? its a pity there is no installers for offaly.

Tony

channelsurfer wrote: »

how much is the discount Tony? its a pity there is no installers for offaly.

Hi, Its 10% off the order value. Yes it is a pity but I will only use someone reliable in any area as a bad installer can do a lot of damage to a companies reputation very quickly.Maybe some guys here know of good independents in Offaly that can help you?

MisterAnarchy

The launch of RTÉ International has been postponed because of the economic crisis.

According to The Times, Ireland's national broadcaster has written to communications minister Eamon Ryan to say that it would be "unwise" for the channel to launch by St. Patrick's Day next year because of the changed financial climate.

In June, RTÉ started recruiting for key positions at the channel, costs for which are estimated at €3m per year. Earlier in the year it was announced that RTÉ International would be available free-to-air on digital satellite to serve the estimated 850,000 Irish born people living in the UK.

It is understood that RTÉ now aims to launch the service by the end of 2009

Kotek Besar

http://www.sat4free.ie/
http://www.sat4free.ie/index.html
http://www.sat4free.ie/index.php?page=home

All not working at all now (no maintenance page even).

The_Conductor

All up and running again......
Home page has slight modifications

They now have a helpline up and running (1800 992 296)- and are also advertising "Free installation and Satellite Dish if required (rep Ire)"- I take it this is the "voucher" in the box......... Like to see a few people buy the vanilla box and try to take them up for false advertising........

benifa wrote: »

http://www.sat4free.ie/
http://www.sat4free.ie/index.html
http://www.sat4free.ie/index.php?page=home

All not working at all now (no maintenance page even).

Tony

smccarrick wrote: »

Like to see a few people buy the vanilla box and try to take them up for false advertising........

You do not need to buy an item to make a complaint about advertising you just contact the advertising standards authority for Ireland.

The_Conductor

Tony wrote: »

You do not need to buy an item to make a complaint about advertising you just contact the advertising standards authority for Ireland.

I've made several comments about false advertising and in one case intimidatory/discriminatory advertising to the ASAI over the past year- and have totally given up on them.......

copacetic

smccarrick wrote: »

All up and running again......
Home page has slight modifications

not for me, I'm still getting the old offline message on the mainpage

Kotek Besar

smccarrick wrote: »

Like to see a few people buy the vanilla box and try to take them up for false advertising........

Don't get you? What vanilla box?

Kotek Besar

smccarrick wrote: »

false advertising...

Speaking of false advertising..

It has many stunning features with over 100 great channels to choose from

http://www.sat4free.ie/index.php?page=whatissat4free

Tony

smccarrick wrote: »

I've made several comments about false advertising and in one case intimidatory/discriminatory advertising to the ASAI over the past year- and have totally given up on them.......

I'm sorry to hear that. I took a complaint against UPC who were then cablelink may years ago and they did pursue it, having said that all that happens is a rap on the knuckles.

Tony

benifa wrote: »

Speaking of false advertising..

http://www.sat4free.ie/index.php?page=whatissat4free

Fair point I guess "great" is subjective, I'm re doing my own site and use that term too so perhaps i should take it out.

Puteq

Oh man i am overwhelmed by all this, i only recently heard of this free to air TV recently and started looking into it. Everyone here seem to be conversing from the level of having a decent amount of prior understanding about all this.

I saw a box, plus dish and installation in Atlantic Homecare (Galway) for 400 notes recently (though they were not able to answer for me who does the installation etc when i asked!). but i think i read in the brochure that came with it that it cannot be used in a house that already has sky - i would like to keep my sky, but also have my free to air TV in another room, would this be possible? (I dont mind having 2 dishes outside my house if necessary).

Thanks!

Tony

Puteq wrote: »

it that it cannot be used in a house that already has sky - i would like to keep my sky, but also have my free to air TV in another room, would this be possible? (I dont mind having 2 dishes outside my house if necessary).

Thanks!

They are talking nonsense, it can be used in a house that already has sky. If you have one standard sky box you need a quad lnb for sky minidish and you run a good quality cable from the dish to the sat box location. If you have sky + or HD then you should already have the quad lnb and you just need to run the cable. Save yourself some money and install it yourself

TheDriver

my neighbour got sky+ in converting from sky and they only put a dual lnb onto the bracket

The_Conductor

TheDriver wrote: »

my neighbour got sky+ in converting from sky and they only put a dual lnb onto the bracket

You're future proofing by putting a quad LNB on it- plus with the price differential so low, it doesn't really make sense to cut corners......

lafors

smccarrick wrote: »

You're future proofing by putting a quad LNB on it- plus with the price differential so low, it doesn't really make sense to cut corners......

Would a quad/octo lnb reduce signal quality at all?

The_Conductor

lafors wrote: »

Would a quad/octo lnb reduce signal quality at all?

No. Its identical to a single or double LNB.

Tony

smccarrick wrote: »

No. Its identical to a single or double LNB.

I must disagree, by their very nature a quad or Octo cannot give the same signal and quality level as a single. Having said that if you use good quality cable and runs are not excessive it should be ok.

Puteq

Tony wrote: »

If you have sky + or HD then you should already have the quad lnb and you just need to run the cable. Save yourself some money and install it yourself

Hmm, I am moving into a new house (which currently has no dish or sky at all) so i will be getting sky+ anyway. i have no idea what 'quad lnb' is but from your comment above it seems i will have it anyway once sky+ is installed. i wouldnt have a clue how to run the cable myself tho but i'm sure i'd figure it out, so really if i have sky+ all i need is the box and some cable, i wouldnt even need a second dish?

thanks for the info :-)

Tony

My pleasure, for a fee you can probably get the sky installer to run another cable for you at the same time.

lafors

Tony wrote: »

I must disagree, by their very nature a quad or Octo cannot give the same signal and quality level as a single. Having said that if you use good quality cable and runs are not excessive it should be ok.

What would you consider as an excessive length/run of cable?
How much would good quality cable cost (sold per metre I presume)?

Tony

lafors wrote: »

What would you consider as an excessive length/run of cable?
How much would good quality cable cost (sold per metre I presume)?

No real hard and fast rules on this as factors such as dish size and to a lesser extent noise figure on lnb come into play. With cheap Rg6 cable for example I'd recommend no more than 20 metres whereas I have run up to 80m using Tx100. An octo lnb on a 60cm dish really needs short runs of tx100 anything more and a dish size increase is needed to give the needed "rain fade" margin. Good quality cable does not cost much more than inferior cable.

The Cush

From Broadband TV News website today

Irish freesat shuts website
By Julian Clover | November 7, 2008 | 11:42 UK

Sat4Free, the satellite marketing concept developed by Irish Power Products in association with British consumer electronics distributor Alba, has shut down its website just a week after its launch claiming “routine maintenance”.

Although it had no direct connection with any broadcaster, the Irish-based service was able to take advantage of the significant number of free-to-air channels available in the republic, basing itself on the UK’s Freesat. Rights restrictions mean that Irish broadcasters such as RTE and TV3 have to encrypt their satellite signals. Nevertheless Sat4Free was able to draw on channels including BBC One, ITV1, Channel 4 and Film 4.

The Grundig-badged receivers were available for €299 or €399 for an HD version capable of receiving BBC HD and ITV HD. Distribution had been secured through Tesco, Atlantic Homecare, Woodies DIY and Powercity.

A spokeswoman for Freesat said it was aware of Sat4Free, but did not want to make any comment.

The_Conductor

The Cush wrote: »

From Broadband TV News website today

I was talking to an engineer at Alba yesterday who has said the website will be up again "soon" but didn't want to say why it was down. I rang them originally regarding the malfunctioning LNB out socket on the decoder.....