TV with freesat in Ireland - does it work??

sue678

Hi, I really need some help. I am totally clueless with this. I was planning to buy a new tv (LG22LH2000 from amazon). It says it has freesat built in. I live in the sticks - we r talking beyond the back of the beyonds. Is this freesat receiver useless in Ireland? I would LOVE to get freesat. How would I do this? Is this total ignorance but with a tv with built in freesat, is a sat dish all i need?? Or would I have to get a freesat box receiver & dish? Would that even do? Can u get RTE etc on freesat or is the aerial the only way of getting these channels? Would very much appreciate some help. Ta

JDxtra

sue678 wrote: »

Hi, I really need some help. I am totally clueless with this. I was planning to buy a new tv (LG22LH2000 from amazon). It says it has freesat built in. I live in the sticks - we r talking beyond the back of the beyonds. Is this freesat receiver useless in Ireland? I would LOVE to get freesat. How would I do this? Is this total ignorance but with a tv with built in freesat, is a sat dish all i need?? Or would I have to get a freesat box receiver & dish? Would that even do? Can u get RTE etc on freesat or is the aerial the only way of getting these channels? Would very much appreciate some help. Ta

First of all, that TV has Freeview not Freesat. Freesat works in Ireland and needs a satellite dish - it will give you all the main UK channels only. Freeview is of less use in Ireland, unless you live near the border or on the East Coast with a decent aerial pointing to the UK.

To pick up RTE you need an aerial. Some TVs can pick up the RTE digital tests (providing RTE1/2/TG4 in digital quality). Check here to see if anybody has reported reception in your area.

Note that there is a 32" LG television (model LG 32LF7700) that is capable of receiving Freesat and the RTE tests (no extra box required). You can pick it up for about £370. There are other TVs that will do the same, but I don't know of any smaller than 32" in size.

ftakeith

JDxtra wrote: »

First of all, that TV has Freeview not Freesat. Freesat works in Ireland and needs a satellite dish - it will give you all the main UK channels only. Freeview is of less use in Ireland, unless you live near the border or on the East Coast with a decent aerial pointing to the UK.

To pick up RTE you need an aerial. Some TVs can pick up the RTE digital tests (providing RTE1/2/TG4 in digital quality). Check here to see if anybody has reported reception in your area.

Note that there is a 32" LG television (model LG 32LF7700) that is capable of receiving Freesat and the RTE tests (no extra box required). You can pick it up for about £370. There are other TVs that will do the same, but I don't know of any smaller than 32" in size.

buy a 32 inch hd ready tv and get a combo satellite/ terrestrial tv receiver
you get freesat and irish digital tv channels (irish digital fta tv begins hopefully in october 2010 depending on rte get their act check the terrestrial forum for more details)

St Senan

ftakeith wrote: »

buy a 32 inch hd ready tv and get a combo satellite/ terrestrial tv receiver
you get freesat and irish digital tv channels

Not really true the combo satellite/terrestrial receiver will only be Free to air not Freesat. The receiver will need to be rutuned often and it wont have a 7 day EPG. Best bet is to buy an Mpeg4 TV like this http://www.powercity.ie/?par=10-12-32E301&pages=1&prod=32E301&brands=SONY and a Branded Freesat receiver either Freesat sd like this http://www.freesat.co.uk/index.php?page=products.ProductDetail&product_id=1&PHPSESSID=vc09497kpvmep6rc9jhr3t14i3 or a Freesat HD pvr receiver like this http://www.freesat.co.uk/index.php?page=products.ProductDetail&product_id=8

Tony

I'd recommend you talk to these guys http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=1105

syboit

Tony wrote: »

I'd recommend you talk to these guys http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=1105

+1 on that. Have a look around their threads. I got one of the UK branded LG freesat sets from them. If you have a sat dish and or aerial on your roof you can connect both to it. You get freesat (inc the HD channels) and the Irish DTT if you are in an DTT enabled area.

The only thing you dont get is a pvr function which you would get from a seperate set top box.

sue678

Ta! God who knew it could be so complex!!

givecredit

This will do the job nicely

http://www.richersounds.com/product/lcd-tv/lg/32lf7700/lg-32lf77starstar

Tony

sue678 wrote: »

Ta! God who knew it could be so complex!!

How is it complex?

Tony

givecredit wrote: »

This will do the job nicely

http://www.richersounds.com/product/lcd-tv/lg/32lf7700/lg-32lf77starstar

Thats Richer sounds UK site, it would be better to get an mpeg 4 compatible tv from the Irish operation in Belfast for Irish DTT use. The guys on the Richer forum could advise on this.

Edit: Apologies in advance givecredit if that tv does have mpeg 4 DTT I saw a freeview logo on it and assumed the worst.

Apogee

All of the LG TVs (LFxxxx) models with the Freesat tuners have been confirmed as compatible with Irish DTT. So no issues there.

Tony

Apogee wrote: »

All of the LG TVs (LFxxxx) models with the Freesat tuners have been confirmed as compatible with Irish DTT. So no issues there.

Cool thanks for putting me right on that

Tony

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055894733

Pal

ITV HD now full time on Freesat channel 119

Not available with NI postcode. Use England.

sorry if posted already.

The LG from richersounds is excellent BTW.

Bohser

Hi folks, I've checked Pixmania and can't find this TV there any longer. Does anyone know if there are similar TVs out now that offer the same Saorview + Freesat option? Thanks.

The Cush

Freesat TVs - http://www.freesat.co.uk/get-freesat/recommended/tvs
Saorview TVs - https://www.saorview.ie/get-saorview/saorview-approved-product-listings/

modrover

I have a Panasonic Smart Viera Plasma TV which is Freesat and saorview enabled. When setting up you tell the TV you are in the UK and it will ask for a postcode (UK), the signal for saorview will also be available on DVB setting.
Tv is available here in Ireland with a five year warranty.

Peter Rhea

feistyfawn wrote: »

I've checked Pixmania and can't find this TV there any longer. Does anyone know if there are similar TVs out now that offer the same Saorview + Freesat option?

LG don't make actual Freesat branded TVs any more but pretty much all of their current range have satellite tuners. As was mentioned already in this (old) thread, no Freesat means no 7-day EPG, no 'red button' interactive features & no automatic retuning of satellite channels if they change frequency.

ei9go

I noticed also that powercity were advertising LG tv's as having satellite built in but the UK website or other retailers websites don't mention it.

I emailed LG and asked.

Here's the answer:

"Thank you for your email regarding your 42LN575V.

I can advise that none of our TVs have a built in satellite tuners built in, some do have satellite ports in the TV for satellite cable however we cannot, guarantee as the tuner is built for terrestrial tuner that it will find any channels and if it does it won't have the ability to organise the channels so you could end up with a few duplicated channels all in a random order than a normal channel guide."

Can anyone who has bought one of these TV's explain and maybe put up a screenshot if the satellite tuner works.

The Cush

ei9go wrote: »

none of our TVs have a built in satellite tuners built in, some do have satellite ports in the TV for satellite cable ... and if it does it won't have the ability to organise the channels so you could end up with a few duplicated channels all in a random order than a normal channel guide

They probably mean they don't have Freesat satellite tuners that store the channels in a particular order like Freeview/Saorview ,saving various versions of Ch.4, BBC, ITV etc., i.e. FTA satellite tuner.

ei9go

The Cush wrote: »

They probably mean they don't have Freesat satellite tuners that store the channels in a particular order like Freeview/Saorview ,saving various versions of Ch.4, BBC, ITV etc., i.e. FTA satellite tuner.

Exactly, my thoughts.

Thats why I asked for anyone who has one to tell us how it works and give a screenshot

Bohser

Peter Rhea wrote: »

LG don't make actual Freesat branded TVs any more but pretty much all of their current range have satellite tuners. As was mentioned already in this (old) thread, no Freesat means no 7-day EPG, no 'red button' interactive features & no automatic retuning of satellite channels if they change frequency.

Thanks Peter, I was actually going through a few threads, I didn't see anything new but I meant to ask this question in a more recent discussion than this one. I read somewhere that other TVs appear to have Freesat as well as Saorview. I was looking for up to date suggestions or links to buy.

fiacloir1979

Hi Guys, a bit confused as to whats available in ireland. about to buy a tv but dont want monthly bills. am i write in saying that panasonic and certain lg models have freesat in built i just need to get saorview aerial and sat dish in order for them to work ?
thanks
aidan

Gerry Wicklow

fiacloir1979 wrote: »

Hi Guys, a bit confused as to whats available in ireland. about to buy a tv but don't want monthly bills. am i write in saying that panasonic and certain lg models have freesat in built i just need to get saorview aerial and sat dish in order for them to work ?
thanks
aidan

It should work ok. If you have an existing Sky dish that will do fine. When setting up the TV select UK as the country and it will ask for a UK postcode. Depending on which code you give it will set the regional channels for BBC and ITV (London, Wales, NI or whatever). This will give you access to the full 7day satellite EPG. You may find that the Saorview channels are put in random order numbered in the 800's but it should be easy to change these later.
Setting the country to Ireland will still work but you will only get now/next EPG data on the satellite channels. Also it wont auto update them if there are any frequency changes. You would have to do it manually.

hdowney

I am beyond confused myself. I want to get rid of sky and get saorview and british freeview channels. Help?

The Cush

hdowney wrote: »

I am beyond confused myself. I want to get rid of sky and get saorview and british freeview channels. Help?

Saorview - Irish terrestrial TV service via an aerial from an Irish transmitter
Freeview - UK terrestrial TV service via an aerial from a UK transmitter
Freesat - UK satellite service via standard Sky dish with Sky-like epg, recording, channel numbering etc. Freesat or Freesat+ satellite receiver required
FTA satellite - free satellite channels using the standard Sky dish together with a standard FTA satellite receiver, channels stored in no particular order, no 7 day guide, some FTA receivers offer an internal recording option but no series linking.

My suggestions -
1. Freesat+ receiver for the UK channels, existing Sky dish is OK. Twin-tuner recording (2 feeds from the dish required), series linking, 7 day guide etc.
Channels - http://www.freesat.co.uk/channels
Receivers - http://www.freesat.co.uk/get-freesat/recommended/freesat-plus-with-freetime

Humax receivers are highly recommended but expensive, Manhattan are also well recommended and cheaper.

Saorview for the Irish channels, aerial required. Saorview TV and/or Saorview PVR for twin-tuner recording, series linking, 7 day guide etc. (recording can be unreliable)
http://www.saorview.ie/get-saorview/make-the-switch/
Saorview+ PVR - http://www.saorview.ie/product/walker/

This is the only Saorview PVR on the market, many reported problems with it.

2. Another option is a combi Saorview/FTA satellite receiver or TV, no internal recording option - http://www.saorview.ie/saorview-combi/. Aerial required for the Irish channels, existing dish for the UK satellite channels.

3. I see you live in Wicklow, in certain parts of the east coast it's possible to receive the UK Freeview terrestrial channels with an aerial pointing at a Freeview transmitter in Wales and for the Irish channels another aerial pointing at your local Saorview transmitter, both aerials are combined and fed to a Saorview TV or STB. Talk to a local reputable installer.

icdg

we don't drag up old threads