RTE Announce FTA Saorsat service

MarkK

Section 8.5 of the updated FAQ says:

Set-Top-Box / Receiver
A SAORSAT approved Set-Top-Box is currently (June 2012) available for around €70.
...

Basic SAORSAT approved iDTV's are currently (June 2012) available from retailers starting at, or close to, the following price points:
19 inch screen c. €140
22 inch screen c. €170
26 inch screen c. €220
32 inch screen c. €260

Anybody know the make/model details of the approved SAORSAT box and IDTVs?

byte

Elmo wrote: »

Phil Hogan. :cool:

X 31 December

That's highly unlikely, since the DSO ties in with NI DSO, amongst other things.

There isn't much of an excuse for anyone not to be prepared, come 24 October.

Cesium Clock

MarkK wrote: »

Section 8.5 of the updated FAQ says:



Anybody know the make/model details of the approved SAORSAT box and IDTVs?

Or has any one seen one, in a shop or on the Internet

eh2010

Just curious, Could the Irish saorsat channels be available in Britain, like their FTA satelite channels are available here?

zg3409

eh2010 wrote: »

Just curious, Could the Irish saorsat channels be available in Britain, like their FTA satelite channels are available here?

If you read back the last 60 pages you will see Saorsat is specifically designed to stop people in the UK receiving a signal no matter the size of dish. There is some confirmed coverage in West wales, west Isle of man and south west england, west of plymouth. Besides these places there is probably no possibility of getting a signal, but we encourage hobbiests to try.

razor_ryan

zg3409 wrote: »

If you read back the last 60 pages you will see Saorsat is specifically designed to stop people in the UK receiving a signal no matter the size of dish. There is some confirmed coverage in West wales, west Isle of man and south west england, west of portsmouth. Besides these places there is probably no possibility of getting a signal, but we encourage hobbiests to try.

West of Plymouth you mean

mackersdublin

The Cush wrote: »

RTÉNL Saorsat FAQ rev 2.0 now available - http://www.rtenl.ie/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/RTÉNL-SAORSAT-FAQs-June-2012-Rev-2.0.pdf

Is there a proper EPG - Channels 1-6 for TV and do the radio channels start at 200 like Saorview? What number is TG4 for example

Could someone post an Image of a recent Saorsat EPG please

Many thanks

Elmo

mackersdublin wrote: »

Is there a proper EPG - Channels 1-6 for TV and do the radio channels start at 200 like Saorview? What number is TG4 for example

Could someone post an Image of a recent Saorsat EPG please

Many thanks

I assume that TG4 is Channel Number 4, like Saorveiw when TV3 didn't appear on it.

Apogee

mackersdublin wrote: »

Is there a proper EPG - Channels 1-6 for TV and do the radio channels start at 200 like Saorview? What number is TG4 for example

Could someone post an Image of a recent Saorsat EPG please

Many thanks

There are no predefined channel numbers on DVB-S2 satellite - you can assign them any number you wish. Otherwise the EPG has the same content as that on Saorview.

mackersdublin

Apogee wrote: »

There are no predefined channel numbers on DVB-S2 satellite - you can assign them any number you wish. Otherwise the EPG has the same content as that on Saorview.

Without TV3 and 3e

Apogee

mackersdublin wrote: »

Without TV3 and 3e

EPG data for TV3 and 3e was carried on the RTÉNL 1 and 2 testcards when the initial loop tests were transmitted, but not since the service went live.

Digifriendly

Saw Saorsat first hand today from aerial/satellite shop in East Belfast. Box was connected to a Sky dish (though obviously pointing to different satellite) and picture looked pretty impressive.

Mr. Rabbit

Digifriendly wrote: »

Saw Saorsat first hand today from aerial/satellite shop in East Belfast. Box was connected to a Sky dish (though obviously pointing to different satellite) and picture looked pretty impressive.

Aerial World by any chance digifriendly ?

I asume they had an LNB F as well ?

zg3409

Digifriendly wrote: »

Saw Saorsat first hand today from aerial/satellite shop in East Belfast. Box was connected to a Sky dish (though obviously pointing to different satellite) and picture looked pretty impressive.

Just in case you arn't aware you should NEVER use a Sky dish nor a fibreglass dish for Saorsat unless you just messing around. The recommendation is a solid dish due to the frequency used. The setup using the Sky dish will probably drop out many time a year. The dish size recommended for Belfast is probably 1Metre.

Mr. Rabbit

zg3409 wrote: »

Just in case you arn't aware you should NEVER use a Sky dish nor a fibreglass dish for Saorsat unless you just messing around. The recommendation is a solid dish due to the frequency used. The setup using the Sky dish will probably drop out many time a year. The dish size recommended for Belfast is probably 1Metre.

Some of the Sky dishes are solid ones.

I have an old 1 metre solid dish positioned between 13 and 19 degrees east, which I assume could be used for Saorsat (if Saorview from Clermont Cairn doesn't work post DSO).

I'd love to know who the dealer was and what receiver he was using (a Humax maybe ?)

I'll maybe pop into Aerial World next time I'm passing.

Digifriendly

Mr. Rabbit wrote: »

Aerial World by any chance digifriendly ?

I asume they had an LNB F as well ?

Yes that's the one. Unsure of what LNB F is as I'm not into all the technology.

Son0vagun

Will they be adding any new free to view channels? Or will it just be the Irish ones?

Mr. Rabbit

Digifriendly wrote: »

Yes that's the one. Unsure of what LNB F is as I'm not into all the technology.

Thought it might have been.

They used to be in Corperation Street, and Talbot Street under the name T.G. Aerials before that. I was told by another installer they catered mostly for west Belfast.

If they're doing Saorsat installations they could well be very popular.

Must pop in and see what receiver they're using next time I'm passing.

By the way, I put my address into the Saorview coverage chacker and it came up as a difficult area for Saorview reception. Not sure whether that means now or after DSO (when the power of C.C increases dramatically), but I get excellent analogue reception at the moment.

Galway

Has anyone now noticed a power increase on Saorsat? I was getting 35-40% on muy VU+ a few weeks ago, and now I am getting 60%?

zg3409

Son0vagun wrote: »

Will they be adding any new free to view channels? Or will it just be the Irish ones?

They will not be repeating any free channels currently on 28.2. We assume any channels added will also be on Saorview as in Irish ones.

bigVee

Galway wrote: »

Has anyone now noticed a power increase on Saorsat? I was getting 35-40% on muy VU+ a few weeks ago, and now I am getting 60%?

Signal does seems stronger here on Spiderbox S 89% Q 62% (light rain) at the moment. Previously quality was 54% (clear sky) at best. I am using 80 cm solid aluminium dish but can still have drop outs in very heavy rain. Dish size recommended for here by RTENL probably would remain 100 cm.

zg3409

While passing through Wales during the weekend I performed on site coverage tests of Saorsat.


Unmistakeable as an Irish channel!

Faces blurred to protect the guilty!

The duck was brought along as he speaks welch.

It seems as if the signal is indeed limited to very west Wales. I only tested the North West Wales coast and I can confirm the signal is OK in Bangor but gone by the time I reached Conwy.

Penmaenmawr seems to be around the cutoff point. West of this area the signal is OK, east of it nothing.

I only tested spot points while travelling West to East and then more tests when passing back East to West. It should help those in Wales decide if it is worth attempting to get Saorsat.

I have marked the points tested on a map here:
https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=213847223439702641640.0004c8e601411ebd1e62b&msa=0&ll=53.28369,-3.936539&spn=0.204024,0.614548

Green is Ok, red is nothing.
I did notice at the most westerly red point marked, the receiver switched from "no signal" to a black screen. I suspect it was getting something, but not enough to display.

While in Milton Keynes (near London) I performed a spectrum analysis. The aim of this test was to look at the North West France beam too see if Saorsat is indeed being "jammed" in East Wales etc. I can confirm there is a "jamming" signal from France as there is an internet downlink on the exact same frequency as Saorsat.



So based on all the above tests I conclude the signal coverage is similar to my previous map, so it should be possible to receive Saorsat inside the red line. I would recommend a 1M solid non fibreglass dish in Wales but as can be seen a 40cm dish is fine for testing. If others in Wales let me know I can mark their positions.


I must say a big thanks to those from http://www.tog.ie who helped with setup, testing and photos.

random.stranger

zg3409 wrote: »

The duck was brought along as he speaks welch.

You could have blurred out the duck's face...

watty

So basically what was forecast in December 2010! http://www.techtir.ie/saortv/saorsat-coverage

I think you are optimistic where the "pointy" bit of the red is as there will be two unwanted spots equal strength.

Pangea

Is there any sign of tv3 and 3e joining Saorsat?

zg3409

Pangea wrote: »

Is there any sign of tv3 and 3e joining Saorsat?

No and as others have said they won't for financial reasons unless they are forced. There is no sign of then being forced. Officially they are still considering it, as to say no would mean people may try to force them.

We presume no commercial station will pay to be on Saorsat if it is not profitable for them.

satwyn

why the blurry face not sure if you're guilty of anything it's fta so see no problem

zg3409

I just blurred tha faces as I did not get permission from all those in the photos. I got permission from the duck to show it's face.

satwyn

i see the duck has it's own version of the welsh language welch similar to pigeon english i think

Gerry Wicklow

I would have thought a duck speaks squelch. :)