FTA

anamcarame

Just wondering what are the best options for FTA channels? Are they all the same regardless of who installs the system? Price wise who is better? I am in Wicklow. What are the advantages and disadvantages using FTA? How much should I pay? I have already got a sky dish.

Actually with regard to the sky dish.....when it rains and the wind blows in a certain direction our signal is distorted. Is this a dish/signal issue or the connection? What can I do?

Thanks.

watty

Freesat HD set box is best even if no HDTV. Freesat or Sat4free box better than a generic "FTA" box

Your dish is not aligned correctly or poorly mounted.


There is huge difference in expertise of installers.

montgolfiere

your digibox without a card will work as a FTA Box and is , in my humble Opinion, as good as any other FTA SD system... otherwise if you want to buy a new receiver, i would reccomend the Freesat Humax HD as a better bet than the Bush HD Freesat Box.
A "Grade A" Humax Freesat HD Box can be ordered direct from the Humax (direct sales) website for £90 + P&P ( http://humaxdirect.co.uk/product.asp?ProdRef=10070&cat= )
The Skyman

anamcarame

But theres still nothing on the telly!

And I am confused! What about receiving RTE. Should I also get an aerial?

Pike Bishop

Hi,you cannot get The 5 Irish stations on FTA(so much for RTEs remit to broadcast over the entire island)You need an aerial pointing to 3rock.I have a query ,will I get the forth coming Digital service on FTA.I live in Dublin.

Minstrel27

Pike Bishop wrote: »

Hi,you cannot get The 5 Irish stations on FTA(so much for RTEs remit to broadcast over the entire island)

You would prefer to pay a massively increased licence fee to have RTÉ FTA on Astra 2?

It is not RTÉ fault that TV3 is only available to 80% of the population.

_Kaiser_

Funny this thread is here this morning as I was going to post much the same thing...

Currently have 2 Sky HD boxes with multiroom, basic + Sports sub (no HD though), and seriously thinking of getting rid of it in favour of an FTA setup as aside from the ever increasing prices with no increase in value, all we really watch are the basic channels or stuff from other sources.

So given that the dish and quad lnb/wiring is in place, and there's an aerial on the roof for RTE (already there when we moved in), what's my best options?

Ideally I want 2 HD boxes in both rooms with full EPG/record functionality (as close to Sky's own setup as possible really) and preferably future-proofed for the forthcoming DTV service.

Any idea on what boxes to go for and where to get them? Cheers!

watty

Pike Bishop wrote: »

Hi,you cannot get The 5 Irish stations on FTA(so much for RTEs remit to broadcast over the entire island)You need an aerial pointing to 3rock.I have a query ,will I get the forth coming Digital service on FTA.I live in Dublin.

Very inaccurate. There is as yet no official Digital service at ALL for Irish TV. Only Analogue, which is totally FTA, but obviously only terrestrial. It's the Government with their stupid PayTV doctrine that has held up Digital Roll out for over 10 years. First RTE test in 1997 and trials in 1998 & 1999.

The Digital service in a very limited sense "soft launches" in 31st October 2010 with full Public Launch some time in 2011. But there may not be full service till late 2012. FTA satellite via Ka-Sat @9E is the only currently viable Satellite route and that Satellite launches Dec 2010 or possibly Jan 2011 at latest. More info and guess at time line here.

The service is testing right now from various transmitters, about 20 last week, 26 by 31st October 2010 and eventually at least 51. Existing UHF aerials should work in many cases. Some people need attic Aerials or Outdoor Aerials, some can use indoor aerial in same room or Attic. Avoid "one for all" or traditional Rabbit's Ears Indoor Aerials.

Analogue TV should be available up to about October 2012, so there is no rush to get something before 2011.

watty

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

F
So given that the dish and quad lnb/wiring is in place, and there's an aerial on the roof for RTE (already there when we moved in), what's my best options?

To do nothing till at least Nov 2010, and possibly until after Saorsat service starts and loads of Saorview stuff labelled. That is about February 2011 to April 2011 time scale.

Pioneers early adopters get arrows in the back regret their hasty purchases. Neotion CAMs, Sagem Picnic are both going to be near useless, The fake Dept. Trials with Humax Boxes that are now problematic. I'm sure many will regret French TNT HD gear that is unlikely to do MHEG5 or get OTA upgrades.

I now have 99% certain that MHEG5 is only the start and that the OTA firmware upgrade feature and support for CERTIFIED Saorview setbox and TV is going to be really important.

Only Certified Saorview gear will get the mandated OTA upgrades in the RTE NL spec.

reaper180

so are the edision combo boxes not gonnabe suitable for irish dtt when fully launched

The Cush

Pike Bishop wrote: »

(so much for RTEs remit to broadcast over the entire island)

As RTÉ put it

Broadcasting law requires RTÉ’s radio and television services to have the character of a public service, to be offered free-to-air and to be universally available, where practicable, to the whole community on the island of Ireland.

Saorsat should do this.

Apogee

reaper180 wrote: »

so are the edision combo boxes not gonnabe suitable for irish dtt when fully launched

They'll be fine for viewing TV. Just no digital teletext, same as now.

watty

They may be fine for basic Tv and audio. The whole point of certification is to remove uncertainty. MHEG5 may be more than simply digital teletext. Also only Certified Saorview will get OTA firmware upgrades.

Apogee

It will be fine for TV and radio.

anamcarame

Thanks watty, you have answered my query. I am doing nothing for the moment. Your post was very helpful.

STB

Its this simple.

MHEG5 is used to control EPG and have a universal feel to the DTT service.

As ASO and DSO are related RTE NL will continue broadcasting normal text and EPG via DVB-SI/EIT. And that will continue for some time.

If you want FTA British Sat and Irish DTT get a HD Combo box. But dont be led to believe that there will be an official combo box. RTE NL will not be promoting the receiving of British stations together with Irish dtt in one box in favour of another platform.

I would be very surprised if the actual amount of approved DTT boxes cant be counted on one hand.

Anything outside of the DTT service you must find out for yourself through retailers.

snaps

watty wrote: »

To do nothing till at least Nov 2010, and possibly until after Saorsat service starts and loads of Saorview stuff labelled. That is about February 2011 to April 2011 time scale.

Pioneers early adopters get arrows in the back regret their hasty purchases. Neotion CAMs, Sagem Picnic are both going to be near useless, The fake Dept. Trials with Humax Boxes that are now problematic. I'm sure many will regret French TNT HD gear that is unlikely to do MHEG5 or get OTA upgrades.

I now have 99% certain that MHEG5 is only the start and that the OTA firmware upgrade feature and support for CERTIFIED Saorview setbox and TV is going to be really important.

Only Certified Saorview gear will get the mandated OTA upgrades in the RTE NL spec.

How about mpeg 4 tv's? Basically are you saying only certified Soarview boxes will work? If this is the case it will be a disaster, another box under the TV will not go down well with the general public, thus they will just might as well stay paying sky for their tv?

Also if you cant get soarview you have to have 2 satellite dishes up for uk fta and Irish fta??? I supposse "only in Ireland" springs to mind!!!!

watty

I thought I suggested TVs and setboxes.

support for CERTIFIED Saorview setbox and TV is going to be really important.

Obviously loads of MPEG4 TVs will likely be certified.

Also plenty of TVs and setboxes will work in a basic fashion or completely with no Saorview cert. The Certification just removes guess work and adds peace of mind.

I think for the 2% to 7% that absolutely need Saorsat a dual feed 70cm or 80cm dish should work for Freesat and the 2nd "dish" for people with a dish already doesn't much look like a dish.

Very likely 44cm Ka Cassegrain dish for Saorsat
(showing approximate correct Elevation)

Comparing MMDS, Saorsat 2nd Dish and Grid DTT aerial


finally Triax 80cm dish
Dual or four feeds.


Leftmost LNB for Sky/Freesat. Rightmost LNB for Saorsat
Centre two LNBs option for 19E and 13E, or 23.5E and 16E
Use Multiswitch or one or two Diseqc switches at dish.

The Cush

snaps wrote: »

How about mpeg 4 tv's? Basically are you saying only certified Soarview boxes will work? If this is the case it will be a disaster, another box under the TV will not go down well with the general public, thus they will just might as well stay paying sky for their tv?

Also if you cant get soarview you have to have 2 satellite dishes up for uk fta and Irish fta??? I supposse "only in Ireland" springs to mind!!!!

I expect my May 2008 Sony MPEG-4 TV to continue receiving the Irish DTT channels after the launch as it has done all the way through the engineering tests since they started here in March 2009. Nothing during the tests has indicated to me that I will not continue to receive them including the RTÉ 2 HD channel.

The TV isn't Saorview compliant because MHEG-5 is not activated for Ireland as the country setting but I can live with that as the TV has regular teletext and the DVB-SI epg and don't require the MHEG-5 versions.

Regarding a second satellite dish for FTA UK channels, can't see it as an "only in Ireland" situation as the channels are for a UK audience and we choose to install a dish to receive the overspill. No point repeating why we can't use the same satellite for the Irish FTA channels. Maybe we might see a combined Saorsat/freesat dish and receiver in the future which could also be an option for households in NI.