How do you buy/install a freeview system

ianol89

Hi , im stuck between buying a ross satellite kit in dunnes for 80 euro or a different kit in euronics for 100.i know more about the euronics kit except the store has bad reviews because they supply lidl too.
how do you install the freeview system i dont have a clue how im going to get wires from the roof inside the house.i also dont understand how to point the dish without a satellite finder

pa990

firstly, its 'Freesat' that you are looking at , Freeview is digital tv over a tv aerial.

I cant offer any advice on installation or setting up, but what i wouold recommend is an actual Freesat box.

The freesat box will automatically update the channel lineup and and will also offer a 7 day epg (electronic programme guide), the FTA (free to air) boxes that you are looking at will only give you now and next information.

i would seriously advise you to go with an official freesat box, with a built in hard drive.
the other boxes can be fiddley to deal with and involve a lot of channel sorting out, and retuning whenever a channel changes frequency.

just my two cents

have a look here for more info
http://www.freesat.co.uk/

watty

Buy neither.

Anyway, it's Freesat, not Freeview.

Get a proper "Freesat HD" box. Those are pain-in-the-neck Generic FTA satellite receivers.

You *can* align a dish without a meter, though a meter makes it easier. You also can easily find the wrong Satellite.
Consider a paid installation.

If you are handy at drilling holes and patient, you can DIY without a meter.
(you need someone to watch the Signal and quality bars on the install/Setup of the Satellite receiver though)
Some articles written by posters here http://www.techtir.ie/articles/howto
also see video here
http://www.satellite.ie/acatalog/Freesat_DIY_satellite_systems.html#aSatellite_20DIY
and http://www.satellite.ie/acatalog/Support_Advice.html

Mr McBoatface

Start by getting the terms correct :-

Freeview - It is a UK TV service got through an Aerial , generally not available in Ireland except for some border and east coast area's.

Freesat - It is a UK Satellite TV service which is available in Ireland, 7 Day program guide and auto tuning of channels when they move around. No RTE on this.

FREE-TO-AIR Satellite system like those available in Dunnes get the same channels as freesat and a lots of extra ones but manly just crap. No 7 day program guide and need regular manual retuning. No RTE on these too.

Saorview/DTT - The new Irish digital service got through and Aerial. RTE1 & 2, TV3, TG4, 3e, RTE News Now, a few more channels will be added later this year and a switch to HD on the main Irish channels will happen (maybe within this year) RTE2 is in HD resolution at the moment.

You can get combo boxes which work with both DTT/SAT ... no 7day guide and manual retuning required.

My advise would be to figure out what you want exactly contact an independent professional installer to do the job right. Post your location here and I'm sure a good installer could be recommended

EDIT - What is you current TV ? There is a chance it could have built in tuner that could work with Saorview or even Freesat.

ianol89

Thanks for the help
ive never seen a freesat box with a hard drive,im looking at this kit http://ross.co.uk/satellite-tv/satellite-kit i think it would be cheaper for an installer to do it i found one that does it for 70 euro which is cheaper than me going for tool hire and hardware shops.
i think youre right jobyrne that kit in dunnes which is eighty euro is forty pounds in england it cant be that great .i think ill risk the euronics kit which is reduced from 130 euro to 100 euro.

coylemj

ianol89 wrote: »

Thanks for the help
ive never seen a freesat box with a hard drive

http://www.freesat.co.uk/products/hd-digital-box-range

watty

Not the Ross
or Euronics (unless it's a "Freesat HD" logo).

All the decent brand "Freesat HD" are available in PVR versions (Hard Drive).

It's really a waste of money at this stage getting other than a real "Freesat HD" or "Freesat HD" PVR.

Talk to installer before buying a box/dish as some are so poor that professional installers will not install them. Most can source you a real "Freesat HD" or "Freesat HD" PVR at better than "high street" prices.

ianol89

@Wacky ,the installer in euronics recommends the kit theyre selling. Not sur if it has freesat logo. Where can i buy pvr or freesat boxes in ennis.
the only shops i can see do freesat boxes are dunnes aldi, expert electrical or euronics.and argos in limerick only do amplified freeview aerials. Would saorview effect freesat boxes

The Cush

ianol89 wrote: »

@Wacky ,the installer in euronics recommends the kit theyre selling...

@Wacky

GerardKeating

ianol89 wrote: »

@Wacky ,the installer in euronics recommends the kit theyre selling. Not sur if it has freesat logo. Where can i buy pvr or freesat boxes in ennis.
the only shops i can see do freesat boxes are dunnes aldi, expert electrical or euronics.and argos in limerick only do amplified freeview aerials. Would saorview effect freesat boxes

Dunnes/ALDI do NOT do freeSat boxes, they do FreeToAir boxes, the difference is that only the Freesat box has a 7 day programmer guide and self-tune.

The FreeToAir units only do a now/next programme guide and need to be retuned every few months.

ianol89

So a free to air box is pointless then if it needs to be retuned.
how do you retune a free to air box.ive priced a pvr box on ebay its over 300 euro.ill post back on that euronics kit if ots free sat. What stores would you get a good free sat box cheaply

pa990

heres argos uk
http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Search?storeId=10001&catalogId=1500002701&langId=-1&searchTerms=FREESAT

if you get one of those cheap sat systems, it will break your heart, spend a little more, and get a freesat hd box,

plenty knocking around on ebay

ianol89

Off topic post. im a paranoid type person.is it safe fo buy on ebay or amazon in ireland i know that in england you get refunded for credit card purchases what about ireland.i know postal orders are more secure but whats to stop a person taking your money or getting a faulty item.

ianol89

Apologies watty i think i typed wacky instead im typing on my phone cant see much- no offence intended

watty

Amazon or eBay are not much different to mail order was 40 years ago, except you actually can get credit card and pay pal transactions reversed.

Know what you are buying
If it's too good to be true, then it's not true
Research the seller. What else do they sell? How many of those have they sold?
Check postage carefully
Purchases more than €20 from outside EU attract VAT/customs.

ianol89

Thanx watty . I never knew that irish credit card purchases can be refunded i think it only applies to how much you spend.what does that mean by purchasing over 20 euro attracts vat and customs ,whats the most youd spend online-sorry for all these questions im a newbie on buying online.i was put off buying online because a person got robbed last year when selling his car

ianol89

Ive decided to go with the euronics box its free to air box is that the same as freeview or freesat,the man inside says no need for retuning and with the 100 satellite kit you get everthing included even the satellite finder

Mr McBoatface

ianol89 wrote: »

Ive decided to go with the euronics box its free to air box is that the same as freeview or freesat,the man inside says no need for retuning and with the 100 satellite kit you get everthing included even the satellite finder

Unless it's got a 7 Day EPG (program guide and planner) and can auto tune channels when they move it is NOT the same as a Freesat box. Is it even HD , What is the make and model ? ....... salesmen will lie to their granny to make a sale.

Free To Air channels on satellite move around all the time and rescans are required quiet regularly.

St Senan

ianol89 wrote: »

Ive decided to go with the euronics box its free to air box is that the same as freeview or freesat,the man inside says no need for retuning and with the 100 satellite kit you get everthing included even the satellite finder

If the box has this http://www.google.ie/imgres?imgurl=http://www.techdigest.tv/freesat_logo_l.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.techdigest.tv/cgi-bin/mt/mt-search.fcgi%3FIncludeBlogs%3D2%26tag%3DFreesat%26limit%3D20&h=300&w=350&sz=14&tbnid=oLFjJN34ektlJM:&tbnh=103&tbnw=120&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dfreesat%2Blogo&zoom=1&q=freesat+logo&usg=__ypJ5XBLgtSQo9Wrmvj2obUPaieA=&sa=X&ei=xWJvTdL_NoabhQfQofA8&ved=0CDIQ9QEwAw on it go ahead and buy it.
If it dont then the sales man is bull****ting you.
Euronics sell Phillex and Skyline Free to Air systems that will need to be retuned

New Haven

I'd suggest going to a site like http://www.eirss.ie first, in order to establish what you want. You can then decide whether you want to install a system yourself, or perhaps it would suit you better to have a professional supply and fit. Remember... you can always haggle over the price with installers. Good Luck.

Capt'n Midnight

watty wrote: »

You *can* align a dish without a meter, though a meter makes it easier.

It helps to have a working meter too

http://www.satpointer.com/ 28.2E Astra 2A + 2B + 2D

jaytobe

So is there a Freesat list arnd boards?....found this combo boxlist

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056086354

PVR is needed for recording I assume?

watty

jaytobe wrote: »

So is there a Freesat list arnd boards?....found this combo boxlist

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056086354

PVR is needed for recording I assume?

I think those are all Generic Combos. Not actually Freesat, only FTA (or non-Sky PayTV on some).

rainbowtrout

I've been doing a lot of reading up on this and there's so much terminology and different specs and compatibility issues, I think I'm more confused than I was when I began.

Anyway, I'm living in north Roscommon and with the aerial(s) on the roof I can get the four Irish channels and the four UK channels from Enniskillen (BBC1, 2, UTV, Channel 4). That's the way it's been since I moved up here and I'm not particularly fussed about having 200 TV channels etc etc. If I got the same 8 channels with DTT I'd be happy enough.

So with the bog standard TV (about 7 years old - not a digital TV), my understanding is that I can get a set top box which will receive Saorview through my current aerial, but if I get a combo box I should be able to receive the Saorview channels and the UK freeview channels as well, without the need for a satellite dish?

My other question is : I see from the digital UK webpage that Northern Ireland is switching off analogue in 2012 same as ourselves, so is digital TV available up there currently? i.e. if I get a set top box now and switch to digital, will I lose the UK channels as they are currently broadcast in analogue format?

Peter Rhea

A Saorview compatible box will at least receive the Freeview standard definition channels (though maybe not until after ASO in NI at your location).
Freeview HD should receive everything but there may be detail issues.
See http://www.saortv.info

jaytobe

Can anyone recommend the 'all in' Freesat box options best for ROI.

sesswhat

rainbowtrout wrote: »

Anyway, I'm living in north Roscommon and with the aerial(s) on the roof I can get the four Irish channels and the four UK channels from Enniskillen (BBC1, 2, UTV, Channel 4). That's the way it's been since I moved up here and I'm not particularly fussed about having 200 TV channels etc etc. If I got the same 8 channels with DTT I'd be happy enough.

If you are happy enough I would stay stick with it for now. In a year or so official 'Freeview HD' Boxes and TVs will have dropped in price significantly, and there will be plenty of feedback on here about how well they are working with Saorview.

jaytobe

jaytobe wrote: »

Can anyone recommend the 'all in' Freesat box options best for ROI.

The Cush

jaytobe wrote: »

Can anyone recommend the 'all in' Freesat box options best for ROI.

What do you mean by "all in"?

All Freesat boxes will work in Ireland when connected to a satellite pointing at the 28 deg East.

No Freesat receiver will receive the Saorview DTT service.

Have a look at this site for a list of available Freesat receivers - http://www.joinfreesat.co.uk/