Any way I can get more HD Channels?

G-Money · 18-03-2011 10:40am #1

I have Magnet in my apartment complex and they only have one HD channel available which is BBC HD. I really want more HD channels but they're either unwilling or unable to provide more.

I can't get Sky into my apartment (I've asked and been told no) and I don't think I can switch to another provider as Magnet have their own cables and everything wired into the walls.

Is there any other way I can get more HD channels?

It's kind of unforgiveable IMHO that Magnet only offer 1 HD channel.

Ranicand · 18-03-2011 10:43am

G-Money wrote: »

I have Magnet in my apartment complex and they only have one HD channel available which is BBC HD. I really want more HD channels but they're either unwilling or unable to provide more.

I can't get Sky into my apartment (I've asked and been told no) and I don't think I can switch to another provider as Magnet have their own cables and everything wired into the walls.

Is there any other way I can get more HD channels?

It's kind of unforgiveable IMHO that Magnet only offer 1 HD channel.

Apple TV is a small device you can get in Argos.

You can rent movies in HD down your broadband connection.

G-Money · 18-03-2011 11:13am

Thanks but I want to watch BBC1 HD. I want to be able to watch Formula 1 in HD live. It will be broadcast on BBC1 HD but not BBC HD seemingly.

I already have a PS3 so I can watch HD films (Blu-ray) whenever I want.

icdg · 18-03-2011 12:31pm

Post edit and a week ban for anyone suggesting anything illegal. Just warning ye all.

watty · 18-03-2011 12:39pm

Buying or renting HD (and buying BD for a BluRay player is more sense than Apple TV) is no substitute for Broadcast. It's complementary.

If Magnet doesn't supply then next time you move get a place allowed your own Aerial/Dish and have BBC1 HD, BBC HD, ITV HD, C4 HD, RTE2 HD and probably more free. No need for Sky sub.

dpe · 21-03-2011 1:28pm

Depends on where you are in Dublin but you might be able to get Freeview HD. I know a couple of people in Howth who can get a signal, don't know about other parts of Dublin. Might be worth seeing if anyone you know has a box you could borrow temporarily. NB. BBC iPlayer will be available on subscription later this year, so you might be able to watch F1 in HD that way.

I have the Magnet box as well, but fortunately as I'm in a house not a flat I have a Freesat box as well that I brought with me from the UK. To be honest, if it wasn't for the missus wanting TV3 I don't think I'd bother with the Magnet box at all. Picture quality is better than it was but still unimpressive, and the EPG annoys the hell out of me.

watty · 21-03-2011 1:50pm

A aerial to pickup Freeview HD in Howth is bigger than a Dish for Freesat HD. A Dish can sit on a Balcony and have view of satellite to South East, as elevation is about 22 degrees.

An Aerial for Freeview needs to be 1m to 3m above roof height to have a clear view.

So, I don't think "Freeview HD" is solution. Many places a 70cm dish pointing through a South East window will work for Freesat HD (depends on type of glass).

G-Money · 21-03-2011 2:11pm

I live in South County Dublin so I don't know if that helps.

I enquired about Sky and was told we're not allowed to have satellite dishes on the balconies so that option is gone. I don't think installing a big aerial on the roof or something is going to be allowed either.

Just very frustrating. Magnet need to up their game when it comes to their HD offerings.

dpe · 21-03-2011 4:39pm

G-Money wrote: »

I live in South County Dublin so I don't know if that helps.

I enquired about Sky and was told we're not allowed to have satellite dishes on the balconies so that option is gone. I don't think installing a big aerial on the roof or something is going to be allowed either.

Just very frustrating. Magnet need to up their game when it comes to their HD offerings.

Is there a residents committee? I had the same issue with my flat in London, no satellite dishes because the building is listed, (and no Virgin Media connection available) but in the end the residents stumped up for a communal dish. I'm pretty sure Sky do it here as well. (Don't know if Magnet can stop it though; they shouldn't be able to, but then they shouldn't be allowed to block access to other telcos either, but they seem to manage that just fine).

watty · 21-03-2011 5:11pm

In Ireland many Developers did exclusive deals. Should have been illegal.

G-Money · 21-03-2011 7:39pm

I don't know if there is a residents committee but I was told the residents all agreed that there would be no satellite dishes on the balconies. A bit annoying but what can you do.

Cantona's Collars · 21-03-2011 9:52pm

Is your balcony facing South East? If so you can easily hide a dish on it-doesn't have to be stuck out in the open.BBC1 HD is fta along with ITV hd, CH4 in a week or so,a few more available.

A dish set up something like in this picture(doesn't need to be exactly the same-just giving a visual idea) wouldn't be noticed-I've even seen sky dishes mounted this way.

G-Money · 22-03-2011 9:06am

zerks wrote: »

Is your balcony facing South East? If so you can easily hide a dish on it-doesn't have to be stuck out in the open.BBC1 HD is fta along with ITV hd, CH4 in a week or so,a few more available.

A dish set up something like in this picture(doesn't need to be exactly the same-just giving a visual idea) wouldn't be noticed-I've even seen sky dishes mounted this way.

My balcony kind of faces out across Rathfarnham direction and the Dublin mountains are to the left. Not sure if that helps.

What's this about these channels being Free To Air? Do you mean I'd need a UK Freesat package to set it up? What would I need?

dpe · 22-03-2011 9:41am

Unfortunately it sounds like your balcony is facing West/South West. If you can sort something out with a dish then you've got a couple of choices with Free to air content, there's Freesat, which you'll need a STB for (I think there's one Panasonic TV with an integrated Freesat tuner), I'd recommend the Humax FOXSAT HDR - that's the one I've got; good PVR functionality and EPG.

Alternatively, if you have an old Sky box, you can get the free-to-air channels from them, confusingly also called Freesat. Note that in both cases this is just for UK channels; none of the Irish channels are available on either Freesat. The Sky Freesat has more channels than the regular Freesat, but needs a viewing card to decrypt some of them (Channel 4 HD for instance). Lots of places where you can buy these, Google it. Regular Freesat doesn't have any viewing card, although you'll need to input a UK postcode when you set it up, but this is just to sort out some stuff on the EPG (I use my old London postcode, but an NI one would obviously be appropriate).

watty · 22-03-2011 10:19am

C4HD is shortly on the real Freesat.

The "Sky" pay occasionally "Freesat-from-sky" is only sold to UK addresses and really only adds a few less watched channels to the 45+ decent ones on the real Freesat.

dpe · 22-03-2011 4:03pm

watty wrote: »

C4HD is shortly on the real Freesat.

The "Sky" pay occasionally "Freesat-from-sky" is only sold to UK addresses and really only adds a few less watched channels to the 45+ decent ones on the real Freesat.

That's why I was being a bit opaque when I said "lots of places to buy these, Google it"; I'm not sure of the rules! My parents had one of these cards when they lived in Cyprus; not having a UK address isn't a barrier. You're correct that the Sky version probably isn't much of a benefit over regular Freesat, but it could be cheaper if you already have a Sky box (a decent Freesat PVR is what, €300 plus?)

stevenmu · 22-03-2011 4:31pm

Don't Sky do some kind of apartment deal where a few of you get together, they'll fit a dish on the roof of the block and run cables down to everyone required?

Cantona's Collars · 22-03-2011 9:23pm

watty wrote: »

C4HD is shortly on the real Freesat.

The "Sky" pay occasionally "Freesat-from-sky" is only sold to UK addresses and really only adds a few less watched channels to the 45+ decent ones on the real Freesat.

Freesat from Sky now providing the HD ready boxes,but as you said only available to UK address so bit fiddly getting one.(talk nice to your English relatives) http://www.sky.com/shop/freesat/home/

Skys communal dish website http://communaltv.sky.com/

FreesatHero.jpg_1399529207.jpg

SteM · 25-03-2011 1:58pm

dpe wrote: »

That's why I was being a bit opaque when I said "lots of places to buy these, Google it"; I'm not sure of the rules! My parents had one of these cards when they lived in Cyprus; not having a UK address isn't a barrier. You're correct that the Sky version probably isn't much of a benefit over regular Freesat, but it could be cheaper if you already have a Sky box (a decent Freesat PVR is what, €300 plus?)

It's a hindrance in the long run to be honest. You'd only be able to use the recording functionality if you pay Sky a monthly fee (£10 I think) and your EPG is full of channels you can't access.

A Humax PVR is about £182 from Humax direct.

delw · 25-03-2011 8:28pm

stevenmu wrote: »

Don't Sky do some kind of apartment deal where a few of you get together, they'll fit a dish on the roof of the block and run cables down to everyone required?

yeah its the communal dish but its up to the developers/managment company to allow it which 9 times out of ten they wont
magnet must of paid alot of money to have exclusive rights but has to be a law or something to allow a choice of provider after a certain lenght of time

Any way I can get more HD Channels?

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