Freesat and Saorview in the one receiver - anything out there?

Extinction

Rotating Egg wrote: »

I don't think he's representative of the typical punter or even the typical poster in the tv tech forums, but some people read these threads without ever posting on them & you'd like to think the information available is at least kind of sane.

Sane and accurate, Ken have a look at the freesat link above and see for yourself what freesat actually is, as the tag line on the adverts sometimes say ''its a little bit different''

immusic

I have just got a TSC114 and set it up as per instructions etc. The only problem is that I can't get the Saorview channels on it (by doing a DVB-T auto search)
I can get RTE1, RTE2 and TG4 when I plug the antenna directly into the tv so the aerial is definitely working ok, but the box isn't picking them up. I'm sure it's probably just a setting or something that needs adjusting but I can't figure it out. Any ideas anyone?

Peter Rhea

If you're only receiving those 3 analogue channels, there's a good chance they're coming from a transmitter that doesn't (& won't) carry Saorview.

What part of the country are you in? Do you know which mast you receive from or can you list the UHF channel nos. of the 3 analogue services?

The Cush

immusic wrote: »

I have just got a TSC114 and set it up as per instructions etc. The only problem is that I can't get the Saorview channels on it (by doing a DVB-T auto search)
I can get RTE1, RTE2 and TG4 when I plug the antenna directly into the tv so the aerial is definitely working ok, but the box isn't picking them up. I'm sure it's probably just a setting or something that needs adjusting but I can't figure it out. Any ideas anyone?

Only 51 sites transmit the Saorview channels (55 by the end of Oct) compared to approx 170-180 sites that transmit the 2 RTÉ and TG4 analogue channels.

Use the Saorview coverage checker to find your nearest Saorview transmitter. What are the UHF channel nos./frequencies of your current analogue channels?

Use these simple tests to check if your aerial will receive SAORVIEW:

1. If you currently get RTÉ One, RTÉ Two, TV3 and TG4 with your aerial then your aerial is most likely fine and is pointing in the right direction.

2. If you currently receive RTÉ One, RTÉ Two and TG4 through your aerial but do not receive TV3 then your aerial is most likely fine but it may be pointing in the wrong direction.

3. If you only receive RTÉ One and RTÉ Two through your aerial and do not receive TV3 and TG4 then you probably need a new UHF aerial pointed at the best transmission site for your area.

http://www.saorview.ie/make-the-switch/step-2-check-aerial/

immusic

Thanks for the replies I should be covered for Saorview from the Castlebar transmitter but maybe the aerial is not pointing in the correct direction because I definitely can't get TV3. I can't adjust the aerial either because it's a communal one on an apartment block. Should the Triax not pick up RTE1&2 and TG4 from the aerial as it stands though?

The Cush

immusic wrote: »

Should the Triax not pick up RTE1&2 and TG4 from the aerial as it stands though?

Apparently not.

Can you post the UHF channel nos./frequencies of the channels you currently receive to help identify your current transmitter?

immusic

Not sure if this is correct.... does 54, 58 and 64 sound about right???

The Cush

immusic wrote: »

Not sure if this is correct.... does 54, 58 and 64 sound about right???

Westport or Ben Gorm? Not Castlebar analogue (29, 33, 23).

immusic

Westport. I'm sure I can't be the only one having this problem!

The Cush

immusic wrote: »

Westport. I'm sure I can't be the only one having this problem!

Second aerial required for Saorview from Castlebar until analogue switchoff on Oct 24th so that everyone on the communal aerial gets the signal they want.

immusic

Thanks for all your help Cush. At least now I can stop fiddling around with the Triax settings because I'd probably end up wrecking it altogether. I can live without TV3 until the changeover anyway, it's just a bit of an irritant having to switch between analogue and satellite when changing between Irish and UK channels, that's all. And I'm reassured now that I haven't been sold a faulty box

The Cush

immusic wrote: »

Thanks for all your help Cush. At least now I can stop fiddling around with the Triax settings because I'd probably end up wrecking it altogether. I can live without TV3 until the changeover anyway, it's just a bit of an irritant having to switch between analogue and satellite when changing between Irish and UK channels, that's all. And I'm reassured now that I haven't been sold a faulty box

Perhaps you and others need to be proactive now and make the management company aware of the situation and not leave it until Oct 24th. Very little information out there that I can see regarding apartment blocks, communal aerials and ASO unlike the situation in the UK. Maybe the powers that be think most apartment blocks are connected to a communal Sky dish or cable company.

All I could find was this

Our housing has a communal aerial. How will this affect me?

Your property management company will need to have the appropriate equipment in place before 24th October 2012.

http://www.did.ie/content/blog/saorview-faqs

immusic

The Cush wrote: »

Perhaps you and others need to be proactive now and make the management company aware of the situation and not leave it until Oct 24th. Very little information out there that I can see regarding apartment blocks, communal aerials and ASO unlike the situation in the UK. Maybe the powers that be think most apartment blocks are connected to a communal Sky dish or cable company.

All I could find was this

Good idea. I think I will drop the mgmt company an email about it.

immusic

Well, I contacted the mgmt company and they said that the current position according to the aerial installer is that if people get a set top box they will be able to access the irish channels on there (except I can't!)with the way the aerial is currently set up. I think they're wrong though but I have no other way of checking it out. I could try asking some of my neighbours but most are fairly elderly and probably won't have a clue :rolleyes:

My only alternative now is to send the box back and check if it has a faulty tuner which seems highly unlikely and will be a palaver because I bought it online. Maybe I should just live without the Irish channels which are mainly cr*p anyway, lets face it......:(:(

Peter Rhea

Is your tv a fairly recent one with at least a tuner capable of decoding UK Freeview (MPEG2)?

If so, it should find the Saorview radio services if the signal is present.

Also, Castlebar analogue is UHF channels 23, 29 & 33.

Kristopherus

Can you try out the box in a friend's gaff. The mgt co may very well be fobbing you off. If it works in the friends place, the you should go back to the mgt co, along with a few of your neighbours, and insist that they get the aerial chap back to fully test out the reception level for all the occupiers of the block.The mgt co will happilly leave well enough alone unless the tenants show up in numbers.

immusic

Kristopherus wrote: »

Can you try out the box in a friend's gaff. The mgt co may very well be fobbing you off. If it works in the friends place, the you should go back to the mgt co, along with a few of your neighbours, and insist that they get the aerial chap back to fully test out the reception level for all the occupiers of the block.The mgt co will happilly leave well enough alone unless the tenants show up in numbers.

That was going to be my next move trying out the box somewhere else. I am also going to point out that I am not picking up the analogue from C'bar where the saorview transmitter is and see what they have to say...

Ken bryan

http://www.tvtrade.ie/saorview-combo.html

This link should help I hope .
I found It very good . It saved me alot of time .
There is a download with a channell list . Which is great help .

evilivor

Ken bryan wrote: »

http://www.tvtrade.ie/saorview-combo.html

This link should help I hope .
I found It very good . It saved me alot of time .
There is a download with a channell list . Which is great help .

A Freesat box doesn't need a downloadable channel list - it's free from fuss like that, unlike the Triax.

Sponge Bob

immusic wrote: »

Thanks for the replies I should be covered for Saorview from the Castlebar transmitter but maybe the aerial is not pointing in the correct direction because I definitely can't get TV3. I can't adjust the aerial either because it's a communal one on an apartment block. Should the Triax not pick up RTE1&2 and TG4 from the aerial as it stands though?

You may be pointing at Westport which is to close down in October.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=73403488&postcount=4

Achill DTT is a Group B Vertical aerial while Castlebar is Group A. Westport would be a group C/D Horizontal aerial if properly done.