What Do I Need To Receive Freesat and SsotDsy

kah22

At the moment I am a Sky customer with a pretty basic television. I have a Sky + Box. I will be buying myself a new television in the coming weeks 37-40 inch will do me rightly unless there is a bargain to be had on a slightly larger screen. I do want HD.

I live in Armagh City.

When I get the new television I will be ditching Sky and going over to FreeSat. But in addition to receiving FreeSat I would also like to receive SaorSat. Has it gone live yet?

I appreciate that FreeSat and SaorSat use different satellites so I’m wondering if it is possible to get SaorSat via my existing Sky dish. I’m not technically inclined so I will be paying a professional to do any necessary work. I’m trying to find out first of all what additional equipment I’ll need, will I require two set top boxes instead of one? Will I need two dishes?

One of my aims in wanting SaorSat is to be able to receive RTE sport in HD, I’m ruling out Saorview as the picture is not great where I live.

Before buying my new television (I’m looking at the Sony Bravia range), I want to make sure it will fit the requirements I’ve listed above.

You advice would be appreciated and please feel free to recommend a setup

As always many thanks your replies and advice.

Kevin

The Cush

Saorsat is not available yet, more information later in 2011 - http://www.saorview.ie/what-is-saorview/saorsat/. Testing only at the moment.

Recent discussion regarding Saorsat, freesat that might be of interest, starts here

This recent post indicates RTÉ's current position on Saorsat

dmcdream wrote: »

FYI – A response I received from RTÉ Transmission Network Support at the end of May, regarding Saorsat reception in Belfast:

…“…in answer to your query regarding reception of Saorsat, please be advised that we are currently engaged in a technical trial on the satellite mentioned below in your email [Eutelsat Eurobird™ 9A ‘Ka-Sat’ antenna].

However, if we do eventually decide to formally launch our Saorsat service on the aforementioned satellite, we cannot at present advise you as to whether the spot-beam will cover the Belfast area, the required dish size, etc.

Also, as you are aware, Ka-band LNBs are not yet readily available in Europe as this band is not in widespread use at present – although this situation is expected to change over the next few years.

Finally, when the Saorsat service is eventually launched, we would expect that full details of reception equipment, LNBs, etc., will be made available to the trade and general public.”…

Regarding the replacement TV, some of the Sony Saorview approved models also have a Freeview-HD DVB-T2 tuner which should future proof you for the launch of freeview-HD in NI in late 2012 and for the reception of the Saorview channels when transmitter power increases after ASO.

Rick_

Hi Kevin, fellow Armagh City man here.

I am doing the same as yourself, cancelling Sky and going the Freesat route and hoping to put Freesat (and eventually Saorsat) around the house for the kitchen and bedrooms so everyone has the same selection of channels instead of some only having BBC ONE, BBC TWO, UTV and Channel 4 and some with just a handful of Freeview channels that constantly break up.

The only problem I have is that most rooms will require a small TV and you can't get TV's with built in satellite any smaller than 32" or 37" so I'm going to have to get separate STB's for each TV as well. Then I'm going to have to get a satellite connection set up for each room too, (most have one or two connections, but some have none). Plus, If I'm going to get Freesat and Saorsat with the one dish, I'm going to have to replace the dish set-up as well and probably re-cable all the connections too! It's a nightmare but it will at least mean everyone can get their own TV instead of fighting over what to watch in the living room all the time!

Digifriendly

Out of interest once signal is turned up at DSO will Saorview not improve its signal significantly in Armagh - both from Cairn Hill and Clermont Carn?

STB

There are plenty of reports of Saorview being received in Armagh with an aerial from Clermont. Why not just buy a combo box and see does it work.

See the Ferguson Ariva 120 below.

It allows for both HD sat and saorview channels in one remote, one channel list. Cheaper than a HD freesat box.

You will not need Saorsat in Armagh even if you cant pick it up now from Clermont. Saorview will be on the Freeview platform anyhow from Oct/November next year for ya anyhow.

kah22

A greater part of Armagh can indeed receive RTE, but unfortunately I've never been able to get a decent signal.

Perhaps it was due to the fact that there was an army base right across the road from me their equipment might possibly have been affecting mine.

It is something I will check out now that the base is closed.

Peter Rhea

STB wrote: »

Saorview will be on the Freeview platform anyhow from Oct/November next year for ya anyhow.

Not the full Saorview service though (& some parts of Armagh are served by a local relay).

Monaghan transmitter might be an option to Clermont atm.

Peter Rhea

Digifriendly wrote: »

Out of interest once signal is turned up at DSO will Saorview not improve its signal significantly in Armagh - both from Cairn Hill and Clermont Carn?

Cairn Hill will be co-channel with the Armagh relay, post DSO.

Digifriendly

Peter Rhea wrote: »

Cairn Hill will be co-channel with the Armagh relay, post DSO.

This will cause some problems surely for those in Armagh who have aerials pointing at Cairn Hill (quite a few in Lindsay's Heights IIRC). Were authorities not aware of this potential clash before they allocated frequencies? Out of interest is Monaghan relay not a possibility for Saorview in higher up parts of Armagh city?

Rick_

I can get RTÉ analogue fine with very good pictures and for a while I did have Saorview but for the last few months the signal is non-existent from Clermont. I guess analogue will have to do until DSO.

lucernarian

Digifriendly wrote: »

This will cause some problems surely for those in Armagh who have aerials pointing at Cairn Hill (quite a few in Lindsay's Heights IIRC). Were authorities not aware of this potential clash before they allocated frequencies? Out of interest is Monaghan relay not a possibility for Saorview in higher up parts of Armagh city?

Unless the Cairn Hill signal is strong enough to disrupt reception from Armagh (for the smaller number who can't get Divis in the first place) then I wouldn't be concerned about the frequency overlap. The Monaghan relay should reach into any places that get Cairn Hill as it's in the same direction. Monaghan's 2nd mux may not be picked up very well on the Group B aerials used for Cairn Hill. So a straightforward swap for a group C/D aerial (like what's used for Clermont Carn already) will work fine for Saorview.

All this does mean that everyone who is picking up Cairn Hill currently will need to tune in Monaghan instead by DSO and if they have difficulty picking it up then they'll need to get the Cairn Hill aerial swapped. So from that angle, it's a nuisance but an easily fixable problem.