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Moving to Switzerland and taking my Sky HD with me!

  • 03-11-2011 01:04AM
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,906 ✭✭✭


    Good evening,

    Does anybody know if the standard dish we get in Ireland with Sky will work in Switzerland? I know mini-dishes don't work that far south but I was hoping the dishes we get here would work decently.

    Any satellite guru out there would know by any chance?


«13

Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 276 ✭✭montgolfiere


    I think at least a 90cm would be required for the 2D Channels. and don't forget things may well change over the next weeks with 1n and the changes epected in 2012 and 2013 with the replacment Satellites.
    Switz is not just south but also East, away from the Astra Footprint.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 339 ✭✭Booms


    Have a read of this:
    http://www.satelliteforcaravans.co.uk/dishsizes.htm

    not forgetting Montgolfiere's comments below.

    (Rest of site is quite good too)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,461 ✭✭✭✭watty


    Not a chance with 90cm for Astra 2D in Most of Switzerland for decent rain margin
    It depends if North West (best, maybe 90cm in good weather) or South East (worst with more than 1.2m needed)

    For astra 2N bigger still in Switzerland.

    Take this is a minimum ... http://www.astra2d.com/maps.html for good weather.

    OTH Eurobird is a lot better than here!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 276 ✭✭montgolfiere


    the map posted above suggests 90cm for most of Switzerland, and taking reception here in the Pyrenees where actually a Zone2 Minidish works i still think a 90 would do in most of Switzerland.
    The Skyman


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,461 ✭✭✭✭watty


    The map is
    a) optimistic
    b) no margin for bad weather.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 276 ✭✭montgolfiere


    http://www.astra2d.com/france2d.html

    I am sorry to have to disagree with the above poster:
    I have found that the estimates on this series of maps is accurate for me here in The Pyrenees, so would imagine that the same would apply for Switzerland. I reitterate that a Sky Zone 2 or 'Local' 80 cm. is more than adequate in all weathers for this region (even where they are suggesting a 100cm.!!). so i am convinced that a 90cm would be suitable in Switzerland.
    Reading the entries from Swiss residents in the link further up the post would also bear this out i believe.

    Cheers
    The Skyman


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 339 ✭✭Booms


    In 2006, I helped a friend set up his dish to pick up Astra2.

    He lives in outskirts of Zurich. His 80cm dish is pointing at Astra1, and he's been using it since with an offset LNB for Astra2. Never heard him complain about any loss of reception.

    And they do get some serious weather there!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,303 ✭✭✭Rowley Birkin QC


    Not sure about Switzerland but the pub I used to work in in Amsterdam had an Irish Sky subscription running perfectly and a mate that recently moved to Luxembourg took his with him too.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 276 ✭✭montgolfiere


    Booms wrote: »
    In 2006, I helped a friend set up his dish to pick up Astra2.

    He lives in outskirts of Zurich. His 80cm dish is pointing at Astra1, and he's been using it since with an offset LNB for Astra2. Never heard him complain about any loss of reception.

    And they do get some serious weather there!


    Thats quite impressive!! An offset on an 80cm. without problems.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 339 ✭✭Booms


    :o I'm embarrassed now, should have checked with him. I'll email him, just to make sure. :o


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,461 ✭✭✭✭watty


    Not sure about Switzerland but the pub I used to work in in Amsterdam had an Irish Sky subscription running perfectly and a mate that recently moved to Luxembourg took his with him too.

    Amsterdam is easier than Galway.

    Luxemburg isn't hard.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,906 ✭✭✭Steffano2002


    Wow! Thanks fior all the replies! Forgot to check up on this thread since posting!

    FYI: I'll be moving to Biel/Bienne (North/West Switzerland). As a result I will be in the same "zone" as The Skyman/montgolfiere who seems to be located in The Pyrenees.

    Some further questions for you now:

    What size is the Sky dish we all get in Oreland when we order Sky? Is that a 90cm?

    What if I have to get a bigger dish in Switzerland (100cm+), will it also have two cables running to my bax for Sky+ to work?

    The Skyman/montgolfiere: What do you mean by "and don't forget things may well change over the next weeks with 1n and the changes epected in 2012 and 2013 with the replacement Satellites"? Could it mean we will no longer be able to receive Sky in Europe in the very near future?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,092 ✭✭✭JDxtra


    By the way, the UPC owned cable company in Switzerland (Cablecom) carry all the main UK channels.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,906 ✭✭✭Steffano2002


    JDxtra wrote: »
    By the way, the UPC owned cable company in Switzerland (Cablecom) carry all the main UK channels.
    Cheers JDxtra! That's good to know! Will look into this now!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,461 ✭✭✭✭watty


    What size is the Sky dish we all get in Oreland when we order Sky? Is that a 90cm?

    What if I have to get a bigger dish in Switzerland (100cm+), will it also have two cables running to my bax for Sky+ to work?

    The Skyman/montgolfiere: What do you mean by "and don't forget things may well change over the next weeks with 1n and the changes epected in 2012 and 2013 with the replacement Satellites"? Could it mean we will no longer be able to receive Sky in Europe in the very near future?

    1N is much narrower beam. it's Replacing wider beams

    The Irish Sky disk is perforated, so poor quality compared to solid and only 65cm on longer dimension. Useless in Switzerland for Sky. The SE England Sky Dish is only 45cm in longer dimension.

    Never buy the "minimum" size dish as with age the satellite signals may be less powerful and the LNBF may be more noisy, especially on hot days. You get better reception in heavy rain or snow.

    So 90cm to 1.2m dish depending on location.

    The number of cables is nothing to do with Dish size. You need one cable per tuner. Proper PVRs (and sky HD of course) need two cables each.

    The LNBF sky supply is only for a Sky dish. Regular dishes (especially good ones) need a different LNBF. But it's not expensive.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,218 ✭✭✭✭Bannasidhe


    Good evening,

    Does anybody know if the standard dish we get in Ireland with Sky will work in Switzerland? I know mini-dishes don't work that far south but I was hoping the dishes we get here would work decently.

    Any satellite guru out there would know by any chance?

    My brother brought his Sky HD dish to Switzerland (Valais- district of Sion) several years ago and it is working perfectly -( even though Sky think it is still in Cork :D). Now I don't know the technical details and it was fiddly to align it but he managed this himself and this is a man who has problems changing a plug.

    So - short answer. Yes you can. But tweaking will be required.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,906 ✭✭✭Steffano2002


    watty wrote: »
    1N is much narrower beam. it's Replacing wider beams

    The Irish Sky disk is perforated, so poor quality compared to solid and only 65cm on longer dimension. Useless in Switzerland for Sky. The SE England Sky Dish is only 45cm in longer dimension.

    Never buy the "minimum" size dish as with age the satellite signals may be less powerful and the LNBF may be more noisy, especially on hot days. You get better reception in heavy rain or snow.

    So 90cm to 1.2m dish depending on location.

    The number of cables is nothing to do with Dish size. You need one cable per tuner. Proper PVRs (and sky HD of course) need two cables each.

    The LNBF sky supply is only for a Sky dish. Regular dishes (especially good ones) need a different LNBF. But it's not expensive.
    Thank you for this additional information Watty!

    So let's assume I leave the Sky dish here and simply take the Sky HD PVR with me to Switzerland: will it be easy enough for me to find a non-perforated 90cm dish with a dual-cable LNBF compatible for Sky HD?

    Where does one find such a thing? And more importantly, how much will it cost!?

    Thanks again for helping a n00b out! :D


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,906 ✭✭✭Steffano2002


    Bannasidhe wrote: »
    My brother brought his Sky HD dish to Switzerland (Valais- district of Sion) several years ago and it is working perfectly -( even though Sky think it is still in Cork :D). Now I don't know the technical details and it was fiddly to align it but he managed this himself and this is a man who has problems changing a plug.

    So - short answer. Yes you can. But tweaking will be required.
    I'm OK with mechanical and electrical stuff but satellite signals is something different altogether! Glad to hear your brother got it working in Valais! I'll be North-West of that position so hopefully I'll have no issues! ;)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 276 ✭✭montgolfiere


    Thank you for this additional information Watty!

    So let's assume I leave the Sky dish here and simply take the Sky HD PVR with me to Switzerland: will it be easy enough for me to find a non-perforated 90cm dish with a dual-cable LNBF compatible for Sky HD?

    Where does one find such a thing? And more importantly, how much will it cost!?

    Thanks again for helping a n00b out! :D

    This is the sort of deal available.
    http://cgi.ebay.fr/INVERTO-90cm-Satelliten-SAT-Spiegel-Schussel-Antenne-HD-/160676259496?pt=Sat_Anlagen&hash=item25690d26a8
    I buy a lot of stuff from them and if you also buy the wall bracket and 2x (or 4x) LNB they will only charge 1 lot of Postage.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,461 ✭✭✭✭watty


    So let's assume I leave the Sky dish here and simply take the Sky HD PVR with me to Switzerland: will it be easy enough for me to find a non-perforated 90cm dish with a dual-cable LNBF compatible for Sky HD?

    Where does one find such a thing? And more importantly, how much will it cost!?

    Thanks again for helping a n00b out! :D

    Yes.

    I don't know about Switzerland, which is expensive and also it's not in EU, so some EU suppliers will not post to Switzerland.

    But even the French and German Supermarkets have suitable dishes and quad LNBFs about as cheap as online, (cheaper as there is no postage).

    Maybe you will be near an Austrian, German, French or Italian border and be able to get LNBF and Dish cheaper than in Switzerland... Shop around. Likely under €60 for a 110cm Dish and under €15 for Quad LNB.

    It's pointless taking more than the Sky Box & Card.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,906 ✭✭✭Steffano2002


    Well guys, I'm in Switzerland! :D

    And I chose an apartment that has a balcony facing South. Is that the correct direction to be facing to get Sky? I hope it is!

    Once my Sky box arrives from Ireland I'll get a dish and hope I find the signal easily (I doubt it though...).


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 428 ✭✭ROS123


    Would it work in northern sweeden


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,906 ✭✭✭Steffano2002


    ROS123 wrote: »
    Would it work in northern sweeden
    Based on this map, no.

    http://www.astra2d.com/maps.html


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 276 ✭✭montgolfiere


    Well guys, I'm in Switzerland! :D

    And I chose an apartment that has a balcony facing South. Is that the correct direction to be facing to get Sky? I hope it is!

    Once my Sky box arrives from Ireland I'll get a dish and hope I find the signal easily (I doubt it though...).

    A South facing wall should be Ok, the the dish needing to point to 28,2 East of South. The elevation should be higher than in Ireland, probably around 33 degrees. A cheap option for 'finding' the satellite would be a sat beeper (+/- £5 delivered on ebay )used in combination of the inbuilt sat meter on the digibox.
    use the sat beeeper to 'find a satellite' then use the inbuilt meter to verify it is the correct satellite ( network id 0002 , transport stream 07d4) and then use the signal quality and strength scales to fine tune the dish.
    Don't forget to adjust the Skew.
    Good Luck!!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,906 ✭✭✭Steffano2002


    A South facing wall should be Ok, the the dish needing to point to 28,2 East of South. The elevation should be higher than in Ireland, probably around 33 degrees. A cheap option for 'finding' the satellite would be a sat beeper (+/- £5 delivered on ebay )used in combination of the inbuilt sat meter on the digibox.
    use the sat beeeper to 'find a satellite' then use the inbuilt meter to verify it is the correct satellite ( network id 0002 , transport stream 07d4) and then use the signal quality and strength scales to fine tune the dish.
    Don't forget to adjust the Skew.
    Good Luck!!
    Hi Montgolfière!

    I actually understood all that and I'm hoping to find the correct satellite by using this site: http://www.dishpointer.com (thanks to poster who sent me a PM wih this handy link!).

    Based on the above website I should have a clear Line of Sight from my balcony so I'm first going to try without a sat beeper and hope for the best! But thanks a million for the info on the elevation! I was assuming it was the same as in Ireland so you potentially saved me hours of frustration there! ;)

    However, what is the "Skew"? :confused:

    FYI: went to Media Markt today to have a look at their satellite stuff and they have everything I'll need for around €200 EUR so that's not too bad! :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,906 ✭✭✭Steffano2002




  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 276 ✭✭montgolfiere


    The device you have found would be fine but these type of devices can be got cheaper. eg.

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Satbeeper-METER-Satellite-Finder-Freesat-Astra-Hotbird-/190605285778?pt=UK_ConEle_SatCableFreeview_RL&hash=item2c60f5d992

    Regarding equipment: i use the following supplier for a lot of my gear:

    http://stores.ebay.fr/eurosatshop24?_rdc=1 This guy is reliable, fast and only adds 1 postal charge.

    I hope i have been helpful.
    SKew is the way the LNB sits in its holder. In principle instad of the cable coming out straight down at '6.00' the LNB needs twisting slightly 'clockwise' so the cable exits at around '7.00'. The actual 'Skew' needs optimising using the meter readings. IT IS HOWEVER CRUCIAL TO A GOOD RECEPTION!!!

    The Skyman

    BTW.....any snow there yet???


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,906 ✭✭✭Steffano2002


    Wow! Much cheaper indeed!
    Regarding equipment: i use the following supplier for a lot of my gear:

    http://stores.ebay.fr/eurosatshop24?_rdc=1 This guy is reliable, fast and only adds 1 postal charge.
    Thanks for that Montgolfière! I think I'll have a look as prices here are a bit on the extreme side... Thing is, I don't yet fully understand the import tax system here so a little reluctant to buy anything on eBay just yet. But I'll figure it out! ;)
    I hope i have been helpful.
    SKew is the way the LNB sits in its holder. In principle instad of the cable coming out straight down at '6.00' the LNB needs twisting slightly 'clockwise' so the cable exits at around '7.00'. The actual 'Skew' needs optimising using the meter readings. IT IS HOWEVER CRUCIAL TO A GOOD RECEPTION!!!

    The Skyman

    BTW.....any snow there yet???
    You have indeed been very helpful so thanks a million!!!

    I think I should have no problem doing all this myself now, even without the beeper! I was advised to visit http://www.satellite-calculations.com/Satellite/lookangles.htm and http://satlex.de/en/azel_calc-params.html?satlo=28.2&user_satlo=&user_satlo_dir=E&location=&la=49.6325&lo=6.2624&country_code=ch&diam_w=75&diam_h=80.

    Thanks to these sites, I have a fairly good idea where to point the dish and what angles to use so I'm confident I'll manage! If not, I'll come crying here sure! lol


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1 disney_locator


    If you have any problem finding a signal satellite I am sending you a recommendation for this site locator satellite
    http://www.sat-locator.com



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,906 ✭✭✭Steffano2002


    Well guys,

    I finally got all the equipment together and managed to line-up the dish correctly to receive a strong signal but, horror, it seems Sky have deactivated my subscription (or froze it or something)!

    I suspect the news tenants at my old Irish address got a Sky Subscription of their own and told Sky we left so they decided to freeze our account or something (they didn't freeze the Direct Debit though!).

    So my question is, what could I do? I'm afraid to ring Sky from Switzerland to try and convince them I still live in Ireland but if my story is weak I may blow it for good...

    Does anybody know somebody who works for Sky (down in Cork) who could check into my account to see why it was blocked in the first place?

    If anybody can come up with a way to get my Sky working please let me know! I spent a small fortune on all the satellite equipment yesterday and right now I'm gutted I can't get it working because of a stupid "admin" issue! :(


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