Digital Switchover, Need Help Buying Box And Possibly Installer Please

Pazma

Hi there, I hope this is in the right place. With the switchover coming in a few months time I'm wondering which equipment to buy and where to buy it. I live in Laois and have a satellite dish that I use for FTA on an old Sky box, a very old Sky box, and the usual two terrestrial aerials for RTE, TV3, TG4. I need to buy equipment for two rooms, upstairs and down. I don't care about the Sky pay channels just the FTA/FTV British and Irish. Some of my channels on the current Sky box are choppy at times so I'm not sure if I'll have to have work done on the satellite dish. I don't care about recording or rewinding shows, or any of the bells and whistles that come with Sky+ boxes, although they're not a bad thing to have either if there's a cheap enough alternative box. Also, do I need to change my TV sets? I only have two CRT TV's, one is pretty old, the other is just a few months old.

My noob is showing

MarkK

No need for new TV sets.
The DSO will only affect RTE, TV3, TG4 so you only 'need' a Saorview box for each TV to continue to watch the Irish channels.
You can continue to use your old Sky boxes as you do now.

biggles007

The best I came across is Aldi 12th July

http://www.aldi.ie/ie/html/offers/offers_week28Thursday12.htm?WT.z_src=main

The Cush

Pazma wrote: »

I live in Laois and have a satellite dish that I use for FTA on an old Sky box, a very old Sky box, and the usual two terrestrial aerials for RTE, TV3, TG4.

Use the Saorview coverage checker to find your recommended Saorview transmitter - http://www.saorview.ie/make-the-switch/coverage-map/. Depending on which transmitter you currently use, the UHF aerial you have should be OK.

Pazma wrote: »

Some of my channels on the current Sky box are choppy at times so I'm not sure if I'll have to have work done on the satellite dish.

Dish may need to be realigned slightly.

Pazma wrote: »

Also, do I need to change my TV sets? I only have two CRT TV's, one is pretty old, the other is just a few months old.

A Saorview STB will work with the old TVs if they have a scart connector, not directly possible to use the co-ax input from STB to TV.

Argos sell one of the cheapest Saorview boxes on the market at the moment for €50 - http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/5322745/c_1/1%7Ccategory_root%7CHome+entertainment+and+sat+nav%7C14419512/c_2/3%7Ccat_19780832%7CDigital+boxes+and+services%7C14419633.htm

toby2111

I've a quick question.My parents want to be able to watch RTE etc and BBC,UTV etc on the 2 TV's in their house.My Dad also wants to be able to use teletext on 1 of the TV's.There is an old Sky box(over 8 years old) and satellite installed on back of house but Dad never uses it as he cant get RTE on it.What sort of equipment would they need?
A guy quoted them €450 today to hook up 2 TV's with RTE,BBC etc and teletext on 1 of them.Seems a bit pricey to me,or is that the going price?They live in Dundalk.

MarkK

toby2111 wrote: »

My parents want to be able to watch RTE etc and BBC,UTV etc on the 2 TV's in their house.

What are they getting their channels at the moment?
Do they have RTE, BBC & UTV on analogue via an aerial?

toby2111

Yeh,just get them via aerial but Channel 4 is poor.Rest are pretty good.

MarkK

More than likely, you just need a Saorview box for each TV (or a Freeview HD box if you want the UK channels in HD).

You probably won't get the UK channels on the Saorview box until the October switch off.
You should get the BBC channels on 10 October and the rest on 24 October.

toby2111

Can the Saorview boxes get UK channels here in Dundalk?Never knew that.Thought they might need a combi box or something

MarkK

Yes, if you get analogue TV from over the border now, you should be able to pick up Freeview at switchover.

On 10 October, BBC 2 analogue is switched off and the BBC Freeview channels will replace it.
So you should be able to judge if it works for you at that stage.
If not, you have two weeks to sort something out before the rest of the channels switch off on 24 October.

toby2111

So 2 Saorview boxes should be enough for them?And just connect them to the 2 TV's?That'll hardly cost €450 then,would it???

Pazma

Thanks lads, all very helpful. :-)

MarkK

toby2111 wrote: »

So 2 Saorview boxes should be enough for them?And just connect them to the 2 TV's?That'll hardly cost €450 then,would it???

A box is about €60 to €80

I'd just get one for now and see how well it works in October.

JonathonS

Pazma wrote: »

Also, do I need to change my TV sets? I only have two CRT TV's, one is pretty old, the other is just a few months old.

Is the newer TV really CRT? If its a recent (c1-2yrs) LCD theres a good chance it will get Saorview and Freeview.