Using uk freeview tv in south dublin

kim_possible

I am moving the south dublin.
I have a uk, freebies enabled tv.
I want to be able to use it in new property.
What do I need to do.
I am unsure if there is an aerial point in the bedroom were the tv will be used.
Thanks

Peter Rhea

The only way you'd have any hope of receiving the Freeview service (UK terrestrial broadcasts) in south Dublin, is if the property in question has a substantial outdoor aerial installation.

Saorview might be all you'll manage via terrestrial reception (if the tv has the capability: not all 'Freeview' tvs do) & you'll need satellite or cable for the UK channels.

coylemj

OP, take a look at your new neighbours and see what they're doing. There are hundreds of people on the southside with aerials pointing to Northern Ireland, they pick up UK Freeview from Kilkeel and in most cases the same aerial picks up Saorview from Three Rock. The main dependency is that the house is at a decent elevation. Check the nearby rooftops and see if any of your neighbours have large UHF aerials pointing north.

The main transmitters serving Dublin are to the south (Three Rock) and SW (Kippure) so any aerial on the southside pointing north is picking up Freeview from NI.

kim_possible

Thanks for the replies. I suppose the only way I will know is if I take it down and plug it in and see what channels i receive!

coylemj

kim_possible wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. I suppose the only way I will know is if I take it down and plug it in and see what channels i receive!

You have four options:

1. If the house is in the right location you can get all of the UK and Irish TV from a single large UHF aerial pointing north.

2. UPC (cable TV, available almost everywhere in Dublin city)

3. Sky (dish) with a subscription enables you to get all of the Irish and UK channels

4. Freesat (dish) for the UK channels and any kind of a UHF aerial for the Irish channels on Saorview - it's worth trying an indoor aerial before paying a man to put one on the roof.

For terrestrial reception (options 1 & 4), your TV needs to be Freeview HD compatible to pick up the digital TV in the south via an aerial, does it support MPEG4?

Tell us the make and model.

kim_possible

Hi,
The tv is a m&s branded tv (cello) integrated freeview. This broadcasts in mpeg2.
I understand rte channels broadcast in mpeg4.
I was considering buying a freeview hd box, as it broadcasts mpeg4. Like http://www.amazon.co.uk/TVonics-DTR-HD500-Freeview-Recorder/dp/B003O248TU

coylemj

Don't go buying a Freeview recorder until you figure out whether you're going to be getting your TV service via terrestrial i.e. through an aerial. If UK TV is essential for family sanity then you may end up going for cable or satellite so you wouldn't be buying a Freeview recorder.

That unit is more than two years old (says Oct 2010 on Amazon) so I'd avoid it anyway, you'll probably get more capacity and features on newer boxes but that should only be an option to consider if you end up getting Irish and UK TV via an aerial.

LordSutch

Providing there is enough elevation, is pointing the aerial towards Wales an option? or is Wales too far away for the Freeview signal?

coylemj

LordSutch wrote: »

Providing there is enough elevation, is pointing the aerial towards Wales an option? or is Wales too far away for the Freeview signal?

No, Wales is an option. The OP on this thread can pick it up from Leopardstown.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056793181

kim_possible

Ok, so there is upc in the living room. There is an aerial connection in the bedroom ( so i am assuming there is an aerial on the roof of apt block). As previously stated my tv is freeview integrated and uk is the only country setting allowed. If i bring it down and plug it in what channels should i hope to receive ?

Peter Rhea

I wouldn't count on there being an aerial or a decent distribution system.

The channels available from the Kilkeel transmitter are listed here. It isn't the full Freeview service, just the PSB services aka 'Freeview Lite'.

coylemj

kim_possible wrote: »

Ok, so there is upc in the living room. There is an aerial connection in the bedroom ( so i am assuming there is an aerial on the roof of apt block). As previously stated my tv is freeview integrated and uk is the only country setting allowed. If i bring it down and plug it in what channels should i hope to receive ?

The aerial connection in the bedroom is more likely a very old cable TV drop. If I was you I wouldn't assume that there is any aerial on the roof if it's an apartment block.

If you try that TV with an indoor aerial you will probably get sound but no picture as the Saorview signal here is MPEG4. It will work no problem with a UPC box as they can give you a digital box with HDMI and/or SCART and in either case it doesn't matter what type of tuner is in the TV.

A live UPC connection will give you an analog signal but for historical reasons, most of the channels are transmitted on VHF frequencies and if your TV was intended for the UK market it may to be able to receive a VHF signal. Dublin was cabled for TV back in the 1960s when every TV had a VHF tuner but not necessarily UHF so the cable TV was sent down the wire as VHF.

In an apartment your only option may be UPC as your landlord may not allow you to install a dish (for Sky or Freesat) and if there's no aerial on the roof, I suspect that he won't let you install one.