Saorview and Freesat - together at last?

StreetLight

Check out this Samsung TV on sale at Power City:

http://www.powercity.ie/?par=10-13-40F6500

The description states that it is Saorview approved, but also has a "Freesat satellite menu". Is this just a generic expression by Power City, or would it really support both 7-day EPG information from both Saorview and Freesat without changing country modes between Ireland and UK?

dubrov

I am pretty sure it will support both Freesat and Saorview with full EPG.

The main problem is that you will most likely have to press around 4 buttons to switch between sat and terrestrial.

This was true for the previous E series models anyway

StreetLight

Yes, I already have an E6300. I can set it up to UK mode with full 7-day Freesat EPG, but this reduces Saorview to now-and-next. Another bug in this mode is that the subtitles don't work on a Saorview channel.

Setting to Ireland mode gives full 7-day Saorview EPG, but the satellite side is then reduced to a generic free-to-air now-and-next.

The four-button press to switch between terrestrial and satellite modes is a only minor niggle for me, as I am already used to it. The ideal for me, however, is to have full 7-day EPGs available on both tuners at the same time.

dubrov

I guess this the Shangri-La for Irish televisions.
If it existed with dual tuners, it would sell by the bucket load.

Can't see it happening in the near future though as Freesat is aimes at the UK only.

More likely is that a tv manufacturer comes out with a one button press to switch between modes.

slave1

Panasonic TXL42FT60 also has freesat and saorview, I have it a few months at this stage but still boxed as working on the room that it will eventually be installed in...

JDxtra

The Samsung F7000 and F8000 models are newer and come with dual sat and terrestrial tuners.

Not sure if they handle it better - there are a few owners here on Boards.

StreetLight

If only I knew I could do the four-button switch between 7-day Saorview and 7-day Freesat, I would be sorted.
Unfortunately, I don't think Power City would be that tech savvy to be able to help. I might email Samsung, but I'm not hopeful.
Thanks for the replies.

Gerry Wicklow

StreetLight wrote: »

If only I knew I could do the four-button switch between 7-day Saorview and 7-day Freesat, I would be sorted.
Unfortunately, I don't think Power City would be that tech savvy to be able to help. I might email Samsung, but I'm not hopeful.
Thanks for the replies.

I have an ES6300 with Freesat and Saorview working fine.The set must be setup as UK to select freesat. Saorview channels will be in the 800's but can be renumbered. I get a full 7day EPG for Saorview with series linking etc, so perhaps you are just not giving it enough time to populate the EPG. MHEG5 "Aertel" text works fine too.
To switch from one to the other press CH.LIST then RED.

STB

Saorview and Satellite
Smart TV
5 Year Guarantee

STG £299
http://www.richersounds.com/product/tv---all/lg/32ln575v/lg-32ln575v

StreetLight

Gerry Wicklow wrote: »

I have an ES6300 with Freesat and Saorview working fine.The set must be setup as UK to select freesat. Saorview channels will be in the 800's but can be renumbered. I get a full 7day EPG for Saorview with series linking etc, so perhaps you are just not giving it enough time to populate the EPG. MHEG5 "Aertel" text works fine too.
To switch from one to the other press CH.LIST then RED.

Thanks Gerry. I tried what you have outlined and everything works fine, except the bug I mentioned earlier: With this set-up, the subtitles don't work on Saorview. Do they work for you?

Gerry Wicklow

StreetLight wrote: »

Thanks Gerry. I tried what you have outlined and everything works fine, except the bug I mentioned earlier: With this set-up, the subtitles don't work on Saorview. Do they work for you?

Based on a very quick check, I can't get subs working either. I don't know how good RTÉ are at such things, given that they don't broadcast audio description even if the signal info says it does.

The Cush

Saorview subtitles are teletext based while Freeview uses DVB subtitles. As teletext isn't part of the Freeview spec the Saorview subtitles may not be viewable when the TV is set to UK (Freeview). Never have problems with Saorview subtitles when available on TV or PVR .

watty

Actually Saorview Subtitles are DVB data stream based (not using 888 Teletext datastream) but for reasons known only to RTE, they "tick" the "Use Teletext Engine" to display. Baffling. It means that ANY setbox or TV that is in Freesat or Freeview certified mode may not display them as often the interpretation of D Book implementation is to disable any Teletext Engine, which of course not only disables actual TeleText page decoding but disables display of DVB subtitles using the Teletext Engine Font/Character Set.

It may be a deluded belief that the Teletext Engine Font/Character Set better supports ÁÉÍÓÚáéíóú than the standard DVB/DVD font/Character Set. So that RTÉ displays nicely...

I don't know. But a simple configuration change at RTE to fix this is possible. The Teletext Font is designed for 4:3 SD TV. The DVB font is superior and ought to look better on 4:3 SD, WS SD and HD.

Gerry Wicklow

Checked again during "Shannon Secrets" programme which is listed as having subs according to page 344 but got nowt. So it would seem that RTÉs settings don't match something in the UK setup.

The Cush

watty wrote: »

Actually Saorview Subtitles are DVB data stream based (not using 888 Teletext datastream)
...

The Teletext Font is designed for 4:3 SD TV. The DVB font is superior and ought to look better on 4:3 SD, WS SD and HD.

Good info there watty.

Yes, I was aware that subtitles were part of the DVB stream and was referring to the way they were displayed.

I agree, the Saorview subtitles look big and ugly when compared with the subtitles on the UK channels. My sister and brother-in-law are deaf/hard of hearing so I'm well used to looking at subtitles from both the Saorview and Freesat/FTA sat channels.

Gerry Wicklow wrote: »

So it would seem that RTÉs settings don't match something in the UK setup.

Watty explains it very well above, Saorview use the teletext font for subtitles but when the TV is set to UK anything teletext related is disabled as it's not part of the Freeview spec, so no Saorview subtitles or teletext on TV3/TG4.

Sam Russell

STB wrote: »

Saorview and Satellite
Smart TV
5 Year Guarantee

STG £299
http://www.richersounds.com/product/tv---all/lg/32ln575v/lg-32ln575v

No mention of Freesat, just Freeview HD.

From the RicherSounds site: Spec for LG 32LN575V

Analogue Tuner : Does it receive conventional, analogue TV stations? Yes
Freeview : Does it receive Freeview TV stations? Yes
Freeview HD : Does it receive Freeview HD TV stations? Yes
freesat HD : Does it receive freesat HD TV stations? No

So no satellite tuner and certainly no Freesat.

STB

Sam Russell wrote: »

No mention of Freesat, just Freeview HD.

From the RicherSounds site: Spec for LG 32LN575V

Analogue Tuner : Does it receive conventional, analogue TV stations? Yes
Freeview : Does it receive Freeview TV stations? Yes
Freeview HD : Does it receive Freeview HD TV stations? Yes
freesat HD : Does it receive freesat HD TV stations? No

So no satellite tuner and certainly no Freesat.

It does have a satellite tuner (not publicised by LG!!!!). Not alone that, it has disecq capabilities you are not confined to 28.2.

Built in Wifi too. I have one.

Sam Russell

STB wrote: »

It does have a satellite tuner (not publicised by LG!!!!). Not alone that, it has disecq capabilities you are not confined to 28.2.

Built in Wifi too. I have one.

There must be different versions of the TV. The photos of the TV from Richersounds show only 1 aerial connector, and it is not an F connector. However, Powercity say it has a satellite tuner. But no photos of the connectors. If it is satellite, then I might get one.

Ronnie Raygun

Sam Russell wrote: »

The photos of the TV from Richersounds show only 1 aerial connector, and it is not an F connector.

Last image here shows an f-connector labeled "LNB Satellite in", right beside the aerial connector.

Zimmerframe

Yep, I got one of the 47" LG-47LA660V in Curry's.
http://www.currys.ie/Product/LG-47LA660V-Smart-3D-47-LED-TV/317744/6.9.2
I didn't see any mention of satellite anywhere in the sales blurb, but noticed the f connector at the back and found the satellite tuner works fine.

byte

watty wrote: »

Actually Saorview Subtitles are DVB data stream based (not using 888 Teletext datastream) but for reasons known only to RTE, they "tick" the "Use Teletext Engine" to display. Baffling. It means that ANY setbox or TV that is in Freesat or Freeview certified mode may not display them as often the interpretation of D Book implementation is to disable any Teletext Engine, which of course not only disables actual TeleText page decoding but disables display of DVB subtitles using the Teletext Engine Font/Character Set.

It may be a deluded belief that the Teletext Engine Font/Character Set better supports ÁÉÍÓÚáéíóú than the standard DVB/DVD font/Character Set. So that RTÉ displays nicely...

I don't know. But a simple configuration change at RTE to fix this is possible. The Teletext Font is designed for 4:3 SD TV. The DVB font is superior and ought to look better on 4:3 SD, WS SD and HD.

Good post. I had wondered why subtitles looked like old 888 subtitles compared to Freesat, etc. Now I know. New year, new learning

Digifriendly

Zimmerframe wrote: »

Yep, I got one of the 47" LG-47LA660V in Curry's.
http://www.currys.ie/Product/LG-47LA660V-Smart-3D-47-LED-TV/317744/6.9.2
I didn't see any mention of satellite anywhere in the sales blurb, but noticed the f connector at the back and found the satellite tuner works fine.

Blurb says 50 digital channels and 24 radio stations with Irish digital tuner! Think they must be referring to UK Freeview.

STB

Digifriendly wrote: »

Blurb says 50 digital channels and 24 radio stations with Irish digital tuner! Think they must be referring to UK Freeview.

I am nearly positive that ALL the 2013 LG Models have DVB-S2 and DVB-T/2 tuners in them. They are pan european TVs.

The reason that the UK shops dont big them up is that Freesat exists. These TV's do not have Freesat Software, hence no 7 day epg and no certification. You will hear LG UK say that they dont support Satellite, this is because of the Freesat standard (they do not want to cause confusion or have the inevitable questions where is my 7 day epg etc).