Lost channels after paid tv licence

fla1512

Hi all,
I am new in Ireland and I don't know pretty much nothing about television.

My problem is that the day after I received the confirmation regarding the tv license, all the channels that I have been able to watch until the previous day were gone. So I started the tv automatic search for digital channels but it found less channels then before (for example no more MTv or comedy or discovery) and all the channels are now on number from 900 to 911 (more or less). The quality in general seems much better then before (even if for some channels the image is very pixeled), but still I don't have my favorite channels.

I don't know if this is an important information but my apartment is covered by UPC (but I don't have any contract with them nor for internet nor for the television) so the antenna comes form the UPC box on the wall.

I don't know what to do in order to be able to see those lost channels again, do you have any suggestion?

gypsy79

TV licence and channels are unrelated.

You can get the SAORVIEW channels without UPC. It sounds like UPC had not turned off their signal and that is why you were getting those channels.

You may need a saorview box to maximise your channels

Thurston?

fla1512 wrote: »

... all the channels that I have been able to watch until the previous day were gone. So I started the tv automatic search for digital channels but it found less channels then before (for example no more MTv or comedy or discovery) and all the channels are now on number from 900 to 911 (more or less). The quality in general seems much better then before (even if for some channels the image is very pixeled), but still I don't have my favorite channels.

I don't know if this is an important information but my apartment is covered by UPC (but I don't have any contract with them nor for internet nor for the television) so the antenna comes form the UPC box on the wall.

The UPC channels you were getting (MTV etc.) are legacy analogue, left on the system for the time being.

'Pixelated' channels will be digital, & may just be stray Saorview signal picked up on the cables, if there's no actual aerial in the system.

What digital channels are you getting?

The Cush

fla1512 wrote: »

I don't know if this is an important information but my apartment is covered by UPC (but I don't have any contract with them nor for internet nor for the television) so the antenna comes form the UPC box on the wall.

I don't know what to do in order to be able to see those lost channels again, do you have any suggestion?

What channels do you have, these analogue channels are carried on the Dublin network if the cable is still connected - http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=93774102&postcount=28

With the TV set to Ireland do an analogue only scan to store these channels from 1 upwards.

Saorview, our DTT service like Freeview in the UK, may not be available in your apartment block but you could try with an indoor aerial and Saorview compatible TV. Only Irish channels and none of your favourites.

To get your favourite channels you'll have to subscribe to UPC - http://www.upc.ie/

fla1512

Thurston? wrote: »

The UPC channels you were getting (MTV etc.) are legacy analogue, left on the system for the time being.

Hi Thurston,
thank you for your answer!

could you tell me why until 4 days ago I was able to get them and the very next day I wasn't anymore?
Was it legal for me to view them or not?
If yes, is there something I could do to get them again other than subscribe with UPC considering that I don't know how long I will stay in that apartment?

fla1512

I used to have all those channels:
RTÉ2
TV3
RTÉ One
UTV Ireland
TG4
BBC One NI
BBC Two NI
Sky1
Setanta Ireland
3e
Nickelodeon/Comedy Central
MTV
Sky News
Sky Living
E4
Channel 4
Discovery Channel

but now I have just
RTE 1
RTE 1 +1
RTE 2
3e
RTE news
UTV Ireland
TG4

and not much more a part from some radio channel.

Thurston?

What you have now looks very much like Saorview, probably just picked up on the cable from wall point to TV. Do you have TV3 too?

What you had before was UPC analogue: the channels are unencrypted, & could only be 'turned off' by physical disconnection.

Not sure about the legality of 'helping yourself' to them, regardless of the fact the connection is inside your apartment.

The Cush

fla1512 wrote: »

but now I have just
RTE 1
RTE 1 +1
RTE 2
3e
RTE news
UTV Ireland
TG4

and not much more a part from some radio channel.

That looks like the Saorview DTT channels I linked to above, stored in the 900s on a UK/other setup TV, using the existing internal cabling as an aerial maybe would be my guess. The UPC cable may have been disconnected to your apartment if you're not subscribing so none of the analogue channel you have previously are available.

fla1512

So the only thing I could do to expand my channels list is to subscribe to UPC or SKY?

The Cush

fla1512 wrote: »

So the only thing I could do to expand my channels list is to subscribe to UPC or SKY?

Yes but Sky may not be an option in your apartment, check with the management company.

fla1512 wrote: »

Was it legal for me to view them or not?

The analogue channels remain for the 40,000 or so legacy analogue subscribers, they no longer offer an analogue subscription package to new customers. They are legal to view if the UPC cable connection wasn't disconnected.

munchkin_utd

em, you "previously" got channels on analogue and "now" are getting digital channels.

Sounds to me like you just need to switch the TV to Analogue mode and see what comes up.

The Cush

munchkin_utd wrote: »

em, you "previously" got channels on analogue and "now" are getting digital channels.

Sounds to me like you just need to switch the TV to Analogue mode and see what comes up.

He did the scan after the channels disappeared, likely that the cable was disconnected. No harm trying an analogue only scan though.

fla1512

I did try the analogue only scan too, but the result was 0 channels found unfortunately

Thurston?

fla1512 wrote: »

So the only thing I could do to expand my channels list is to subscribe to UPC or SKY?

Most popular UK channels are available free-to-air via satellite too but, of course you need a suitable receiver & access to a feed from a dish.

You already have all the Saorview channels (I presume you just forgot to put TV3 in the list), though you should be able to improve the signal, stop or lessen the pixelation, with an indoor aerial of some kind: on this page there is an explanation + pics. of how to make one from a cable like you'd use to connect from wall point to TV, & advice on positioning.

The Saorview transmitters are shown on this map.

fla1512

thank you, I will try it!

pizzahead77

The Cush wrote: »

Yes but Sky may not be an option in your apartment, check with the management company.



The analogue channels remain for the 40,000 or so legacy analogue subscribers, they no longer offer an analogue subscription package to new customers. They are legal to view if the UPC cable connection wasn't disconnected.

They are only legal to view if you are paying for a UPC subscription otherwise it is theft.

The Cush

pizzahead77 wrote: »

They are only legal to view if you are paying for a UPC subscription otherwise it is theft.

They're not going to come after someone viewing the analogue channels via a cable point they failed to disconnect, also UPC no longer have an analogue subscription option.

Originally posted by UPC: Brian

Some services from us would come in over analogue cable and in some cases this would mean correctly linked points in a house may be able to view these however, this is not a sold or supported service from us.

Carawaystick

pizzahead77 wrote: »

They are only legal to view if you are paying for a UPC subscription otherwise it is theft.

It isn't theft, but it is illegal. A person is guilty of theft if he or she dishonestly appropriates property without the consent of its owner and with the intention of depriving its owner of it. UPC still have their property.

The OP can get free to air satellite tv or depending on where he is, terrestrial tv from the uk.

aido79

fla1512 wrote: »

Hi all,
I am new in Ireland and I don't know pretty much nothing about television.

My problem is that the day after I received the confirmation regarding the tv license, all the channels that I have been able to watch until the previous day were gone. So I started the tv automatic search for digital channels but it found less channels then before (for example no more MTv or comedy or discovery) and all the channels are now on number from 900 to 911 (more or less). The quality in general seems much better then before (even if for some channels the image is very pixeled), but still I don't have my favorite channels.

I don't know if this is an important information but my apartment is covered by UPC (but I don't have any contract with them nor for internet nor for the television) so the antenna comes form the UPC box on the wall.

I don't know what to do in order to be able to see those lost channels again, do you have any suggestion?

It's sounds like you may have tuned the TV incorrectly. Make sure you have the country set to Ireland and not UK and then auto tune it. It should then pick up analog and digital channels.