Saorview / Freesat

Alf Veedersane

We were looking at getting Saorview for our spare living room - I doubt it would be used enough to warrant installation of a connection point and additional multi-room cost of our existing digital.

So we had thought we'd settled on Saorview. But then I saw instalelr offering Freesat as well and with a wider range of channels, it might be the better option.

But would there be an issue with signal quality? The house is in Dublin City.

Thanks for any help.

Atlantic Dawn

Freesat uses a satellite dish, same dish and direction as Sky use, no issue with reception in Dublin.

Alf Veedersane

Ah. I didn't think it needed a dish.

As an aside, are there other similar services that give you more than just Irish channels and do they all require a dish?

Thanks, btw

coylemj

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

As an aside, are there other similar services that give you more than just Irish channels and do they all require a dish?

Yes but you won't get the signal in Dublin city because you're stuck in a hollow. At a decent elevation with no obstructions between you and the transmitter, it's possible to pick up the Freeview (terrestrial) signal from NI or Wales with an aerial depending on where you live.

Alf Veedersane

So my options are pretty much to just go with Saorview or get a dish if I want a decent signal for anything more than the handful of Irish channels?

coylemj

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

So my options are pretty much to just go with Saorview or get a dish if I want a decent signal for anything more than the handful of Irish channels?

Excluding cable, that's your only option in Dublin city.

Alf Veedersane

coylemj wrote: »

Excluding cable, that's your only option in Dublin city.

Thanks for the helo.

Just one more thing (channelling my inner Columbo), when you say excluding cable, do you just mean by ruling out getting UPC installed in the second room?

Again, thanks for the help. I'm sure I could have had someone install this thinking I'd have a great choice of tv only to go back to the old white noise.

bk

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Just one more thing (channelling my inner Columbo), when you say excluding cable, do you just mean by ruling out getting UPC installed in the second room?

Yes, when people say cable, they mean UPC/Virgin cable TV.

The options for pay TV in Dublin are:
- Sky Satellite
- UPC/Virgin cable TV
- Eir eVision (IPTV)

Free TV options are:
- Saorview (8 national Irish channels via aerial)
- Freesat/FTA Sat - about 80 English channels including BBC. ITV, c4, etc. via satellite.

coylemj

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Thanks for the helo.
Just one more thing (channelling my inner Columbo), when you say excluding cable, do you just mean by ruling out getting UPC installed in the second room?

I missed the reference to your 'existing digital' service in the first post.

If you get the bedroom wired up with a TV point and get UPC/Virgin Media to connect it, the multiroom service (an additional digital box) costs €11 p.m.

corcaigh07

I'd recommend getting a telly with Saorview/Freesat built in if you are in the market for one. Then, all you need is a dish for freesat, it is worth the expense.

Then you will have E4, Channel 4, Film 4, BBC HD, ITV HD, Channel 5 and more all for free as well as the Irish channels on Saorview.

Might be a good idea to get Sky for a year and let them install the dish etc.

Alf Veedersane

corcaigh07 wrote: »

I'd recommend getting a telly with Saorview/Freesat built in if you are in the market for one. Then, all you need is a dish for freesat, it is worth the expense.

Then you will have E4, Channel 4, Film 4, BBC HD, ITV HD, Channel 5 and more all for free as well as the Irish channels on Saorview.

Might be a good idea to get Sky for a year and let them install the dish etc.

Yeah the telly is kitted put for that alright cos I had that in mind when I was buying it.

I'd get the multi-room but I don't think we'll use the room enough to warrant it. The cost of a connection point in the room is 125 and then the monthly cost is a bit too much considering how much use it would get.


Really appreciate the advice folks. Much better idea of what my actual options are.

Vic_08

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Yeah the telly is kitted put for that alright cos I had that in mind when I was buying it.

I'd get the multi-room but I don't think we'll use the room enough to warrant it. The cost of a connection point in the room is 125 and then the monthly cost is a bit too much considering how much use it would get.


Really appreciate the advice folks. Much better idea of what my actual options are.

It would be even better if they hadn't omitted the cheapest option that requires no new hardware or additional subscription costs; UPC analogue.

Along with your digital TV and broadband Virgin/UPC also provide up to 17 unencrypted analogue channels.

All you need to get these is to connect a cable from the UPC TV/Broadband wall socket (do not use the connection labelled FM Radio) to the aerial input on the back of your TV (Analogue in if the TV has 2 sockets) and then do an analogue scan.

You will have to get a splitter to add the extra connection to your UPC and run some cable to the room your second TV is in.

I suggest you try it in the main room to make sure the TV will pick up the channels before running cables but there should be no problem, a lot of UPC customers still use this legacy system as a simple way of having useful TVs in multiple rooms without the expense or hassle of additional digital services.

The channels available in most areas on UPC analogue are:

RTE1
RTE2
TV3
TG4
BBC1
BBC2
UTV
Channel 4
E4
Sky 1
Sky Living
Sky News
Discovery
Setanta Sports
3E
MTV
Comedy Central