Does Freeview HD encapsulate Saorview???

daithi7

Hi,
I'm looking at getting a new TV & might get one from the UK.
Does the Freeview HD standard =~= Saorview??

I've seen a good few posts on here effectively saying this. But will things like tuning, epgs, recording work just as well?

All opinions welcome,
Thanks
Daithi

P.s. Outline spec of my TV reqs here
http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057619808/1/#post100377341

P.p.s. Basically ~40-45", Saorview (Freeview HD?), freesat HD, USB recording, Epg, good brand, all other features (e.g. smart, dlna, ports, photo display, phonecast,, etc, etc) are optional bonuses )

Digifriendly

Freeview HD definitely receives Saorview. Irish Channels will probably be in 800's but most new TVs have reordering channels function. Recording shouldn't be a problem. Only drawback is that series link is not available with UK equipment.

JamesyBelfast

Digifriendly wrote: »

Freeview HD definitely receives Saorview. Irish Channels will probably be in 800's but most new TVs have reordering channels function. Recording shouldn't be a problem. Only drawback is that series link is not available with UK equipment.

Yes and many TVs will allow you to set the "Country" during setup or factory reset. If I choose "Ireland" on my Sony Freeview HD TV then the Saorview channels tune in at 1,2,3,4 etc.

Aside from missing series link (which did work until a year or so ago) - everthing should be fine!

Mearings

I have a 2010 vintage Toshiba 40rv753 bought from John Lewis, London, no problem picking up Saorview in Ireland.

Digifriendly

Yes the Toshiba set you mention must have been one of the earliest Freeview HD sets on the UK market. I got a Freeview HD PVR in late 2011 to specifically receive Saorview and it had only been on the UK market for c 6 months.

Capt'n Midnight

First off you MUST get Freeview HD. This is because Saorview uses MPEG 4. The older freeview SD receivers will only get Radio off Saorview.

as an aside
Freeview HD uses a T2 tuner so older Saorview receivers with T tuners won't work


Lookup Saorview connect for a catch up TV type box that been coming for the last 6 months.



Off topic , but to show the sort of differences.
Saorsat uses a standard EPG. So like many European channels you get the full schedule , unlike the UK channels which only give now/next unless you have a box that can extract the EPG ( genuine SKY/Freesat/Linux/internet box). Series link works with Freesat but not with Saorsat.

NB TV's claim to have a PVR but in most cases you can only record the channel you are on. In most cases you need an external box to record one channel while watching another.

daithi7

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

First off you MUST get Freeview HD. This is because Saorview uses MPEG 4. The older freeview SD receivers will only get Radio off Saorview.

as an aside
Freeview HD uses a T2 tuner so older Saorview receivers with T tuners won't work


Lookup Saorview connect for a catch up TV type box that been coming for the last 6 months.



Off topic , but to show the sort of differences.
Saorsat uses a standard EPG. So like many European channels you get the full schedule , unlike the UK channels which only give now/next unless you have a box that can extract the EPG ( genuine SKY/Freesat/Linux/internet box). Series link works with Freesat but not with Saorsat.

NB TV's claim to have a PVR but in most cases you can only record the channel you are on. In most cases you need an external box to record one channel while watching another.

Thanks for all the excellent info so far, Great stuff!

Recording is very important to me, so with a Freeview HD TV, with USB recording say,

- will I be able to record from the Saorview EPG (a full week)?
-will I be able record one channel while watcing another? (or do I need dual tuners for this??)
-- do you know if the recorded programme's name, from the EPG, is written to the recording device e.g. USB stick, or PVR, so that there is full playback by name? ( instead of just by date &time say)
- And finally is there a catch up service that works on freesat? Freeview HD, which would work with Saorview??


I'm no fan of multiple boxes and remote controls, ideally I want one tv, multiple t tuners, loads of functionality, etc, 1 remote control and a simple user interface.

I'm happy to pay to get that.

Thanks for all the info.

lertsnim

You will definitely need multiple tuners if you wish to record off one channel while watching another.

Yamanoto

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

First off you MUST get Freeview HD. This is because Saorview uses MPEG 4. The older freeview SD receivers will only get Radio off Saorview.

My LG LK450U & LG LD450 both delivered Saorview without issue on standard Freeview TV's.

lertsnim

Yamanoto wrote: »

My LG LK450U & LG LD450 both delivered Saorview without issue on standard Freeview TV's.

Not all standard Freeview televisions will though.

JamesyBelfast

daithi7 wrote: »

Thanks for all the excellent info so far, Great stuff!

Recording is very important to me, so with a Freeview HD TV, with USB recording say,

- will I be able to record from the Saorview EPG (a full week)?

-- do you know if the recorded programme's name, from the EPG, is written to the recording device e.g. USB stick, or PVR, so that there is full playback by name? ( instead of just by date &time say)

Yes to both of those.

Programme title, channel name and date/time of recording should be visible for all recordings (can confirm this is definitely the case for LG and Sony TVs anyway).

STB.

The catch up services for freesat will not work in Ireland.

If you are looking for a TV that has Freesat and Saorview capabilities etc look at the LG LF630V and LG650V range.

daithi7

STB. wrote: »

The catch up services for freesat will not work in Ireland.

If you are looking for a TV that has Freesat and Saorview capabilities etc look at the LG LF630V and LG650V range.

Thanks Stb for that. I am looking at a few Samsung sets that appear to ~ match my spec Though they do not appear to have dual tuners for simultaneous record and watch of different channels, but this is not the end of the world.

LG are lovely screens, and I have a very nice HD android tablet from them, but for some reason I feel more confident in Samsung. Probably just legacy inertia by me as a consumer.

STB.

I have both myself. But yeah the Samsung is the main one.

As you will see the Samsung TV are more expensive, mind you the latest Freesat ones are also UHD.

http://www.freesat.co.uk/get-freesat/all-tvs