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Best way to get basic channels

  • 11-02-2020 11:52am
    #1
    Lockstep
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,031 ✭✭✭


    I'm interested in getting basic TV stations: RTÉ and if possible, BBC. I'm not interested in anything too fancy as I'll mainly just be getting it for the news. We have Netflix which we'd use for everything else.

    I'm wondering what my options are. Ideally, I'd like to get something which doesn't require any installation (as far as I can see, my house doesn't have an aerial and the living room has a satellite cable but no satellite dish) or monthly fees. I'd be happy to pay for a box or something similar.

    I've just moved into a new house so any advice would be greatly appreciated.


Comments

  • #2
    blackbox
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,703 ✭✭✭blackbox


    You'll need a satellite dish to get BBC for free but you may be able to get Irish channels with an indoor aerial, depending on your location.

    If you have a clear view south/east you may be able to install a dish at low level - handy enough.

    What do your neighbours do?


  • #3
    Lockstep
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,031 ✭✭✭Lockstep


    Thanks very much for the reply. My neighbours have a satellite dish. I'm guessing the previous occupants did the same as they have a satellite connection cable in the living room but there's no coaxial aerial plug, although there are coaxial plugs in the other rooms.

    If I got a satellite dish installed would I need anything extra, like a box? I'd be happy with one off costs but I'd rather not have monthly fees as I'm away from work a lot and herself doesn't watch TV.


  • #4
    noby
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,114 ✭✭✭noby


    Yep, one-off payment for a box, and you'll get all FTA channels for, well, free.

    I have two boxes - one for the dish, one for the indoor ariel for Saorview.

    I'm sure you can get them both combined in one box now.

    That gives us all the Irish stations, BBCs, ITVs, Channel 4 (and all other 4 channels), plus a bunch of others.


  • #5
    dulpit
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,357 ✭✭✭✭dulpit


    Lockstep wrote: »
    Thanks very much for the reply. My neighbours have a satellite dish. I'm guessing the previous occupants did the same as they have a satellite connection cable in the living room but there's no coaxial aerial plug, although there are coaxial plugs in the other rooms.

    If I got a satellite dish installed would I need anything extra, like a box? I'd be happy with one off costs but I'd rather not have monthly fees as I'm away from work a lot and herself doesn't watch TV.

    If you have a satellite dish you can pay sky, but you can also get a freesat box and it just works. Fressat box will pick up all of the free UK channels, and there is a new box on it's way (https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057760378), but it won't pick up Irish channels - you'll need an aerial for that.

    It's also possible that your TV model has ability to pick up satellite - if there is a screw in plug connector on the back of the TV that would work.


  • #6
    Lockstep
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,031 ✭✭✭Lockstep


    There's a screw in cable that came attached to the wall in the house, it looks like this It has two identical cables and both are coming from the wall.

    It can connect to the plug labelled "sat" on the back of my TV, but no channels will install when I try this. Unless it's a TV issue.


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  • #7
    dulpit
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,357 ✭✭✭✭dulpit


    Lockstep wrote: »
    There's a screw in cable that came attached to the wall in the house, it looks like this It has two identical cables and both are coming from the wall.

    It can connect to the plug labelled "sat" on the back of my TV, but no channels will install when I try this. Unless it's a TV issue.

    What brand/model TV do you have? Can you also verify that there is a satellite dish up on the roof? If the previous occupants had a Sky Q connection that could be the issue too (Sky Q uses a different LNB - the bit sticking out of the dish - than older Sky HD and it doesn't work with regular freesat or tvs)


  • #8
    Diceicle
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,799 ✭✭✭Diceicle


    I got the Tiviar Alphaplus Set Top Box (STB) and got rid of Sky.
    The interface that I had loaded by the lads who set it up is Sky-esque in terms of overall look. I mean, its not quite 100% the same feel - but close enough. Can pause, record, series link etc. So it suits us grand.


  • #9
    Lockstep
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,031 ✭✭✭Lockstep


    dulpit wrote: »
    What brand/model TV do you have? Can you also verify that there is a satellite dish up on the roof? If the previous occupants had a Sky Q connection that could be the issue too (Sky Q uses a different LNB - the bit sticking out of the dish - than older Sky HD and it doesn't work with regular freesat or tvs)

    I'm using a Philips 50" TV. There doesn't seem to be a satellite on the roof. Or an aerial.


  • #10
    Johnboy1951
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,048 ✭✭✭✭Johnboy1951


    Lockstep wrote: »
    I'm using a Philips 50" TV. There doesn't seem to be a satellite on the roof. Or an aerial.

    You need to find from where those coax cables are coming ....... they might be left lying in the attic or such, or maybe brought back to some central point.

    In any case you need to know what they connect to, if anything.


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