Digital FTA for £100

BNC

I've been away from the boards for a while so this may have been posted before. Whats the story with the three new channels from the beeb?

New system from pace.

"Digital TV for £100

Give your analogue TV digital quality and extra free-to-air channels with the Digital TV Adaptor.

In a boost to the Government's digital switch plans for 2006 to 2010, Pace Micro Technology has announced a world first with its £99.99 set-top box that can receive free-to-air digital channels and is easily upgradeable to payTV subscriptions at a later date.

There are plenty of free-to-air channels already available and more to come (the BBC will launch a further three free digital BBC channels in March), making the benefits of paying a one-off fee for all this extra entertainment compelling.

The palm-sized box is simply plugged into the back of your TV set and you're off. It's easily upgradeable to payTV subscription services by slotting in the card supplied by the TV company.

The Pace Digital TV Adaptor will be available from 30 March for £99.99. See Pace for more details."

chernobyl

I was under the impression that the STB was a Terrestrial FTA box?

Charles Slane

It is. So unless you have an aerial capable of picking up the terrestrial digital services from either NI or Wales, it's not much use to you.

DMC

And the signal from Divis on DTT is too weak for it to penetrate into the ROI.

Here's a good trick.

Try this site.... http://www.dtg.org.uk/retailer/coverage.html

Type in the postcode for, say Jonesboro, slap bang on the border in Co. Down. (Known to many on the left hand side of the N1 at the border for its Sunday Market)

Here's a code for it. BT35 8HR

Type that in there, and it will show when DTT coverage is expected for that area.

The results, are not good.......

"Unfortunately BT35 8HR is not covered by any of the active or planned transmitters at this time. At this stage we are unable to provide a date for transmissions.

Predictions have been deliberately set cautiously to avoid disappointment and will be revised in the light of experience.

And the final indignation.....

Please check the post code was entered correctly.

So, a £100 DTT STB would only be really useful, if you lived near the Lough Foyle coast or some parts of Monaghan.

ONireland

Apparently Letterkenny is covered. Besides, some of the rigs I've seen around the south, I bet they might just pick up the DTT. Would be interesting to find the champion DXer.

DMC

Yes, I won't mind looking at pic of the finest ironmongery needed to get a DTT signal!

BTW Divis on analogue transmits on 500kW of power,
Digital transmits at 2.3kW on most muxes. A Robin Reliant versus a Ferrari, in comparison.

ONireland

Click my link, enter the site > Interactive > Aerial Libary

Got some pics there. Looking for people to submit some.

Read about the above stb a while back-it's an attempt to get DTT up in the UK whilst partially by-passing ITV digital.

Ironmongery:D
The 40ft yoke above my house survived all the Xmas storms of a few years ago.
Only one problem though.....
the crows thought the rods on it make fine material for their nests-so they tend to pick them off one by one till they are all gone-shotgun helps:D
DTT still flying in here,in North wexford from Presely!
Whoops better not mention it again or this thread will be
mooooooving...
mm