BBC FTA Tests

Sin e an Fear

I'm fitting a sat receiver at work to reduce bandwidth hogged by some folks who basically want to listen to radio.

Good for you- who's it with, by the way? Web Sat or Aramiska ?

In late 1999, this guy put 17 US and Canadian TV terrestrial channels on his site- iCraveTV.com needless to say he was threatened with legal action on both sides of the border and desisted.

Admittedly there wasn't much point in targeting the US and Canada with channels they can watch anyway, so it was a waste of connectivity. Similarly, even Astra 2D can be picked up in far flung places, plus time differences would make live feeds of UK terrestrial channels impractical unless there was time shifting....

Capt'n Midnight

re: fitting satellite at work

If they all listen to the same channel - you just take the audio in to a PC and stream it. - if only a few channels then of course you would need several receivers and a splitter - but still cheaper than a years subscription..

Don't forget at just 33Kb per second you hit 14.8 MB in an hour. In a month it's 10.7 GB if left on 24/7 (someone will...) - which is way over most cap's...

I really hate when it's cricket on BBC R4 LW and you can't get FM ...

DMC

Originally posted by Capt'n Midnight
I really hate when it's cricket on BBC R4 LW and you can't get FM ...

Ah, my dear old thing, Old Blowers and the Bearded Wonder is not your cup of tea.

Its possibly the only reason I listen to BBC Radio 4 LW... for that, the Midnight News and "Sailing By"........

Originally posted by DMC
Its possibly the only reason I listen to BBC Radio 4 LW... for that, the Midnight News and "Sailing By"........

Today in parliament... Order Order!
mm

Greenman

I like John Peel and The Archers

watty

Originally posted by Capt'n Midnight
re: fitting satellite at work
Don't forget at just 33Kb per second you hit 14.8 MB in an hour. In a month it's 10.7 GB if left on 24/7 (someone will...) - which is way over most cap's...

I really hate when it's cricket on BBC R4 LW and you can't get FM ...

Well we arn't capped yet, nor even charged (yet) for ADSL. I plan ahead..

I hate it when the Alarm clock wakes me with Cricket instead of Regular R4. I'm sure I could wire one of my sat receiver audio outs into its volume control and then it wouldn't!

Yes I should get them to buy a Quad LNB (or even two).
4 wires in 8 core cat 5 don't do anything = two channel audio twised pair to every out let free.. Apart from the unused Rj45 jacks.
Why have jerky audio over IP tying up a PC when you can run audio direct from the satellite receiver?

Sin e an Fear

Why have jerky audio over IP tying up a PC when you can run audio direct from the satellite receiver?

Agreed, but for those struggling to receive Astra 2D, sin sceal eile, nach ea?

Anyway, BBC FTA will be receivable, that's what matters most....

Aepos

Has anyone got hold of a reasonable FM Stereo Transmitter to re-broadcast (at low power) R4 from a sky box??? I've tried it with limited success a few milliwatts (the walls in my house are solid and the signal is attenuated to much).

The bloody cricket drives me nuts this time of year on LW.

Cheers

watty

They are illegal. (without a licence from Comreg).

Use a pre-licenced 2.4GHz video sender. It works without video and the stereo audio uses two separate channels giving higher quality than FM stereo mulitplex system. Most of the illegal FM radio senders are only mono anyhow.

Aepos

Hello Watty,

Ive tried a couple of those, no use the attenuation through the walls of the bungalow is to great. Its an old house built of the old type of solid concrete block about twice as dense as a modern block, and all the interior walls are built of the same material. sending to adjoining rooms is fine, but any further is no use...

TTFN

Charles Slane

Latest news from MediaBullet regarding frequencies-


"10/06/03 Frequencies for BBC One regional announced

The BBC's two new frequencies, to be used for the six regions of BBC One have now been added this afternoon to the Network Information Table. The new frequencies are: 10.788 V, SR 22000 FEC 5/6, 10.818V, SR 22000 FEC 5/6. No date is known for the start of actual test transmissions. There are now 62 frequencies in Sky's Network Information Table."

Watch the skies !!!!

SRB

MOD EDIT:

Hi SRB and Aepos,

As the link provided is for a site for equipment that is technically illegal if it is imported here, then I had to remove your post.

If you want the link, use PM to contact SRB.

Damo.

SRB

Apologies Damo, on the same note, strictly speaking licensed videosenders are only to be used to transmit video and audio and NOT audio only. Use for audio only is technically against the terms of the license.

watty

Originally posted by Aepos
Hello Watty,

Ive tried a couple of those, no use the attenuation through the walls of the bungalow is to great. Its an old house built of the old type of solid concrete block about twice as dense as a modern block, and all the interior walls are built of the same material. sending to adjoining rooms is fine, but any further is no use...

TTFN

Get some long 3 core Video/Audio phono cable and run it straight into attic.

Put the Video Sender TX on the peak of the attic roof.

You'll get signal in all the rooms. Hint.. your foot goes through a cieling easily so does RF

If you had a TX strong enough to go through all the wall you suggest, it would "illuminate" out the window of the room it's in for several miles

Charles Slane

Can anyone see anything on 10.788 V, SR 22000 FEC 5/6 or 10.818V, SR 22000 FEC 5/6 with an FTA box ?

there's no sign of anything on a digibox (but as we know, a digibox doesn't always show what's there).

Richard

Originally posted by SRB
Apologies Damo, on the same note, strictly speaking licensed videosenders are only to be used to transmit video and audio and NOT audio only. Use for audio only is technically against the terms of the license.

If you took it from a Sky box there would be video - the search/scan banner!

Tony

Originally posted by Charles Slane
Can anyone see anything on 10.788 V, SR 22000 FEC 5/6 or 10.818V, SR 22000 FEC 5/6 with an FTA box ?

there's no sign of anything on a digibox (but as we know, a digibox doesn't always show what's there).

Nothing on these at 13.00 toady Weds Charles

Tony

Ballydung

BBC1 Regions Testing now:
10817V 22000 5/6
BBC ONE BS
BBC ONE NT
BBC ONE OX
BBC ONE PY
BBC ONE SO
BBC ONE TW

10788V 22000 5/6
BBC ONE BM
BBC ONE HL
BBC ONE LS
BBC ONE MR
BBC ONE NC
BBC ONE NO

(borrowed the above from another thread, think its more appropriate here)



I can get all these on my english sub, they are all BBC 1 English regions i.e Birmingham, North west, Yorks ..etc ..but no BBC 1 NI, Wales or Scotland !!!

Charles Slane

Are they FTA ?

Mossy Monk

not FTA yet. not too long to go

darkmaster2

Originally posted by watty


You'll get signal in all the rooms. Hint.. your foot goes through a cieling easily so does RF

Not if the attic has that foil insulation on the plasterboard.. 2.4Ghz WONT get through that stuff..

watty

Possibly True. But if it an old place with thick walls and not modern if won't.


I checked by own attic (15 year old 2 story semi). Foil on plasterboard. Yet a WiFi 802.11 2.4Ghz adaptor sitting in attic works laptop perfectly on all ground floor rooms. Even 2 ft away from a 2.4GHz Video sender transmitter.

Perhaps the signal goes through roof tiles and in windows or they don't use good foil or I have no idea why it isn't blocked.

In the office though the WiFi won't go from server room (3ft old cottage walls). The airpoint had to be in landing on stairwells to work in the offices.

Mike 1972

Audio FM transmitters (50mW should cover your house without upsetting The Gestapo aka COMREG)

Mod edit: Missed this earlier.
All very well, but still illegal. Google is your friend.

watty

Those are all illegal and will cause interference to neighbours up to 1/2 mile away.

watty

BBC Radio is definately back now on the FTA EPG (repower with card upside down).
This looks good for possible FTA EPG with BBC TV without UK card.
Negative:
BBC Paraliament and S4c~digidol still missing though FTA.

darkmaster2

Just make sure if you do get one, that its set to a frequency well clear of any radio stations.

watty

Without expensive test gear how will he know?

The stability, spurious emmisions, harmonics and deviation are all unpredicatable with cheap gear and on even professional gear the signal levels etc need to be correct for operation.

Comreg are not "Gestapo" or very proactive.

A licenced 2.4GHz video sender is easlily and cheaply avaliable as are licenced wireless speakers and wireless headphones. All can be adapted to drive HiFi. The video senders give higher quality stereo than FM multiplex stereo radio as two separate FM carriers are used. Illegal FM modules or kits either are mono or poor quality multiplex stereo. The expensive ones for RSL use give adequate quality Stereo, but even FM Radio "offical" broadcast stereo is lower quality than the stereo on a Video Sender, SkyDigital audio out or Nicam TV stereo.

Use of unlicenced and often substandard FM Radio transmitters is not just illegal but irresponsible too. Especially without techical training and test gear. You won't find a professional communcations engineer using them. I wonder why?

Check out the Argos catalog for safe, responsible and legal solutions.

Mossy Monk

Originally posted by watty
BBC Radio is definately back now on the FTA EPG

the two 5 lives are also there which wasn't the case before. they're still encrypted though

Greenman

Use a pre-licenced 2.4GHz video sender. It works without video and the stereo audio uses two separate channels giving higher quality than FM stereo mulitplex system.

The only problem is when a microwave oven in the neighbourhood is turned on you get a really dreadful clatter.
Maybe Watty you have a cure!!!! :cool:

watty

Report the offending Microwave.
The user will get cateracts.

A properly working SAFE microwave does not affect either Video snders or Wireless LAN.

I've tested extensively. One microwave that just "registered" on my signal sniffer didn't interfer either. It got replaced. The owner was nervous about a Microwave that had measurabel leakage.