Does Astra 28.5 work in Ireland?

amandstu · 03-03-2026 01:48PM #1

I have an old satellite tuner that is tuned to Astra 28.2 .

Some of the FTA channels are very dicky.

I have tried deleting and reinstalling individual frequencies ,some successfully but I can't get BBC RB to work with the sound(it works without sound)

I am wondering if I can add Astra 28.5 to my list of satellites and try to tune in any stations from there (without moving the dish)?

I can't seem to find out online what is available on Astra 28.5 and if it has FTA channels or if it is possibly just subscription based.

I could just try it I suppose but when I try to change ,say frequencies on the existing Astra 28.2 by small increments it doesn't allow me to do so and instead gives me the message "channel already exists" - so that I worry that it might not allow me to add 28.5 to 28.2 because they are too close.(and my tuner is on its last legs-out of stock now and the remote is cracked)

banie01 · 03-03-2026 02:00PM

Astra 28.5 is Astra 28.2, they are for all practical purposes the same sat position.
There are no channels available as "28.5" exclusive, they are all already received via an up to date TP list.
It's also why any channel you try to tune already exists.

The Cush · 03-03-2026 02:04PM

https://www.lyngsat.com/Astra-2E-2F-2G.html

The Astra sats serving these islands are located 28.3 degrees. Provided your dish is properly aligned you will pick-up all available satellites in that neighbourhood.

Satellites separated by point something of a degree are basically co -located.

At one time satellites had a 3 degree separation to avoid interference with neighbouring satellites but I believe that 2 degrees separation in now allowed.

amandstu · 03-03-2026 02:06PM

Thanks. All clear now

Tony · 04-03-2026 01:41PM

It could be useful to try a "network search" which will download and update the correct transponder frequencies from the satellite

amandstu · 05-03-2026 04:38AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124284095#Comment_124284095

20260305_033104.jpg

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This is all I could find .It lists "Network Setting" but the Status is "Invalid!" and "Device" seems to be locked into "None"

So I guess some connection may be missing or something not plugged in that I don't know about.

I doubt this Borc receiver is supported now ....

Edit I just noticed that you own satellite.ie so you probably remember this machine.

I don't remember the model but on the barcode on the back it is written 2017BORC7476 and here is a picture of it

20260305_043847.jpg

Tony · 05-03-2026 11:21AM

I've not come across that brand before I'm afraid . The network search option should appear in satellite scan or transponnder scan . The screens you should refer to a local LAN network so its a bit confusing.

amandstu · 05-03-2026 01:38PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124286933#Comment_124286933

I am a bit worried when doing a satellite scan since the obvious thing to do (as I did before) is to delete the satellite setting (astra 28.2) along with all the frequency settings and start again from scratch.

I worry because the equipment is so old and that I might get stuck with nothing at all.

Would it be possible to add the same satellite setting (with a different name or ,say at 28.3 if that is allowed) and do a new search on that in the hope that it gets the same channels but with sound on the BBC RB (which is lacking now)?

Perhaps the local LAN network setting was installed in anticipation of services like Netflix that I don't remember being available (or desired by me) when I got it a long time ago(looks like 2017 from the barcode if that is what the 2017 refers to)

dxhound2005 · 05-03-2026 09:19PM

When I saw the brand name Borc, I knew there was something familiar about this discussion. You said back in 2024 that it was on its last legs then, and you had no sound on the Red Button. Time to get some new kit, if you have the money. A new TV with a satellite tuner would cut out the need for a box. And if your dish is as old as the rest of your stuff, it could be the cause of some of the channels being "very dicky".

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058288873/list-of-recent-bbc-frequency-changes

amandstu · 05-03-2026 10:39PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124288716#Comment_124288716

It is an ongoing fight on multiple fronts between the receiver ,the remote ,the dish and the aerial.

The TV itself works fine

Tony · 06-03-2026 04:18PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124287346#Comment_124287346

I doubt it as another satellite setting would not have the correct transponder settings. You could try Astra 1 and do a network search as it has some common transponder settings with astra 2

amandstu · 06-03-2026 05:08PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124290878#Comment_124290878

Presumably I would have to move the dish?

Tony · 06-03-2026 05:53PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124291042#Comment_124291042

no ,do not move the dish

amandstu · 06-03-2026 08:49PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124291168#Comment_124291168

Thanks,I will give it a try.

amandstu · 07-03-2026 04:20AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124291168#Comment_124291168

When I went to Installation/Satellite List there was just the one Satellite listed .It was called #1: "New Sat" and had 28.2 longitude Direction East

(Presumably Astra 28.2 which I am using on the receiver)

I pressed the green add button on the remote( as require from the screen) but when I tried to add 19.2 E to the list there was no facility to give the new listing a name ,but when I filled in the Longitude and Direction fields(19.2,East) and pressed save it told me that "Satellite already exist"

I imagine that is because the Name was the same as the existing 28.2 East listing.

There are no letters on the remote and the Name field didn't accept numbers either .It was like it is just filled in and can't be edited

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20260307_031157.jpg

20260307_030858_030.jpg

The Cush · 07-03-2026 08:55AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124292799#Comment_124292799

Don't bother adding Astra 19. This section is for preloaded satellite transponder lists to make it convenient when tuning if your dish is pointing at that location. Won't help with 28E anyway.

Your receiver was preloaded for Astra 28.2 but this list and tuning parameters is probably well out of date now.

If you have time, using the latest Lyngsat list, delete the dead transponders on the list, add the missing ones, and update the others as occasionally the transponder parameters can change, such as Symbol Rate, modulation etc.

Looking at the picture with the signal details, the dish could probably do with a slight adjustment to bring those numbers up and if the dish is up there a while an LNB change might be a good idea.

Tony · 07-03-2026 10:48AM

Try 10.818 V and make sure the symbol rate is set to 23000. Try a transponder scan also sometimes described as TP scan and enable network search . This may well pick up the transponder updated info from the satellite to save you manually editing the existing parameters. If this does not work try a few other transponders from lyngsat list as Cush suggests

Antenna · 07-03-2026 01:11PM

amandstu: " can't get BBC RB to work with the sound(it works without sound) "

Unlikely the issue, but have you tried pressing the audio button on the remote? (for selection of different audio /narritave/ languages (where applicable)) just in case the valid audio track has to be selected on BBC RB for some reason.

+ Are you sure you have deleted all the now non-working BBC channels from the past before scanning again, just in case it is affecting getting BBC RB now?

dxhound2005 · 07-03-2026 04:10PM

Going back to the "Some of the FTA channels are very dicky". I can relate to that from the old box I was using, before I switched to Freesat using the tuner in my LG OLED TV. The ITV HD channels were what I call "glitching" to the extent that they were unwatchable. Not as bad on BBC HD but noticeable. So it could be the quality of the processor in the box which is making them dicky, unless they are SD channels

What AI says, but there are other reports as well.

Old satellite boxes (specifically SD-only or early HD models) are struggling with ITV HD channels due to a recent, major, all-HD upgrade by ITV in October 2024, which altered transmission parameters. These changes make the signal more demanding, causing older processors to glitch, pixelate, or freeze.

swoofer · 07-03-2026 09:26PM

good lnb and dish 68cm correctly aligned plus a good receiver = job done.

goldiefresh · 07-03-2026 10:15PM

...

goldiefresh · 07-03-2026 10:20PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058434925/does-astra-28-5-work-in-ireland

Don't waste your time that receiver can't decode ac3 audio used by some hd channels so only good for sd channels or the odd hd one that doesn't use it.

Does Astra 28.5 work in Ireland?

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