Freesat/Saorview/Free to Air/Freeview

  • What is Satellite Free to Air?
  • What is Freesat?
  • What is Freeview?
  • What is Saorview?
  • What is DVB-T?
  • What is Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT)?
  • What channels can I get?
  • What is MPEG4? What is MPEG2? Which do I need for Saorview?
  • What is a Combi Receiver? What channels can I receive on a Free to Air and DTT receiver?
  • I bought a Freesat receiver and its asking me for a postcode, what do I enter?
  • I have Sky but want to change to Free to Air or Freesat. What do I have to change?
  • I have Sky and want to watch different channels in another room. Can I put Free to Air or Freesat in the other room?

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  • Freesat/Saorview/Free to Air/Freeview

    What is Satellite Free to Air? 

    Free to Air(FTA) is a term used to describe channels that you can legally receive without paying a subscription. The most popular FTA channels inc BBC1,2,3,4, ITV1,2,3,4, Channel 4, Five etc. These channels are received from the Astra satellite . For a list of channels available FTA on Astra see ?????????. FTA gives you what is on now and next for its EPG. If a program changes frequency/transponder you will have to retune this yourself. FTA receivers are very common in Ireland and prices and features vary greatly.

    What is Freesat? What is Satellite Free to Air?

    Freesat is a subscription-free satellite TV service. Freesat offer more than 140 TV, radio and interactive channels. Plus On Demand TV and two HD channels. Freesat receivers give a 7 day EPG and are compatible with the red button BBC interactive services. HD channel inc BBC HD, ITV HD, BBC ONE HD(Nov 2010) All Freesat channels are avaiable FTA. Freesat+ is a service similar to Sky+. It allows you to record one channel and watch another. With the 7 day EPG you can also plan recordings and series link. See http://www.freesat.co.uk/ for more info.

    What is Freeview?

    Freeview is managed by DTV Services Ltd, a company owned and run by its five shareholders - BBC, BSkyB, Channel 4, ITV and Arqiva. Launched in October 2002, the Freeview service provides free-to-air digital TV channels, radio stations and interactive services through an aerial in the UK. The Freeview service is only available in border areas and in limited areas of the East coast of Ireland. Freeview leads to a lot of confusion in Ireland with people purchasing Freeview Digital ready TVs but Freeview is not an Irish service. So the term Freeview should not be used when discussing channels receivable in Ireland

    How to run Satellite and Aerial down a single cable?

    To run Satellite and Aerial down a single cable you need to use TV/SAT Combiners ?????link????.You use one TV/SAT combiner to combine the signals and one to split the signals. These TV/SAT Combiners are particularly handy when installing a Combi Receiver. An example setup is to combine(using TV/SAT Combiner) the signals in the attic of a house, run a single cable down to receiver, than split(using TV/St Combiner).

     

    What is Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT)?

    DTT is the new service RTE have lauched to succeed the analog television system. Digital television brings excellent video and audio quality, an electronic programme guide, and digital teletext.

     

    What is DVB-T?

    DVB-T is the broadcast standard for Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT).

     

    What is Saorview?

    SAORVIEW is Ireland’s first free digital television service. It brings you all your favourite Irish channels, crystal-clear pictures, better quality sound, on-screen programme menus and digital teletext – all for free.

     

    What channels can I get?

    Currently avaible channels inc:

    RTE1

    RTE2

    TV3

    TG4

    RTE News Now

    3e

    RTE1+1

    RTEjnr + 10 Radio Stations

     

    How do I receive it?

    To receive Saorview you need a compatible TV or receiver and a UHF aerial

    How do I know if I have signal coverage?

    Check on the RTE coverage checker see http://www.saorview.ie/make-the-switch/coverage-checker/

    How do I know if my TV is compatible with Saorview?

    All TVs displaying the Saorview logo are Saorview approved. If your TV has an MPEG4 tuner it can receive Saorview, most TVs purchased since early 2010 should have this tuner. Many UK models which were sold in the UK only had MPEG2 so please beware these will not work.

    My TV is too old, Help?

    We have all you need for Saorview. See our Saorview receivers here http://www.megavision.ie/satellite-aerial-equipment/satellite-receivers/terrestrial-mpeg-4-receivers.html

    I have an aerial but don't know if its UHF?

    There are a number of simple tests to help you determine if your aerial will receive the SAORVIEW signal:

    1. If you currently receive TV3 as an analogue service through your aerial then your aerial is most likely fine and is pointing in the right direction. You should not need to do anything with your aerial.
    2. If you currently receive RTÉ One, RTÉ Two and TG4 as an analogue service through your aerial but do not receive TV3 then your aerial is most likely fine but for some homes it will be pointing in the wrong direction.
    3. If you receive only RTÉ One and RTÉ Two as an analogue service through your aerial and do not receive TV3 and TG4 then you need a new UHF aerial and you need to have it pointed at the best transmission site for your area.

    I need a UHF Saorview aerial?

    We have all you need for Saorview see this link for UHF aerials http://www.megavision.ie/satellite-aerial-equipment/tv-and-radio-aerials.html

     

    What is MPEG4? What is MPEG2? Which do I need for Saorview?

    MPEG-4 and MPEG-2 are video compression formats. Irish DTT/Saorview uses MPEG-4 video compression over a DVB-T infrastructure.


    UK Freeview uses MPEG-2 over DVB-T for its standard definition channels and MPEG-4 over DVB-T2 for its high definition channels.


    So what does this mean?


    A standard definition Freeview receiver will not work with Irish DTT/Saorview. Please make note of this as this is a very common mistake.


    A high definition Freeview receiver will work with Irish DTT/Saorview to a certain extent.

     

    What is Saorsat?

    Saorsat is a proposed free to air satellite service which will complement Saorview, catering for the remaining 2% of the population who will not get Saorview coverage. Saorsat will be transmitted from a satellite and is received using a satellite dish. Note: Saorsat will not be available on the Astra satellite the Sky or FTA BBC channels are available on.

     

    Example headline

    What is a Combi Receiver? What channels can I receive on a Free to Air and DTT receiver?

    A Combi receiver is a term used to describe a receiver with two tuners. MPEG4 and FTA combi receivers are very popular due to the launch of Irish DTT from October 1010 onwards. These receivers allow you to receive Saorview and FTA channels. See this link for Combi receivers http://www.megavision.ie/satellite-aerial-equipment/satellite-receivers/combined-digital-receiver-fta-dtt.html

     

    I bought a Freesat receiver and its asking me for a postcode, what do I enter?

    Freesat has regional variations so uses the postcode system to determine what region appears. Obviously in Ireland we do not have UK postcodes so you decide what region you wish to watch and enter the appropriate post code.

    For example for Northern Ireland you could use BT7 1EB for London you could use SW1A 1AA

    I have Sky but want to change to Free to Air or Freesat. What do I have to change?

    It is possible to receive Free to Air on a Sky receiver

     

    I have Sky and want to watch different channels in another room. I don't want to pay for Multiroom! Can I put Free to Air or Freesat in the other room?

    Yes, you can. You will have to run a cable from the LNB on the dish into the room you want to put the FTA/Freesat receiver. If your LNB does not have any spare outputs you will have to buy a quad(4 output) or octo(8 output) LNB.



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