Digital television in Spain
Digital television in Spain
We recently purchased an HD ready Sony Digital television and would like to view Freeview English channels. At the moment I have an ordinary television aerial pointed to Comares which is in direct line of sight. Can anyone tell me what we need to receive Freeview channels, and is it something that you can set up yourself?
-
Campo Kenny
When we were last over and had Sky (1.3) metre dish installed, we enquired about just having digital freeview. Most of the guys we spoke to were fitting 1.2 for digital and as stated 1.3 for Sky. We opted for Sky as if you have to have a dish disfiguring the house I felt it better to have one that picks up more channels.
Kenny
Kenny
-
Design Guru
- Andalucia.com Amigo
- Posts: 29
- Joined: Sun Mar 19, 2006 10:34 am
-
El Cid
- Andalucia Guru
- Posts: 16073
- Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2004 10:42 pm
- Location: La Herradura, Costa Tropical, Granada
Yes I have actually.
I bought a cheap (8 euro) garden sprayer which developed a leak under pressure about 6 months later.
I contacted them through their website and registered my problem.
Two weeks later a new unit arrived by post from Germany. The cost of the postage exceeded the cost of the unit.
Sid
I bought a cheap (8 euro) garden sprayer which developed a leak under pressure about 6 months later.
I contacted them through their website and registered my problem.
Two weeks later a new unit arrived by post from Germany. The cost of the postage exceeded the cost of the unit.
Sid
-
country boy
- Andalucia Guru
- Posts: 2829
- Joined: Mon Jun 28, 2004 9:49 pm
- Location: U.K. (prev Pizarra 2000/2020).
I have also, Alpujarra and had no problem. Have you actually tried it, or are you one of these who are happy to jump on the bandwagon of wingers about Lidl products, but never actually tried/used it yourself!!Alpujarra wrote:3 years eh?
Have ever you tried claiming on a Lidl warranty?
What you said about their web site kind of sums up the after sales service....it is not functioning properly.
vino, sol y aire, y seras rico como nadie
-
El Cid
- Andalucia Guru
- Posts: 16073
- Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2004 10:42 pm
- Location: La Herradura, Costa Tropical, Granada
Have a look at their website atcountry boy wrote:It's a Silver Crest, and it's very good indeed.
http://www.mysilvercrest.de/en/kategorie.php?k=15
As I said, it is a Lidl brand.
Sid
Alpujarra= 3 years eh? Have ever you tried claiming on a Lidl warranty?
What you said about their web site kind of sums up the after sales service....it is not functioning properly.
Karandjon = I have also, Alpujarra and had no problem. Have you actually tried it, or are you one of these who are happy to jump on the bandwagon of wingers about Lidl products, but never actually tried/used it yourself!!
Alpujarra = Glad to hear you had good service from Germany Cid. I wonder why you didn't just take your purchace back to the Lidl store in Spain? Karandjon ....pay attention ..please!
My goodness are you really that dense, Alpujarra? "Pay attention?" What on earth are you drivelling on about? The above comment makes no sense whatsoever, and has no relevance to anything?
What you said about their web site kind of sums up the after sales service....it is not functioning properly.
Karandjon = I have also, Alpujarra and had no problem. Have you actually tried it, or are you one of these who are happy to jump on the bandwagon of wingers about Lidl products, but never actually tried/used it yourself!!
Alpujarra = Glad to hear you had good service from Germany Cid. I wonder why you didn't just take your purchace back to the Lidl store in Spain? Karandjon ....pay attention ..please!
My goodness are you really that dense, Alpujarra? "Pay attention?" What on earth are you drivelling on about? The above comment makes no sense whatsoever, and has no relevance to anything?
vino, sol y aire, y seras rico como nadie
I didn't actually make any reference to Lidl products, only the after sales service via the outlets in Spain. (which is sub-standard)
Sid pursued his warranty claim via Lidl head office in Germany.
I doubt that he would have had the same successful outcome had he pursued his warranty claim via the store in Spain.
I appreciate that you find this subject challenging, however, I hope I have explained this in a way that you will understand. As, as you will no doubt appreciate, it is difficult for me to explain this ever- so complex subject to you in words of less than one syllable.
Sid pursued his warranty claim via Lidl head office in Germany.
I doubt that he would have had the same successful outcome had he pursued his warranty claim via the store in Spain.
I appreciate that you find this subject challenging, however, I hope I have explained this in a way that you will understand. As, as you will no doubt appreciate, it is difficult for me to explain this ever- so complex subject to you in words of less than one syllable.
-
El Cid
- Andalucia Guru
- Posts: 16073
- Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2004 10:42 pm
- Location: La Herradura, Costa Tropical, Granada
I did that because it was the most convenient way. The product was no longer in stock (it was 6 months since I bought it).Alpujarra wrote: Sid pursued his warranty claim via Lidl head office in Germany. I doubt that he would have had the same successful outcome had he pursued his warranty claim via the store in Spain.
On a previous occasion I bought a pedometer which proved to be innacurate. I took it back to the store and my money was immediately refunded. A couple of days later I had a phone call from their customer service department asking me exactly what the problem was and apologising for the inconvenience I had suffered.
Sid
Back to the Freeview question. I currently have the free channels on Sky with a 1.3m dish but the Sky box (7 year old Panasonic) goes through phases of freezing up. Not the picture but the box won't do anything at all and the red light sticks on. It used to be OK after the unplugging/plug back in routine but now it sometimes needs to be off all night before it resets itself the next day.
Right ....... the question is: if I buy a Freeview box as a backup for when the Skybox freezes, can I simply plug it in and watch TV or will the Sky dish on the roof be misaligned as it's a different type of receiver??
Hope there's someone out there that can help as it leaves us with only the Spanish TV to watch, which drives us nuts when we're stuck with it all night long
Right ....... the question is: if I buy a Freeview box as a backup for when the Skybox freezes, can I simply plug it in and watch TV or will the Sky dish on the roof be misaligned as it's a different type of receiver??
Hope there's someone out there that can help as it leaves us with only the Spanish TV to watch, which drives us nuts when we're stuck with it all night long
-
Don
I'm not an expert on all these things Wicksey but the dish alignment is only to do with which satellite. Shouldnt matter which box you have provided the services come from the same satellite.
My old Panasonic box too freezes up now and again if too many buttons pressed too quickly but always resets after a few seconds off.
My old Panasonic box too freezes up now and again if too many buttons pressed too quickly but always resets after a few seconds off.
-
El Cid
- Andalucia Guru
- Posts: 16073
- Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2004 10:42 pm
- Location: La Herradura, Costa Tropical, Granada
Let's just clarify the terminology.
A "Freeview" box is the UK name for a Digital Terrestrial receiver which needs a "normal" aerial. In Spain it is called a TDT receiver. A UK Freeview box will work in Spain but only get Spanish TV.
When I mentioned the Lidl box, that is a satellite receiver which can receive the UK "free to air" channels. ie BBC and ITV via a big dish. Its just like a Sky Digibox but without the Sky EPG and the ability to take a card.
It cannot receive C4 and C5 because they are encrypted "free to view" channels which need a card in a Sky Digibox to decrypt them.
To confuse the issue even more, next year the BBC will introduce a "Freesat" service which uses the same satellites as Sky and they will market a range of receivers - essentially this is the present "Freeview" service but via satellite rather than a terrestrial aerial. They are haveing to do this as some areas of the UK will never get "Freeview" because of the geography and they do not want Sky to be the only other digital alternative.
To get back to your question, yes, a generic satellite receiver will receive the "free to air" channels on your present dish without any modification and so will the BBC "Freesat" box when it becomes available next year.
I had a Panasonic Digibox which suffered the same problem as yours. It was caused when Sky updated their software and it messed up the Panasonic box causing it to lock up, particularly if you selected a channel with a poor signal.
Have you tried changing the default transponder to one on the stronger south beam? That may be why it won't reset until the morning when the signal on the default transponder is stronger.
Sid
A "Freeview" box is the UK name for a Digital Terrestrial receiver which needs a "normal" aerial. In Spain it is called a TDT receiver. A UK Freeview box will work in Spain but only get Spanish TV.
When I mentioned the Lidl box, that is a satellite receiver which can receive the UK "free to air" channels. ie BBC and ITV via a big dish. Its just like a Sky Digibox but without the Sky EPG and the ability to take a card.
It cannot receive C4 and C5 because they are encrypted "free to view" channels which need a card in a Sky Digibox to decrypt them.
To confuse the issue even more, next year the BBC will introduce a "Freesat" service which uses the same satellites as Sky and they will market a range of receivers - essentially this is the present "Freeview" service but via satellite rather than a terrestrial aerial. They are haveing to do this as some areas of the UK will never get "Freeview" because of the geography and they do not want Sky to be the only other digital alternative.
To get back to your question, yes, a generic satellite receiver will receive the "free to air" channels on your present dish without any modification and so will the BBC "Freesat" box when it becomes available next year.
I had a Panasonic Digibox which suffered the same problem as yours. It was caused when Sky updated their software and it messed up the Panasonic box causing it to lock up, particularly if you selected a channel with a poor signal.
Have you tried changing the default transponder to one on the stronger south beam? That may be why it won't reset until the morning when the signal on the default transponder is stronger.
Sid
Many thanks for that info Sid.
When I said Freeview, I meant the Spanish version that presumably is the one for sale in Lidl (I just meant the free to air channels). So you're saying that it will work with my Sky dish as it is? The lack of Chs 4 & 5 isn't a problem as it would only be a cheap backup for when the Sky box is down.
Second question, how do I change the default transponder? We do seem to be having some pixilation on Ch 4 and, I think, ITV2 later in the evening. Ch 5 on 105 disappears although I do have it on 7505. It could be that the dish has moved very slightly in the wind I suppose, but it's not been perfect since we moved here.
When I said Freeview, I meant the Spanish version that presumably is the one for sale in Lidl (I just meant the free to air channels). So you're saying that it will work with my Sky dish as it is? The lack of Chs 4 & 5 isn't a problem as it would only be a cheap backup for when the Sky box is down.
Second question, how do I change the default transponder? We do seem to be having some pixilation on Ch 4 and, I think, ITV2 later in the evening. Ch 5 on 105 disappears although I do have it on 7505. It could be that the dish has moved very slightly in the wind I suppose, but it's not been perfect since we moved here.
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 11 guests