Internet/T.V.

[jenna m]

Can I pick up BBC radio stations on a Sky box, in Spain??
Is it possible to have an internet connection via Sky also?
I don't need a landline and I am looking for the most economic option.
Thanks, Jenna

[Wicksey]

You can get all the BBC radio stations through the free package from Sky but I think you would need to be in the UK and have the phoneline connected to get the internet.
I have no landline but receive a Broadband signal via wireless system with a local company. There are quite a few different companies about now so that those of us up in the hills can have the internet. Good ol' Telefonica certainly aren't interested in giving us lines and I'm pleased not to have to pay them any money, particularly as I found the service poor when I used them in the past. I pay 39€ pm for the internet but as I can also use the computer to phone out (with most calls to landlines, here and to the UK, being free) I think it's fairly good value.

[Beachcomber]

The free to air channels of both BBC (TV and radio) and ITV are nothing whatsoever to do with Sky and form no part of a Sky package

They appear on the EPG on a Sky digibox but they can be equally well received on any free to air satellite receiver costing a fraction of the price of a Sky digibox and much more reliable to boot.

[jenna m]

Just 2 more questions -
can you get English subtitles on films when you only have the Spanish stations ?
Would a digital (?) radio pick up the bbc?

[spanish_lad]

no, radio wouldn't pick up any bbc / uk based stations. (afaik.)

as beach says, a normal 1.3m dish (€80) with universal lnb (€40) hooked up to a freeview multi reciever box (€30 more or less) will pick up most if not all of the channels that would otherwise be avaliable with a sky box.

if you were to have a "SKY" box installed it would cost €299+.

so it'd be about half the price of sky if you did it with the freeview boxes.

and no, i dont mean a set top box that you buy in the uk.

alternativly, for around £30 you can get a second hand box from somewhere. there was someone on the coast selling older sky boxes for €5 in the town crier !!

[Beachcomber]

If you have TDT (the Spanish equivalent of UK terrestrial Freeview) you will find that some programmes and films carry an English language soundtrack accessed by pressing the 'Audio' button on the remote control.

A DAB radio will only receive a very limited number of Spanish radio stations.

If you just want to receive BBC radio stations you could do so on an 80cm dish and a free to air satellite receiver. You would also get some TV programmes but mostly shopping and God channels. Certainly not BBC or ITV.

[masterob]

You can get all the BBC radio stations via the Internet by logging on the BBC web site. I´m assuming of course, that you have Internet access.

[jenna m]

I was trying to avoid the monthly costs of telephone/internet for the moment., as I will not be in Spain for long periods of time.

Problem is that I don't even have Sky satellite here at home, never mind in Spain!
Thanks for all your info on this.
Jenna

[vindaloo1973]

I am paying €33 a month + Telefonica Landline for my phone. That includes ADSL + unlimited calls to EU countries + 600 mins to Spanish landline calls. There are lots of phone offers around as well cheap satellite systems.I wouldn't pay the prices that some companies are offering. It pays to look around.

[costapacket]

When we bought our place cabling was in situ for spanish TV. Then some people wanted SKY and it was decided at an AGM that one dish per portal be allowed and the cost be borne by those who wanted SKY.

Now some of the spanish residents are complaining about TDT (I think) something to do with digital TV and I'm sure it is going to be mentioned at our next AGM. I think I would be a bit peeved if the cost for this was borne by the community as SKY wasn't. I've a feeling because we are in Spain there may be some law or something that we are obliged to provide spanish TV.

Any views on this?

[spanish_lad]

i thought the rule said that a person cannot be denied access to tv in their own language? so you HAVE to be allowed it. i have no idea who has to pay for it tho ?

[costapacket]

Yes I think that is the law but it is not a question of not letting them have it - its more a question of who pays for it. The fact that it is spanish TV and we are in Spain will the community as a whole be require to pay or do you think the cost can be shared between only the owners who want it.

I'm probably worrying about nothing but after paying 595€ for setting up the Sky connection in our portal I'm going to be a bit peeved if I have to pay for TDT as well as I don't want it anyway.

[chrissiehope]

Some interesting info here, but it doesn't quite fit my question - assuming we have an internet connection in Spain (trying to organise it at the moment), can we watch any TV via our laptop when we're in Spain ?

I've come across something called a DVB -T usb connector which has something to do with watching TV over the Net, but do they work in Spain ?

If we get a TDT box, can that be hooked up to a laptop ? The main thing is we don't have a TV at the moment, and don't really want to get one for the time being, just want to be able to watch the odd bit of news etc. We're not on the coast, so are unlikely to get the UK TV much anyway (unless we have a mega dish on the outside of the house !) - I think it's Astra 2 we will be able to receive.

Not really very techie, but can follow instructions.......!

[Dealer]

Some interesting info here, but it doesn't quite fit my question - assuming we have an internet connection in Spain (trying to organise it at the moment), can we watch any TV via our laptop when we're in Spain ?

Yes!

You can use a 'Slingbox' click below for details..........

SlingBox

[chrissiehope]

But with Slingbox don't you have to
a.) have Sky? and/or
b.) have an 'always on' computer in UK ?
c.) have a good fast broadband connection at both ends ? Not sure from what I've seen on A.com that there is such a beast in Spain !!

[tidal]

OK

for what specific receptionsyou are asking for
1)as someone else has said you can get all the BBC radio channels on a cheap lidl/eroski 80cm satellite kit as these are available even on the hotbird sat
(You can also get some of the bbcs digital tv sport coverage at the present time )

2) Most reasonable spanish computer shops will either stock a digital/analogue tv card (for pcs) or a usb box which you connect to a tv aerial and will get you the spanish Digital tv (fta stuff) which does on certain programmes like films give you language options on the audio set up. (as mentoned earlier)




3) if you really want to be flash you can buy a scart to phono adaptor and (if you go down the pc card route) have all the above through your computer.


I have 1 2 and 3 --Works well even in the wilds of the campo


umm edited to point out that there are some "interesting" programmes on Sexta digital late on the night at weekends----be warned

[chrissiehope]

Thanks for this, Tidal.

What do they call the usb box thing you mentioned ?

We've got a Lidl portable satellite dish, tho we've not tried using it yet - we have all the necessary aerials (I think ! At least, that's what we paid for !!)

So, if we get one of the usb box gizmos we should be able to hook the laptop and the satellite dish up to the aerial and get some basic tv - I can't remember which satellite it is round our way, but it could well be hotbird (the link is on another computer to the one I'm using, so I can't check).

Is there an idiots guide to connecting all this stuff in the right order ?!


Just seen your edited version - don't worry, we go to bed early in the campo !!

[tidal]

I have the Aver tv card in my pute
They also do a usb one too.

[tidal]

Note
DO buy a spanish one. The UK ones didn't work when I brought mine over.

[chrissiehope]

Ah, thanks - I was just looking at the one on offer in Viking.......! Maybe I could order over the internet - then again, we haven't got a post box, so probably not - have to get one when we're out there in Dec. Know any good shops in the Antequera region...?