Has anyone actually lost their TV signal yet?

[telboy]

Cant really find an accurate diagram of the Astra 2e UK Spot Beam.

One of the diagrams I've found includes northern France/Holland/and part of Germany as part of the footprint. Does this mean that where the 'Spot Beam' drops off, there's absolutely no signal no matter what size dish you have?

Also, does anyone know whether there is ExpatShield for Macs?

Terry

[satandpcguy]

Cant really find an accurate diagram of the Astra 2e UK Spot Beam.

One of the diagrams I've found includes northern France/Holland/and part of Germany as part of the footprint. Does this mean that where the 'Spot Beam' drops off, there's absolutely no signal no matter what size dish you have?

Also, does anyone know whether there is ExpatShield for Macs?

Terry

http://www.satandpcguy.com/Site/astra_2 ... _spain.php

The image is simply showing the dish size required for a signal in those areas - the outer ring saying a 60cm dish will receive a signal in those areas.

The images does not mean no signal in other areas (there is no need for SES to show reception outside the UK for a UK beam!)

Nor does it indicate what sized dish you need to receive those signals in other areas.

And, as we have found out, these offical maps can be a bit more conservative than actual reception, and does not take into account any errors / reflector damage that may cause side lobes, - a good example is that where I am i can still receive channels on 2F on my 80cm dish just like i could before they moved from 1N.

No map is available for required dish sizes in other areas, and nothing will be available offically from SES. And actual reception and dish sized will only be known once the satellite is operational, and posted on websites..like

https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=21 ... ,39.506836

[Lyric]

this again from the Astra2 forum, it is experimental but does project a poor future for the CDS, the prediction for RX 1 are for a very good system, RX2 is more average.

Posted for interest only, this is not definitive.

[El Cid]

Any footprint projections are a waste of time as was proved when 2F went into service.

The footprint maps for the UK are probably accurate enough but outside the UK the eventual footprint will only be know when they actually start transmitting - not before.

Not even Astra/SES know exactly what the reception will be outside the UK.Anything else is pure speculation.

Sid

[Lyric]

I agree, that is for 2f, seems fair at accuracy, and I did say for interest only.
There are people who don't even grasp the footprint at all and can't understand why northern Portugal gets a signal and much of Spain doesn't "as it's nearer"
Mod it away if you wish.

[knowal]

Cant really find an accurate diagram of the Astra 2e UK Spot Beam.

One of the diagrams I've found includes northern France/Holland/and part of Germany as part of the footprint. Does this mean that where the 'Spot Beam' drops off, there's absolutely no signal no matter what size dish you have?

Also, does anyone know whether there is ExpatShield for Macs?

Terry

http://www.satandpcguy.com/Site/astra_2 ... _spain.php

The image is simply showing the dish size required for a signal in those areas - the outer ring saying a 60cm dish will receive a signal in those areas.

The images does not mean no signal in other areas (there is no need for SES to show reception outside the UK for a UK beam!)

Nor does it indicate what sized dish you need to receive those signals in other areas.

And, as we have found out, these offical maps can be a bit more conservative than actual reception, and does not take into account any errors / reflector damage that may cause side lobes, - a good example is that where I am i can still receive channels on 2F on my 80cm dish just like i could before they moved from 1N.

No map is available for required dish sizes in other areas, and nothing will be available offically from SES. And actual reception and dish sized will only be known once the satellite is operational, and posted on websites..like

https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=21 ... ,39.506836

If the signal for 2e is 47dB as is suggested in your image, it looks much more hopeful for us here in Southern Spain.
According to my chart a 1.1m dish produces a 12dB clear sky C/N at 11GHz. We have been working with lower margins with 2d.

[satandpcguy]

If the signal for 2e is 47dB as is suggested in your image, it looks much more hopeful for us here in Southern Spain.
According to my chart a 1.1m dish produces a 12dB clear sky C/N at 11GHz. We have been working with lower margins with 2d.

But the map does not show anything, beyond the outer ring.
So you cannot really tell anything from it - especially if there is any steep signal drop off at the edges.

And this 2E uk beam map is pretty much exactly the same map for 2Fs UK beam, that you are currently having difficulties in receving!
And its the same map as 2G's uk beam.

And we know that final reception is alot different to actual reception - just look at the offical astra maps for 2D - totally different to actual reception.

And take 2F, uk beam. Barcelona struggling on 1.2m dishes, as is Madrid, and south of Torrevieja, but between Valencia and Alicante 1m dishes get it fine...which is totally different to officalmaps that have been released.

And all it takes is for the reflector on the satellite to be ever so slightly knocked or damaged, to cause a HUGE change in the footprint...our good reception of 2F may be down to that, or it is someone as Astra / Astrium who has a house in this area.....

Until it is operational no one will know what reception of 2E or 2G will be like..

[peteroldracer]

I am pinning my hopes on just what satandpcguy has mentioned - that enough very senior people at the broadcasters and satellite companies, along with English-speaking 'stars' of the media, will do something to ensure they can watch as much as at present when they are in their holiday mansions. It would be nice to know if anyone in the Spanish government has realised the detrimental effect of in a way cutting Spain off from a valuable service, and is 'having a word' with the powers that be.

[knowal]

If the signal for 2e is 47dB as is suggested in your image, it looks much more hopeful for us here in Southern Spain.
According to my chart a 1.1m dish produces a 12dB clear sky C/N at 11GHz. We have been working with lower margins with 2d.

But the map does not show anything, beyond the outer ring.
So you cannot really tell anything from it - especially if there is any steep signal drop off at the edges.

And this 2E uk beam map is pretty much exactly the same map for 2Fs UK beam, that you are currently having difficulties in receving!
And its the same map as 2G's uk beam.

And we know that final reception is alot different to actual reception - just look at the offical astra maps for 2D - totally different to actual reception.

And take 2F, uk beam. Barcelona struggling on 1.2m dishes, as is Madrid, and south of Torrevieja, but between Valencia and Alicante 1m dishes get it fine...which is totally different to officalmaps that have been released.

And all it takes is for the reflector on the satellite to be ever so slightly knocked or damaged, to cause a HUGE change in the footprint...our good reception of 2F may be down to that, or it is someone as Astra / Astrium who has a house in this area.....

Until it is operational no one will know what reception of 2E or 2G will be like..

Are we talking about the same map?

[El Cid]

That's the PE - Pan European beam. The other map was the UK spot beam.

Sid

[markwilding]

A question to Satguy

Here in the north I´m losing the signal for 4HD and 5 etc at around 10:30 in the evening. If I changed my LNB only, would I benefit enough not to have to buy a new dish?
The current LNB has been in use almost 10 years.

[satandpcguy]

Sometimes using a more up to date LNB can help.
If, for example, you are currently using a 0.6 or 0.5 ir 0.3 rated LNB, and swap it to a 0.1 LNB (like a inverto ulra black), then you will notice a great difference in reception, and it should help with reception -

However, it may also be that your dish is simply on the edge of reception, so a small bit of cloud can reduced the signal at the dish anyway, and no amount of LNB can help with a signal if it simply is not there...

[satandpcguy]

Are we talking about the same map?

No.

The channels like Five and C4HD have moved to 2Fs UK Beam - hence the loss of reception of these channels on your current dishes and the need to "go big".

As far as we know NO channels have moved yet to its Pan European beam, whose coverage is much "wider" and "easier" than the uK beam, and should be available in Spain on say 1m dishes...so in theory you should not lose channels that are placed onto these PE beams....

2E will also have UK and PE beams.
As will 2G.

[knowal]

Thanks Cid and Satguy, that clears up my misunderstanding - hmmm, not that good news for ex-pats interested in UK TV.

[ajtg1952]

Channel 5 HD is apparently still available on Channel 171 on a Sky box, but I don't seem to be able to get it. I don't have a card so that may be the reason.

[peteroldracer]

Channel 5 is still listed in the EPG and comes up if scrolling through the "favourites" list but as there is no signal being sent, that is the message you get.

[satandpcguy]

Channel 5 HD is apparently still available on Channel 171 on a Sky box, but I don't seem to be able to get it. I don't have a card so that may be the reason.

Where as Five, Five* and Five USA (and timeshifts) are all free to air, and available without a viewing card, Five HD is "free to view", and requires a sky card to view it - either a "freesatfromsky" non subscirption card, or a sky subscription card.

Oh, and a HD box!

It is on a "nice and easy to receive" south beam, so you should have no problems with its reception......well maybe until it moves to its new satellite.....

[johnr]

I've changed my mind and am still looking to buy a dish with a quad LNB. If anyone has one for sale in the Malaga region, please PM me with details. Thanks.

[Haydn]

Hi everybody! I´m a newbie and want to thank all contributors on this subject. It makes fascinating reading and is the reason I registered. The expert advice is invaluable. I don´t think I could have learned so much anywhere else. I look forward to future advice as everything unravels next year.

[Campo Steve]

Welcome Haydn. You will always find plenty of good advice here, as well as some humour.