Self-Install FreeSat... ?

[Steve Walker]

Hi -

We have one of them big plasma tellies now - 10 years behind the curve, but still exciting.... :o)

So next thought is an HD signal feed, preferably without putting a farthing in Murdoch's pocket. I've been advised that Freesat HD is better than Freeview HD, and I see that there are plenty of receivers and dishes on the market.

I need an idiot's introduction or a UK enthusiast forum, if anyone can help with that?

[Bert Coules]

Steve, take a look at the AV Forums site:

. A superb and very friendly resource for all things audio-visual. It's a bit like here in that there are regulars who are happy to talk beginners through pretty much anything.

Bert

[Dave Plowman (News)]

You don't actually need Freesat - just a FTA HD satellite receiver. I have one and get BBC HD, BBC1 HD, ITV HD, CH4 HD and that Japanese English language channel I can't remember. ;-)

[Simon Taylor]

Don't worry about it, I'm still watching TV on my old Toshiba CRT and until such time as it blows up or dies of death, will NOT be buying one of these new-fangled hi-def flat screen contraptions!

[GB]

What's the difference?

[Steve Walker]

Perfect! Thanks Bert.

[John Rumm]

Its actually pretty straightforward. Firstly have a look at Charles Macfarlane's rather snazzy dish point page here:

will give you a nice google aerial map at the end of it, with the exact line to point along drawn on it - you can even choose where to pop the dish on your building.

Method of alignment here:

cheap signal meter will probably also help with alignment, although some receivers have an audible alignment tone that you can turn on and hear through a window etc.

Any free to air HD box will do what you want, although the freesat branded receivers will make use of the bespoke Freesat EPG which makes for a better user interface.

[John Rumm]

Freesat will give you the freesat EPG.

[Dave Liquorice]

receiver.

Which is probably worth while. Without the Freesat EPG I'm pretty sure all you have is "Now & Next" for the channel you are watching and possibly a bit of info about the current programme. You can't browse what is on over the next seven days over all the channels in the EPG.

[Andy Burns]

MythTV can "see" the full 7 day EPG, I'm not suggesting everyone rush out and install it unless they're a Linux aficionado, but it makes me wonder if any FTA receivers that are not officially blessed as Freesat are capable of receiving the full EPG too?

[Alan]

Having an 7 day Electronic Program Guide. Freesat branded boxes will get it from the broadcast. With other free to air boxes you may only get now/next or have few hoops to jump through (assuming it possible to load a 7 day EPG on to you chosen non-freesat box)

[Steve Walker]

> That will give you a nice google aerial map at the end of it, with the

Thanks - I had already found two other utilities

and which appear to do the same thing - very helpful, thanks to everyone concerned in their making!

[Ian Jackson]

In message , "Dave Plowman (News)" writes

Freesat receivers are much more-plentiful than Free-to-Air. You can get a cheap, basic one for less than £20. PVR versions cost quite a bit more.

However, with Freesat, you can only get one regional BBC 1 channel and one regional ITV 1 channel, plus the London versions. With FTA Satellite, you get the lot*, plus a load of channels you never get on Freesat (although you'll probably never watch most of them). That said, Freesat is probably more than enough for anyone!

*You have to enter a valid postcode. Normally, this will be your own (in which case you will/should get the correct local channels). If you want to watch a different region, enter an appropriate postcode (if necessary, guess at one).

[Graham.]

You will need a meter to get the dish pointed right. About a tenner in "Screwfix" Impossible to set up without. Easy when you have one. .

Impossible? I set up my dishes with only the aid of the signal meter in the box. I eat thee Shredded Wheats for breakfast too ;-)

[Steve Walker]

Yebbut look at the prices -

Good old screwfix have a complete package for £70 delivered (item 98603) - basic and cheap, with a Labgear HDSR300 receiver, but reportedly works fine

To purchase a branded Freesat HD, dish and fittings will be near to £200.

[Dave Liquorice]

All the BBC variations (regional, national, BBC1 and BBC2) are in the freesat EPG (900 something). 101 gets allocated to the one for your location as per the post code you feed it.

Or should that para have started "However, with Freeview, ..."?

ITV variations are not in the Freesat EPG but can be found via "other channels" but to be honest how often do most people you want to watch a different region?

[Dave Liquorice]

Interesting, presumably that is the Freesat EPG or can it see the Sky EPG as well?

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I wanted to fairly recently. There was a play on BBC 1 Scotland (only) I wanted to see. Not a problem with my FTA setup - they are all listed.

[brass monkey]

Absolutely. I accept that it's a fairly narrow angle [1] but a few minutes does the job.

[1] With a cheap'n'nasty dish, pressure on the mesh will miss the beam.

[brass monkey]

Humax Freesat HDR are quite good, also, a bit of homebrew gives you ftp access for copying files.