Capo Boi

'Surely 5cm cant make all that difference ?'

Patty, wonder what Duffer's take on this is?

Garbatellamike

5cm can make a difference as diameter is directly proportional to gain of your antennae. Therefore, in marginal cases it could be the difference between being able to pull the signal out of the noise floor.

Low loss cables and a better LNB will also help. From a law of physics point of view and based on the assumption that the diagrams shown in the links earlier in the thread are correct - I am surprised that 75 cm dishes work.

ameliapond

I am more than surprised that 75cm works, it definitely works steadily throughout the day? I mean, evenings as well?
Until more reports surface, here's a couple of maps:

https://maps.google.it/maps/ms?msid=...0227,32.124023

http://s28.postimg.org/86od4l8ul/2_E_beam_it3.jpg

In my opinion they're both generous and some measurements may have been taken on day time tv when the signal is much stronger. Turin seems to fare a little better than Milan but yeah I would've thought 75cm wouldn't be enough there for a constant decent signal.

Patty

Yes I did wonder after I'd posted it !!

the only thing I can say is that my friends and I all live much closer to the french border - around the Pinerolo way so maybe thats a factor too ? Maybe normally a 75 wouldnt pick up but here it does. Anyway OH is going to get new LNB's and try that. will let you know.

ameliapond

Last night seemed too good to be true, in fact tonight is pretty rubbish on all channels, when is it gonna be safe to assume they'll stop tweaking and tampering with the bl00dy signal? The Fives signal have fluctuated ever since they moved to 2F, which makes it really difficult if you have to call a professional to upgrade your set up, with my luck when he comes the signal will be great and he'll put on the roof the absolute minimum and tell me everything's fine..

duffer

For my wife, it's the difference between an 'oh yeah more' and 'try sticking it in there again and I'll rip you a new one!'

Yes, I would agree, the dish size is important but equally important is the positioning and also the LNB and cables. A bigger dish will help reduce signal noise and interference but combined with cables and LNB you will have a much better quality signal. There is a scientific calculation one could do about dish sizes but it's not for duffers like me. The general consensus is increasing dish size by 40% produces twice the signal, therefore a 1.2m dish is getting 50% more signal as a 1m dish.

Anyway, the dish is basically reflecting the signal to the LNB and what I have learnt is that smaller dishes are able to find the signal a lot easier than larger dishes but are more difficult to optimise, so it is very important Patty, that the dish is accurately positioned and the LNB is at the correct angle, this is where a decent antennista earns his crust. Try and measure your signal readings before and after you get the new LNB. I will order one of the Inverto Ultra LNBs shortly too. So far, I receive the BBC only during the afternoons, nothing in the morning or evening.

You're actually lucky being in that part of Italy because you don't really need a massive dish, you could go from 70cm to 100cm or 120cm. But definitely try the cheaper option first, check the position of the dish with a proper satellite signal reader (for a weak signal as this, a smartphone satfinder app just will not do) and then change the LNB.

I think that's it. The channels have switched over and that's how they will stay. I certainly had variable signal the past week but that was mainly down to the bad weather in Veneto. The only thing not certain is if Sky UK move to the UK beam to the European beam. As their signal is not free to air like the BBC, they don't have the same UK media rights problem as them so really have no need to move to the more expensive UK beam, but nothing is certain except they will lose a lot of revenue from their expat subscribers, for which, there are no real figures, it could be 50,000 expats or 500,000 expats in and around mainland Europe with Sky UK.

duffer

Just ordered the Inverto Black Ultra twin LNB off Amazon IT, it's been reduced to €25 and works out cheaper than getting it off Amazon UK. And if it doesn't work I can always send it back postage paid for a full refund.

Just for info, for those that can't get any signal whatsoever, changing the LNB is not going to do that much, but it's worth a try before upgrading the dish.

This LNB is ideal for those that have a weak signal, blocky picture or lose the signal in the rain.

Nellybell

Hi Duffer, thanks for the input. Do you think it is still advisable to wait a while before trying to upgrade equipment (dish etc) in case of any further changes?
Ta!
Nell

Nellybell

For information: I checked another forum called skyinmadrid, and they have collected reception reports from all over Europe.
This is the info they have gathered from their Italian readers:

"Receiving the BBC:
1.5 m in Verona
1.25 m in Milan
100 cm in Liguria, 50 km W. of Verona
80 cm in Milan
1.5 m in Modena (marginal)
75 cm in Rivaalo Canavese, Turin
1.5 m in Parma
100 cm in Turin.
I confirm that we too have a much better signal just slightly to the south of Modena City, in the countryside. Daytime, we receive BBC1 and 2 in HD. Standard definition BBC, ITV and C4 channels ran through all last night , 80% signal 60% quality. This on the Freesat box, the old Panasonic SKY box remains pretty much useless on FTA.
Chris, Modena City"

So, the 1.5m dish reported in Parma is looking promising for me in Reggio, though I am still getting no signal.

Duffy, can I ask for your opinion re my receiver? it is new, as Mr antenna man fitted it last year - it's a mvision hd400s.
ie this
http://www.mvision.tv/detail.php?id=...nicio=&pagina=

Unfortuneately my dish and LNB etc are on the roof, and have been there for the last 15 years as far as I remember (unless the antenna man swapped the LNB last year) so short of risking my neck on the tiles I don't know what I have installed...

Thanks for your help!
Nell

Mint Imperial

Can it really be possible to access BBC iPlayer without a UK ISP?
I have never previously heard of a VPN, so would be grateful for any useful advice, now that the Freesat box can't get the signal.

ameliapond

I think some of those reports are not correct, at least not for a stable decent signal throughout the day, 80cm in Milan is definitely not enough.
Liguria 50 km west of Verona?? What satnav are they using??

duffer

Yes the 1.5m is looking promising but just wait for a little longer for more reception reports to appear online so you have a better idea for dish size. As previously posted, Patty has only 70cm but a near neighbour is getting by with a 75cm, so sometimes even in the same area, different sized dishes could be required.

Sorry but I have no idea about that receiver and very few reviews online about it but if you've been happy with it so far, then what more do you need ?

I would think your LNB needs changing if it's been under the Italian sun for more than 10 years, could you check with your aerial man or check the receipt (yeah right ) if he changed it. But, if you decide to get a new dish, then get a matching LNB too at the same time.

Yes, it is fairly straight forward in itself but how depends on which way you prefer to watch it.

duffer

Yeah I would agree, people need to check in the evening if the signal remains from the daytime. Let's wait for a few more weeks and in the meantime gather more precise info.

Nellybell

Thanks Duffer!

nosignal

For other people benefit here in Tuscany, Pistoia area BBC is gone.

As a sat installer I would suggest that the first thing to do before making any changes and spend money is to mesure at the LNB what the signal is with a proper imstrument.

What I have seen in the last two weeks is that there significant changes even in a small area, so after the move of BBC is very difficult to be sure if you are going to receive anything.

On top of that nobody for now knows exactly what kind of changes BBC will enforce, looking at the footprints there is no way we would get any signal down here, than again we get people reporting all over Europe of very different reports.

I am. suggesting my customers to wait before spending more money, is still early days.

Anyway get a good sat installer in your area because only by checking yor overall installation and check with an instrument you can have an idea on what you are battling up against.

Hope this will help all of you Expat that are missing your BBC TV, i do understand how nice it is to stay in touch with your home country