I'm a bit ashamed to be asking this question as I am moving to Canada for the great outdoors but here it goes anyway.

I have a flight to Vancouver on November 4th we have an apartment sorted out over there but it doesnt have a TV. We are thinking of buying one for the 4 months that we will be in the apartment but may have hit a problem. Is there "free" tv in Vancouver? You know how we have freeview is there something similar? I guess we probably wouldnt be able to get a package installed because we are only there for 4 months so Freeview seems to be our only option.

Thanks in advance for the answers!

Tom

I think the best you can hope for as far as free TV goes is a few fuzzy channels you'll get from an set top ariel. There isn't anything like Freeview in Canada AFAIK (someone will correct me if I'm wrong). I'm sure a few other BE members will have some suggestions.

Hi I'm from reading also Caversham Heights moved out here to maple ridge in June this year . Answer to your question if the apartment has cable already then you might be able to pick up the basic tv channels chaz

Awesome you will know why I am moving out then Nah its not that bad. The apartment sadly has cable internet but no cable TV because the lady who we are renting from "prefers to go to the movies"

If there is cable already in the apartment why not get an account with TV and internet set up?

You can always transfer that account to your new place when you move, it's likely going to be all with Shaw Cable on the lower mainland anyway.

Steve the lady is leaving us the internet and paying for it we are pretty much just housesitting from November to March so I didnt think you could get a contract for that short a duration?

Ah yes if it's still going to be her account then I see your dilemma.

Not to worry there are much better things to do than watch TV anyway and ill have my Laptop so perhaps I can sort out the proxy for BBC iPlayer or something.

Thanks for everyones help.

If you have a computer with Windows Media Edition you would be able to run the cable for the internet into the back of the computer and get the basic set of channels I believe through the built in TV tuner that Windows Media Edition comes with. Has anybody tried this....

It's more than just the operating system, you would need a video card that supports TV, not all computers have them.

In addition the cable company can turn off the TV channels and provide internet only, which apparently is what is being done in this case.

I do have media centre but you would need a TV in card of some descript. This was pretty much my question is there free to air channels at all even like we have channel 1 - 4?

Someone at my office just had a novel idea of placing a slingshot box in a friends house in the UK and have it pass to my laptop. Could work!

there is free tv "over the air" in Vancouver depending on where you live.If you can see Mount Seymour you should be able to receive the following channels with an indoor antenna:

Channel 2 CBC
Chanel 8 Global
Channel 17 A Channel
Channel 26 CBC French
Chanel 32 CTV
Channel 42 Channel M ..Multicultural

In addition both CBC and CTV broadcast High Definion over the air on Channel 2.1 and 32.1 respectively.The picture is even better than cable or satellite HD..particularly for hockey.The TV has to have a built in ATSC tuner to receive the digital picture(Most new TVs have this as all US stations have to broadcast in digital as of FEB 2009)


Soe people even receive US stations,particularly channel 12 Bellingham, including HD channels depending on how high they live and if they have a clear line of sight south.

I see nothing on Shaw's site about minimum terms?? (maybe i'm blind)

I know you can add and remove channels each month....

As long as the land-lady has Shaw, then it maybe worthwhile sending them an email to ask??