Chapelgirl

I know that the French and English TV systems were originally designed to have a different number of lines; the SECAM system vs PAL. I don't know enough about the technology to know if that is still an issue with digital.

We don't currently have satellite TV but we do have a Freeview Topfield digibox connected to an analogue set.

(1) Will the Topfield work with French Freeview stations, and can you receive freeview digital TV in Franch Comte - i.e do they have digital transmitters in that region?
(2) Will we be able to watch French digital TV on our UK set or will we have to buy a new set?

We are planning on doing lots of exciting things OTHER than watching TV when we get there but it would be nice to know whether or not to pay the shipping on the thing! Also, I believe watching French TV is a good way to become more fluent in the language.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Anglobreton

Hi Chapelgirl

The good news is that the Freeview box (assuming the French TNT is available via a transmitter local to Besancon) should be able to pick up the French freeview channels. I was mightily relieved that by re-tuning my freeview box, that I got all of the free-to-air channels. I'm lucky in that Bedee - where I live - is only 15km from the mast at Becherel.

Analogue TVs are unlikely to function in the same way as our 20" Flatscreen TV, which we purchased about a year and a half ago. We were fortunate enough to be able to switch over to the French format, and receive the French channels through normal aerial as well.

The proof of that came when we tried to set up the VCR. We already had experience of it the other way around when viewing camcorder footage on a french camcorder. The picture is black and white. In France, a british VCR will produce a picture, but no sound.

Some people who live close enough to the Channel Islands - Normandy peninsular/Baie de Mont Saint Michel - might be lucky enough to get UK signals (with the relevant signal booster), but you would have to live within a few kilometres of the coast for that plan to work.

In summary, Freeview box can still be used to get French TV, TV would need to be replaced by a more recent model which can be changed to France in International settings.

Hope this helps.

John, Mimi and Madeleine

dreamcatcher

Hi there both of you,I totaly missed this posting,Im just popping through to say hallo and welcome on board.Im glad AngoB that you answerd cause I do not have a tele, and would not have a clue with advice
Anyway hope you are all well and wonderful Isnt the weather wonderful too.Have a great evening.