As long as she who must be obeyed ..gets her Corry im not worried about HD .

Astra 2E launch update:
No news yet of new launch date, but SES have updated their website to q3 2013.
Thoughts are that it will launch in September, and so be operational late Oct / Early Nov... maybe.

Until then, nothing UK TV via satellite wise, has changed since early this year.

I have seen one thread that suggests 21st Sept as the launch date.
Our Sky plus will be busy recording in the UK over christmas is this is the case.

Hi to the Guy!
You are welcome to come down to El Compello and see my 8 mb, Europa, FilmOn HD and Netflix setup. You will be in for a surprise (it is far, far better than SD)!
I am sat here, at Newport, I.O.W., U.K. Watching Sky HD, and to be perfectly honest I can't see any noticeable difference in picture quality to that which I have in Spain!!!

John.

Don't really need to , as I can check everything here!

I doubt that the HD channels like BBC1HD on FilmOn HD is actually in 1080. On satellite they are and are free also!
Last time I checked (a few months ago) FilmOn HD resolution was less than 700 for their HD offering (on my 10m connection!) - so yes it is better than the 576 SD resolution, but still nowhere as good as direct from satellite.

But compare their free SD (which many people use as it is free) to satellite SD and HD for live TV broadcasts and you do notice the difference.

Unless you are running the two systems next to each other at the same time, in the same light, on the same TVs, then you cannot really do any good decent comparison.

However, it can sometimes be tricky to spot the difference between a 720 HD image and a 1080 HD image...

So if you have say the full Sky package now you will still lose the free sat channels like BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and just be left with say Sky Movies and Sport?

I don't think that is true.

As the Guy keeps saying no one can tell you what channels will be available at your exact location until all the satellites are launched and in final location so looks around Christmas.

However the channel 5 experience shows that the BBC's ITV's Four's will be on a tight beam and down south where we are, to get them we will need a bigger (much) dish. Where Sky put their channels on tight or wide beam will perhaps show their intent.

If after the moves we can still get Sky Sports, Films or on demand we can be sure they want the money but the standard package might might be variable.

That would do me, all F1 footy and no soaps, happy days

BBC ITV C4s are nothing to do with Sky.
They are not park of ANY Sky package.

So if the changes mean a reduced signal for BBC channels in your area, it will make no difference if you pay Sky or not.


But the changes may also mean you gain channels. For example, in my area you still need a 1.8 / 2.4m dish for some Sky Movie channels. Now it may be that with these changes, they move to a beam that can be received on an 80/100cm dish. But then you may be in an area where you still need a 1.8/2.4m dish to receive BBC channels!

Have you got a link to Sky that confirms that the new sats will NOT affect Sky reception outside of their " official " reception areas ?

Hi,

I've just had an e-mail regarding the TV/Freesat situation.

Looks very much like the beeb are going to pinpoint so tight on Astra 2E that there's no way Southern Spain will get a sniff, no matter how large your dish is; the fall-off is going to be severe. Don't go by what "people" say about it being similar to Astra 2F; that is simply not the case and like comparing oxygen and hydrogen.

The e-mail I have received is for a service I use (but will not mention here - pm me if you want). You can now get a IPTV device, with VPN to UK server in order not to be geo-blocked for UKpounds 200.00. This gives you a device, preconfigured and 12 months unlimited use of the VPN tunnel! As long as its the one I've been using, that means ALL BBC channels, live and catchup; ITV player and Film0n which gives LIVE access to the ch4 stuff (film4, e4, etc) and ch5, also live. Film0n also does the ITV1,2,3,4 live and plus1 on all.

Thats all the stuff I want (and get) no messing around with this will it/won't it work after September for about 233 euros for 12 months! I can't see any of the others doing the whole shebang for that.

Shame for anyone who has spent more than that in the last 12 months for a dish thats both too small not going to be any good by the end of the year anyway. I'm sure there are certain persons on here who have a vested interest in keeping us all on satellite, but I'd rather have an unbiased view from someone who isn't hell-bent on selling me equipment that is about to become obsolete.

IPTV is yet another bandwagon many are jumping on. Unless you have agood and reliable internet connection one that will stand up to the increased demand that will follow the loss of sat signals then it could be as big a waste of money as installing a bigger sat dish.

Yes, I agree, it would be difficult to say one way or another without direct comparison, but that is my point, the picture quallity I receive is excellent and if not HD, is so close to it as to make no difference!!
As to channels being free, we all have to pay for our internet and my internet supplier Europa offers U.K. TV included in the price (I was using them before they introduced this service, so can verify that there was no increase!). I only use FilmOn HD to record program's that I would otherwise miss. This negates the use of a video recorder and costs £10 pounds a month for 50 hours recording. Netflix gives me loads of films and TV episodes that I have missed, all in excellent quallity.
So to sum up, to tell people that Internet TV doesn't come close to HD satellite TV, is not correct and anyone who want's conformation of this, is welcome to come and check it out. I'm that confident!!!!!

John.l

I agree completely with Saxy.

Internet TV (IPTV) is here and its here to stay.

As for EMR's comment on reliable internet connection, well, why are you paying for one if you are not satisfied with what you are receiving? Try another one. A bandwagon? hmm? The US initial implementation, ARPANET, of what we now call the internet has been around a long time and is now very mature indeed. Not exactly a risky bandwagon to jump onto with far less latency than any satellite communication.

The service I was referring to has a maximum of 60 users per dedicated 100Mbit link, no matter how many thousands jump onto it once Freesat is no longer available outside the UK. Google for shop iplayervpn and then find the shop heading and read the subs page.

I don't think using the internet is anything like a waste of money, yet the dish is completely superfluous.