lavillegour

Hello to all. I have just joined your busy active forum and as is probably usual with newcomers I begin my membership by asking advice....

I have recently purchased an apartment in Costa Blanca (Playa Flamenca) and will be visiting it for the first time during September.

When I first viewed the place there was some form of freesat TV operating but of course this is no longer available although the cable connection remains. From this I assume that I already have connection to a satellite dish somewhere in the block.

As the apartment will only be used occasionally for family and friends I do not wish to contract for a regular monthly fee and therefore wish to arrange some form of ONE OFF set up. I am already in possession of two used Sky+ and Sky+ HD digiboxes and will bring these with me to test - but of course realise that with these I'll only be able (If lucky) to obtain freesat channels.

My current (UK) Sky system gives me access to all possible channels (pretty costly) and I am lead to believe that IF I take over my current UK Sky+HD box complete with the Sky card then I MAY be able to obtain similar access in Playa Flamenca. (Not really allowed by Sky terms)

In addition I have read somewhere on the internet that there is some form of equipment that actuallly reads and encrypts ones Sky card (that is normally associated with the Sky digibox). Does anyone have one ?
Legality ?

Presumably many of you 'guys' have already confronted this need so I would appreciate advice re how you handled it (or not !).

One further question : Should I buy the TV in England before departure or wait and purchase in Spain. Are prices similar ?

I look forward to any responses that you feel able and inclined to offer......

Luego

tommy.irene

Why not bring a Freesat Box and then you dont need a card to get TV.. ask the sat guy he can help you.

Fred James

He has already said that he can get the Freesat channels on his two Sky boxes without a card so why would he need to bring a Freesat box?

tommy.irene

Because a Freesat box is very small.

The Guy

Not necessarily. They may have been getting their UK TV via a rebroadcaster or cable provider, and that cable may be for a "non satellite" service.

However, if that cable is connected to a "dish" then it should be a case of connecting a satellite receiver to it.

A Sky box with no card will be able to receive ALL the free to air / non card / non subscription channels that can be received by the dish.

If you want the Freesat, then you need a Freesat box.
You cannot get Freesat on a Sky box.

But a Freesat box (in either Freesat or non freesat mode) will pick up all the same channels as the Sky box with no card.

Channels like BBC ITV C4 Five, BBC1HD, BBCHD, ITV1 HD C4HD are all free to air and require NO card to view.

Currently Five HD and a handful of othr channels are "free to view" - and can be accessed with a non subscription viewing card.

Note that any recording functions on those two boxes need a sky subscription.

If you use the Sky+HD box, and there is only one cable from the dish, then put the box into "single feed mode" - services, 0, 0, 1, select, option at foot of page - telling the box to use just INPUT1. Otherwise the box may use input 2, which is not connected, and you get no signal messgaes.Single feed mode is only available on Sky+HD boxes, not Sky+ boxes.


If you bring your Sky subscription card then you will get the sky channels that your dish is big enough to receive. You may find that evemn on a 2.4m dish not all channels will be available 24/7.!

YEs, it is against the T&Cs of your Sky contract to use a card outside the uK and ROI. But if they dont know.....

Yes there are other boxes that you can use a Sky card in.
Useful if you bring a card back and forth to Spain, and even more if you have SPorts and Movie channels, which will only work in the card "paired" Sky box.
However, you will not have access to a 7 day program guide - only now and next information, you will have to rescan shoudl channels change frequencies (sky and freesat boxes automatically update channel frequencies),

There are no issues with using a Sky card in a non Sky box.

Hope this helps

lavillegour

My thanks to you 'guys' for making and taking the time to respond. AND of course for the advice offered -particularly by THE Guy !

A couple of points come to mind :-

The terminology used viz FREESAT /FREE TO AIR /Non Card (in UK only FREEVIEW !) can and does cause confusion between us 'normal people'.

The two boxes that I've replaced during past years - SKY + AND SKY+HD both operated successfully when tested against input 1 cable from my triple LNB attached to a dish here that normally operates with full SKY subscription and a 1 terrabyte HD box.There didn't seem the need (here in UK) to change the box function to read from input 1 cable - it just did it! Both Boxes..

Interesting that The Guy mentions that there would be 'no issues' using this 'magic box' that somehow encrypts the Sky card to enable (apparently) full access to all that are authorised by the Sky card- seems a bit naughty !
(and apparently seems to cost 'only' euros 245.)
IF my apartment WAS connected by some sort of Spanish Rebroadcaster do they also offer Sky pay channels or Free To Air Channnels only ?

The Guy

Terminology:

Free to air - channel available without any viewing card - eg bbc, itv, c4

Free to view - channels that require a viewing card, but do not require a monthyl subscription - Five HD, Motors TV

Pay channels - channels that require a viewing card, and require a monthly subscription - Sky1, Dave,

Freesat - a company that provides satellite receivers with a "Freesat" programme guide for the reception of SOME free to air channels. Not all free to air channels are on Freesat. Channels like Sky News, Challenge and Pcik are free to air, but not available on Freesat. To receive these channels on a Freesat receiver, you put the Freesat box into "non freesat mode".

Freeview - a digital TV service in the UK that provides channels via a TV aerial. It is actually "DTT - digital terrestrial TV" but Freeview is the known brand for the service. Freeview offers free to air channels. Some channels that are free on Freeview, are PAY on satellite (eg Dave).

TOP UP TV - A UK Pay TV service offering a few pay TV channels via a TV aerial.

As Freeview is transmitted from land based masts, those transmissons are not powerful enough to reach Spain, hence why Freeview is unavailable in Spain - even if "installers" say it and advertise it is, it is not, thier transmissions just do not reach this far into Europe! If they were available then no one would require satellite dishes to receive some of their UK TV channels. They can just about be received along the north coast of France.

Not all areas of the UK are covered by Freeview transmissions, so to ensure full digital TV coverage of the UK, Freesat was created, as satellite can cover more area and cheaper than a network of masts.

But Spain has its own "version" / "equivilent" of Freeview, TDT - Television Digital Terrestrial. There is not an operator like Freeview in Spain. BUt there are around 30-40 digital tv chanenls available via a TV aerial in Spain. There are NO UK TV chanenls on TDT, but if the channel (like PAramount, MTV, Discovery) show a UK or USA imported programme of movie, then you do, in many cases, have the option to change the dubbed spanish soundtrack to the origianl english soundtrack.



Sky+ and Sky+HD boxes are designed to work with two cable feeds.
If one one cable feed is available then you connect it to input 1.
Sky+HD boxes you can tell to use "single cable mode".
Sky+boxes you cannot tell to use "single cable mode".
This becomes an issue when you have something to be recorded in your planner. Usually input 1 is for the channel you are watching, and input 2 will be for planner recordings - problem if nothing is conencted to input 2 so you miss your recordings. Witht he Sky+HD box in single feed mode, it will tell you that a recording is starting and it needs to change channel, as with a single cable it cabnnot "watch one and record another".
Something that Sky+ boxes dont do as they do not have single feed mode ability.

Yes they will get the full range of channels, but the two feeds are for watch one and record another functionality - which you cannot do with one cable

YOu are only contracted to use the card, nit the box. you dont have to use a Sky box if you do not want to. There are other boxes which will work, but you have to accept you will lose the functionality of the Sky software in the Sky box and the Sky Guide.

They can be got for a lot cheaper than that! I do a HD one for around 175 euros.

Technically they are not allowed to show PAY TV chanenls without pemissions. BUt that does not stop them. What channels they offer will change from provers, but generally they offer Sports1, a movie channel, and a few of the UKTV channels (Dave Watch).

lavillegour

Wow !

'The Guy' YOU certainly know your stuff. I do like the way you describe the real technical detail in a clear and unambiguous manner..... AND are willing to make the effort to share your knowledge .
I can't (and don't want to) fault what you write because you obviously see things from a competent technical background.

If I might become personal (to me) --- IF in Playa Flamenca I could view the basic free to whatever channels (lets face it most are of no interest to the mature mind) plus the free BBC/ITV /Ch4 ones AND watch the SKY Sports channels (mainly for Rugby Union) without paying a regular monthly fee AND occasionally (upon visits) being able to use my full SKY card in a (legal) other box then I would be a pretty happy bunny .

I think you 'THE Guy' have given me the direction

Mucho Thanko

lavillegour

Just thought I'd mention that the SKY 'help' fuction recommends pressing 0.1 (rather than 0,0,1) to change from two inputs to one on an HD box.
I tried the 0,0,1 which threw my HD box into malfunction (but later recovered).

What a Wonderful World .....

Chiclanagir

Any more up to date news on the satellite beaming change due soon?

The Guy

Cheers.
Yes you can, via satellite dish of apropraite size, watch BBC ITV C4s and Fives all for free with no subscription at all - they are free to air channels on satellite.

You will not get Sky Sports without a monthly subscription... either via Sky, or a rebroadcaster / cable. The rebroadcaster / cable comapnies chanrge a monthly fee for reception of their service - yes they charge you for free channels!

But yes, using a "other box" you can quicte happily bring your skyc ard from the uk and pop it in there to watch your Sky Sports and Sky Movie channels (dish size depending) that would other wise not work on any other sky box without having to contact Sky to get the card and box paired.

The Guy

1st of the 3 new replacement satellites schedule for launch on 21st September. Its in French Guiana (arrived last week), its being unpacked, makign sure its undamged in transit, and is being made ready for loading onto the rocket.

No news on length of testing, or when channels will start to transfer to it, or what its "uk beam" reception will be like in Spain. Unlikely anything will be revealled officailly until it happens.
We only know its "Eiopean beam" should be ok an an 80cm dish. And

The Guy

Weird.
On all my SkyHD and Sky+HD boxes it is Services, 0, 0, 1, select.
OK Some people do say services, right down 0 1 select.
Whichever way you need to get to Picture settings to get into the "not so secret" menu.

Rosemary

As Concierge for the Spanish section of BE I would like to say hello and welcome.

BE is a very large expat website, so if you have problems finding your way around we have concierges who will try to direct you. The moderators for the Spanish forums are Mitzyboy and Fred James, moderators are there to ensure that the site runs smoothly within the rules of BE. Problems and complaints should always be addressed to a moderador who will look into the matter and deal with it efficiently and fairly. Our members who post in the Spain Forums are friendly and helpful with a wealth of knowledge of the issues of living in Spain. At the top of the page you will find a quirkily named thread called Free Beer which is full of important and useful information. Hope you enjoy your time participating in the forums.

Please let me know if you need any further help.

Rosemary

billymacker

as long as the dish for the block is pointing at the correct satellite 28.2