Re: Goodbye Sky TV
 

Just for information:

If you lose channels for the next 2 weeks at around 10-11 am for a few minutes then this is normal for this time of year.

Basically the sun is right behind the satellites, and the energy from the sun will swamp out the weaker satellite signals.

There is nothing you can do about it, as it can even affect "big dishes" also.

Rebooting the box will not help - apart from killing time until the signal returns again

It does not happen on ALL channels, as some are stronger than others.

It happens twice a year in March and Octobers - around the time of the equinoxes.

This is nothing to do with the new satellites...

Re: Goodbye Sky TV
 

Thanks for this info. It's very useful to know. Are there any occasions that you know of where the opposite is true and the signal improves?

Re: Goodbye Sky TV - Slingbox update
 

Hi If you've followed the thread you will know there was a discussion about the slingbox.

Well I bought the cheapest one SD (not HD) from Amazon. I did this as I didn't want to use bandwidth up on HD, and I watch a lot of SD TV anyway - and its fine.

Well I am traveling out of country at the moment and have access to a HDMI flat/big screen TV. I've watched several pre-recorded programmes, and watched live TV, I've recorded others - it all works fine from afar and really does replicate being physically at home.

The quality is fine - the connection time very quick - and I have to say I am delighted with this little box... and what it allows me to do.

If (and when) the sats go down as I expect in our far flung corner, I will have TV access to nearly all I want..... more than I have now in CE as well (Freesat) . As I'll then have filmon and all Belgian TV + major French + Dutch channels. I do like the CBS/action channels which I will miss I suppose... they have some sci-fi that I like - and the food network channels, no more 'beaming up' or 'diners drive ins and dives'!! :huh:

There is something to note though, filmon offer 'free' TV - but have built in a charging system for recording and HD TV, already in place .... they may not be free, later, if the sats are down unfortunately. Also the hit on their servers will be quickly increased... bringing with it a cost. There just might be a charge.

Re the upgraded internet (and COST :thumbdown:) that I (we) will then need to watch UKTV, I will play it by ear, see when (if) my current TMN dongle maxes out and decide what is the best alternative package..... I suspect getting a second TMN dongle and rotating them may be a viable option as well.

I have no connection with the company that makes it... just a happy customer.

Jon

Re: Goodbye Sky TV - Slingbox update
 

Again you will not lose ALL UK TV channels.
The CBS channels are on Eutelsat 28A, and not Astra satellites at 28. Therefore, they are not part of the Astra satellite change programme so reception should be unaffected.

Re: Goodbye Sky TV
 

FilmOn SD, if you have registered, the first 10 hours of recording are free. :D

John :):);)

Re: Goodbye Sky TV - Slingbox update
 

Thanks the Guy for the clarification... I wasn't trying to give a full explanation just to give an update on the Slingbox usage in 'real life'. This will be a useful tool to consider when/if the problems arrive

It all means that I can now go 'where no man/no-one has gone before' , and hopefully walk barefoot on the beach with my contessa!:thumbup: And record other programmes whilst doing so, either on Filmon (thanks John) or remaining Freesat or the set top box at home...

Not as good as the current Freesat/Sky set up, as the cost could be high depending on your current internet set up and your predicted usage post sat changes.

But we live on CE and we have learned from long experience there, the old adage that 'beggars cant be choosers'.... though I don't know many beggars that pay the extra EUC and inflated IBI charges....:frown::thumbdown:

Jon

Re: Goodbye Sky TV - Slingbox update
 

I mentioned earlier some back of envelope calculations - and John said to get a new envelope...!! :)

So here it is again...

If my maths is right..... and this applies to all downloading/streaming TV i.e slingbox/film-on or others.....

SD uses 600KB/s (according to my slingbox): = 6MB for 10S: =6GB for 10,000s = 2 hrs 45 min (approx). That's about 5/6mins a day roughly per month for SIX GB on SD transmission.

If you have 15GB a month then that's only roughly 15mins a day.

So it looks like unlimited internet will be needed... if you want to get more UKTV than that on the internet. Should the sat change take away the channels you want.

Then there's the whole discussion of non-residents who want to watch TV who aren't there all the time... and DON'T want to pay for a unlimited monthly contract (the most expensive one), for all those months their second homes are empty.. and you are paying for nothing :thumbdown:

I wonder in the future if expat heavy areas will see internet speed problems as more people stream/download TV.

Jon

Re: Goodbye Sky TV
 

I know you have the problem of not having an ADSL service available and as a result you are looking at 3G/4G solutions which are very expensive and usually limited, but in the scheme of things you are in a very small minority.

The vast percentage of potential Internet TV users have an unlimited ADSL connection.

Yes, if usage goes up significantly on the ADSL node you are sharing then speeds may drop below the level for acceptable streaming (many users are near that level already)

There is always the possibility of "Acceptable Use" policy being imposed if you do use really significant amounts of data.

We will just have to wait and see.

Re: Goodbye Sky TV
 

Thanks Fred for your comments, always interesting - it's nice to know that we are a very small minority. Does that mean we don't count? We are the ones who have the problem. This sub-forum is the Ayamonte Club and I think you would find that the 'small minority' in this area is quite a substantial number who will be affected by loss of satellite, as Jon has pointed out.

Re: Goodbye Sky TV
 

BTW does anybody know if this 20eur/month Vodaphone offer for ADSL is unlimited??

http://www.vodafone.es/particulares/...des-y-precios/

Jon

Re: Goodbye Sky TV
 

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=789769

Have you seen the above posting on the main Spain forum - apparently the EU ourts have backed an application from ITV Plc to ban live IPTV straeming over the internet! So - no satellite and no IPTV for ex-pats, just local language transmissions :mad:

Re: Goodbye Sky TV
 

I don't think that's true if you hide behind a UK IP address. I like the look of the UNO system that was on one of the threads and at $4.95 looks cheap enough. You could have a VPN but that was dearer so I will try without it first when the time comes. Called UNOTelly you stick a different DNS on your router and it even walks you through that for individual routers so I might just be able to do it. Then my laptop, IPad, LAN telly and wireless telly would all be able to use it. Plus visitors who have SKY Go on their lappies, androids and IPads could also tune in. Bandwidth is going to be a problem though.

Re: Goodbye Sky TV - Slingbox update
 

We have the full Sky package can you give us some idea of what channels we will lose and which we will get to keep. Obviously not all as you would be typing for ever just out of the main ones. Thanks.

Re: Goodbye Sky TV
 

It was streaming in the UK that created the problem. It was TVCatchup that were in trouble with ITV and they try very hard to limit their service to the UK.

I don't think you will find a way past their system even with a really good VPN.

The ECJ decision effectively makes streaming within the EU illegal. Hiding behind a VPN isn't going to help if there aren't any streams to watch!

Re: Goodbye Sky TV - Slingbox update
 

Well if I knew that then I would be winning the lottery each week.:)

Channels you can and will receive depend on:
your location, your dish size, and which satellite and beams the broadcasters put their channels on.
For example, for all I know, you may lose Discovery, but keep Discovery+1, you may lose Sky Sports 1, but keep Sky Sports 1HD..
Until it happens, no-one will know for sure....

However, expect the main BBC ITV C4 and Fives (which are all free and nothing to do with the Sky or need a subscription for) will be on the UK beams of the new satellites, and may mean either an upgrade to a larger dish, or a MUCH larger dish, or loss of the channels altogether via satellite in a location unless you have a very silly sized dish...

The hundreds of Sky Pay channels are spread over various beams over the various satellites. Generally most of these are expected to be on the "European beams" of the satellite, so reception should be unaffected and as it is today. But also, some Sky pay channels may move to the UK beam and reception will be similar to BBC etc. (like before where some Sky Sports and Nick and Disney channels were on the UK beam).
On the other hand, some Sky channels reception will (and has) improved with recent satellite shuffle. Some channels which were unavailable 24/7 even on 2,.4m dishes in some areas, especially the "north beam" channels, like Sky Sports News, are now available 24/7 even on an 80cm dish.

Other free channels - like True Movies and CBS are not on Astra satellites at all, but on another satellite - eutelsat28a - and are expected to remain on that satellite so not expecting any changes.