How can you watch British TV in Northern Spain?
 

My Parents moved to Asturias two years ago but have been unable to get British TV out there. Have you or anyone managed to find a local satellite installer who can set up British TV.

They are in their eighties and do not really speak Spanish, and being able to watch British TV would make such a difference in their lives.

They live on the top floor of a three storey apartment, and have been told they can put a dish on the roof, but a local installer told them you cannot get British TV in the region . From what I have read on the net that does not seem to be so, The Astra 2 satellites would transmit most of the channels they would want to view for free.

Can anyone out there give me advice?

Thanks

Re: How can you watch British TV in Northern Spain?
 

The man from this site http://www.satandpcguy.com/ I am sure will be along to assist you soonest :thumbsup:

Re: How can you watch British TV in Northern Spain?
 

I lived in Galicia for years, and we did not know of anyway of getting British TV. (Although I must admit we did not try very hard) The point I want to make is about the aerial, you may not get permission from the community of the flats where they live.

Re: How can you watch British TV in Northern Spain?
 

Further to my previous post I meant to say that the dish would have to be a really big one, because not local supplier would be able to bounce the signal to them. I dont think you would get permission because it is so much bigger than the normal ones.

Re: How can you watch British TV in Northern Spain?
 

We live in Galicia, along the coast from Ferrol. We have a 1.8m dish and have no problem receiving English TV. You can get a Free to View box for about 40 euros and you will be able to receive BBC, ITV and now Channel 4. Our dish though cost about 700 euros.

Re: How can you watch British TV in Northern Spain?
 

Do they know that if you get Digital+ then you can get Sky news, BBC World, CNN, Fox news, and you can also watch lots of series on Fox, AXN and Nat Geo and movies on the many movie channels (the vast majority of which can be viewed in English). I know its not quite the same as the full British package but it suits us OK!

Re: How can you watch British TV in Northern Spain?
 

Thanks for that battlezone, we still have a house in Ferrol but I did not try too hard to get British TV,but knowing that we will look into it further.

Re: How can you watch British TV in Northern Spain?
 

Did you mean 40euro a month or a one off payment. As we spend most of our time in Alicante, 40 a month is something we would have to think about.:thumbsup::thumbsup:

Re: How can you watch British TV in Northern Spain?
 

Here in Galicia, which is not so far away you can spot the Brits by the size of the dish. It is something like 2.5 metres in dia. Not something I would want on my front lawn!

Re: How can you watch British TV in Northern Spain?
 

That is what I thought, but maybe things have moved on, anyway when I go to Galicia I will look into it.

Re: How can you watch British TV in Northern Spain?
 

One off payment for 40 euros.

We have no problems with our 1.8m dish. So long as it is properly aligned we receive all the channels.

Re: How can you watch British TV in Northern Spain?
 

Thanks for your reply. and to all the others who replied. It seems satandpcguy only covers the Costa Blanca, but they live in Asurias, near Gijon. Is there anyone in that region?

Re: How can you watch British TV in Northern Spain?
 

Are they computer literate with internet? I wonder if a Slingbox would work? Usually works all over the world, even planes, so might be an option.

Re: How can you watch British TV in Northern Spain?
 

That sounds encourageing. I just need to find someone who can install one in Asturias (near Gijon). That might be the hard bit. Thanks Battlezone.

Re: How can you watch British TV in Northern Spain?
 

They do not have cable in the area but should do in the next year or so (a long time to them though). So I guess that would mean using a landine which would that be too slow and expensive?

I am visiting them in July and could set it all up for them if it were a viable option.

Re: How can you watch British TV in Northern Spain?
 

Please Pugsy, could you give me more info as to what a Slingbox is? I am not the worlds most computer literate person, but I could get a bit of help.:thumbsup::thumbsup:

Re: How can you watch British TV in Northern Spain?
 

A Slingbox is a gadget that you connect up to a router in your, say, UK house or (willing) friend or relatives, then you get to watch your uk cable tv anywhere else in the world on your computer or phone. In fact, it's better if you go to the website for an explanation - it's really informative and explains it better than me!! You can buy in the UK now from practically all the big stores.

Click, http://www.slingmedia.com

or http://www.ukslingmedia.com

Re: How can you watch British TV in Northern Spain?
 

from what i understand, in the north of spain a 1.8m is more than adequate to get the UK Terrestrial channels. I dare say a 1.2 or even 1.5m dish may also do the job, but best find an installer in the area (i do not know of any in that area - have you tried the local english newspaper?)

note that a FTA box will only get the free channels.
at the moment you still need a sky card (FTV Card) to get Channel 5, Five US, Fiver and Sky Three), but as i have said in many other posts expect this to change later this your.

Re: How can you watch British TV in Northern Spain?
 

check this page out

http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/slingbox.htm

Re: How can you watch British TV in Northern Spain?
 

Looks great don't know why everyone doesn't have one. Although it won't solve our problem as we don't have a fast internet connection.

Thanks for all the emails, so looks like we can get British TV, just having difficulty finding a local supplier who says they can do it, as so few expats in Asturias they haven't done it before.