Re: Internet Providers in Spain
 

Freesat is a misused term. Mostly it relates to the free-to-air satellite channels but "Sky FreeSat" is also a bundle of channels carried by Sky for which you would need a Sky box but not necessarily a subscription. As most of the UK channels are very similar and also the same as the terrestrial freeview channels (as opposed to the "FreeView" service). You can see why there is confusion.

All you need to get FTA satellite channels is a dish correctly orientated and a suitable decoder - often a Humax box. One off cost and thereafter free.

Internet TV will usually cost - in addition to the connection cost and rental plus licences/subscriptions for each service you want.

Re: Internet Providers in Spain
 

yes, that'll be Freesat. Down here on the CDS we lost satellite access a couple of years ago. However my brother who lives in Alcala, which is some way south of Barcelona can still get UK sat TV without a problem. So you should be alright in Barcelona for Freesat or Sky

Re: Internet Providers in Spain
 

Freesat - a service with dedicated satellite receivers and programme guide for the reception of most free to air (ie non subscription non encrpyted) satellite channels.

Freesat From Sky - a service that requires a Sky Digibox, and a "freesat from sky" non subscription viewing card, that allowws access to the small handful of "free to view" satellite channels, along with all the free to air channels (that are also on freesat).

Barcelona is in now bit of a "null spot" for the beam that carries the free uk channels like BBC ITV C4 and Five. A 1.8 or 2.4m dish or larger is required depending exactly where you are. Most of the Sky pay channels ares till able to be received on an 80cm dish as they are on a more available "european" beam..

(you could say that area now has the null spot that we in the costa blanca had for 15 years prior to 2012!)

The CdS did not "lose" satellite access...the signals are still there. However, it is just that you now require larger dishes than you used to to enable you to receive the signals that are on the UK beam of the current satellites...the european beam for most of the sky pay channels is actually better there than it used to be. However, it is true that in some areas a 4m dish or larger is now required, but the signals are still there!!!!

(We in the Costa Blanca now have that "hot spot" signal the CdS used to have, as we can now use smaller dished than what we used to have to use...)

Re Now TV: as long as you have a decent stable internet speed, and a deal you are happy with, the Now TV box will work....as long as you run it in conjunction with the smart DNS service to get around the "location geoblocking". I am not too sure if you can put the Smart DNS service directly onto the Now TV box, or if you have to have it connect to your internet modem / router via a separate router running the smart dns service... I think Fred can answer that as I think he runs it...?

Also not too sure about Amazon Prime or Netflix...and how a Smart DNS service handles this and which version you will be offered... this is important as content on these services does vary due to rights contracts... those made by amazon and netflix will be the same all over, but the content they buy from others will differ due to these rights contracts.

Re: Internet Providers in Spain
 

One of the options I use when over is a now TV box for BBC itv channel 4 and 5 live and catch up. I just use the free VPN that comes with my broadband package. Works fine excellent picture quality

Re: Internet Providers in Spain
 

Could I ask which provider you're with? We ended up signing with Movistar and not sure how easy it is to configure.

Re: Internet Providers in Spain
 

Could I also ask how you're getting the regular UK channels? Do you run it through a Spanish aerial, as our cable is still connected to our TV so we have our Spanish channels, do you still have it set up where the antenna runs through the Now TV box and into the TV, or is it just connected via the Internet as a stand-alone and plugged in via the HDMI without need for an aerial cable?

Re: Internet Providers in Spain
 

UK channels through an aerial in Spain???? Didn't know that was possible.