TDT doesn't use a dish - just a normal antenna. Depending on your location, the signal may be coming from some distance with a few mountains in the way.

When we first had TDT the signal came from a huge transmitter on a mountain over 80km away and the reception was pretty variable. Recently they installed a repeater less than a km away and there is never any problem with reception whatever the weather.

Sat TV is more variable if heavy rain clouds get between you and the satellite.

Our TDT comes through a fixed digital arial about 13m above the ground with clear line of sight to the transmission mast which is some distance away. We have a separate 1.3m dish for UK TV reception.

TDT is carrying far more than the old analogue signals which only had sound/vision and teletext riding on the spare pixels on the vision.

with all the options now available on TDT you need a decent aerial, it has to be pointed very accurately (non of the old "well its about the same as next door's" - who says he is right??) and of course you have to have a good downlead with no joints (a single in-line plug and socket joint to extend a cable can reduce the signal by 3-5dB) and how well it is connected to the aerial box up the mast.
Then there are the quality of connections in the house and that there are 3 tv's on the same antenna doesn't lend itself to getting a good signal thru the TDT which has a minimum signal requirement that can be hard to meet.

funny thing is that my original TDT died and its replacement seems to get pixelating more.

of course all of these things are as critical with sat tv.

I've got TDT on satellite because we have no line of sight to an aerial.

Now I'm really confused - how can you have terrestrial TV (Terrestrial Digital Television) via satellite?

Do you mean that you use a dish to receive it?

Well I'm not at home right now but I'll check on the box in 11 yo's room (the only way I'd allow him bedroom telly!!) but I'm pretty sure it's TDT.......... cost us over 200€ for the box plus installation thereafter no fees, and we got some kind of licence for using it.......... ???

There are about 30 channels.

Yep, still confused.

TDT is built into most modern TV's now but if it isn't, a box will cost about 30 euros. No licence is required. TDT normally gets you over 60-70 channels (+/-).

I suspect you have a subscription to something like Canal+ which does come from satellite.

There is TDT Para Satellite - available to those who can prove they cannot receive ANY TDT signals from the masts.

Dish aligned to 30 West - and the box which locks the TDT channels which normally are part of the Canal+ package on that satellite.

Close...
Access to the terrestrial channels on 30 west, without no canal+ subscription.

Thankyou.

You (or I) live and learn.

According to a friend who looked at it, they do charge for the box and it isn't cheap.

Nope, certainly ain't cheap but then there's no onward monthly subs and it means a house with no terrestrial access has terrestrial access so it was worth it to get 11 yo Spanish in the home.