bokeh

Hi all,

Just for those that don't know, if you buy yourself a Spanish digital terrestrial television box (TDT, Media Mart do them starting from about 25€) you will receive about 30 free to air channels (more soon). Many of the programs (BBC documentaries, House MD, Sitcoms, Films, Sports) are bought in so are available in the source language (English). I've got Sky too but I find I am watching TDT about 80% of the time (and Sky 20%) so I'm thinking of cancelling my subscription as I'm fed up with the continual cycle of repeats which doesn't happen on the TDT.

Chiclanagir

Interesting. I presume you will need a spanish aerial as well as the sky one?

Rosemary

This is the route that we took. The picture is extremely clear, programmes help with listening to the Spanish language, no need for an unsightly dish so the house does not stand out as 'different' and we find that the odd sitcom or film in English is perfectly adequate for the amount of TV that we watch. Never watched soaps, sport etc in UK so no point in the hassle of SKY.

Rosemary

bokeh

Just a common-o-garden UHF TV antenna.

CBANDY

How much football is there?

Fred James

That depends on how good a signal you are getting. For the best reception of TDT you need an aerial designed for digital and it needs to be the correct polarisation (vertical or horizontal depending on where you live).

Usually the digital signals are the opposite polarisation to the analog signals.

Televes are the most common ones in Spain - picture here

http://www.televes.com/espanol/produ....php?refe=1295

You are lucky if you can get 30 channels, even with a decent antenna we can only get about 4 as the nearest TDT transmitter is 80km away.

bokeh

I'm in a low spot surrounded by higher ground in the direction of the signal. I've got 15% signal strength and I get 27 channels. Obviously if you live in or near a major town this is not going to be a problem anyway. Also TDT is the future of TV in Spain; analogue is being switched off for good in a couple of years, so even if you haven't got a TDT transmitter on your doorstep now you are sure to have one shortly.
It doesn't matter if you are in England or Spain if you want footie and lots of it you have to pay. It's the way the game has gone over the last 25 years and in the UK Sky seam to own the rights to every quality match. As to how much there is there on free to air TDT I would say it is comparable to the combined amount on BBC, ITV and Eurosport.

The Guy

Some Premiership matches were on La2 and Teledeporte, so i dare say they will be next season also....

bokeh

The World Cup was on La Sexta plus quite a bit of other footie (the commentator is known for his catch phrase "tiqui taca").

jenna m

What exactly is Digital+? Do you get extra films etc?
We have TDT now but havent come across anything in english, as yet, but we are just coming over for holidays at the moment.
I am very ignorant on this subject!
Jenna

Rosemary

Loads and loads, Spanish matches and English matches in particular. In fact they are very hot on showing all sports.

Rosemary

bokeh

Hi Jenna, The first audio channel, on TDT, is always in Spanish or the local language. To receive in the V.O. language (often English) you need to swap to the second audio channel. This also has the benefit on some channels that the advert breaks are muted.

Digital+ (satellite TV on Astra 1) is the result of a merger between Canal Satélite Digital and and Via Digital a few years ago. It is the Spanish equivalent of Sky TV at cost of, gulp, 61,95€ a month plus any pay TV film or football matches, "Taquilla", you subscribe to.

Chiclanagir

TOO BLOODY MUCH!!

Maurice

Just to let you know that if you have a DTT Set top box from the UK it works fine here in Spain, I have 2 and have no problem with them.

jenna m

TDT it is then for me -
thanks,