Over the last week we has lost ITV every night about 6.30. Does anyone know why and how we can get it back again??? It is fine all  day. BBC is fine , also ITV 2 , ITV3 &4 are ok as well. Suggestions pls

What is the size of your satellite dish?

If its 90 cm then that's your problem!!

You need at least a 1.2m dish to get Freeview English Channels year round we had the same problem last year TV dropped off around 6;30 to 7:00 every night!!

We got a 1.3 metre dish and all fine now apart from thunderstorms or Heavy rain!!

Hi Stuart,
I'm not interested in UK TV, but now that my Dad of 82 is living with us, I think it might be a good idea to let him have something he can understand except DVD's.

What's your independent view of installation costs and also the equivalent of Sky (especially the football)

I know this is probably the one thing my Dad really misses.

Is it possible?

Jools

UK TV is the only thing worth watching here, Local TV is crap with Mexican soaps and 15 minute commercial breaks!!

Anyway I think you can get sorted with a dish for about 160 euros, installed I think, but ask around!!

As For Sky Not Interested in anything that Murdock has to offer including football, so you need to ask a SKY Fan

Thanks for the input.
UK TV really does not interest me at all I work too many hours to get to watch it, but like I said it's just for my elderly Dad.
Would like to hear what other members have to say as well b4 making a decision.
Thanks anyway
Jools

Anything less than 1.2m usually won't give you year round tv. A few places seem to be able to get away with a 1m dish but VERY few! I've had a 1.2m dish for 5 1/2 years and rarely have problems (only when there is very heavy rainfall). I've lost count of the number of small dishes I've changed over the years due to breakup in the evenings and winter. Now through to roughly feb/march are the worst months. Summertime is generally ok.

If you are in an area that suffers with lots of wind then make sure it's a good heavy duty support and quality dish - I've seen snapped brackets and dishes folded in half.

Nigel

Jools, What Nigel says about dishes is obviously spot on (he know's a thing or two).  As to the programme content, you can watch all the mainstream channels from UK on the Freesat bundle with a straightforward digital receiver box including some HD content if required with an HD box but you won't get the actual SKY channels (premiums like films and SKY Sports) without a suitable receiver and card.  There are various ways to obtain this setup.  Your best bet is probably to ask Nigel if he'll set you up with whatever system level you decide on.

BTW, just a point on terminology.  UK "Freeview" is not available on a satellite dish and receiver.  It's only available in UK as it's a terrestrial broadcast.  The equivalent here is TDT which is received on an antennae similar to the old analogue ones with a suitable set top decoder box or a TV with a built in tuner.  Obviously the content is Spanish/Catalan although some programming carries English soundtrack which the decoder can decode.

Fanx everyone, looks like we will have to change the dish it is 90cm, we have had it for 6 years now and never had a prob before , guess we have been lucky..
Merry Crimbo

If the dish etc has been in place for six years there could be any number of reasons why the signal has only just started deteriorating.  The dish could have moved a bit, the cable and/or the LNB might have gone down and also it might be an idea to rescan your channels from time to time as there has been some reallocation of transponders on the satellite itself.  If I were in your position, I would consider replacing the dish with a 1.2, with new cable and LNB and of course get the dish and LNB correctly aligned.  I'm considering going from a 1m to a 1.2m myself.

In a nutshell a 90cm dish will not do!!

You need a 1.2m or bigger if you want year round service!!

Ok so its free to air viewing channels which is pretty much what you get on Freeview in the UK!!

I also have the free to air system and also started to lose channels. I called in the supplier of the system(BRITSAT) who checked the alignment of the dish which did not help much. So they took the box away and updated the software which apparently you can do for free yourself. The box came back with not only the cannels that I lost but a lot of new ones as well. Also the menu system was much improved.

Slightly off topic but related none the less, I've recently upgraded to SKY+ in Ireland and find myself with the old sky box and dish, just wondering if it would be any use for getting the FTA chanels if I took it to spain?  I know the sky dishes are a bit small from what you've all been discussing on the forum but does anyone have a ballpark figure on how much a suitable dish is likely to cost inc. installation?  Sorry if this has already been discussed - i didn't really conduct much of a search.

I'd appreciate any advice.

Your Sky box will work absolutely fine as long as it has a good enough dish.

I supply and fit 1.2m dishes for 290 euros, includes the mounting and LNB/Cable.

Nigel