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Thursday, December 31, 2009

What UK TV Channels are available on small satellite dish on the Costa Blanca Spain

Here is a full channel list (correct as at December 2009) of the UK TV channels that you should be able to receive on the Costa Blanca area of Spain on a small satellite dish.


These are all the free to air (FTA) channels that can be received without a Sky viewing card, on a Sky digibox, a Freesat satellite receiver, or a generic satellite receiver.

This is due to the fact that these channels are on the Astra 2A south beam frequencies, the Astra 2B south beam frequencies and the pan European Eurobird 1 beam frequencies.

You will not be able to receive any of the FTA UK TV channels from Astra 2D, such as BBC or ITV, as these require the big 1.8m or 2.4m satellite dishes.

When I say small, I managed to receive all of these on a 80cm satellite dish. Some of these are able to be received even on a 60cm satellite dish. But as we are in a fringe reception area, the channels may not be available during periods of heavy cloud cover or rain.

Popular Channels
S4C
CBS Reality
CBS Reality +1
CBS Action
CBS Drama
Film24
Information TV
BBC Alba
Travel Channel
Travel Channel+1
Food Network
Food Network+1

Movie Channels
Zone Horror
Zone Horror+1
True Movies
True Movies 2
Movies 4 Men
Movies 4 Men+1
Movies 4 Men2
Movies 4 Men2+1

Music Channels
Chart Show TV
The Vault
Flava
OMusic TV
Channel AKA
Starz TV
Bliss
Skuzz
Flaunt
NME TV
Clubland

News Channels
Sky News
Bloomberg
BBC News
BBC Parliament
CNN
S4C2
Euronews
CCTV-9
Russia Today
France 24
Al Jazeera
Press TV
NHK World TV

Children's Channels
POP
Tiny POP
Tiny POP+1
POPGirl
POPGirl+1
Kix!

Other Channels
Luxe TV
Body in Balance
Rural TV
Horse and Country
Fitness TV
My Channel
BEN
AIT International
True Ent
BET
BET+1
propeller
OHTV
Controversial TV
Unexplained TV
NTAI
Channel M
HiTV
OBE
Sumo TV
Fashion TV
wedding tv
wedding tv asia
Renault TV

Religion Channels
God Channel
GOD Europe
Wonderful
TBN Europe
DAYSTAR
revelation
UCB TV
Inspiration
Loveworld TV
EWTN
Gospel Channel
Genesis
Failth
KICC TV
DBN

Radio Station Channels
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 4
Classic FM
Absolute
Capital
Planet Rock
Heart
Galaxy
XFM
Choice FM
BBC World Service
BBC Radio Scotland
BBC Radio Wales
BBC Radio Ulster
BBC Radio Asian
BBC Radio 6 Music
BBC Radio 7
BBC Radio 1Xtra
RTE Radoi 1Xtra
Gold
LBC
Kiss
Magic
NME
Caroline
Absolute 80's
Jazz FM

BBC Sports Interactive Service Streams

To watch the BBC Sports Interactive service stream on Sky boxes

BBC News (Sky channel 503)
Red Button
3001
Select

or

BBC News (Sky Channel 503)
Red Button
Sports
Sports Multiscreen

To watch the BBC Sports Interactive service stream on Non Sky Boxes

Select from the channel lists
Stream-0
Stream-1
Stream-2
Stream-3
Stream-4
Stream-5
Stream-6

These streams are available on frequency 12441 polarisation v symbol rate 27500

For more information please visit:

UK TV Channels small satellite dish Costa Blanca Spain

The Sat and PC Guy - Digital Satellite and Terrestrial Installations and Maintenance for the Costa Blanca

or the forum

The Sat and PC Guy FORUM - Digital Satellite and Terrestrial Installations and Maintenance for the Costa Blanca

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Will my UK TV work in Spain?

Will my UK TV work in Spain?

The simple answer is yes.

In many cases, most TVs bought in the UK will work in Spain.


They will work with most audio visual equipment, such as satellite receivers and DVD players that are connected to the TV via a SCART or HDMI cable.

However, if you try to connect a UK TV directly into the Spanish analogue terrestrial (ie via an aerial), you may be able to receive a perfect picture, but no sound. This is because many older UK TV sets are made to the PAL I standard, and not the PAL BG standard used by Spain.

Most modern TV sets are PAL multi standard and work on all broadcasts.

Of course, this should not be an issue in a few months time anyway when the Spanish analogue TV signals are switched off, and replaced with digital signals and channels.

Many of the new modern TV set come with a built in digital tuner, and should be compatible with the Spanish digital TV service, Television Digital Terrestrial (TDT).

However, UK TV sets with "Freeview" built in may not work 100% correctly.

Firstly, and most obviously, as Freeview is not available in Spain, then you will not be able to use your Freeview TV in Spain to receive BBC and ITV and other UK TV channels, via a TV aerial (you will have to rely on a satellite dish and receiver for this!).

Secondly, many Freeview receivers may not be able to recognise all the frequencies used by TDT. Spain TDT used a frequency / channel number of 69, for Antenne 3, Neox, Nova, but as this frequency / channel is not allocated for use in the UK, and so some Freeview tuners may not be able to scan for this particular TDT frequency.

Thirdly, many Freeview tuners are configured for the UK. This means that they will normally be able to look for programme soundtracks offering in English, Gaelic or Welsh. This can be a problem in Spain, as the Spanish broadcasters use a variety of audio flag, which allow you to view certain imported films and programmes in their original language - like English. Unfortunately many of these flags, such as DOS, MUL, VO, are not able to be selected on the Freeview receivers, and so you may not be able to view these programmes on TDT in their original (English) audio.

TVs with generic ie non Freeview, tuners, should be compatiable with the Spains TDT system.
 
 
For more information visit


http://www.satandpcguy.com/
or
www.satandpcguy.com/forum

UK Digital Satellite TV (BBC Sky Freesat) and Digital Terrestrial (TDT ie Freeview) Installations for the Costa Blanca and Costa Azahar and Valencia area of Spain

Will Freesat work in Spain?

Will Freesat work in Spain? Can you receive Freesat on the Costa Blanca?





Yes Freesat will work in Spain.

To an extent.

Essentially, UK Freesat is an EPG on a Freesat receiver / digibox (like the Freesat Humax receiver), that allows you to access the UK free to air satellite TV channels. These are the same channels, and transponder frequencies, that are used for the UK free to air satellite TV channels that can be received on a Sky Digibox.

The UK free to air channels, such as BBC and ITV, that can be received by Freesat receivers are provided by the SAME satellites and frequencies that provide Sky receivers with the same channels.

So if, in your area of Spain, you require a 2.4m Portuguese satellite dish to receive BBC on a Sky receiver, you will still need a 2.4m satellite dish to receive BBC on a Freesat receiver.

Freesat receivers do not have the ability to read a Sky Viewing card. This can be a nuisance, especially if you want to watch FIVE.

On Freesat channel FIVE is on the same transponder frequency as BBC2, and this frequency may not be available 24/7 even on the big 2.4m satellite dishes. In the Valencia region of the Costa Blanca this may mean that you lose BBC2 and FIVE on a Freesat receiver from mid to late afternoon.

With a Sky receiver and a Sky viewing card you can access the encrypted versions of channel FIVE, that you are able to receive even on a small (80cm) satellite dish.

Reception of free to air satellite TV channels from other countries than you reside in is totally legal. Although the broadcasters may not like you watching their channels outside of their "country zone", there is little, other than either encrypting or reducing the strength of the signal (hence the big satellite dishes!), they can do to prevent you from doing so.


And remember, you cannot receive the UK FREEVIEW digital television service in Spain, its siganls are just not available here (the nearest Freeview transmitter is in Cornwall!) and you should really avoid any installer that says they can install a Freeview system in Spain - it is impossible!



For more information visit


http://www.satandpcguy.com/
or
www.satandpcguy.com/forum

UK Digital Satellite TV (BBC Sky Freesat) and Digital Terrestrial (TDT ie Freeview) Installations for the Costa Blanca and Costa Azahar and Valencia area of Spain

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Spanish TV Analogue Switch off - 31 December 2009

Phase 2 of Spains analogue TV Services switchoff will happen on the 31st December 2009.

Most of Spain is covered by Phase 2, with some areas alrdady being a digital only area from earlier this year, and the remaining areas having their analogue services switched off by April 2010.

If you wish to continue receiving Spanish TV, then you will need to go DIGITAL.

The Spanish Digital Terrestrial TV System is TDT - Television Digital Terrestre.

You can receive around 20 to 30 Spanish channels, all in digital, all in digital quality (no snowey effects like the old analogue system), and on many of the channels, you can switch the programmes audio into the programmes original versions - in many cases this is English. Some more local stations wil remain on analogue for the foreseeable future, until there is enough frequency space for them.

TDT is the equivilent of the UKs Freeview service - ie digital TV via a TV aerial.

You will require an TV aerial / antennae configured for digital tv signal, an amplifer and power supply, and a digital terrestrial tuner (either a set top box or a TV with a digital tuner built in).

Most apartment and communties have already made the switch, however many are still yet to be converted....and some Spanish installers are expecting to be busy at the end of December and beginning of January, as people are left with no TV over the Festive period.

The switch off is part of the European Wide switch from old inefficient and poor quality analogue systems. (1 analogue frequency can carry only 1 channel...one digital frequency can carry about 6 high quality digital channels!)


So to ensure your continous viewing of Spanish TV.....Go Digital....


For more information visit

http://www.satandpcguy.com/
or
www.satandpcguy.com/forum
Digital Satellite (BBC Sky Freesat) and Digital Terrestrial (TDT ie Freeview) Installations for the COsta Blanca and Costa Azahar and Valencia area of Spain