Satellite TV Update

[fil6699]

Ok here is in interesting one for you on our normal sky box we cannot get ITV etc But on our HD box we can get everything by watching in HD we do have a full HD package on this box. Not sure why this is or if it will last all boxes are of the same dish so if you have a HD box and subscription looks like it may work and great picture to

 

[Deanscroft]

I can only guess that Sky have come up with a cunning plan to make even more money. As they charge there customers to view HD channels which are available for free elsewhere it looks like they may have put them on the European beam.

 

[Nick]

Ok here is in interesting one for you on our normal sky box we cannot get ITV etc But on our HD box we can get everything by watching in HD we do have a full HD package on this box. Not sure why this is or if it will last all boxes are of the same dish so if you have a HD box and subscription looks like it may work and great picture to

Is that just by bringing out your Sky HD card from the UK or do you have a pay prescription in Mallorca?

 

[fil6699]

Nic I sent you a message

 

[JMD40]

I have had 2 standard dishes for villas plus one community dish installed in last 10 days.
Standard dish 800€ and the community one 1000€. The service was great, fast and efficient and these guys seem to have the best equipment and dishes. However they had ordered 50 new dishes for delivery this week and 30 of them have already been booked so do not delay too long. If you are renting out and advertising SAT TV your customers are not going to be very happy if they arrive and no signal so do get someone to check out your property on your behalf for you if you are not living here. Some companies have an approx. 3 week waiting list at the moment.
Contact me for any further info..... if its urgent by phone or email will be better as I only connect to the forum when time allows.
Happy Easter all.... enjoy this fab weather!

 

[Belladonna]

Just another little update to add to all the confusion about what to do and when.
Had Pedro from Confort round to sort out an IBred problem, which ended up being mostly a laptop problem with McAffee security being very naughty, and just a tiny IBred problem. Pedro fixed the lot - my hero!

Whilst he was here, he said that some people are putting in the wrong dish, thinking its a 1.8, when infact it is a 1.6. The confusion is that the dishes are oval, not completely round. So its the measurement from side to side that must be 1.8, making the height 2m. NOT the height being 1.8, which makes the width only 1.6m. The smaller ones may well work now, but come the summer, with the turn of the earth which misaligns the satellite, they may well not pick up the signal, as well as being hit and miss in bad weather.
Obviously the other problem is the weight of the dish which requires an enormous amount of cement to keep it in place! Im not sure I want to risk it on our roof!!

(Lollipop has said almost the same a few posts back - have just scrolled down.)

Have now downloaded FilmOn through the laptop and will get the cable tomorrow to attach to the TV to enable us to watch tv. Will play the waiting game for a few months and see what settles down with everything.

 

[Deanscroft]

Pedro is right but it really does depend on how reliable a signal you need. If you live here all year and want a guaranteed signal including HD at all times then you need the 1.8 x 2m dish minimum at a cost of around 2000€. Alternatively if you are happy with being able to get most SD channels most of the time then a 1.7 x 1.55m dish at around 700€ will do the job.

 

[Belladonna]

Thanks Deanscroft, very good point and certainly worth remembering for the financial consideration. Looking into Infinity (almost literally!) at the moment with other residents which seems to be the flavour of the moment.

 

[debz1]

Thanks Deanscroft, very good point and certainly worth remembering for the financial consideration. Looking into Infinity (almost literally!) at the moment with other residents which seems to be the flavour of the moment.

The prices Confort were quoting just aren't price competitive which is why the majority of people I've spoken to are going with Infinity.

 

[glentobay]

Gn tv

Has any one tried GN TV? We have spoken with people who are very pleased with their installation.

 

[lollipop]

One plus with going with a company like Confort is that they are established and local if there are future problems. What will Infinity charge to come from Palma to fix something, but I agree that the price is competitive and for non residents a good solution. GNTV are running a competition on Facebook for a free draw once they get a certain number of likes.

 

[debz1]

One plus with going with a company like Confort is that they are established and local if there are future problems. What will Infinity charge to come from Palma to fix something, but I agree that the price is competitive and for non residents a good solution. GNTV are running a competition on Facebook for a free draw once they get a certain number of likes.

Confort is our number one for most appliances that we need, and their customer service is second to none. However the price difference of approx 900€ between Confort and Infinity made it a no brainer, especially when 7 of us split the cost of 620€. For the 2/3 months of the year we are out and the times we watch tv it will do us for now, and if the system is upgraded in a year or so we won't have had a huge outlay. It will be interesting to see what Infinity's after care service is like if there are any problems but even with a call out charge I can't imagine it will be anything as much as the differential.

 

[rioja]

I'm afraid that some local filtters aré putting up satélite dishes when only adjustments of the sky or top box aré needed. Personally i will only use British engineers for things like this.Just my opinión

 

[Nick]

I'm not sure you can get a signal just by just adjusting the box? The satellite has moved so I think it is a bigger dish needed.

If you go with recommendations things should be okay. I think you could easily get ripped off by a Brit as well. Don't just trust them all just because they're fellow countrymen!

 

[fil6699]

OK Once again I will say what I said a while ago don't panic and wait unless you are desperate. Because in truth no body really knows what will work long term and especially in the summer. I do believe the company's are all acting in good faith but some do share different opinions as to what will happen when we get stormy weather and lots of clouds or the beam from the satellite is changed again. Also Internet TV may or may not work as you would like it to in the summer when demand is extremely High that was a quote form Ibred the internet providers
So personally I would wait until after this summer and into next winter is over when all the problems have been ironed out and the panic buying has finished then the way forward will be easier to see to make what could be a costly purchase.

 

[debz1]

I'm afraid that some local filtters aré putting up satélite dishes when only adjustments of the sky or top box aré needed. Personally i will only use British engineers for things like this.Just my opinión

not sure what's confusing me most....your post about satellite tv or the strange cedilla's you're using!

 

[supamac]

Just to reassure, Infinity did commit to come back free of charge should anything fail on the dish and connection. Their mantra was 'we're not happy unless you're happy.’ We haven’t yet put this to the test as we haven’t needed to though I'm inclined to accept their word as they honoured all the promises they originally made - survey date and time, instal date and time and also their promise not to sell us anything we didn’t need (bracket and LNB), even though those items would have been profitable for them.
Last time we had TV problems (pre- new satellite arrangements) it was, in fact, down to a rather past-it old Sky box we were using and as soon as we got a new free view box (from favourites, Confort), we said goodbye to pixelated screens and all worked well. So equipment checks are always advisable.
Anyway, as Debz says, we have made a very modest outlay between 7 of us to get perfect TV, as have a further crowd in a neighbouring building and 4 other year-round residents in the port - yes, we did do our research with locals before proceeding. No wi-fi connection gymnastics requiring internet, nor any other ‘dark arts’ to view some UK favourites - just a new dish and a TV and we’re up and running through sunshine, wind, rain and cloud. Cant talk about a dark and stormy night yet but I’m sure we’ll be offered one soon enough!
I’m confident anyway, but at £74 for our share of the cost, more than a year would be good and to put it into perspective, it cost about the same as just 1 months Sky subscription in the UK.
I do see why fil6699 would recommend caution, especially if you’re a lone investor in this venture; its just possible though, that you may spend over a year of your life and the changing of the seasons waiting for the fog to clear only to find there was no fog - he who hesitates…….!
Good luck to those who stuck their necks out and are so far enjoying their favourite programmes on TV!

 

[rioja]

I'm not sure you can get a signal just by just adjusting the box? The satellite has moved so I think it is a bigger dish needed.

If you go with recommendations things should be okay. I think you could easily get ripped off by a Brit as well. Don't just trust them all just because they're fellow countrymen!

Yes the satélite in the sky changed but the dish On your roof hasn't and in many cases (mine for example) no new dish was needed just retuning. Many expats aré ripped off by native and non native English speakers, I agree but I was just referring to British trained TV engineers. I use local plumbers,electricians etc based On my own and my friends experiences. I speak Spanish and Mallorquin so language isnt fortunately a problem for me

 

[lollipop]

Rioja, I think it depends where you live as the reception from existing dishes is very patchy. I know people who are getting programmes and others nothing even with adjustment.

 

[kate1]

We bought a gizmo from Alcampo (75 euros) called an Engeldroid box - basically it converts your TV into a Smart TV, so you receive programmes via the FilmOn app which appears on screen, and it works off a remote control rather than via tablet. Lots of games etc are also available free of charge, which pleased the kids! The instructions were reasonably easy to understand and were in English - we managed to get the whole thing set up and working within half an hour. You do of course need a decent WiFi connection - I am told that IBRed is fine, whereas Telefonica is not, but don't know if that is correct. The picture quality isn't amazing, but not significantly worse than our satellite picture - and for 75 euros, I'm not complaining! It picks up all the main British TV channels, and as we had been told by the engineer that, in our location (the deep countryside), we would only receive Sky News even with the biggest dish available, this is really a result. I'd urge anyone considering paying for a new dish to consider this option first, as even if the dish works now, the situation will possibly be changing in the future.