Welcome back Channel 5

[Deanscroft]

Those of you who view UK TV on a `Sky Digibox´without a card will be pleased to see that Ch5 which disappeared about 2yrs ago is now back on the Sky platform and EPG along with the other `5´channels like 5 star, 5 usa and the +1 versions. This happened when Sky moved these channels from the old Astra 2D satelite to the new Astra 1N launched earlier this year. Whether Sky have made a deliberate decision to make these channels free to air or whether thay have just forgotten to code them remains to be seen. It had been feared that as the new 1N satelite uses `spot beam´technology ie the beam is closely focused on the UK, that any channels moved onto it would not be available here. Hopefully this will not be the case.

I would be interested to know if, those of you who use a Sky card and have always been viewing Ch5 via the Sky EPG (Ch105), notice any change in the reception quality.

 

[clinkham]

Does the Freesat system work in Mallorca? I seem to remember being told a while ago that the transmission footprint over Mallorca was better than the Sky system.

 

[barefoot]

Yes Clinkham it does. We're on the Freesat system, not Sky, and have also just received these new channels.

 

[Deanscroft]

At the moment both Sky and Freesat use the same satelites so the footprint is the same however the new Astra 1D satelite is said to have a more consentrated beam and might not be available outside of the UK. Sky have moved the `5´ channels across to 1D however reception here does not appear to have deteriorated. I think there might be a bit of kidology going on here because if you look at the footprint diagrams provided by Astra the one for the Astra 2 satelites uses up to a 1.2m dish whereas the one for the new Astra 1D only shows up to a 0.6m dish.

 

[majprop]

I have a freesat digibox and have never had a problem with channel 5, I have never lost it or had a deteriation in reception with this channel, I started to receive the USA5's about two months ago and all are being received fine. the only channel I have lost is BBC3, the only channel I have problems with is ITV3 which comes and goes depending on the position of the sat, I assume !.

 

[Deanscroft]

That is correct - Ch5 has always been FTA on Freesat. It is only with a Sky box that there was a problem now solved.