is this lidl deal ok for fta/saortv. also what tv is required?

blsw

I want to get saortv and other free to air services.

I read this article about saortv and would like to know if this Lidl sat tv equipment is suitable

what model of tv is required as going by the saortv article many hdtvs on sale in ireland are obsolete and wont work with the new hd transmission systems

i have an old big box tv with a tv aerial and scart connection but want to get into hd tv so ill need to get a new tv. im just not sure about buying any of the hdtvs in the shops here after reading the article.

can someone advise on what exact dish,set box,aerial and tv is necessary to receive fta and where to buy if the lidl deal is not a good one?

polyfusion

That setup is only good if you need TV while camping, but it still won't get you Irish TV, neither analogue or digital. Best it will do is English free TV such as BBCs, ITVs, CH4s and other channels. Also, the dish is a bit on the small side, and fixings unsuitable for permanent installation.

If your current TV is fine, working ok with SCART, then no need to replace just yet, you have a few options. First thing to know is your location, as if you're close to the border, it may be possible to get UK digital TV and Irish TV simply by adding a terrestrial HD receiver, and maybe a second aerial.

This would be the simplest solution. After that you're looking at combo receiver with dish (UK TV) and aerial (Irish TV), sat receiver with 2 dishes, combo HD TVs (what's your budget?), all the way to a Sky sub, which is probably not what you want if you're asking about FTA.

Other things to consider when looking for some type of receiver is if you want EPG, some type of PVR, and if you'd be confident tinkering with settings (FTA vs Freesat).

Me personally, I'm still using a 10 year old + CRT with a receiver like the one from Lidl, and getting analogue Irish TV. If Saorsat takes off, I'd be looking at adding a dish to receive the Irish channels, and a HD receiver to show the UK and Irish channels. I'm still not impressed enough with the sound from current LCDs/LEDs to ditch my CRT just yet.

Cantona's Collars

Discussed here already http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056181994 Stay away from Lidl sat systems and get a decent one.There's also a sticky in the terrestrial forum on Saorview compatible tellys,check that out also,combine a Saorview tv with a decent fta/freesat system and away you go.

watty

Lidl just recently have sold TVs compatible with Saorview for first time.

None of their satellite stuff is very good.
The "camping" system is really only good for England for UK FTA, or Germany for 19E/13E, the dish is too small.
Lidl have never sold "Freesat" much less "Freesat HD" satellite gear or Satellite gear that would remotely work with "Saorsat" when it starts end of May 2011.

byte

Over on the Bargain Alerts forum, B&Q are selling a HD FTA box and dish for €50.

Good price for box alone I think, even if it doesn't have 7 day EPG or digital text, etc.

Link: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056184650

blsw

thanks lads, i dont understand a lot of the tech abreviations though

"Other things to consider when looking for some type of receiver is if you want EPG, some type of PVR, and if you'd be confident tinkering with settings (FTA vs Freesat)."

can anyone explain what epg and pvr are and whats involved with setting up the settings for fta and freesat

"Good price for box alone I think, even if it doesn't have 7 day EPG or digital text, etc."

and explain what is digital text also

Badgermonkey

EPG refers to the electronic programme guide, an onscreen TV listings guide.

With a FTA (Free to Air) Satellite box, the EPG will only display what is on now and what is on next.

Also, if channels change frequency as they sometimes do, you will lose them on a FTA box and must input info manually to retune them.

Freesat boxes receive the same channels as FTA but provide an 8 day EPG and automatically track and tune any changes in channel frequencies, so it never loses channels and provides an altogether better user experience.

Freesat is a platform set up by BBC & ITV and all channels are freely available in Ireland.

See http://www.freesat.co.uk/what-you-get/our-channels

To set up a Freesat box you simply input a UK postcode and the box automatically tunes all available stations. If it's a High Definition box this will give you BBCHD, BBC1HD, ITV1HD and coming in April, Ch4HD.

A PVR is a personal video recorder, a satellite box with an internal hard drive allowing you to record and store programmes on the box.

I would recommend a Freesat HD box over FTA, generally pricier but worth it.

blsw

thanks Badgermonkey.

just to clarify:
so i need a freesat hd box(epg and pvr) and dish for the english stations and rte 1+2 and an aerial if i want to get saorview


will the saorview tv work with the freesat box

how much should i expect to pay for the lot including the tv

sorry to bother you but is their a shop that stocks the lot

danjo-xx

Have a look here.

Satellite.ie

Badgermonkey

blsw wrote: »

t
so i need a freesat hd box(epg and pvr) and dish for the english stations

Yes, although if you do not wish to record anything a Freesat HD box without PVR function will be cheaper.

and rte 1+2 and an aerial if i want to get saorview
will the saorview tv work with the freesat box

Neither a Freesat or FTA box will give you the Irish channels, only UK channels.

To receive RTE's new Saorview service you will most likely need a rooftop aerial.

If you are seeking to purchase a new HD TV, make sure it has an MPEG4 tuner built in as this will be necessary to decode Saorview. You'll plug your aerial into the TV for Saorview and your Freesat box will connect to the TV delivering UK channels.

how much should i expect to pay for the lot including the tv
sorry to bother you but is their a shop that stocks the lot

V hard to say as it depends on what you want in a TV.

Your best to pick up a Freesat box online, Amazon UK are probably your best bet:

This will give you Freesat HD channels BUT no PVR
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sagemcom-Satellite-Digital-Receiver-freesat/dp/B002XSKSHM/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1298322959&sr=8-4

This will give you Freesat HD and PVR
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Humax-FOXSAT-HDR-Freesat-Digital-Recorder/dp/B001L5YU36/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1298323747&sr=8-1



I'd then recommend you get a Sat installer to do your dish and aerial installation and they'll make sure your system is up and running.

Perhaps give Tony a call for a quote, as he offers a lot of advice to folks on these boards.
http://www.satellite.ie/

fish fingers

blsw wrote: »

thanks Badgermonkey.

just to clarify:
so i need a freesat hd box(epg and pvr) and dish for the english stations and rte 1+2 and an aerial if i want to get saorview


will the saorview tv work with the freesat box

how much should i expect to pay for the lot including the tv

sorry to bother you but is their a shop that stocks the lot

You wont get any irish stations with a freesat box but you will get them with saorview

blsw

thanks lads. ill give Tony a shout

just wondering is saorview worth bothering about at all or will it be the only way to get rte etc in the future

is it better to get freesat and just use the cats ears for rte1+2, tnag and god help us tv3

Badgermonkey

If you're in a strong signal area, the 'rabbit ears' aerial may be sufficient for saorview.

After 2012 Saorview will be the necessary to access terrestrial TV.

Also, second hand Freesat HD and Freesat HD PVR's can be had on ebay.co.uk or sometimes ebay.ie at prices well below those on Amazon quoted above.

watty

Rabbit Ears hardly anywhere. Invest in decent outdoor aerial. It can be a small one.

king_of_inismac

Hi,

I'm considering purchasing one of the lidl kits. Wonder what the chances are it'll work through a window (obviously if I'm pointing it in the right direction).

I'm not sure I can mount one of these outside my house.

Thanks,
M

watty

The dish is FAR too small. Any rain and you will have no signal.

Waste of money.

If you want cheap get the kit from B&Q.

Cantona's Collars

Watty is right,how many times does it have to be said that the Lidl kit is useless.The B+Q one is a better and at the minute cheaper option as you get a HD box and dish for €50

polyfusion

zerks wrote: »

...The B+Q one is a better and at the minute cheaper option as you get a HD box and dish for €50

Sorry, me being pedantic (or factual) again Unfortunately, it seems the price has gone back up to €100 for the HD box and dish, €82 for the SD kit (in Tallaght branch at least). Still, a better deal than the Lidl setup (unless you want one for camping), as it'll give a PVR and hopefully support Saorsat when it becomes available.

watty

the B&Q is far far better than lidl camping sat and it is much inferior to a real "Freesat HD" box.

Unless you want non-UK pay TV, a "Freesat HD" box or PVR is only sensible choice. Ideally one with Diseqc for non-Freesat channels.

Cantona's Collars

polyfusion wrote: »

Sorry, me being pedantic (or factual) again Unfortunately, it seems the price has gone back up to €100 for the HD box and dish, €82 for the SD kit (in Tallaght branch at least). Still, a better deal than the Lidl setup (unless you want one for camping), as it'll give a PVR and hopefully support Saorsat when it becomes available.

It must have gone back up in price,knew 50 quid was too good a price for it to last.Even so it's not a bad price for a fta HD box and dish if you want a no frills kit.Better than spending €70 on a toy dish in Lidl that will end up in a bin,the few of these I've seen up have lumps of timber and other stuff nailed to them to keep them in place-not something I'd want on my house.
Why do people keep starting threads here asking advice on buying Lidl satellite systems? Do they not use the search function-the answers always the same...AVOID BUYING THEM-THEY'RE A WASTE OF MONEY.
Even Xtravision sell better kit than them for the same price.

watty

And I wouldn't buy other than DVD/Game/BD from them. Certainly not their TVs or Sat receivers. But better than Lidl dish.