BBC's Freeview

[Darker]

I seen an ad showing BBC's new service Freeview, where up to 30 channels will be made free. Seems all you have to buy is some plug for the back of the T.V.

I was just wondering if any of you good people would know if we would be able to get here in the Republic. Where i live i can already pick up the Northern Stations.

It sounds good - so if anyone knows anymore i would appreciate it if you could post some more info.


Cheers,

Darker

[Arnold]

You need a terestrial digibox to decode the signal, depends on whether there's a signal in your area.

[Billy Dane]

If you can already pick up the stations with your existing setup, theres a 50 pc chance you'll be able to get it. At 99£ its worth the risk.

[Mike]

Freewiew signals should be easier to recieve than the old ITV digital as it uses the more robust 16QAM format insteat of 64QAM

Having said that there will still be cases where DTT cannot be picked up even if your analouge reception is ok

If you use a "grouped" as opposed to a "wideband" aerial you may not get all the channels (grid aerials are wideband)

Freeview boxes go for £99 although you can pick one up for £80

Make sure it can recieve both 2K and 8K standards since RTE have decided to use the 8K standard (assuming they ever start DTT broadcasts)

[Original Tyrone Gobshite!]

UK DTT in the republic is really only possible in some parts close to the border as all the three main TX's that broadcast in digital (Divis, Limavady and Brougher Mountain) are on lower power than what they should ideally be on. I've heard of reception reports from Moville (Inishowen), Coollenny (Sligo), Cavan Town and some parts of Co.Louth so don't get your hopes up. A fair bit of Northern Ireland itself cannot get DTT.

[Megawatts]

When Channel 5 came on, it had a really good signal. However in order to avoid VCR tuning problems in the Republic, one thrid of the antennae was disabled, to avoid any signal going to the Republic.

So much so Channel 5 is bearly watchable in Co Armagh, relative to what it was. There is a built in ghost, due to partial reception from the two sets of panels directed due NE/SE.

DTT is suffering a similar problem. While its perfectly acceptable for RTE/TV3 to blast into Northern Ireland from Clarmont Carn, and while the BBC and Downtown have 10KW "fill in" transmittrers on the border.... getting Channel 5 and DTT in good signal strength in the North, is not allowed.

DTT has wide band signals, so an old Group A antennae for Divis will reduce reception on some of the channels. You need to change your antennae to Group X. While the BBC channels have impoved their bit rate, ITV has retained the older lower rate, to accomadate their extra channels. So you may get a good BBC picture, but break up on ITV.
So if you really want DTT, you'll need to maximise your antennae, and upgrade your cable to CT100. (ie not the usual lossy TV coax so many have had installed)

[Mike]

Ch 5 is recievable in much of Co Louth. Not as well as the other four but still watchable on a good aerial

[Arnold]

Channel 5 watchable? Shurely some mishtake!

[Mike]

Bad as it maybe its still far better than Useless TV

[Ger Roe]

On the subject of Channel 5,

I can pull it in here in Wicklow when the athmospherics are suitable. At times it is very clear, particularly when everything else turns wobbily. I am using a wideband grid - is there anything else I can use to try and make CH 5 reception more reliable ?

Maybe the footprint doesn't extend this far from Wales but I did hear reports of people watching it regularly in Enniskerry.

Ger Roe.

[Mike]

is there anything else I can use to try and make CH 5 reception more reliable ?

the obvious
more directional aerial (for a start stick some chicken wire on the back of your bowtie grid (colour king)
better booster
(If you have the space) parabolic reflector

[FMDX]

Attached CH5 snapshot on DTT in Dundalk !!!

[John Fleming]

"is there anything else I can use to try and make CH 5 reception more reliable"

A Sky dish, digibox and FTV card!

Sorry Ger, not helpful i know :-)