Anybody else bought a free sat TV?
Discussion
A couple of weeks ago I went into my local Panasonic showroom to complain about my 10 month old TV because it wouldn't switch on properly. Well it would switch on, I would turn it on with the RC and a couple of seconds later it would switch off. Anyway it is a known fault and all I have to do is phone the repair place and tell them how many times the red light flashes..(once).... sorted.
Only thing is while I was there I noticed another TV, same size as mine 32" but the picture was really clearer and sharper so I asked about it and he told me it was a freesat and all I need is a dish to receive it. It just so happens that I have one of these, left by the previous incumbent on the back wall. So when I get home I book the aerial guy to come and mate the two together. He is round in a few days, new box thingy on the receiver bit then the wire re-routed over the house and yet another hole drilled through the wall and it's soon up and running.
Looking through the channels I find the 108 BBC HD channel and the picture is amazing and quite a few of the programmes are repeated so if I miss Hustle cos I'm watching Piers I get a couple of extra goes at it later in the week. There are all the BBC regional variations and some on ITV as well. there are so many more channels to choose from and yet there is not much I want to watch.
Flicking through the channels (there seem to be a lot that don't seem to be on NTL/Virgin)and I come across an advert for Audi and it looks a bit different and then I notice it's a whole programme about Audi and on bringing the onscreen info I see it's a whole channel by Audi! How cool is that? Now I'll be honest and let on that I was very close to buying an S5 until I saw one with those chav LED running lights and I changed my mind and went with the Beemer.
I keep going through the sat channels in the hope that there will be a BMW or a Ducati channel but no such luck, maybe they are still working on it, planning on making it better and trying to work out once you have watched it you won't want to watch anything else, no hold on that's a bit to much like their product. As for the guys at Ducati they like the idea but think there is a only so much programme making they can do about high performance chic two wheelers unaware that there are die hard devotees of the marque hungry for anything with Ducati on the tank!
I have noticed there is a definite improvement of the pictures on the non HD channels on the BBC and ITV and I suspect that they are transmitting more programmes in HD.
Only thing is while I was there I noticed another TV, same size as mine 32" but the picture was really clearer and sharper so I asked about it and he told me it was a freesat and all I need is a dish to receive it. It just so happens that I have one of these, left by the previous incumbent on the back wall. So when I get home I book the aerial guy to come and mate the two together. He is round in a few days, new box thingy on the receiver bit then the wire re-routed over the house and yet another hole drilled through the wall and it's soon up and running.
Looking through the channels I find the 108 BBC HD channel and the picture is amazing and quite a few of the programmes are repeated so if I miss Hustle cos I'm watching Piers I get a couple of extra goes at it later in the week. There are all the BBC regional variations and some on ITV as well. there are so many more channels to choose from and yet there is not much I want to watch.
Flicking through the channels (there seem to be a lot that don't seem to be on NTL/Virgin)and I come across an advert for Audi and it looks a bit different and then I notice it's a whole programme about Audi and on bringing the onscreen info I see it's a whole channel by Audi! How cool is that? Now I'll be honest and let on that I was very close to buying an S5 until I saw one with those chav LED running lights and I changed my mind and went with the Beemer.
I keep going through the sat channels in the hope that there will be a BMW or a Ducati channel but no such luck, maybe they are still working on it, planning on making it better and trying to work out once you have watched it you won't want to watch anything else, no hold on that's a bit to much like their product. As for the guys at Ducati they like the idea but think there is a only so much programme making they can do about high performance chic two wheelers unaware that there are die hard devotees of the marque hungry for anything with Ducati on the tank!
I have noticed there is a definite improvement of the pictures on the non HD channels on the BBC and ITV and I suspect that they are transmitting more programmes in HD.
You get BBC stations on channel 108 from 8pm until midnight. Also a smattering on ITV Also major sporting events. Look up www.freesat.co.uk for full listings
Steve748 said:
I have noticed there is a definite improvement of the pictures on the non HD channels on the BBC and ITV and I suspect that they are transmitting more programmes in HD.
I have a Humax Foxsat , sounds like same as yours .SD picture (standard Definition) is upscaled because you will be using an HDMI connection instead of scart or coaxial . So the picture should look better but the signal is no different .
Thats how it was explained to me in laymans terms .
The free-sat is built in to the TV so that is why the signal is so good. There is not much point in me buying another box quite apart from there being no room for another box! There are only BBC and ITV HD as far as I can find out but even some of the programmes on the other BBC & ITV channels look as though the picture is HD it looks that good.
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