BBC channels - satelite frequency change

First topic message reminder :

I understand from our friends in Liguria that the BBC channels are no longer available.  Apparently the BBC has changed their frequency and to continue to receive them, you need a satellite bigger than 80 cm.
 
Does anyone have any further info or suggestions?  I must admit that although I seldom watch telly, I do like to catch up with the news while we’re there.


Thanks 

To try and clarify the Sky/Terrestrial channels issue.

Carciofo – Sky does not repackage and transmit the terrestrial channels in the way that cable does. The terrestrial Freesat and terrestrial channels received by the Sky box are the same – transmitted at the same frequency from the same transponder on the same satellite.

Prior to Freesat all the terrestrial channels were encrypted in the same way that Sky’s subscription channels were encrypted. The move to the new satellite with a small tightly focused beam on the UK was so that the terrestrial channels could transmit without encryption to Freesat. There has been a period between Freesat getting going and now where transmissions have been unencrypted and therefore freely available to anyone in Europe with a big enough dish. This was simply because of the waiting time for the replacement satellites with the necessary transponders to be launched.

Ghiro - If you can get a Freesat signal then you can get a Sky box signal and, with a UK Sky box and card, receive whatever subscription channels are transmitted on the wider footprint transponders.

Sky UK will not knowingly provide a subscription to someone not living in the UK or for use outside the UK. If they find out they can cancel your subscription. In practice this is difficult for them as they do not know where the box is (there are ways but it would need a new generation of boxes and there would still be ways round it). This is all to do with copyright and authorised territories – Sky UK will have licences to transmit in the UK only and knowingly providing the service to someone outside the UK would be in breach of that copyright. Where they have produced programs they sell/grant licences to other countries/organisations with territorial restrictions which restrict Sky UK’s ability to provide them in the same territory.
Whilst it is possible to get the UK terrestrial channels with a big enough dish in some parts of Italy, for most it would be just too expensive and still uncertain at times (weather conditions can dramatically affect reception especially when relying on overspill weak signals outside the focused area).

As Ghiro has said the easiest way to now get the UK terrestrial channels is via the computer/internet and using a VPN,  which provides a UK IP address to mask the Italian one. Alternatively use one of the online providers like Filmon. Main disadvantages of these are the broadband speed requirements and download limits set by your broadband provider. As an alternative to VPN I recently came across a satellite broadband provider (UK based) that sets you up with a UK IP address as part of its service. All the Italian Satellite Broadband providers would give you an Italian IP address.

In conclusion, for anyone wanting UK TV a combination of Freesat or Skybox (no subscription receiving fee channels only – apart from set up costs nothing and is not affected by broadband speed/download limits/restrictions) or Sky box with a UK subscription will give some choice. For those wanting UK terrestrial this can be coupled with either a VPN service or using the likes of Filmon (free version with ads or paid without) to watch these and any others not available via the satellite dishes.

Hope that all makes some sense.

Lax I tried to launch the iplayer download prog (which on further reading I assume is the new version) and it immediately recommenced the 1.47gb download of Jools Hollands New Year Show (I suspect the reason I loaded it). So it was happy to continue download here in Italy. But when I tried to go into one of the programs on the web iPlayer (which is where I guess you click the download) it came up with the "not in the UK" block. I don't use VPN (I removed the Hotspot s/w). I do have my location set as Italy, but I'm pretty sure the beeb use my IP address.

Thanks Panner for a clear and thorough explanation.    

Thanks for all the additional valuable info, which is mind boggling but very useful to know. Glad that we still have (or it could be had by now!) access to all the UK channels with just a satellite dish.
 
@Carciofo, 80cm
 

Update:  I’ve just heard from our friends that all their English channels have gone. They’ve ordered a new satellite dish, 120cm which will be installed later this week and apparently that’ll work. It has worked for their friends who live in Apricale.

stevegwmonkseaton wrote:Lax I tried to launch the iplayer download prog (which on further reading I assume is the new version) and it immediately recommenced the 1.47gb download of Jools Hollands New Year Show (I suspect the reason I loaded it). So it was happy to continue download here in Italy. But when I tried to go into one of the programs on the web iPlayer (which is where I guess you click the download) it came up with the "not in the UK" block. I don't use VPN (I removed the Hotspot s/w). I do have my location set as Italy, but I'm pretty sure the beeb use my IP address.

Yes - I've been playing about a bit, and (as we agree) it's the IP address the BBC uses to decide whether to geoblock 'us' for being outside the UK. However, the download player demonstrates a difference from the native iplayer site.

I have a problematic broadband, which on occasions simply drops out to zero. If I'm watching something on iplayer (not necessarily live) the stream stops, I get a BBC message (content not working) and then when the broadband recovers my vpn asks me if I want to reconnect.

If I'm downloading something, however, and the broadband drops out, the stream is picked up instantly when the broadband recovers - without my taking up the offer of the vpn to reconnect to it. In other words, it is downloading on an Italian IP address.

So - I deduce - the download app only checks the IP at the very start of proceedings, whereas the iplayer constantly monitors it. It isn't a very useful discovery (yet!) because you still need to use a vpn to jump start it - but I suspect that pretty quickly the BBC will let you have the download app (on subscription, for money) all over the world. They have been 'promising' a worldwide access to BBC progs for some time, and my guess is this is the route they'll take to run it out.

Yes Lax that would actually make the UK a potentially very good income.I don't think it's just expats that would take it up as UK TV is very poplar around the world and they are already saying they will include subtitle options.

Folks,

I am not using the latest newest Iplayer yet..............but, with the current one (not the incoming new one !), I can START a download, disconnect the VPN and then it continues downloading. I can then (without VPN OR and internet connection) view the downloaded program with great ease.

The new incoming iPlayer, may stop me doing this.............I'll let y'all know in due course !

V

... no it does not work any differently V as it is/was the newest version I have downloaded. The fact you can do this (for now)  is likely a very big advantage if you are using a VPN based on traffic, start the download with the VPN on, then pause, switch off the VPN and resume the download...      

Ok.............for info............

I have downloaded the Michael McIntyre show from last night (in HIGH DEFINITION - this is new)

I have then disconnected from the Internet and the show plays straight off the hard drive, no Internet required once it is downloaded !

I am here in Italy by the way !

V

Vicino wrote:Ok.............for info............I have downloaded the Michael McIntyre show from last night (in HIGH DEFINITION - this is new)I have then disconnected from the Internet and the show plays straight off the hard drive, no Internet required once it is downloaded !

I am here in Italy by the way !

V

Yes V, I'm sure HD will/could be new, you can also download in standard definition and save on your download limits. Be aware that once you start watching the download you only have 7 days, according to their site, to watch, then it will "self destruct"  . You also only have 30 days in which to watch from the time of download. You are basically just downloading a video file with DRM incorporated to enforce the above limits. You might want to check out the housekeeping on these files as I'm not too sure if they did not say it was up to you to do so...

Hi Steve et al.............

I have always downloaded standard definition ( mainly because that was all there was !) but I thought I'd try the HD  today, it is ABOUT twice the file size of SD, so I would recommend using the SD from now on (it is certainly fine for what we want).

We used to (used to !) have some 30 days to watch once downloaded , todays download has an expiry date of just 7 days from now.

I assume there is a way around the DRM somehow, not that I'm bothered per se,

Cheers,

V

Oh yes there is always a way around DRM, but it is illegal, which I'm sure is why you won't be bothered V   
I really can't see the difference with people recording from Sky or to a HD and downloading via iPlayer?      

About this downloading in HD (from iplayer). I can't see this option? (Perhaps it wouldn't help, since I haven't forked out for an HDMI cable, so it's just the 'normal' (RGB?) monitor wire I'm using). 

My screen is HD capable though, and if one of you could direct me to the bit of the 'download player' (maybe a screenshot, though I'm not sure this forum lets us do that) I just might go out and buy a cable and give it a go! I've just recently appreciated how good it is to watch stuff without that pesky pink circle, so I'm a devoted fan of downloading now. (It frequently reports the download at the stupefying speed of 89kpbs  )

Hi OR,

I have two laptops, the 'old' one has the IPlayer on before this new release. The newer laptop is the one that I downloaded HD onto after saying that I would try the new IPlayer on the website.

With your connection (are you SURE it is that slow !!!??    ) I would not go near the HD download as it downloads an extra 40%, so therefore will take that much longer.

I very highly recommend downloading (as against streaming) if you have a connection anything much less than 4MB as you are very likely to see the pink circle rotating !

Once downloaded (certainly in my case yesterday and before) you do not need any sort of Internet connection to play it.

V

Lax can't capture as I can't get in without any VPN, but the answer is here iPlayer help LINK

Oh that's useful - thanks. Just have to opt to watch in HD before starting the download. Will try (though I agree if my speed is as dire as it usually is it'll be a long winded experiment!)

An update on iPlayer downloads.

3 programs downloaded, 2 HD, 2 SD. The 1st HD has an expiry date of 6 days after download, the other two programs (downloaded today) have expiry dates of 26th April (one month away !).

Also..........

30 mins download of Standard Definition is some 318MB
60 mins download of High Definition is pretty much 1GB

As mentioned earlier, and my experience.......it is not really worth downloading HD especially if you have a slow connection, and also you do not need to be connected to the Internet to play the programs once downloaded.

V

I spoke to our friends today who have now spent just over €300 and still no UK channels 

Casa Monal wrote:I spoke to our friends today who have now spent just over €300 and still no UK channels 

I think that's quite cheap to stop them .....  

stevegwmonkseaton wrote:

Casa Monal wrote:I spoke to our friends today who have now spent just over €300 and still no UK channels 

I think that's quite cheap to stop them .....  

  I tried...they're lost without 'Question time' 

Catch-up TV....

Having recently returned from Casa Ghiro I can tell you Freesat was a nightmare!  

Sometimes nothing all day on the 'major' channels (CBS, CNN, Sky News etc always fine).  Other days they were perfect all day but disappeared in the evening.  Intensely frustrating.

Of course I used Filmon (and Sky Go & BT via a VPN) but the speed of the broadband was variable.


Anyhow I've now bought a Sky 'Freesat' card (£25) so am hoping to get to watch everything I want to when I return shortly.  I'll let you know how I get on!!

I have a suspicion that the BBC might try to raise income at some point in the future by allowing expats to watch programmes via special subscriptions. I don't know what delivery method they'd favour though. It would take extra negotiation for the rights but I reckon there are enough who'd be interested in subscribing.

how does the sky freesat card work? and what channels would you get with it?

Well the theory is as follows.  You buy the card for £25 and put it in your sky box (which is connected to a satellite dish).  You then have to 'activate' the card by telling Sky the details of your sky box.  You can do this by telephone or online.  As I'll be in Italy I think the telephone is out so I'll do it online.  I suspect a VPN will be necessary (as otherwise Sky might notice you're not in the UK).

Here's what you can watch: http://www.sky.com/shop/freesat/home/what-can-i-watch/

I'll let you all know how it goes!