Why would I buy a FTA satellite system

[skronk]

Hi people,

This is a genuine question not a wind up. It came from my wife just 20 minutes ago, and, in all honesty, I can't answer it.

Reading satellite forums I realise there are many with this hobby, but short of breaking the law, what is the benefit of FTA sat system over freeview if you don't speak a foreign language.

You are taking a system which costs alot more than Freeview and offers less in the way of no 5 USA etc and other channels only on freeview.

I would really like to get a sat system even as a boys toy but can't come up with a justifiable answer, short of "cos I want one".

Let me re-iterate this is not a wind up but a serious question.

Am I missing something?

Sorry if in wrong forum..

Please do reply even if just to save my face ?

 

[fergyc]

I speak German and French, which is some reasoning, and you can get some sporting and footballing events for free out there. Not EPL but still.

 

[skronk]

Hope you understand my point here. We don't speak any languages and she stands in front of me and asks "Why would we want this when we have Freeview?"

I cannot honestly answer her.

 

[Analoguesat]

Well you might want to

see whats out there
learn a new language
see other cultures on the tv
watch English language news from countries as diverse as Kazakhstan & Myanmar
keep yourself amused with an interesting hobby
want to just see what you can get with the equipment you own
see what new channels launch on the various European satellites - we have a whole section of the forum dedicated to this aspect
watch sports feeds of everything from American geegees to African football

Basically you can tailor your involveement to anything that takes your interest

Personally I enjoy tracking down the new channel launches and just seeing what I can get with an assortment of scruffy old second hand dishes.

 

[Robbo]

Why not get one just because you want one? LOL

I suppose everyone has their reasons, and mine was initially because " I wanted one".

But of the many I have fitted, excluding foreign language channels, many are not true FTA as such, with Dreamboxes and similar being used.

For a fixed dish on 28E, I don't think there is much real advantage in many areas, but for others it is the only way to get the full digital channel line up due to inadequacies of the local terrestrial transmitter. Also, not sure if I imagine it, but the pic quality on sat always seems better to me.

I don't regret moving to sat though. (still have terr), but I have not had to endure boringEnders, or Corrie or any of that crap for a very long time.

Though its quite amusing watching Spongebob in German or Arabic sometimes, even the kids do sometimes as well.

 

[skronk]

Tried the picture quality thing

Reply..."Whats up with the picture we have"..."What new channels can we get that are in English"...I hope you're not going to buy this and start breaking the law".."Why don't you just get Sly if you want better picture quality"

She's on form tonight.

My mouth is not working very well..

 

[rolfw]

There are also quite a few English language channels which aren't on Freeview, but are in the Freesat package _http://www.freesat.co.uk/index.php?page=whatson.Main

 

[Robbo]

I could have predicted that, its really not worth the bother trying to convince "her". I never did, didn't even try, just went ahead and installed it anyway.


I do hope though, that someone will come up with some better arguaments, as initially I did have a bit of a battle to be honest. Now my dish has its pride of place of course, right outside the kitchen window.

 

[Analoguesat]

Theres absolutely nothing illegal about watching the free channels from any of the satellites broadcasting to Europe.

Theres also nothing illegal about buying a foreign subscription card and watching foreign pay tv in your own home if that side of the hobby takes your fancy.

 

[skronk]

I could have predicted that, its really not worth the bother trying to convince "her". I never did, didn't even try, just went ahead and installed it anyway.


I do hope though, that someone will come up with some better arguaments, as initially I did have a bit of a battle to be honest. Now my dish has its pride of place of course, right outside the kitchen window.

Mine is also planned for outside the kitchen window. 1 metre motorised.

 

[Robbo]

I really cant print the words that were uttered by er' indoors when the dish first went up, but now there is very little mention.

 

[skronk]

Slight change of tack...Hopefully not breaking any rules...

Is the Dreambox the only box that can be tampered with Cam wise or are they all the same as long as they have a reader ?

Trying hard here..

 

[Analoguesat]

Many receivers can have cams slotted into them - anything that has a cam slot really.

Linux boxes can have software cams loaded onto them

A Linux box is a high end enthusiasts receiver, you dont really want to start with one.

 

[Huevos]

Well the other day I watched Avatar on an FTA channel and there's no chance of seeing that on Freeview.
Here are a few things I watch that you can't get on Freeview:

• Prima TV (Films in English)
• TNT (Films and series in English), (right now: The Four Feathers)
• Fox Movies (right now: Eraser)
• Fox Series (right now: Kyle XY)
• MBC 2 (Blockbusters in English), (right now: NARC)
• MBC 4 (films and other English material aimed more towards women), (right now: House MD)
• MBC Max (English again), (right now: My First Wedding, then, Nobody's Fool)
• MBC Action (English again, films, and things like WWE wrestling), (right now: Fatal rescue, then, Monster Garage)
• MBC Persia (English again, more films), (right now: Numbers, then, The Grudge)
• Dubai One (English again, films and general), (right now: some Tom Hanks film)
• Dubai TV (some English, but not always)
• MBC 3 (for kids, some stuff in English), (right now: Bugs Bunny)
• ABC (mostly English films), (right now: English period drama)
• KTV2 (most stuff is in English, documentaries),
• City 7 (documentaries and series in English)
• Poker Channel
• Eurosport
• Loads of foreign Sports channels
• Horse racing
• Camel racing
• Monday night speedway
• Occasional Nascar and Drag racing

That's just a few things that come easily to mind, but I watch lots of other stuff from other cultures in other languages too.

Also I've got a subscription with Al Jazeera (lots of quality football and sports).

 

[Lazarus]

And you could put the foot in the other boot and ask her why she needs so many shoes when she only has two feet.

 

[pgh13]

You can get some great quality stuff that doesn't get shown on UK TV. e.g. my M-i-L thinks Andre Rieu is great but he isn't often on TV here yet over the last couple of years there have been 6 or 8 of his concerts on German TV. Similarly there is some good rock music also to be had.

 

[skronk]

Well the other day I watched Avatar on an FTA channel and there's no chance of seeing that on Freeview.
Here are a few things I watch that you can't get on Freeview:

• Prima TV (Films in English)
• TNT (Films and series in English), (right now: The Four Feathers)
• Fox Movies (right now: Eraser)
• Fox Series (right now: Kyle XY)
• MBC 2 (Blockbusters in English), (right now: NARC)
• MBC 4 (films and other English material aimed more towards women), (right now: House MD)
• MBC Max (English again), (right now: My First Wedding, then, Nobody's Fool)
• MBC Action (English again, films, and things like WWE wrestling), (right now: Fatal rescue, then, Monster Garage)
• MBC Persia (English again, more films), (right now: Numbers, then, The Grudge)
• Dubai One (English again, films and general), (right now: some Tom Hanks film)
• Dubai TV (some English, but not always)
• MBC 3 (for kids, some stuff in English), (right now: Bugs Bunny)
• ABC (mostly English films), (right now: English period drama)
• KTV2 (most stuff is in English, documentaries),
• City 7 (documentaries and series in English)
• Poker Channel
• Eurosport
• Loads of foreign Sports channels
• Horse racing
• Camel racing
• Monday night speedway
• Occasional Nascar and Drag racing

That's just a few things that come easily to mind, but I watch lots of other stuff from other cultures in other languages too.

Also I've got a subscription with Al Jazeera (lots of quality football and sports).

Thanks Huevos,

Looks like the sort of list that might sway her.

She loves films, I will show her the list later.

I quite fancy the Al Jazeera sport.

Do you know if I could get these channels with a motorised 1 metre dish in north Scotland ?

Regards

 

[skronk]

Many receivers can have cams slotted into them - anything that has a cam slot really.

Linux boxes can have software cams loaded onto them

A Linux box is a high end enthusiasts receiver, you dont really want to start with one.

Analoguesat,

Thanks for reply.

However if..(when) I go for this setup I would want twin tuner with Hard disk so I can record things for my wife.. On looking through the options many receivers of this type seem to be Linux based. Would this be a problem ?

Thanks

 

[skronk]

And you could put the foot in the other boot and ask her why she needs so many shoes when she only has two feet.

You don't know how true this is. All stacked neatly in boxes with pictures on so she knows which ones she wants to wear at a glance.

Give me strength !:-Nooo

 

[Robbo]

Problem is, up there you'll have problems getting any of these on a 1m

Fox Movies (right now: Eraser)
Fox Series (right now: Kyle XY)
MBC 2 (Blockbusters in English), (right now: NARC)
MBC 4 (films and other English material aimed more towards women), (right now: House MD)
MBC Max (English again), (right now: My First Wedding, then, Nobody's Fool)
MBC Action (English again, films, and things like WWE wrestling), (right now: Fatal rescue, then, Monster Garage)
MBC Persia (English again, more films), (right now: Numbers, then, The Grudge)
Dubai One (English again, films and general), (right now: some Tom Hanks film)
Dubai TV (some English, but not always)
MBC 3 (for kids, some stuff in English), (right now: Bugs Bunny)

but who cares, once you have convinced the missus and got the dish up, LOL