Converting from analogue to digital for German TV

[County Jon]

Hi, newbie here, so apologies for the basic question.

Some 18 years ago on returning to the UK I got a satellite dish pointed at 19degE so my mother-in-law could watch German TV when visiting. I understand the analogue signal will be turned off in 6 months, so called in an engineer to ask about converting (upgrading?) the system to digital. Price: £450, though after some spluttering this came down to £150 for a "very basic" system. But maybe this is also too much?

From reading these forums I understand I'll need to upgrade the LNB and install a digital receiver box. Is it really that simple?

Also, around the same time, analogue terrestrial signals will turn off in our area - we are in the last phase of conversion to digital. Can I use a single box for both satellite and terrestrial digital signals?

We live in a very poor terrestrial reception area, due to the distance to transmitters, and unfortunately placed trees. The trees even bock out view to Sky, as confirmed by Sky's crack team of fitters, and Freesat too I guess. Are some digiboxes better than others in poor Freeview reception areas?

Thanks for any help
County Jon

 

[Rick]

as confirmed by Sky's crack team of fitters,

Now there is a laugh and a half !

I would say that £150 to change the LNB and supply and fit a relatively basic reciever for 19e, a technomate perhaps, sounds OK TBH.
You can get receivers that will do Sat and Terrestrial, but seperate recievers would be far cheaper. If you can get 19e though, you would have to be pretty unlucky not to also beable to get 28e as well. You could use 1 receiver for both Freesat and the German TV very easially provided you have reception of both satellites. I wouldn't take sky's work for it on reception, check with a decent independant. I've fitted a fair few where sky have said they can't.

 

[County Jon]

Ok, thanks for the guidance. I think the current dish position just passes between a couple of trees, so I'm not convinced 28deg will be visible. Sky's A-team will surely have tried that first, and said nowhere else was suitable. (However, they didn't check on the garage flat roof, for health and safety reasons.)

FYI, I currently get TV over broadband using the Tiscali (now Talk Talk) TV over IP service, which is mostly ok. No HD though.

Regards, Jon

 

[rolfw]

There's nearly always somewhere to get a line of sight, doesn't have to be on a building, if you get someone in to update your 19.2E dish, ask them to bring a test dish and they'll try from different places.

You can use our dishpointer tool to get a rough idea of a point which will pass through the gap in the trees.

 

[Analoguesat]

There's nearly always somewhere to get a line of sight, doesn't have to be on a building,

Yes indeed - our Sky dish is halfway down the garden to get round some trees.

Jon, if you want someone who knows what they are doing put a post in the installer wanted section on this forum, detailing your requirements. Put your town in the thread title and you may finds one of our expert installers isnt too far away

 

[smoggy07]

New basic FTA box = around £50 give or take £10 or £20 deppending on what features are needed
New LNB = around £15/£20

How much was your guy going to charge you for the box, LNB and installation (seperately)? because if you can get a £50 box and a £20 LNB you have already saved over 50% off his quote

What you have to think about too is does the coax need replacing aswell

I wouldn't take sky's work for it on reception, check with a decent independant. I've fitted a fair few where sky have said they can't.

I would take up Ricks advice to seek advice from an independant installer too because I`ve seen and heard of sky engineers coming out, seeing that the job is too big or they just cant be fooked to get the ladders off the van so they fook the job off and say there`s no line of sight lol

At worst case you can get a non-penitrating roof mounted dish that sits on your roof (beleave it or not lol) so if your roofline is above the trees (that may or may not be blocking LOS) then you might have that as an option