FreeSat In Austria (East)

[nick!]

I have a old Pace skydigibox (Model: BSKB 2500N) with a non-subscription FTA viewing card and a 1 metre dish. The card has been unused for 6 yrs so I'm hoping it's still valid. I'm going to be in Hainburg (40 miles east of Vienna) in Austria (East) for some time so want to know my options. What do I need to be able to receive FREESAT HD channels here? I hear Humax Freesat HD receiver is stronger than the sky box i have. Will my digibox still be adequate? What size dish will i need to receive the FREESAT or sky FTA channels? Do I need to point the dish to "Astra 28.2 East" and "Eurobird 1"? So are 2 LNBs needed? Sorry if that's obvious, I'm not technically minded.


Any advise would be great as I'm on my own here so a bit of english tv would be very welcome.

 

[Topper]

Welcome to the forum nick!

You should have done a search for Austria and found
http://www.satellites.co.uk/satellite/sky-plus-pvr-systems/136036-sky-austria.html
As you can see freesat is on Astra 2D so a very big dish will be required for those

 

[PaulR]

If the card is 6 years old it might be the old series which will not work.

The new series is blue with a yellow house on it, the old one is two shades of blue. If it IS a new one then leave it in the Digibox for a while (anything from overnight to a few days) for it to receive revive signals.

Mind you, even if it's a new card it'll soon be out of date as $ly are currently in the throes of replacing them all!

 

[nick!]

Thanks Topper and PaulR for your responses.

Yes fortunately my card has a yellow house on it. I remember it was changed shortly before I moved. I Didn't know they were being replaced though. Do you know if the existing card holders need to request the new cards or will Sky send them out automatically?

 

[Topper]

Do you know if the existing card holders need to request the new cards or will Sky send them out automatically?

They are being sent automatically to the registered address on the Sky database

 

[PaulR]

But only if you are a current suscriber to $ly for one of their packages OR have recently (within the last year or so) bought an FFS (Freesat from $ly) card.

Somehow I don't think a 6-year old card qualifies!

 

[nick!]

Thanks again for your prompt feedbacks.

That's a shame, so whatever equipment I get is only going to last until the card expires (if I use a digibox).

Been looking at the threads and it seems that if I want to get decent reception of BBC/ITV etc plus subtitles in Hainburg (40 miles east of Vienna) then I need the following:

30m non-mesh dish
Good quality LNB with a C120 Feedhorn
Sensitive digital receiver

So again based on threads I'm reckoning this lot listed below would be my best bet:

Dish: 30m steel (non-mesh) dish - Any ideas on a particular make/model or doesn't it matter.
LNB: INVACOM UNIVERSAL QUAD LNB 0.3dB QDH-031 (with integrated Horn)
Receiver: Pace 2600ci

My problem now is where can I buy a 30m dish and how much will it cost? Been surfing the net but no joy. Same with the Pace 2600ci. I can't even find it on Pace's own website. The cost may make this a no goer. I live in a small apartment block which makes it more iffy getting a 3m dish up on the roof without anyone complaining but the block full of Slovaks and Russians who won't mind and a young Austrian family who seems pretty chilled. Maybe I could get away with it.

Any ideas on what my ballpark bill is going to come to and which websites I can find this stuff?

 

[Topper]

I take it you mean a 3 mtr dish not 30 mtr, that is probably why you cannot find one

 

[nick!]

erh.... I think I meant 3m dish.

 

[nick!]

I was surfing for 3m dishes honest but I just can't find any apart from USA retailers who don't ship abroad. Shipping would be to costly anyway. I'm basically trying to get an idea of cost at this stage.

 

[PaulR]

A 3m dish is way out of my experience but from reading around, Channelmaster make the best, albeit expensive, dishes. I think that they are off-set type, not centre feed, which will make them slightly easier to setup and find an LNB for.

Not too sure of sizes available but I think 3.2m is the nearest size.

 

[Montafon Guy]

I was surfing for 3m dishes honest but I just can't find any apart from USA retailers who don't ship abroad. Shipping would be to costly anyway. I'm basically trying to get an idea of cost at this stage.

Hello Nick,


you can find several answers here: _http://astra2d.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=Austria_


Regards Montafon Guy!

 

[nick!]

Just seen a 2.4m dish advertised for £2,295 (_http://www.satellitesuperstore.com/spain.htm_) so a 3m dish is going to be too expensive for me. Couldn't find anything suitable on Channelmaster. I'm going to have to forget getting bbc1 here on account of expense.

I still have my old 0.8m (I think or maybe even smaller) dish down in the cellar. Will I get anything worthwhile on this in Vienna area? I think I saw a message saying C4 & C5 & E4 but nothing else, but I can't find that message on this forum now.

 

[Montafon Guy]

Just seen a 2.4m dish advertised for £2,295 (_http://www.satellitesuperstore.com/spain.htm_) so a 3m dish is going to be too expensive for me. Couldn't find anything suitable on Channelmaster. I'm going to have to forget getting bbc1 here on account of expense.

I still have my old 0.8m (I think or maybe even smaller) dish down in the cellar. Will I get anything worthwhile on this in Vienna area? I think I saw a message saying C4 & C5 & E4 but nothing else, but I can't find that message on this forum now.

Hello Nick,

check the Beams on the right side - and you will see whats possible and not: _http://www.lyngsat.com/28east.html_


Regards Montafon Guy!

 

[nick!]

Hello Montafon Guy,

Thanks for the guidance. From my understanding of the website, I can get 2A and 2B with my dish. With these beams I can get the SKY channels but I assume these are the subscription channels. Am I right in thinking that?

The only free channels I can get seem to be:

2A South
-----------
BBC News
CNN International Europe
S4C Digidol

2A North
-----------
BBC HD promo
Channel 4 London

2B South
-----------
Sky News UK
Sky News Ireland
National Geographic Channel UK promo
BBC Stream 3 0
BBC Stream 3 1
BBC Stream 3 2
BBC Stream 3 3
BBC Stream 3 4
BBC Stream 3 5
BBC Stream 3 6

2B North
-----------
Sky News UK

I've no idea what the BBC Stream 3 channels are and I'm struggling to find out. Could I make use of them? If they are internet streaming channels then I only have limited internet access so of little use to me.

It seems it's not worth the hassle of me trying to install my dish and digi-box when the end result is only a few minor TV channels unless these BBC Stream 3 channels are of any use.

Nick

 

[Montafon Guy]

Hello Montafon Guy,

Thanks for the guidance. From my understanding of the website, I can get 2A and 2B with my dish. With these beams I can get the SKY channels but I assume these are the subscription channels. Am I right in thinking that?

The only free channels I can get seem to be:

2A South
-----------
BBC News
CNN International Europe
S4C Digidol

2A North
-----------
BBC HD promo
Channel 4 London

2B South
-----------
Sky News UK
Sky News Ireland
National Geographic Channel UK promo
BBC Stream 3 0
BBC Stream 3 1
BBC Stream 3 2
BBC Stream 3 3
BBC Stream 3 4
BBC Stream 3 5
BBC Stream 3 6

2B North
-----------
Sky News UK

I've no idea what the BBC Stream 3 channels are and I'm struggling to find out. Could I make use of them? If they are internet streaming channels then I only have limited internet access so of little use to me.

It seems it's not worth the hassle of me trying to install my dish and digi-box when the end result is only a few minor TV channels unless these BBC Stream 3 channels are of any use.

Nick

Hello Nick!

>Am I right in thinking that?< im sorry - Yes!

BBc Stream3:
I heared, theres formule 1 - they show it live over these Channels.

Maybe someone can confirm this?


Regards Montafon Guy!

 

[Lazarus]

Yes, those "channels" are the Video/Audio feeds associated with BBCi.

In "normal" use (ie for those who can also get Astra 2D), they are accessed via the dreaded Red Button but, fortunately for many, they can also be treated as standalone Channels as far as most Digital Satellite Receivers are concerned, so you can access them direct - the beauty being that they are far more widely available than the main BBC Channels.

They show all sorts of events and features, including Formula 1, so just dip in at appropriate times and take pot-luck!

 

[tonemorgan]

Hi

I am located just over the river from Hainburg ( 2km) and have no problem getting the channels you mentioned, apart from BBC HD ( haven't really tried) on an 85cm dish.

I would recommend picking up a UPC Direct Slovak Card (19.2) if you can or a skylink card (23.5). They both have a variety of channels broadcasting original language streams as well as the Slovak audio. Nova sport carries the Premier League and most English based channels ie Discovery etc.

Good Luck

 

[jno]

I am exactly 1 hours drive down the road from Hainburg a.d. Donau in Burgenland. You will have everything except 2D on 60cm here no problem. For decent Arabsat 26e I recommend 120cm.

Can confirm that F1 is on BBCi as is Six Nations and Snooker. For Sky digibox owners:

1) go to BBC News or Parliament, and press red button
2) Go to BBCi page 3001 for Sports Multiscreen

Also, for those who are interested ... Saturday night shows with Graham Norton/Anydrew Lloyd Webber have also appeared on BBCi (but not accessible via a Sky box, only with a FTA box) for "sing a long" - the same as the BBC1 picture just with subtitles below so you can sing along - I didnt find anyway of accessing these via a Sky box, only available on a FTA box with LNB pointed at 28.2e.

 

[nick!]

Thanks for the feedback. I've not been back to this site for a while as I pretty much gave up hope. However, these last few messages seem to give me renewed enthusiasm.

I'm a fan of Formula 1 so I could definetley make use of these BBCi audio/video feeds. Do they broadcast F1 just like on the main BBC channel with same commentory team?
British Grand Prix this weekend, although I'll probably run out of time to get sorted for that. A shame.

6 Nations on BBCi too, great. I wonder if the Lions tour is on it.

I like my Premier League footy too so the "UPC Direct Slovak Card (19.2)" or "skylink card (23.5)" would also be useful. Is there a preference?

You've probably gathered that I like my sport.

The future is looking a little rosier at last. I just need to find someone to fit my dish (i think it's only 60sm) on the roof of this block and I'm sorted.

Think I might buy a new FTA receiver (any recommendations) as my sky box is ancient (10-12yrs old) and probable not very capable. It's not been plugged in for about 8 yrs.

Thanks again