SkyTV around Qatar

[Luke Fell Overvoorde]

Hi.

Is there a way that we can get Sky TV around Qatar, I appreciate we may require a huge dish if we want to pick it up, if so what size dish would be required?

Is there anyway sky/astra would change their satellite footprint to this area if they was to be paid for this? what would this cost?

Thanks i hope you can help.

 

[Topper]

Not a prayer of them changing the footprint for programs targeted on the UK, at a guess you will require something in excess of a 5 mtr dish from your location

 

[Lazarus]

It's is a massively complex exercise, both technically and commercially and also legally, to do what you would like - no chance at all. Ever. Sorry.

 

[PaulR]

5m may (emphasise may) get you the $ly programmes but even that size won't get even a whisper of BBC, ITV or C5. Most C4 programmes are similarly out of reach although there is currently an encrypted version for Ireland and HD versions of ITV1,2.3.4 and C5 which would be as easy(!) to get as the $ly channels.

I have a friend currently working in Qatar and I am looking into setting up a Slingbox solution for him once he gets his Internet access sorted out. You should really be thinking of a Slingbox or some other IP solution over the Internet.

 

[Luke Fell Overvoorde]

Hi

Thanks for the replies so far.

@ Tivu - From what you are saying, it could be possible but it is complex? how would i go about this?


@ PaulR - thanks for the info, if It was, say a 10m dish, would i have more joy in receiving the signal? Regarding the slingbox, this was an option, but there would be 5+ receivers been used to pick up the signal, the speeds would decrease when streaming multiple channels, so this wouldn't be an ideal option.

 

[Lazarus]

Hi

Thanks for the replies so far.

@ Tivu - From what you are saying, it could be possible but it is complex? how would i go about this?

You can't.

The first thing to overcome is the Copyright issues for each and every Channel in question, which are in part predicated upon known legitimate audience plus a degree of overspill: Viewers outside the primary coverage area do so as a bonus, not a right.

Secondly, the contracts between Broadcasters, BSkyB and the Satellite operators (Chiefly SES-AStra and Eutelsat) are extensive, complex and specific.

Thirdly, Footprints are established by design and by the position and attitude of the craft. To move the position or attitude would have considerable knock-on effects for the intended audience.

Furthermore, new craft are coming into service which have far tighter beams than even now so the future is for better UK targetting plus limited overspill in parts of Europe. That''s it.

So, even if you could succeed with an enormous dish in getting some of the Channels (which WILL NOT include BBC, ITV etc.), that is not a situation which will endure.

My reply was meant to be realistic and to destroy hope, not to give a glimmer of a workable solution!

 

[PaulR]

@ PaulR - thanks for the info, if It was, say a 10m dish, would i have more joy in receiving the signal? Regarding the slingbox, this was an option, but there would be 5+ receivers been used to pick up the signal, the speeds would decrease when streaming multiple channels, so this wouldn't be an ideal option.

When we say 5m or even 10m we're just guessing really. And it's a lot of money for a dish that big, never mind constructing the foundations, assembling it and aligning it, without a guarantee that it'll be big enough.

Slingbox will only sling to one device so you would need five slingboxes I suppose. Unless these could be situated in a building with a very healthy uplink speed (at least 700kbps each for a watchable picture) we're talking about different dwellings for wach Slingbox. More speed is better and I have tested with 1mbps for a very watchable picture which is still not quite as good as a good as a good quality SD channel.

You could look at a virtual private network (VPN) maybe or something like Expat Shield to access the BBC iPlayer, ITV Player and the rest of the catch-up services but none of them are really streaming services for live TV.

 

[Luke Fell Overvoorde]

Thank you for the reply, That's cleared it up then. Thought i would ask in case it was possible. No worries about destroying hope for me, as it was for a client.

Thanks again.

 

[Analoguesat]

Hi

Thanks for the replies so far.

@ Tivu - From what you are saying, it could be possible but it is complex? how would i go about this?

Forget it - absolutely impractical in any way shape or form. However have a look at Sky Italia - many of the same programmes, many of the same documentary channels and an English option on many channels.

And the coverage is much more favourable to Qatar.

 

[lanab]

Hi

Thanks for the replies so far.

@ Tivu - From what you are saying, it could be possible but it is complex? how would i go about this?


@ PaulR - thanks for the info, if It was, say a 10m dish, would i have more joy in receiving the signal? Regarding the slingbox, this was an option, but there would be 5+ receivers been used to pick up the signal, the speeds would decrease when streaming multiple channels, so this wouldn't be an ideal option.

A 10 meter dish would need gyro motors for both azimuth and elevation checking the signal level, a 10 meter dish and even a 5 meter needs motors as you will lose signal after a few days due to small movements in thje ground coupled with the extreme narrow bandwidth a 5 or 10 meter dish have.