Discovery Max: New channel to TDT in Spain 12th January 2012

Discovery Max: New channel to TDT in Spain 12th January 2012

Discovery Networks will launch "Discovery Max" on the 12th January 2012, as 1745.

Discovery Max will be available for free, on Spains TDT Digital TV service.

Discovery Max replaces the current channel of Veo.

Discovery Max will will include content from Discovery Networks channels, including American Chopper, Born Survivor with Bear Grylls, Mythbusters, Deadliest Catch, Ink Inc, Destroyed in Seconds and more.

As many of these channels originalted in the USA or the UK, it can be expected that many of these programmes will be offered with the original English audio soundtrack.

The new Discovery Max channel is currently available, prior to launch, but is showing test transmission using a showreel of the programmes it will be showing.

UK TV Channel Frequences for Sky TV and Freesat TV digiboxes

UK TV Channel Frequences for Sky TV and Freesat TV digiboxes

BBC TV in Spain
The BBC1 TV channel is available on various frequencies, due to the various BBC1 local regions. The best or strongest region is BBC1 Channels Islands.

The frequency for BBC 1 Channel Islands is 10847 V 22000 5/6.
This is also the same frequency setting for the BBC HD Channel, available on HD satellite receivers.

Other regions are available by searching on other frequency settings
BBC TV Satellite Frequency Settings

ITV TV in Spain
The ITV1 channel is available on various frequencies, due to the various ITV1 advertising regions. The best or strongest free (ie no sky viewing card is required) regions is ITV1 Channel Islands. The frequency for ITV1 Channel Islands is 10905 V 22000 5/6.
If you have a Sky viewing card, the best or strongest ITV regions are on frequency 12402 V 27500 2/3 - including Tyne Tees South (TTS) and Meridian SE (Mer SE)


Other regions are available by searching on other frequency settings

ITV Satellite Frequency Settings

Channel 4 TV in Spain
Channel 4 group of channels are available on various frequencies.
The free to air channel 4 channels, on Sky chanel 104, are on ,frequency 10714 H 22000 5/6. On the Costa Blanca, this frequency may not be available all day. This is the same frequency for Film 4.
Channel 4+1 (and E4 and More4) are avaialble on 10729 V 22000 5/6, which should be available most of the day on a "big satellite dish"

If you have a Sky viewing card, the best or strongest Channel 4 channels frequency 12480 V 27500 2/3 - the Irish version of the Channel 4 group of channels.

Channel 4 Satellite Frequency Settings

Channel 5 TV in Spain
The Channel Five group of channels are available over two frequencies.
Five, Fiver and Five USA are available on frequency 12422 H 27500 2/3 - with a Sky viewing card.
Channel Five, the Freesat version avaialble without a Sky card, is on 10773 H 22000 5/6 - the same frequency as BBC2, so reception of this version of Five will be as per BBC2.

Channel Five Satellite Frequency Settings

Sky TV in Spain
Sky TV is available in Spain. Its channels are spread over many frequencies. Many frequencies also carry channels available on Freesat

Sky TV and Freesat TV Channel Frequency Settings

Irish TV Channels In Spain
Irish TV channels are spread over many frequencies. The main Irish TV channels, like RTÉ One, RTÉ Two, TG 4, TV 3 are availabel on frequency 10744 H 22000 5/6. Irish TV channel 3e is on frequency 11261 H 27500 2/3.

All the main Irish TV channels require a Sky veiwing card registered at an Irish address to view. You cannot use a Sky card at a UK address to view Irish TV channels.
Irish TV Satellite Frequency Settings


To see how to add the "secret" and additional ITV, Chanel 4, and Five channels insructoins can be found at
Extra Secret Additional Sky and Freesat Frequencies


For more information please visit:

The Sat and PC Guy - Digital Satellite and Terrestrial Installations and Maintenance for the Costa Blanca

or the forum

The Sat and PC Guy FORUM - Digital Satellite and Terrestrial Installations and Maintenance for the Costa Blanca

What UK TV Channels are available on small satellite dish on the Costa Blanca Spain

Here is a full channel list (correct as at December 2009) of the UK TV channels that you should be able to receive on the Costa Blanca area of Spain on a small satellite dish.


These are all the free to air (FTA) channels that can be received without a Sky viewing card, on a Sky digibox, a Freesat satellite receiver, or a generic satellite receiver.

This is due to the fact that these channels are on the Astra 2A south beam frequencies, the Astra 2B south beam frequencies and the pan European Eurobird 1 beam frequencies.

You will not be able to receive any of the FTA UK TV channels from Astra 2D, such as BBC or ITV, as these require the big 1.8m or 2.4m satellite dishes.

When I say small, I managed to receive all of these on a 80cm satellite dish. Some of these are able to be received even on a 60cm satellite dish. But as we are in a fringe reception area, the channels may not be available during periods of heavy cloud cover or rain.

Popular Channels
S4C
CBS Reality
CBS Reality +1
CBS Action
CBS Drama
Film24
Information TV
BBC Alba
Travel Channel
Travel Channel+1
Food Network
Food Network+1

Movie Channels
Zone Horror
Zone Horror+1
True Movies
True Movies 2
Movies 4 Men
Movies 4 Men+1
Movies 4 Men2
Movies 4 Men2+1

Music Channels
Chart Show TV
The Vault
Flava
OMusic TV
Channel AKA
Starz TV
Bliss
Skuzz
Flaunt
NME TV
Clubland

News Channels
Sky News
Bloomberg
BBC News
BBC Parliament
CNN
S4C2
Euronews
CCTV-9
Russia Today
France 24
Al Jazeera
Press TV
NHK World TV

Children's Channels
POP
Tiny POP
Tiny POP+1
POPGirl
POPGirl+1
Kix!

Other Channels
Luxe TV
Body in Balance
Rural TV
Horse and Country
Fitness TV
My Channel
BEN
AIT International
True Ent
BET
BET+1
propeller
OHTV
Controversial TV
Unexplained TV
NTAI
Channel M
HiTV
OBE
Sumo TV
Fashion TV
wedding tv
wedding tv asia
Renault TV

Religion Channels
God Channel
GOD Europe
Wonderful
TBN Europe
DAYSTAR
revelation
UCB TV
Inspiration
Loveworld TV
EWTN
Gospel Channel
Genesis
Failth
KICC TV
DBN

Radio Station Channels
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 4
Classic FM
Absolute
Capital
Planet Rock
Heart
Galaxy
XFM
Choice FM
BBC World Service
BBC Radio Scotland
BBC Radio Wales
BBC Radio Ulster
BBC Radio Asian
BBC Radio 6 Music
BBC Radio 7
BBC Radio 1Xtra
RTE Radoi 1Xtra
Gold
LBC
Kiss
Magic
NME
Caroline
Absolute 80's
Jazz FM

BBC Sports Interactive Service Streams

To watch the BBC Sports Interactive service stream on Sky boxes

BBC News (Sky channel 503)
Red Button
3001
Select

or

BBC News (Sky Channel 503)
Red Button
Sports
Sports Multiscreen

To watch the BBC Sports Interactive service stream on Non Sky Boxes

Select from the channel lists
Stream-0
Stream-1
Stream-2
Stream-3
Stream-4
Stream-5
Stream-6

These streams are available on frequency 12441 polarisation v symbol rate 27500

For more information please visit:

UK TV Channels small satellite dish Costa Blanca Spain

The Sat and PC Guy - Digital Satellite and Terrestrial Installations and Maintenance for the Costa Blanca

or the forum

The Sat and PC Guy FORUM - Digital Satellite and Terrestrial Installations and Maintenance for the Costa Blanca

Will my UK TV work in Spain?

Will my UK TV work in Spain?

The simple answer is yes.

In many cases, most TVs bought in the UK will work in Spain.


They will work with most audio visual equipment, such as satellite receivers and DVD players that are connected to the TV via a SCART or HDMI cable.

However, if you try to connect a UK TV directly into the Spanish analogue terrestrial (ie via an aerial), you may be able to receive a perfect picture, but no sound. This is because many older UK TV sets are made to the PAL I standard, and not the PAL BG standard used by Spain.

Most modern TV sets are PAL multi standard and work on all broadcasts.

Of course, this should not be an issue in a few months time anyway when the Spanish analogue TV signals are switched off, and replaced with digital signals and channels.

Many of the new modern TV set come with a built in digital tuner, and should be compatible with the Spanish digital TV service, Television Digital Terrestrial (TDT).

However, UK TV sets with "Freeview" built in may not work 100% correctly.

Firstly, and most obviously, as Freeview is not available in Spain, then you will not be able to use your Freeview TV in Spain to receive BBC and ITV and other UK TV channels, via a TV aerial (you will have to rely on a satellite dish and receiver for this!).

Secondly, many Freeview receivers may not be able to recognise all the frequencies used by TDT. Spain TDT used a frequency / channel number of 69, for Antenne 3, Neox, Nova, but as this frequency / channel is not allocated for use in the UK, and so some Freeview tuners may not be able to scan for this particular TDT frequency.

Thirdly, many Freeview tuners are configured for the UK. This means that they will normally be able to look for programme soundtracks offering in English, Gaelic or Welsh. This can be a problem in Spain, as the Spanish broadcasters use a variety of audio flag, which allow you to view certain imported films and programmes in their original language - like English. Unfortunately many of these flags, such as DOS, MUL, VO, are not able to be selected on the Freeview receivers, and so you may not be able to view these programmes on TDT in their original (English) audio.

TVs with generic ie non Freeview, tuners, should be compatiable with the Spains TDT system.
 
 
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UK Digital Satellite TV (BBC Sky Freesat) and Digital Terrestrial (TDT ie Freeview) Installations for the Costa Blanca and Costa Azahar and Valencia area of Spain

Will Freesat work in Spain?

Will Freesat work in Spain? Can you receive Freesat on the Costa Blanca?

Yes Freesat will work in Spain.

To an extent.

Essentially, UK Freesat is an EPG on a Freesat receiver / digibox (like the Freesat Humax receiver), that allows you to access the UK free to air satellite TV channels. These are the same channels, and transponder frequencies, that are used for the UK free to air satellite TV channels that can be received on a Sky Digibox.

The UK free to air channels, such as BBC and ITV, that can be received by Freesat receivers are provided by the SAME satellites and frequencies that provide Sky receivers with the same channels.

So if, in your area of Spain, you require a 2.4m Portuguese satellite dish to receive BBC on a Sky receiver, you will still need a 2.4m satellite dish to receive BBC on a Freesat receiver.

Freesat receivers do not have the ability to read a Sky Viewing card. This can be a nuisance, especially if you want to watch FIVE.

On Freesat channel FIVE is on the same transponder frequency as BBC2, and this frequency may not be available 24/7 even on the big 2.4m satellite dishes. In the Valencia region of the Costa Blanca this may mean that you lose BBC2 and FIVE on a Freesat receiver from mid to late afternoon.

With a Sky receiver and a Sky viewing card you can access the encrypted versions of channel FIVE, that you are able to receive even on a small (80cm) satellite dish.

Reception of free to air satellite TV channels from other countries than you reside in is totally legal. Although the broadcasters may not like you watching their channels outside of their "country zone", there is little, other than either encrypting or reducing the strength of the signal (hence the big satellite dishes!), they can do to prevent you from doing so.


And remember, you cannot receive the UK FREEVIEW digital television service in Spain, its siganls are just not available here (the nearest Freeview transmitter is in Cornwall!) and you should really avoid any installer that says they can install a Freeview system in Spain - it is impossible!



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UK Digital Satellite TV (BBC Sky Freesat) and Digital Terrestrial (TDT ie Freeview) Installations for the Costa Blanca and Costa Azahar and Valencia area of Spain

Will a UK Freeview digibox work in spain?

Will a UK Freeview digibox work in spain?

Many UK Freeview boxes do work in Spain, but there are a few issues and they may not work 100%

Obviously the first thing is that a UK Freeview box will not be able to receive the UK Freeview channels whewn used in Spain, as the nearest transmitter of Freeview is based on Cornwall! It will be able to be used to receive the Spansih Digital television service - TDT.

Secondly, you must ensure the box can scan frequency 69 – a frequency that is not used in the UK but it is in Spain for a few channels, including GOLTV.

Thirdly one of the benefits of the TDT Spain system is the ability to change the audio of many UK and USA programmes from Spanish into their original English soundtrack. Some UK boxes may not be able to change programmes into their original language as some UK boxes are programmed to look for English, Welsh and Gaelic language “tags”. In Spain they use different language tags like “Dos” or “VO” (Version Original), or “Multi” or “Und”, tags that UK Freeview boxes may not be able to recognise or use.

Two TDT channels, SET and Disney do use the tags "English", which will be recognised by UK Freeview receivers.

These points refer to Freeview digiboxes, but the same will also apply to TVs with builtin Freeview receviers.

Ideally a generic digital television receiver would be preferable.


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Sky Cards to stop working on Non Sky (eg Darkbox and other multicam) receivers?

A few months ago I posted about this issue on some other forums and got shot down, however, recent reports say that Sky Italia, who use the same NDS encryption as Sky UK, have recently changed their encryption algorithm.

This has been done in an attempt to try restrict the use of their Sky subscription viewing cards in non sky boxes, and, more importantly, to try stop the card sharing networks using their viewing cards.

Many card sharing networks are reporting having problems in the last few days, just after it was noticed the change in the encryption algorithm.

It is speculated that this change in encryption algorithm will also cause issues with using the Sky Italia viewing cards cards in non Sky Italia boxes.

A few years ago card sharing was more of a hobbiest thing, with people just playing around with their receivers to see what can be received. However, in the last few years card sharing has become more popular, and it can be said that the satellite broadcasters are starting to lose a large amount of subscription revenue and so it has become more financially viable for them to spend money on counteracting card sharing.

Theere have also been reports that Sky UK have had a few tests with the new encryption, and this has caused the back out of some channels on non sky receivers, but also due to their age, it also affected some older sky receivers!

It could well be that the days for using your Sky subscription viewing card in non Sky receivers are numbered.

If you are offered an installation with a non Sky receiver for using your Sky card in it may be worth asking your installer / supplier about the swapping the non Sky box for a Sky box if and when this becomes a reality.


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TDT and Pay TDT (Freeview) TV in Spain

Television in Spain is changing.
No longer do you have to put up with six or seven grainy, unwatchable TV channels.
Digital Terrestrial Television (TDT) is here, or rather has been here for a few years now.
Yu can received around 30 digital Spanish television channels for free - all the main Spanish channels and a load more - including a dedicated sports channel.

But also, there is a Pay TDT channel - GOLTV - a dedicated football channel, showing league and cup football from around the world, including UK Premiership football, La Liga and Champions League.
To access this pay TDT channels, you will require a viewing card from the broadcsaters, and a digital terrestrial receiver capable of reading the vewing card. The monthly subscription is 15€.

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Sky TV in Spain

Sky TV in Costa Blanca Spain

Sky Satellite TV Channels are transmitted from four satellites, all located in the same "constellation". These are Astra 2a, 2b, 2d and Eurobird 1. Each of these satellites has a unique "beam" and so reception of channels on each of these satellites will vary. Many Sky subscription TV channels are able to be received on an 80cm dish across most of Europe. The channels on the stronger signal satellite include Channel Five, Fiver, Fiver+1, Five USA and Five USA+1, Sky News and BBC News.

Some Sky subscription TV channels are on a satellite whose signal tends to be weak during the afternoon. These channels include the majority of the Sky Movies channels, and many of the "+1" channels offered by the UKTV group.

There are also some Sky TV channels on the weaker satellite, Astra 2D. These include the Disney channels which are on the weakest of the two "beams", the horizontal frequencies. Reception of the frequencies on Astra 2D are the ones that require a "big dish", just as you would require for the BBC and ITV channels.
Sky TV channels are Pay / Subscription TV channels and require a Sky viewing card to view. It is, however, against the terms and conditions of your Sky viewing card contract to use the viewing card outside of the UK and ROI. Should Sky find out that you are using your sky viewing card in Spain, then they can deactivate the viewing card.

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TDT / Freeview in Spain / GOL TV /Premier League Football

TDT (Television Digital Terrestrial) is the Spanish version of the UK's Freeview digital TV service.
With TDT you can get around 30 free digital TV channels, all depending on your location on the Costa Blanca.
All you need are a good TV aerial, a good amplifer system, and a TDT receiver - either a set top box of a TDT intergrated digital TV.

And this last week the Spanish Government have given the go-ahead for PAY TDT - pay channels on TDT

And in light of this one channel has recently been launched.
GOLTV is currently free, and is a dedicated football channel. In fact this wekend there were 3 live Premier League games shown...for free.
However reports suggest that GOLTV will become a full subscription service by the end of August - just in time to take advantage of the Spanish football season!

With the next analogue swicth off approaching (December 31st!) make sure you are not one who leaves the installation of digital TV until the last minute. Many programmes on the TDT system can be changed from Spanish into English!

The Sat and PC Guy can install these systems for you.

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UK TV on a small 60cm Dish in Spain!

UKTV Direct from satellite / UK TV Channels on a small 60cm dish

There is a "new" type of rebroadcasting currently being pushed on a number of EXPAT forums for most of Europe, which claims that you can receive UK TV channels on an 60cm dish and the signals are from the satellite.. They claim (again!) that this is perfectly legal.

Its true, they are from a satellite - but not the main UK TV channels satellites - they are using a totally different satellite to rebroadcast channels to Spain. In fact, in essence, all that they are doing is rebroadcasting free to air channels via a satellite and not via a land based mast - like the current rebroadcasters.

Some "distributors" of this system are saying that it is all in HD...which is correct...in about 1% of the sense. They are using HD technology to compress 24 channels onto one frequency. Non of the channels are in HD, although you do need a HD receiver to decode these channels.

They are also encrypted...to stop people stealing their "stolen" signals.

Again, be wary of people offering this system. It comes with all the risks of a normal rebroadcaster, transmitting channels without the channel permission. Although many laws in the EU state that you can freely rebroadcast channels that are available free on satellite, many of these companies are overlooking all the national, EU and international copyright laws, that state that you can only broadcast copyrighted material (i.e. channels) "with the owners permission".

The BBC have reiterated the point that they do not licence any company in any EU country (apart from in Holland and in Switzerland) to rebroadcast their channels or copyrighted material, and those that would wish to do so would have to seek permission from them.

The kit is at least 500 euros and will require a annual subscription - I have see this to be around 200 to 300 euros a year. Bear in mind that some of the channels offered can be easily received in Spain FOR FREE on an 80cm dish!!

Discussion of this service has been removed from many satellite and expat forums due to questions over its legality, and so far investigations have not revealed the company who is operating these signals...something I am sure their clients would like to see before spending a large amount of money on this service.

I have heard that the UK broadcasters are pursuing legal options with the satellite operator. These "new" rebroadcasters are using Intelsat - a satellite which is also used for distributing Freeview to the UK, and for links and feeds (i.e. used by news channels), and this satellite operating company has close business ties with many official broadcasters.

I have never endorse or installed rebroadcast systems, and will never do so, until a true legal rebroadcast system that has all the required permissions from UK TV hcannels is available. Unfortunatly tthis could be a very long time in coming.

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UK TV in Spain gets more complicated....

The National Police have arrested 60 people in connection with an investigation against the piracy of pay-TV channels. Among those arrested include hotel managers and presidents of neighboring communities that have defrauded a total of several million euros.

It appears that not only were these systems providing pay tv channels via "web streaming", but as a result of this investigation it was discovered that several local cable networks in Tenerife, Malaga, Cadiz, Cordoba and Granada, were 'rebroadacsting' specific channels and content to its subscribers, without the required authorizations.

and there is more....from a local news site

The one common denominator of all these rebroadcasting companies is that
they rebroadcast Free To Air (FTA) television signals however; none of them seem
to be able to provide legal paperwork stating that they have paid for the rights from each and every one of the FTA channels to do so. BBC and ITV have stated that they do not have the rights to sell on their own channel rebroadcasting rights as they themselves negotiate rates with hundreds of individual production companies for the UK rights and these do not cover Europe. Confused? No wonder it’s taking so long to come to the Spanish Court system!
The first nail in the rebroadcasting coffin may be that the Spanish Secretary of
Telecommunications is now aware of the rebroadcasting of the Torresat Group
amongst others and that the distributor Filmax is considering taking action
against those using their content without the correct licences in place.

I would not be surprised if there are more police action over the coming months, and those rebroadcsat systems that are still showing Pay TV channels like Sky Sports may well have a visit in the near future.....
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Default Transponder Frequency Settings for Sky Spain and Costa Blanca

NO SATELLITE SIGNAL BEING RECEIVED / HOW TO CHANGE THE SKY DEFAULT TRANSPONDER FREQUENCY SETTINGS FOR SPAIN.

When a Sky receiver / digibox / box is turned on the first time the first thing the box tries to do is, amongst other things, to download approximately 6 hours of EPG information from a specific default frequency from the satellite. The digibox must have this information to start to work.
Unfortunately, the default transponder frequency that the decoder is initially set on (11778) is one of the weaker signals in Spain and the Costa Blanca, especially during the afternoons. So should you experience one of Spain frequent power cuts during this period, your digibox may be unable to boot up.

Therefore, to assist the digibox to receive the bare minimum information it requires boot up the default frequency must be changed to another frequency to enable the initial information download.

The best / most popular default transponder frequency for the Costa Blanca Spain is 12.129, although you can use any of the many frequencies that you can actually receive at the time. Yes ANY frequency will work, as long as you can receive the particular frequency!

In most cases, after a successful download the default transponder frequency will return to 11778. This is normal, and you should not really expect the digibox to keep the default transponder you have manually input.

IMPORTANT:
Changing this default transponder frequency on a Sky box does not increase how long channels are available, no matter what people tell you. It is only used to “assist” the receiver to boot up. For example if you change the default transponder frequency setting to another frequency setting, say 12129, then when you ask the receiver to change to Sky News the receivers will look for Sky News on 12207, and as a basic Sky receiver can only look at one frequency at a time, the default transponder setting of 12129 is not used and overridden. So this is why changing the default transponder does not increase the time a channel is available and why changing this frequency does not keep BBC or ITV One, Two, Three Four for longer.

You do not have to do this process for Freesat or Generic receivers, just Sky receiver.
If you want to see how this process works, you can watch a video of the operation http://www.satandpcguy.com/Site/sky_satellite_default_transponder_frequency_settings_costa_blanca_spain.htm



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