Possible loss of TDT Reception in the summer for the Costas

Reports of heat affecting TDT (Spanish TV)reception.

There have been reports in some Spanish media outlets that the heat during the summer is having an affect on the TDT TV signals across the Costas.

According to reports, emergancy work is being donw on many transmitters, with some more repeaters being installed in some areas affected.

This may mean that some popele may lose some channels.

But as an emergany measure, some channels are being made available on some other frequencies - that are less affected by the heat.

It may be that a rescan on your TDT receiver is required.

It may mean that some community TV systems in Spain will have to be upgraded with new frequency modules to make sure the community TV installations receive these emergancy TDT frequencies.

Possible Loss of Spanish TDT TV signals in Spain

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Some Changes to TDT – Important Sky Card Information – Sky Boxes switching off

Some Changes to TDT – Important Sky Card Information – Sky Boxes switching off

TDT is the Spanish Digital Television service available via your TV aerial. With TDT you can receive around 30 digital Spanish Channels. Although there are no UK or English channels on TDT, you can, in many cases, change the language of certain UK and USA imported programmes from the dubbed Spanish into English. In most cases this can be done by simply pressing the “Audio” button on the remote control.

Sony Entertainment TV no longer available

One of the TDT channels that transmitted a number of American TV imports was the Sony Entertainment Channel – SET. However, you may have noticed that in the last few weeks it is now unavailable, or you are getting a “channel scrambled” message. This is because SET is no longer being broadcasted on TDT. It has been replaced by AXN. However, AXN is the second pay channel on TDT, the first being GOL TV.

To watch these Premium TDT channels you require a Premium viewing card, and a TDT receiver or a TDT Integrated TV with the ability to read the card. Currently a monthly subscription of around 15euros is required for access to both Gol TV and AXN.

High Definition Channels on TDT

Over the coming year some more HD TDT channels will become available. I say more, as in some areas of the Valencia area it is possible to receive Canal 9 HD. Later in the year TVE, and Telecinco are expect to launch their TDT HD channels. In order to receive these TDT HD channels you will require either a TDT HD set top box, or a TV with a built in TDT HD receiver.

Important Sky Card information

As many are aware Sky TV recently replaced their viewing cards from the Blue with Yellow house cards to the all white cards. On the 1st March 2010 all the old blue yellow house cards were deactivated and no longer “unlock” any of the Sky TV channels.

The new white cards have also thrown up a few interesting surprises.
Sky card require a constant signal from the satellite to “keep the cards alive”. If the cards do not receive this “keep alive” signal over a few weeks, then the cards can “go to sleep”. If the cards have “gone to sleep” then one the encrypted channels you will see a message informing you that “This is the wrong cards for this set top box”.

The old blue Sky cards could be “woken up” by leaving them in ANY Sky digibox over a period of 24 / 48 hours, and the channels would eventually reappear. However, the new white Sky cards can only be woken up by leaving them for 24/48 hours in the Sky box that he cards were originally activated in.

Sky Boxes Switching Off Randomly

Since the beginning of March 2010, some Sky boxes have been experiencing an issue where they are switching off at random times, even if you have turned off the Autostandby feature on the Sky box.

The Autostandby feature automatically puts the Sky box into Standby mode if the box has been switched on and no remote control buttons have been touched for 4 hours – supposedly helping you save some power by not having the box turned on all the time.

However, on the Pace 430N Sky receivers, a software update from Sky has been causing the boxes to shut down at random times. You can confirm your make of Sky box by looking at the sticker that should be on the bottom of your box. By pressing Services, 4, 5 and accessing the System Details, software version 3.8.8 is the one that is causing the issues. All other Sky boxes and software versions are at the moment OK.

You can correct this problem yourself, by performing a manual software update which rolls back the software to the previous working version.
This process should be done in the morning, and only if you are getting the background music playing when you enter the Sky menu system, as the frequency for the software download may not be available on small dishes or in the afternoon, and performing it when the frequency is not there could damage your Sky box.

1 Unplug your sky box from the power
2 Press and hold the BACKUP button on the Sky box – not the remote control.
3 Still pressing the Back up button, reapply the power.
4 Keep pressing the back up button on the Sky box until RED YELOW and GREEN light glow on the front panel of the box. A “Downloading” message may also appear on the screen
5 Once these lights have appeared you can release the Back up button, as the box has now started the software download.
6 The Sky box will reboot once the download has been completed. You can confirm if the correct software has been downloaded by going once again into the System Details (Service, 4, 5) and checking that the Software version is now 3.7.6

I should better reiterate that this process should only be down if you can get the download frequency (11778) indicated by the background music on the sky menu screen, that you may also have to re add those “extra” ITV1, C4 and Five channels you have added into your Other Channels lists, and that you perform this upgrade at your own risk and I cannot be held liable if it fails and / or damages your Sky box.

This and further information can be found on our website and Satellite TV forum:

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Sky Sports to screen England Euro 2012 away matches

England's away games in the Euro 2012 qualifying campaign will be shown exclusively live on Sky Sports, it has been announced.

All four matches in Wales, Switzerland, Bulgaria and Montenegro are included in new rights deals that bring live away qualifiers for Wales, the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, along with Fabio Capello's men, to Sky Sports.

The five nations will appear live in a total of 32 internationals as Europe's finest compete for a place at Poland and Ukraine in two years' time.

Sky Sports' Euro 2012 live qualifiers will include England's first away, against Switzerland, the climax in Montenegro and, exclusively live in high definition, the match against Wales at the Millennium Stadium.

The channel will also show Northern Ireland's opening fixtures in Slovenia and at home to Italy amongst four away games and five home games on Sky Sports.

The Republic of Ireland's opening match in Armenia is the first of nine live Euro 2012 qualifiers featuring the men in green on Sky Sports, including four live away games.

Scotland's four home matches, opening with Liechtenstein on September 7, and including the tie against reigning Euro champions Spain on October 12 will also be screened.

Barney Francis, the managing director of Sky Sports said: "All four away games on England's qualifying campaign will be live, alongside matches for Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

"We will also show each of the international teams live in the opening week of the tournament and over 30 live qualifiers throughout the campaign.

"It's great news for our viewers across the UK and Ireland and comes at the start of our strongest ever season for live football with 115 live matches from the Barclays Premier League - more than ever before, all in HD."

England's home matches are scheduled to be broadcast on ITV.



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ITV HD viewers miss first England World Cup goal as broadcast switches to commercial

ITV managed a spectacular own goal on their HD channel with their flagship World Cup game, Englands first game of the 2010 world cup competition.

ITVHD suffered "technical" problems affecting the ITVHD chanel on Freesat and Sky HD.

Just before Steven Gerrard scored, ITVHD went into advert mode and a Hyundai advert appeared. ITVHD viewers rejoined just in time to see Gerrard celebrating the goal, having missed the goal "live".

At half-time, ITV presenter Adrian Chiles briefly apologised to viewers for the "interruption" - a move that only worsened the anger of fans.

Those watching the ordinary standard definition ITV feed were unaffected and saw the goal.

Television presenter Richard Madeley posted on his Twitter account: "Anyone else watching on ITV HD – they played a commercial OVER THE FIRST GOAL!"

He later ridiculed the ITV apology, saying: "'Interruption in coverage' Adrian - ITV HD missed the ******* goal with a bloody advert!!!!There must have been near-riots in the pubs!"

It also appears that ITV1HD are having technical problems with the HD feed and are infact using a SD upscaled feed for their ITV1 HD channel.

ITV had to apologise after football fans missed Everton's winning goal against Liverpool after they cut to an ad break during their coverage back in February 2009.

ITV HD own Goal - they miss Englands goal by going to advert


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Don't get confused between 'Freeview' and 'Freesat'

Don't get confused between 'Freeview' and 'Freesat'


Freesat is a free digital service broadcast from the Astra 2 satellite. It needs a dish mounted on the outside of your house to receive the service, and a digital set-top box or a TV with an integrated satelliter receiver.

Freeview is the name of the free domestic digital terrestrial service in the UK, brodacast from a network of land- based masts, and is received on a normal aerial, as found on most homes. It needs a digital set-top box or an integrated TV. Most modern TVs have digital terrestrial built in. A UK digital TV or Freeview box will work in Spain but will receive Spanish digital services in place of UK ones.


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Nickelodeon channels have moved frequency

The Nickelodeon channel have moved frequency.
It has affected:
Nickelodeon Europe
Nick Replay
Nick Toons
Nick Junior

This has meant that some people will be receiving the "no signal" message on their Sky box when wanting to watch these channels.

The new frequency for these channels is a North Beam frequency. The north beam frequency means that reception will be tricky in the afternoon, when the north beams are weakest, and that these channels will be pretty much unavailable on smaller dishes like they used to be.

This and further information can be found on our website and Satellite TV forum:

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BBC One HD Coming soon....to digital satellite

The BBC has confirmed plans to launch a high definition version of BBC One in the autumn.

BBC One HD will offer a HD simulcast of the channel, including HD versions of EastEnders, Holby City and The One Show.

The channel's autumn schedule in HD will also include Strictly Come Dancing, Human Planet and Waterloo Road.

BBC One HD will be made available on Freesat, Freeview, Sky and Virgin Media.

The channel will operate in addition to the BBC HD channel, which will also extend its regular broadcast hours over the "coming months" from nine to 12 hours a day.


Obviously its a bit too early to know what frequency it will be on or what sort of availability it will be like (ie BBC 1 or BBC2), suffice to say that it will be available free to air on Freesat HD, Sky HD and other HD receivers.




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TDT via satellite - interesting survey results

A recent survey saw that an overwhelming 98% responded that they wanted a Satellite DTT as in other countries.

Many of the current problems of TDT reception are due to grey areas, where TDT signals are either very weak or nonexistant. In Spain 1.5% of the population live in these TDT grey areas, which rises to over 35% if you count areas bloccked by buildings. A total of more than 2 million households would receive NO TV in a position today and another 3.5 million million have pixilation, Fadding or white noise along the coast.

This could be solved by TDT by satellite

According to the latest survey on satellite DTT, 97.7% of Internet users who responded to the consultation want access to TDT channels via satellite for free, as in most European countries, such as France, Italy and the UK (Freesat).

Unlike in Spain, the governments of these countries have opted for open models in the distribution of DTT by the alternative pathway of the satellite, making it easier for all who want access to this modality.

The result is that any French citizen, English or Italian has only to approach a distributor (dealer or supermarket) to buy the receiver and the corresponding card (if required - not in the UK, but in France - TNTSAT) for a price of around 100 euros.

Another difference is that in these cases the package is available by satellite is the same as the land based transmitters and includes the HD channels and pay channels.

In Spain access to satellite DTT is much more restricted because we have to go to an installer approved by Abertis and meet certain requirements and procedures, which lengthen the process and make it expensive: The installer goes to the user's home (which should be in shaded area) to check that there is no possibility of receiving the TDT signal and draws up a report submitted by Abertis. Abertis gives its approval and delivery to the user keys that can unlock the receiver and the card (also approved by Abertis). Once these unlocked, the installer returns the address of the user to proceed to the final installation. The average cost of a satellite installation of DTT in Spain is around 400 euros.

In addition, each receptor is only for a TV and its reception capacity is limited to two transponders on Hispasat.

The survey, which was attended by 8545 Internet users, giving results very clear about how you should distribute satellite DTT in Spain:

- 8348 people, 97.69% of participants want a cheap satellite DTT and free access, as in other countries.

- 1.33% DTT Satellite wants a free access, no matter the price.

- 0.44% The states that do not need satellite DTT in Spain.

- 0.41% is satisfied as currently distributed by Abertis.

And the 0.12% estimated that DTT is not necessary as some satellite channels are available in packages of payment.



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ITV investigates Nike ad gaffe

ITV investigates Nike ad gaffe

The debut of World Cup TV advert during Champions League final cut short in south of England and Wales

ITV is investigating a transmission fault that caused some viewers to miss the final 6 seconds of the first airing of Nike's star-studded three-minute World Cup TV ad.

The ad, which forms the centre-piece of the US sportswear giant's big budget World Cup marketing campaign across 32 countries, debuted during the Champions League final on ITV1 on Saturday night.



It is understood that ITV and Nike have reached a deal for an undisclosed amount of media space as compensation for the gaffe




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Sky Boxes Switching Off Randomly

Sky Boxes Switching Off Randomly


Since the beginning of March 2010, some Sky boxes have been experiencing an issue where they are switching off at random times, even if you have turned off the Autostandby feature on the Sky box.

The Autostandby feature automatically puts the Sky box into Standby mode if the box has been switched on and no remote control buttons have been touched for 4 hours – supposedly helping you save some power by not having the box turned on all the time.

However, on the Pace 430N Sky receivers, a software update from Sky has been causing the boxes to shut down at random times. You can confirm your make of Sky box by looking at the sticker that should be on the bottom of your box. By pressing Services, 4, 5 and accessing the System Details, software version 3.8.8 is the one that is causing the issues. All other Sky boxes and software versions are at the moment OK.

You can correct this problem yourself, by performing a manual software update which rolls back the software to the previous working version.

This process should be done in the morning, and only if you are getting the background music playing when you enter the Sky menu system, as the frequency for the software download may not be available on small dishes or in the afternoon, and performing it when the frequency is not there could damage your Sky box.

1 Unplug your sky box from the power

2 Press and hold the BACKUP button on the Sky box – not the remote control.

3 Still pressing the Back up button, reapply the power.

4 Keep pressing the back up button on the Sky box until RED YELOW and GREEN light glow on the front panel of the box. A “Downloading” message may also appear on the screen

5 Once these lights have appeared you can release the Back up button, as the box has now started the software download.

6 The Sky box will reboot once the download has been completed. You can confirm if the correct software has been downloaded by going once again into the System Details (Service, 4, 5) and checking that the Software version is now 3.7.6

I should better reiterate that this process should only be down if you can get the download frequency (11778) indicated by the background music on the sky menu screen, that you may also have to re add those “extra” ITV1, C4 and Five channels you have added into your Other Channels lists, and that you perform this upgrade at your own risk and I cannot be held liable if it fails and / or damages your Sky box


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