C4HD on Freesat HD receivers...

Channel 4 HD has been available for a few weeks now.

On Sky HD boxes you will have noticed no real changes.

However, even though Channel 4 HD is available free to air, with no sky viewing card required, Channel 4 HD is not yet availabl;e on the Freesat channel list.

However, it is possible on some Freesat HD receivers to add CHannel 4 HD to the "non freesat" channel list.

Frequency 12.606
Polarisation v
Symbol Rate 27500
FEC 3/4

On some Freesat HD receivers you may also have to change the Modulation to QPSK.

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Spanish TV - We can consider ourselves the world leaders in telebasura – trash TV

In Spain, reading levels are very low, educational failure very high and public contempt for culture colossal. However, not everything is lost: we can consider ourselves the world leaders in telebasura – trash TV. Broadcasters have a complete disregard for taste or decency, airing material unsuitable for children at all ours of the day, profiting from scandal and violence, exploiting sex in true macho style, practising trial by television and disseminating mumbo-jumbo and pseudoscience. The news is partisan and sensationalist, the language vulgar and advertising floods the schedules. But as long as audience figures rise, they're allowed to get away with it.

In fact audiences are glued to the screen: the average consumption of television in Spain in 2010 was 234 minutes per person per day.

It would be unjust to say that television in Spain is merely bad. Television in Spain is appalling. The stars of the schedule are sitcoms, whose pathetic acting and bargain basement scripts bely the gusts of canned laughter over every other line. There are reality shows that alienate the contestants as much as the viewers, and political discussions that are as extreme as they are biased. The only news items worthy of the name are transmitted by TVE, a public channel that, now that it has stopped showing advertising, is stimied by financial problems.

While TVE earned 63.5m euros less in 2010 than the previous year and closed its accounts with a loss of 48m euros, the private channels are earning money like never before. The income of Telecinco rose 30.3% during 2010, to 855.1m euros. At Antena 3 they "only" made a net return last year of 109.1m euros, an increase of 79.6% on 2009.

One main channel alone, Telecinco, holds 51% of advertising thanks to a merger of channels allowed last year by the National Commission of Competition. Less plurality, more profit: Telecinco is the channel of Belén Esteban, the ex-wife of a bullfighter crowned by the Spanish audience as the "queen of the people". The people of telebasura.


Javier Pérez de Albéniz blogs on Spanish television at eldescodificador.wordpress.com. English translation by Howard Rouse

sounrce: _http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2011/apr/01/critics-notebook-javier-perez-de-albeniz

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Men and Movies to launch on Sky - no longer a "freesat exclusive" channel

Men & Movies will be launching on Sky TV on Monday 4th April

Men and Movies was previously a Freesat exclusive channel, but from 4th April, it will be available on Sky channel 228

From their twitter account:
Men&Movies launching on Sky on Monday 4th April...all new action content with the best of WORLD OF SPORT. Sky 228!

Men and Movies has also changed frequency, and can now be found on
frequency 12560, polarisation V


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Losing Sky channels when using a non Sky box?

Some non Sky boxes can be used to read a Sky card, and access Sky channels.

However, it looks like Sky have increased their security, and there are rports that, as from yesterday, C4 and C4+1 on frequency 12480, the Irish regional variations, are no longer watchable on non Sky boxes.

This morning some reports are suggesting Sky 3 / Pick TV is also unavailable on non Sky boxes.

It looks like Sky have increased their card security, and are trying to stop their cards being used on non Sky boxes in another attempt to reduce card sharing.

This could be the "something" that was expected when they changed to the new white Sky cards...

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An update on the new C4HD frequency:

an update on the new C4HD frequency:

C4HD may only just be available to users with a 80cm satellite dish here in Spain, but not for all day.

And there are reports that even on 2,4m satellite dishes, that C4HD can be lost for an hour or so between 3 and 6pm.

Why? Well according to reports,. C4HDs frequency of 12606v is similar to that on another satellite. In fringe reception areas, like the Med and Costa Blanca areas, the frequency of the other satellite is a lot stronger than that for C4HD, and so C4HD loses the battle of the frequencies. Even a big dish may not be the answer as strangely a big satellite dish will actually be able to receive more of the "unwanted" frequency!


Keep up to date with the new Channel 4 HD frequencies and changes on this thread on out Costa Blanca Satellite TV Forum

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ITV1HD no longer available on a small satellite dish in Spain

ITV1HD no longer available on a small satellite dish in Spain

The strong and nice and easy reception version of ITV1HD on 11973 has been replaced with ITV1+1.

The region of ITV1HD that was on that frequency is now on the BBCHD frequency, meaning NO ITV1HDs are available on small satellite dishes in Spain.

Keep up to date with the new ITV1HD frequencies and changes on this thread on out Costa Blanca Satellite TV Forum

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Channel 4 HD changes to new frequency

Channel 4 HD changes to new frequency, and moves from 11798 H to 12606 V, in anticipation of its move from Sky HD only, to Sky HD and Freesat HD.

Keep up to date with the new Channel 4 HD frequencies and changes on this thread on out Costa Blanca Satellite TV Forum

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Missing MBC channels on Nilesat at 7 West

Today I have noticed that the MBC channels
MBC1, MBC2, MBC3, MBC4, MBC Action and MBC Max
on frequency 11938 27500 3/4
are not longer operating.

It may mean that they have moved to a new frequency.
This new frequency is being reported as being
12437 H 27500 2/3
However, this is no longer on the Nilesat satellites, but on Atlantic Bird, a new satellite in the same location.
Atlantic Bird has a different satellite footprint, and this means that these MBC channels are no longer available on 80cm satellite dishes in Spain.

Should you wish to continue to watch the MBC channels, then you will need to have a new dish pointing towards the Badr satelltes at 26 east.

Contact us for more information

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New channel on SKy - Sony to launch new channel in April

Sony Pictures Television (SPT) has announced that its new television channel will launch next month on Sky.

The channel, titled Sony Entertainment Television or SET, will become available on April 7
It will be on Sky channel 157.

Sony Entertainment Television will broadcast a range of dramas and comedies, including new show HawthoRNe, award-winning series Huff and marital comedy 'Til Death.

Movies will air from 9pm on the channel from Thursday to Monday, including blockbusters such as the The Da Vinci Code, All The King's Men and Philadelphia. Classic Hollywood films will transmit in a dedicated afternoon slot from 2pm.

The SET channel will also have a +1 channel at 190 on Sky's EPG.

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Motors TV now free to view on Sky

Motors TV, which used to be part of the Sky TV subscription service, is currently available to view for free.

Howeve, to watch Motors TV, you still need a sky card, as Motors TV is "free to view", and not "free to air".

So if you have a freesatfromsky viewing card, you can now receive Motors TV with no subscription on Sky channel 413.

As Motors TV is "free to view" and not "free to air" it will not be available on "Freesat" boxes or other free to air satellite receivers.

I do not know if this is a permanent thing, but it is there at the moment, and should be able to be receive on a small 80cm satellite dish.