i was asked this question earlier and I thought it may be good for here also...
"Please excuse my ignorance - but is freeview the same as freesat?"
FREEVIEW
"freeview" is the brand name of a UK Digital TV service ONLY AVAILABLE IN THE UK. it is available via tv aerials on the houses, and is only transmitted from TV transmitters in the UK. you will need either a freeview "set top box" or a TV with freeview built in.
freeview is not available in spain.
freeview channels are
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/terrestrial/epg/ or see
http://www.freeview.co.uk/home
note there are channels on freeview that you have to pay for on freesat!
spain has its own version of "freeview" called TDT - see tdt.es - 30ish digital spanish tv channels via a TV aerial...many programmes you can change the programmes into their original audio...not always english as a few german programmes have cropped up...you will need a TDT "set top box" or a TV with TDT built in.
FREESAT
you have "Freesat" receivers - they only have about 100 channels on their EPG at the moment. they receive "free to air" channels. Freesat receivers will have the Freesat logo on them.
Freesat Channel List
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/satellite/freesatepg/
at the time of writing (sept 08) FIVE is not available on Freesat.
FREESATFROMSKY
you have sky receivers and a £20 "freesatfromsky" card, - many more channels than Freesat. they receive "free to air" channels and Five, Five US and Fiver, Sky Three, Setanta Sports News ("known as "free to view" channels)
Freesat From Sky CHannel List
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/satellite/f ... romskyepg/
SKY SUBSCRITPION
If you have a sky receivers and want to pay monthly used for Free to air, free to veiw and subscription channels...
Sky CHannel List
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/satellite/skyepg/
Note that many installers are using generic receivers (sometimes called Free To Air receivers) and calling them freesat or freeview receivers which may be confusing people. official freesat and sky receivers have a full 7 day programme guide...generic FTA receivers only have now and next programme infomation.
Generic FTA receivers will get all channels in the link
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/satellite/f ... romskyepg/ - apart from Five, Five US and Fiver, Sky Three, Setanta Sports News.
note that reception of channels depends on your location and dish size
REBROADCASTING
be wary of:
companies offering bbc and itv on a small dish - these can only be legitimatly received for free via a minimun of 1.4mdish (some areas 1.8m)
companies offering bbc and itv for a monthly subscription - bbc and itv are free on satellite and do not need a subscription
companies offering "freesat" with only 20 or 64 channels - by satellite you will recieve over 100 free tv channels, not 20 or 64. the bbc have over 15 regional variations on satellite alone
companies offering sky sports for less than £36 per month or setanta sports for less than £14 per month - the costs of legitimate subscriptions to these channels.
companies showing other countries sports channels like Showtime
companies saying they get BBC and ITV from a satellite (like hotbird) other than Astra 2 - bbc and itv are only broadcast on one "satellite constellation (those satellites at 28.3 to 28.5 degrees)
as these companies will more than likely be a rebroadcasting servies whos signal may be terminated just like Telemicro.
PETAL DISHES
some companies are jumping on the dish bandwagon and offering inferior and poor quality "petal" dishes. in my and many other installers opinion these dishes are a waste of money - one installer said that the 2.4 petal dish performed as good as a 1.4m solid dish and "avoid if you can".
if in doubt, try and find out how long the company has been installing for - check past issues of local newspapers, as since the problems with Telemicro lots of new installation companies have appeared on the scene, and offering poor dishes and receivers in an effort to make money for themselves out of the situation.
ADVANTAGES OF TRUE SATELLITE
with a sky or freesat receiver you can get bbc interactive, sky active and a full 7 day programme guide. you may need a big dish, youo may pay more for the installation, but at least the signal is pretty much gaurenteed as it it direct from the satellite and is not reliant on a third party.
pure digital broadcasting, not reliant on second or third or fourth generation signals as the signals gets past from one rebroadcast transmitter to another. many ex rebroadcasting clients have commented on how ggod the signal direct fromt he satellite is compared to that of a rebroadcasted signal.
and if you are in doubt as to whether or not it is OK to view free satellite tv channels (like BBC and ITV) in Spain via satellite see
freesat - Help - Question
which says that "it may be possible outside the UK to use a satellite receiver to pick up channels available on freesat" - nothing about it being illegal - the technical term is "signal overspill"
and if it was illegal to watch TV channels that were broadcsted for free, then all shops selling free to air reciever would be in trouble, as would Canal Digital + (the spanish satellite service) as their recoivers can also pick up free tv satellite channels from other countries.
and as a bonus check out
satandpcguy.com • View topic - **STICKY** Extra / Alternative Channels For Sky Receivers
which will keep you informed with those "secret" channels that will get ITV C4 and C4+1 longer that some installers have been charging to input onto your systems.....
Jon