INTERNET TV

Hi Everyone,I am new on Eye on Spain.

Has anyone dealt with a TV company called SKYNETTV? I First signed up with them in August 2012 to recieve TV channels via the internet including all Sky Channels.For the whole of 2012 I was satisfied with the reception and signed up again in August 2013 when the original arrangement ran out. I immediately started experiencing problems recieving "satellite"channels but initially got great support from the company and in every case the problems where successfully adressed.Matters now have taken a turn for the worse and problems over reception have started again with the word "scrambled"often on the screen.I now cannot get an answer on their phone and also the companies web page has disappeared from the internet.Does anyone use this company and how do they find dealing with them.Any information would be welcome.

Have another look at the website, unless i spelt the name wrong " skynettv " it's all over the internet, Indonesia, Marbella, even a contact phone number....Is their two of them?

Is this the same company?

https://www.facebook.com/skynettv1?hc_location=timeline

If so, judging by their facebook page they have gone a little quiet. Also phone number listed is a Spanish mobile, not land line. Would indicate 'one man band' or a individual reseller, rather than an established company. Suspect you may be on to a bit of a lost cause if this is the case. 

Here is the link

http://skynettv.com/

Good Luck

I think you mean skynettv.net...that used to do the illegal cardsharing systems in Spain...?

Here is the site before it went down - http://web.archive.org/web/20130614053417/http://skynettv.net/

whois : http://whois.domaintools.com/skynettv.net

Have received email from our President but no solution offered

I am UK now but will be Costa del Sol for Christmas - please can you helpful people tell me how we will be able to view our favourite programmes

TIA

This latest information states that the signal for the English programmes, BBC, ITV etc. is due to be turned off

sometime in the next two to three weeks. Once this happens it will be impossible to receive the signals via

satellite

Basically you will need an internet TV / IPTV solution for the UK terrestrial channels.

You will need an internet speed 2 meg stable, ideally a little more.

There are 2 main options:

1. Subscription based service - Paying for a box then service provider to host & give stable streams, for which you pay an annual / monthly fee.

2. Subscription Free - A set top box which is set up to access all the existing free TV - including the regular UK TV programs, also streaming of films & other content.

We have written an article which covers all the 'need to know' information relating to the reception of internet TV - covers most questions people will ask relating to these services.

http://tvtech.sharepoint.com/Pages/IPTVCostaBlancaUKTelevision.aspx

Does this mean there is no way to watch tv on computer?

Are you saying you have to buy a box or is that just if you want to use tv rather than pc screen monitor?

You can watch TV on your PC, just use film on. The box shown below does more than this as does the usual TV channels, but also a host of other multimedia stuff suuch as free films, games access to sports streams etc. It would be possible to do on the PC, but you would need to put on a number of bits of different software & still won't do everything the same. This will allow you to do all, from the TV & remote, rather than using piecemeal on a PC

I understand

We are not full time residents so looking for something we don't have to pay monthly

Just one off payment for box will allow us to watch all the UK tv channels? Including freeview?

All you need to watch freeview via the internet is a device such as laptop computer or tablet that will connect to a flatscreen TV via an HDMI cable or VGA cable. In the VGA case you will need  a seperate single jack cable for the sound. 

Set up a VPN on your computer then connect to one of the many sites which provide UK freeview TV. BBC i player is one there are a few others. Just Google freeview TV.

You may also need a router for the computer device to connect to the internet if the phone socket is not convienently situated to the TV.

Your TV shoud have the option of either HDMI or PC (for the VGA). Just connect that which applies with the TV remote and the computer to the internet site and bingo free TV. No subscriptions except the VPN (some are free) or high costs for these boxes you don't need.

http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/how-to/digital-home/3450083/watch-freeview-on-laptop-or-pc/

This message was last edited by Mickyfinn on 20/11/2013.

Of course all of the above about internet tv also depends where exactly you are in Spain, as you may be able to still receive satellite signals,where you can enjoy your main UK TV channels subscription free and in HD - no messing baout with vpns (usually require a subscription) or internet connectons....!

We spend 4 months of the year in Spain spread over 2 visits and have an apartment south of Alicante.  When we first bought our place about 7 years ago we decided to get TV and being a bit ignorant of the law spent about 500 euros on a re transmission system which nosedived after about 6 months.  We looked at the remaining options and along with some neighbours went for a 1,000+ euro, 1.9m satellite dish on the roof.  This has worked for the last few years, but like many others, the picture will often crumble after about 10pm, before on some channels.  For some reaason it was improved during our last trip.  We have now invested in 6MBS Broadband at very reasonable cost and a vaction package which means that we pay a lot less whilst we are not there.  We wanted the higher bit rate to ensure stability when using Skype.  They also offer telephone & TV packages, but we find that by looping the Laptop into the TV with an HDMI cable, Film On gives us all the channels we need and then some.  However, even with 6MBS we are still subject to buffering issues.  The broadband is via a microwave dish up beside our TV dish and if we have , not infrequent, weather problems with the TV, we seem to get the same trouble with the broadband.  We cannot get the various iPlayers because they are blocked outside of the UK  and a VPN seems to be the only way around that, but not for us.  Now after all that we look at the rubbish available to us and wonder why we ever bothered!

Yes I agree most mainstream UK TV is fairly poor except for the odd programme. That's why I will not spend much on getting a system which will probably be obsolete in two years.

Netflix and other streaming providers offer better quality drama at a time you want to watch. The web does not have a watershed but VPN's are essential. Most VPN's are cheap now especially Hotspot Shield.

The web is definately the future of TV if broadband issues can be solved. Satellite dishes have had their day in Europe as they change their footprints unless you want a massive dish in your garden.

The web is definately the future of TV if broadband issues can be solved. Satellite dishes have had their day in Europe as they change their footprints unless you want a massive dish in your garden

Satellite is still the most effiecint way to transmit TV channels to a large area, and will continue to be so, especially with "the next big thing" Ultra HD coming along, which requires a lot more capacity than standard HD,which the net here in Spain struggles with even today. True there will be more integration between the two, but at least with satellite you can get the images in true full 1080HD for HD channels, and without having to spend on VPNs (especailly when BBC ITV C4 and Fives channels are all available for subscription free on satellite).

And again, for many areas of Spain, you no longer need "a massive dish", as for some area, these new satellites have actually improved reception, especially in a former blackspot of the Valencia area - as per "For some reaason it was improved during our last trip." - which will be fine for the next 15 years,the new satellite lifespan,and will not be obsolete in 2 years.

Have read all the responses here

Spoke with a neighbour yesterday, was told many residents already buying boxes & packages but she is waiting until they actually "pull the plug"

I think now I will just wait and see what happens & when rather than spend a lot of money when it is not necessary

Maybe I will just come back to UK in January and watch catch up!!

Since you are in the trade of selling sat systems I would expect you to defend your product. However, as I’m sure you know technology never stays still and innovation in mass media is the relentless direction of travel.

Companies such as Netflix, AMC and Love Film are now producing their own great TV series such as 'Breaking Bad' and 'House of Cards'. Sony is now moving into producing web only programs. With these companies enormous resources they will in the future far outstrip the abilities of UK TV channels to compete.

UK TV will of course always have their home spun audience for soaps etc. However the innovation and cutting edge future is web based TV.

Reliable broadband of decent bandwidth at reasonable cost is essential of course but Spain is slowly moving towards it. Ad free international VPN’s now cost as little as €30 a year. TV channels from other countries is now available on the web to those who want it.

In the south of Spain and Portugal a 2m dish has been a requirement for some time. I personally don’t want one cluttering up my outside space. There is now an alternative choice available that is my principle point.