A UK sourced TV is better in both cases as French TV's don't have DVB-T2 for Freeview HD. A UK Freeview HD TV will receive TNT HD. TV's are cheaper in the UK as well though this may change when the VAT goes up.
Sorry to bring up an old post. What I meant here was using a UK TV to receive UK TV and a French TV to pick up French TV regardless of which country the TV was living in.
What I'm really thinking about is I believe a UK TV can't decode the French subtitles (plus accents)?
I would have thought Jersey was closer to Caen than Isle of Wight but I haven't checked. Hopefully that means I might be able to pick up some Normandy reception too, but I think my aerial's easterly view is partly blocked by the roof anyway, so maybe I won't get anything at all. Unless this week's signal did originate from Granville as albertd suggested. That location is more within my aerial's line of sight, as it is pointing more or less southwards.
I've just realised that I double-posted a message on 21st February in error. I thought I had just amended my original message- not submitted a second version of the same thing. I was having internet problems that night. I can't see any option that would allow me to delete (or even edit) one of my posts. If anyone knows how to do it, please let me know. I also can't seem to find a list of all my most recent posts, which would be useful.
Re the Ofcom link to Jersey transmitter frequencies- it won't be of any relevance to jimbo but I know that since that was published, the St Helier (La Collette) relay now transmits BBCA on channel 59 (formerly 62), D3&4 on channel 52 (formerly 59) and BBCB on channel 48 (formerly 52). Some other local relays probably changed at the same time too.
I spoke to a Jersey TV aerial erector recently. He didn't think Jersey would suffer from 4G mobile interference, which apparently may be the case for some TV viewers in the UK, if news reports are to be believed. I hope he's right on that one. He also said he knew of householders on the south coast of Jersey (directly facing the French coast) who couldn't get good French TV reception because they were living in bungalows or similar low properties and therefore their aerial just couldn't be placed high enough. I guess that is yet more evidence of the importance of height, rather than just being located in the part of the island that is closest to France.
I totally agree with the last paragraph as witnessed when I used to live in Eastbourne in the old analogue days. Then, I lived in a bungalow a few inches ASL and could just about get grainy but permanent images from Boulogne on my mini portable multi-standard TV set kindly provided by Hugh Cocks. However, when I took it up to Beachy Head in the motor caravan I had then well, blow me down, I got virtually all of Europe up there!
A decent UK TV should have no problem with either. Probably best to avoid Panasonic though which are hobbled to only work properly in the UK.
Thanks but I am sure the UK and French subtitles (aka Digital teletext of sorts) technical systems are rather different thus one would not decipher the other. I don't know the full technical specifications but I am sure somebody here more savvy can explain this a bit more for us.
Thanks but I am sure the UK and French subtitles (aka Digital teletext of sorts) technical systems are rather different thus one would not decipher the other. I don't know the full technical specifications but I am sure somebody here more savvy can explain this a bit more for us.
Subtitles have their own stream on DTT so, if the TVs are fully compliant with the DVB standard, there shouldn't be a problem.
There are differences in the way different European countries use digital text for interactive services. The UK uses MHEG and most of Europe uses MHP. These aren't mutually compatible but aren't used for the subtitle stream.
I totally agree with the last paragraph as witnessed when I used to live in Eastbourne in the old analogue days. Then, I lived in a bungalow a few inches ASL and could just about get grainy but permanent images from Boulogne on my mini portable multi-standard TV set kindly provided by Hugh Cocks. However, when I took it up to Beachy Head in the motor caravan I had then well, blow me down, I got virtually all of Europe up there!
How many countries could you receive ? What's your Dx reception like since dso from your location. In Norfolk I receive Dutch FM radio under flat conditions but Belguim and Dutch DTT takes a strong lift.
Strangely these HD channels which launched on Tuesday cannot be stored as they are HD channels. Cannot store BBC HD channel also however the other French HD channels - M6HD, TF1HD are stored.
Can anyone recommend a good HD compatible freeview box please ?
Strangely these HD channels which launched on Tuesday cannot be stored as they are HD channels. Cannot store BBC HD channel also however the other French HD channels - M6HD, TF1HD are stored.
Can anyone recommend a good HD compatible freeview box please ?
Jersey_boy
For cheap and cheerful (and a b. good box), look out for the Tesco Technika STBHDIS2010 on eBay. Tesco's Outlet on there usually releases a few "refurbished" for between £20 and £30 including p&p and a 1 year warranty. Will also get BBC iPlayer if you have the latest firmware (ask here). Does not come with an HDMI lead.
How many countries could you receive ? What's your Dx reception like since dso from your location. In Norfolk I receive Dutch FM radio under flat conditions but Belguim and Dutch DTT takes a strong lift.
It looks like you missed the bit where I said I "used" to live in the Eastbourne area in the old analogue days. I left that area approximately 20 years ago so, I'm afraid I have no idea what it's like there now after the total DSOfication of Western Europe!
The countries I got up there at Beachy Head were virtually all of Western Europe with the highest numbers, of course, being from France and Belgium.
According to the charts on dxinfocentre.com, tropospheric ducting will reach 'strong' levels around the Channel Islands from late tonight, into tomorrow, Friday 5th July 2013. I'm really hoping I'll be able to finally receive sound and pictures from French TV regions other than Rennes, where my roof aerial points to. http://www.dxinfocentre.com/tropo_nwe.html
So far this year my TV has tuned in station information for various regional French TV services in Brest, Finistere (TEBEO), Vannes, Morbihan (TYTele), Le Mans, Sarthe (LM TV Sarthe) and Caen (Normandie TV) but sadly the signal has always been too weak to receive pictures. The only exception came just last month when, for a short time, I got broken pictures and sound from Normandie TV, which rose to 36% signal strength from it's normal 5%. Unfortunately, I have a roof obstructing the aerial's view to Normandie, so any pictures or sound from this region will be an achievement of sorts. My aerial doesn't have an amplifier either.
It would also be interesting to hear from UK mainland viewers if tomorrow's high pressure allows them to receive much better than usual TV reception from France.
I used to be able to get french tv (DTT) on my sony tv, but not my new samsung, should I be choosing a different country... is there a country which is best for UK and French mix?
I used to be able to get french tv (DTT) on my sony tv, but not my new samsung, should I be choosing a different country... is there a country which is best for UK and French mix?
By all accounts, given sufficient signal, any UK set should be able to receive French TV without any change, though the text services are reported not to work correctly with some. It might simply be down to the signal level in Hove being marginal and a difference in the sensitivity of the tuners in the two TVs.
I used to be able to get french tv (DTT) on my sony tv, but not my new samsung, should I be choosing a different country... is there a country which is best for UK and French mix?
Winston1 might be a help. If you look back just a few months in this thread, he's given useful replies on differences in teletext and HD tuners. I asked the question about HD tuners as my parents' Samsung set could receive French HD stations but not UK ones. However, the Samsung seemed to pick up all SD stations fine. It was not a recent model though so I doubt this is much use to you. What did you mean by choosing a different country- is there a country setting on your TV?
I'm very glad (and surprised) to report that I was able to watch several hours of programmes from regional station Le Mans Television (Sarthe) on channel 26 last night. The opening started just after midnight and lasted until nearly 4.30am Saturday morning. There were several breaks in the reception but then it would return again.
Then earlier this evening, another shock when I was able to watch two short bursts of a programme from west Brittany regional station TEBEO on channel 43, which I believe is originating from one of the more powerful transmitters in France at Brest (if I'm right). Unfortunately the reception disappeared again fairly quickly.
Both these regional stations are part of the R1 multiplex, which also includes French regional channel France 3, that I was also able to pick up. It would have been great if I had been able to view local news and weather for Le Mans on France 3 but sadly it was only showing national programmes when I was watching.
According to this website, the distance between Jersey and Le Mans is 215 km (133 miles), which is the same as the distance between Jersey and Taunton (Somerset):
It is 197 km (123 miles) between Jersey and Brest. Compare this to just 124 km (77 miles) between Jersey and Rennes, where I receive my usual French TV reception from.
1) Yesterday when I turned on my Freeview TV, a new service called Datasystem R7 on channel 27 (522.165 Mhz) had been added to my station list. There is no sound or vision, but it has 95% signal strength and 100% signal quality so I presume it is appearing on the TV sets of everyone else in Jersey too. Does anyone know what this might be or how I could find out?
2) I was also amazed yesterday when I turned on my Freeview Hard Drive recorder to find it had added the station details for a Basque multiplex based in Bilbao, Spain! :eek: This is obviously transmitted by Spain's version of Freeview (TDT). It is called EITB,and the frequency is 794 MHz and the 9 stations are as follows:
ETB1, ETB2, ETB3, ETBSAT, Euskadi Irratia, Gaztea, EiTB Irratia, Radio Euskadi and Radio Vitoria.
Unfortunately, I wasn't watching TV whenever this extraordinary opening occurred, which must have been in the last couple of days. However, the tropospheric ducting forecast for tonight over Jersey looks extremely promising so fingers crossed!
No it isn't the French Mux R7, Winston, as I can already receive that. My best guess is that it has been reserved for some new local mobile or 4G service (but I didn't think that 4G was being allotted to channel 27). Certainly the signal is too strong to be from outside of Jersey. Hopefully we'll hear something in the local news soon to explain it.
By the way, my TV also added TV Vendee and Canal Cholet to the channel list during an opening a few weeks ago. Once again, I never managed to view any actual pictures though. This would be the furthest regional French stations that have ever been picked up on my set. You can see where its located here: http://www.vendee-randonnee.com/images/LaVendeeEnFrance.jpg
While I'm at it, I did a recent scan of the old UHF analogue channels (don't know why as they were switched off nearly 3 years ago- I must have been bored!) and was surprised to pick up poor, ghostlike reception of the Sky TV intro channel on channel 36. It consists of a continuously-repeating advert for Sky on demand. I don't have a Sky box but I can pick up this same channel on my Freesat box by switching to non-Freesat. It is on channels 5333 to 5336.
So I would like to know how I am able to pick up a satellite channel on a terrestrial aerial located on the roof- any ideas? Is it something to do with wireless interference from a near-neighbour? However, if it was, I wouldn't expect that neighbour to be permanently viewing an advert for Sky on demand that repeats itself over and over again!
So I would like to know how I am able to pick up a satellite channel on a terrestrial aerial located on the roof- any ideas? Is it something to do with wireless interference from a near-neighbour? However, if it was, I wouldn't expect that neighbour to be permanently viewing an advert for Sky on demand that repeats itself over and over again!
My guess is also a Sky box, that is powered but forgotten and no longer used by one of your neighbours.
I can receive 20 or so FTA French TV Channels in Jersey, and no doubt in other islands also.
I think also, depending on where you live in the UK (south-east england) you should also pick up these stations if you have a french tv aerial.
Channels I get include TF1, France 2-5, M6, Arte, Direct8, W9, NT1, NRJ12, iTele, BFMtv, Paris Premier, TPS Star, Canal +, TMC, Gulli and LCP
As mentioned before SECAM picture quality is probably on par with what you are likely to see with SKY HD. Its so clear and makes PAL look sick and colourless in comparison.
I am receiving most of the French TV stations today in Brighton on my Sony Bravia set. Unfortunately many are coded, eg Eurosport and Paris Premiere. My antenna is vertical and pointing towards Whitehawk Hill and the French channels are between 801 and 848 on the Freeview system.
I usually get the French tV when French FM appears in Band 2 also.
As mentioned before SECAM picture quality is probably on par with what you are likely to see with SKY HD. Its so clear and makes PAL look sick and colourless in comparison..
You speak of SECAM and PAL in the present, as though you think them stlll to be in use. They both died with the closure of analogue TV.
Comments
Sorry to bring up an old post. What I meant here was using a UK TV to receive UK TV and a French TV to pick up French TV regardless of which country the TV was living in.
What I'm really thinking about is I believe a UK TV can't decode the French subtitles (plus accents)?
I totally agree with the last paragraph as witnessed when I used to live in Eastbourne in the old analogue days. Then, I lived in a bungalow a few inches ASL and could just about get grainy but permanent images from Boulogne on my mini portable multi-standard TV set kindly provided by Hugh Cocks. However, when I took it up to Beachy Head in the motor caravan I had then well, blow me down, I got virtually all of Europe up there!
Thanks but I am sure the UK and French subtitles (aka Digital teletext of sorts) technical systems are rather different thus one would not decipher the other. I don't know the full technical specifications but I am sure somebody here more savvy can explain this a bit more for us.
Subtitles have their own stream on DTT so, if the TVs are fully compliant with the DVB standard, there shouldn't be a problem.
There are differences in the way different European countries use digital text for interactive services. The UK uses MHEG and most of Europe uses MHP. These aren't mutually compatible but aren't used for the subtitle stream.
How many countries could you receive ? What's your Dx reception like since dso from your location. In Norfolk I receive Dutch FM radio under flat conditions but Belguim and Dutch DTT takes a strong lift.
Can anyone recommend a good HD compatible freeview box please ?
Jersey_boy
For cheap and cheerful (and a b. good box), look out for the Tesco Technika STBHDIS2010 on eBay. Tesco's Outlet on there usually releases a few "refurbished" for between £20 and £30 including p&p and a 1 year warranty. Will also get BBC iPlayer if you have the latest firmware (ask here). Does not come with an HDMI lead.
It looks like you missed the bit where I said I "used" to live in the Eastbourne area in the old analogue days. I left that area approximately 20 years ago so, I'm afraid I have no idea what it's like there now after the total DSOfication of Western Europe!
The countries I got up there at Beachy Head were virtually all of Western Europe with the highest numbers, of course, being from France and Belgium.
http://www.dxinfocentre.com/tropo_nwe.html
So far this year my TV has tuned in station information for various regional French TV services in Brest, Finistere (TEBEO), Vannes, Morbihan (TYTele), Le Mans, Sarthe (LM TV Sarthe) and Caen (Normandie TV) but sadly the signal has always been too weak to receive pictures. The only exception came just last month when, for a short time, I got broken pictures and sound from Normandie TV, which rose to 36% signal strength from it's normal 5%. Unfortunately, I have a roof obstructing the aerial's view to Normandie, so any pictures or sound from this region will be an achievement of sorts. My aerial doesn't have an amplifier either.
It would also be interesting to hear from UK mainland viewers if tomorrow's high pressure allows them to receive much better than usual TV reception from France.
Although Normandie wont be likely to be receive due to aerial direction.
Jerseyboy
Winston1 might be a help. If you look back just a few months in this thread, he's given useful replies on differences in teletext and HD tuners. I asked the question about HD tuners as my parents' Samsung set could receive French HD stations but not UK ones. However, the Samsung seemed to pick up all SD stations fine. It was not a recent model though so I doubt this is much use to you. What did you mean by choosing a different country- is there a country setting on your TV?
I'm very glad (and surprised) to report that I was able to watch several hours of programmes from regional station Le Mans Television (Sarthe) on channel 26 last night. The opening started just after midnight and lasted until nearly 4.30am Saturday morning. There were several breaks in the reception but then it would return again.
Then earlier this evening, another shock when I was able to watch two short bursts of a programme from west Brittany regional station TEBEO on channel 43, which I believe is originating from one of the more powerful transmitters in France at Brest (if I'm right). Unfortunately the reception disappeared again fairly quickly.
Both these regional stations are part of the R1 multiplex, which also includes French regional channel France 3, that I was also able to pick up. It would have been great if I had been able to view local news and weather for Le Mans on France 3 but sadly it was only showing national programmes when I was watching.
According to this website, the distance between Jersey and Le Mans is 215 km (133 miles), which is the same as the distance between Jersey and Taunton (Somerset):
http://www.distancesfrom.com/flight-distance-from-Saint-Helier-to-Le-Mans-France/FlightHistory/4196638.aspx
It is 197 km (123 miles) between Jersey and Brest. Compare this to just 124 km (77 miles) between Jersey and Rennes, where I receive my usual French TV reception from.
2) I was also amazed yesterday when I turned on my Freeview Hard Drive recorder to find it had added the station details for a Basque multiplex based in Bilbao, Spain! :eek: This is obviously transmitted by Spain's version of Freeview (TDT). It is called EITB,and the frequency is 794 MHz and the 9 stations are as follows:
ETB1, ETB2, ETB3, ETBSAT, Euskadi Irratia, Gaztea, EiTB Irratia, Radio Euskadi and Radio Vitoria.
There is a link here:
http://www.eitb.com/en/
Unfortunately, I wasn't watching TV whenever this extraordinary opening occurred, which must have been in the last couple of days. However, the tropospheric ducting forecast for tonight over Jersey looks extremely promising so fingers crossed!
By the way, my TV also added TV Vendee and Canal Cholet to the channel list during an opening a few weeks ago. Once again, I never managed to view any actual pictures though. This would be the furthest regional French stations that have ever been picked up on my set. You can see where its located here:
http://www.vendee-randonnee.com/images/LaVendeeEnFrance.jpg
While I'm at it, I did a recent scan of the old UHF analogue channels (don't know why as they were switched off nearly 3 years ago- I must have been bored!) and was surprised to pick up poor, ghostlike reception of the Sky TV intro channel on channel 36. It consists of a continuously-repeating advert for Sky on demand. I don't have a Sky box but I can pick up this same channel on my Freesat box by switching to non-Freesat. It is on channels 5333 to 5336.
So I would like to know how I am able to pick up a satellite channel on a terrestrial aerial located on the roof- any ideas?
My guess is also a Sky box, that is powered but forgotten and no longer used by one of your neighbours.
Someone with a holiday home on Jersey perhaps?
Jerseyboy