[unklesam]

Can it be picked up in Northern Ireland? I get RTE Analogue fine, but did a scan and can find nothing

[Fred Smith]

Have you checked the coverage map?

Do you have a suitable receiver?

[unklesam]

Originally Posted by Fred Smith

Have you checked the coverage map?

Do you have a suitable receiver?

Well the receiver picked up the test broadcasts

[gerdoh]

I'm able to pick up the following Saorview Channels from RTE's Holywell Hill transmitter in co Donegal - RTE1, RTE2 (HD), TV3, TG4, E3, RTE News and RTE Jr (a Childrens channel) plus RTE digital radio stations. There was also a test card last night for RTE1 +1, but it seems to be off air today.
You do need a tv with an MPEG4 tuner (mostly Sonys and Samsungs I believe) otherwise you will only get sound. As however you were able to pick up the test transmissions I assume your tv is OK. By any chance would the recent storms here have shifted your aerial slightly?

[Fred Smith]

Originally Posted by unklesam

Well the receiver picked up the test broadcasts

Which proves nothing. The some test transmissions were done using a different version of the technology.

[Muzer]

Is there somewhere documenting the mux(es) used for this? I'm mainly just interested.

[Colin_London]

The coverage map suggests that coverage will extend further into N.I. from DSO in late 2012. See red areas on the map when you press the 'show coverage' button:

http://www.saorview.ie/make-the-swit.../coverage-map/

[lbear]

If your receiver has country options, you could try one of the other nations that share the same version of DVB-T/MPEG4 - there is a list somewhere

[Colin_London]

Try Norway

http://www.nordig.org/

[anfield cabinet]

Originally Posted by Colin_London

The coverage map suggests that coverage will extend further into N.I. from DSO in late 2012. See red areas on the map when you press the 'show coverage' button:

http://www.saorview.ie/make-the-swit.../coverage-map/

Reception of Saorview in NI should improve after ASO, due to occur either late next year or in early 2013. At the moment, the DTT output of Clermont Carn in north Co. Louth (just over the border from Co. Armagh) is restricted to the north before ASO occurs.

After ASO this restriction will be lifted, plus the ERP from this tx is due to be increased as well. Should result in improved reception for many parts of counties Armagh and Down up to Belfast.

[Peter Henderson]

Originally Posted by anfield cabinet

Reception of Saorview in NI should improve after ASO, due to occur either late next year or in early 2013. At the moment, the DTT output of Clermont Carn in north Co. Louth (just over the border from Co. Armagh) is restricted to the north before ASO occurs.

After ASO this restriction will be lifted, plus the ERP from this tx is due to be increased as well. Should result in improved reception for many parts of counties Armagh and Down up to Belfast.

Yep, and not forgetting the new mini RTE multiplex (Saorview Lite !) which will start at the end of next year/early 2013 from Divis, Brougher, and the Carnmoney Hill/Black Mountain relays.

Failing all that, or if you're in an area of NI that can't get either Saorview or the new mini RTE mux, there's always Saorsat. This has just recently started testing. I gather it will be possible to receive both Saorsat and Freesat on the one dish with the one receiver (Freesat HD only apparently, and not Sky receivers).

[Peter Henderson]

With the additian of the appropriate Ka Sat LNB.

[Peter Henderson]

Originally Posted by Fred Smith

Have you checked the coverage map?

Do you have a suitable receiver?

No doubt somebody will get Saorsat in Reading once it's up and running Fred !

[Fred Smith]

Originally Posted by Peter Henderson

No doubt somebody will get Saorsat in Reading once it's up and running Fred !

See next post.

[Fred Smith]

Originally Posted by Peter Henderson

I gather it will be possible to receive both Saorsat and Freesat on the one dish with the one receiver (Freesat HD only apparently, and not Sky receivers).

Unlikely being as: Saorsat is going to use KA-Sat at 9° East unless the dish is motorised and in the coverage area which I understand may go as far as west Wales or the Western Isles only!

[Paddy C]

I can receive Saorview in Armagh, but next year or early 2013 the signal is going to be boosted and unrestricted to the North as it is currently. If you can get a good analogue picture of RTÉ now, you may just get Saorview when the signal is boosted after ASO.

The satellite service is now testing and all Irish channels are available FTA, but it's on 9E and it will require a new LNB and equipment, simply moving a minidish won't get it, and due to the satellite's set-up, most of England will have the signal blocked as other services will use the same frequencies.

[Peter Rhea]

Originally Posted by unklesam

Can it be picked up in Northern Ireland? I get RTE Analogue fine, but did a scan and can find nothing

What part of NI? If you're receiving your analogue from the currently restricted Clermont Carn transmitter, you may be able to pick up Saorview from an alternative, such as Monaghan (UHF 55 & 59) or Truskmore (53 & 57).

Depends where you are of course & will require realignment of aerial & polarisation change.

[ulsterlistener]

i bought the technika £30 hd box in tesco on saturday and when it scanned the stations i had all rte ,tv3 tg4 channels including the news and rte+1 and of course all radio stations as well crystal clear from clermont hill co louth. i live in portadown about 25 miles away from the transmitter , however i can see the transmitter hill from my house looking across the bann meadows.
by the way seperate issue a great wee box frrom £70 to £30

[brumlad36]

Originally Posted by ulsterlistener

i bought the technika £30 hd box in tesco on saturday and when it scanned the stations i had all rte ,tv3 tg4 channels including the news and rte+1 and of course all radio stations as well crystal clear from clermont hill co louth. i live in portadown about 25 miles away from the transmitter , however i can see the transmitter hill from my house looking across the bann meadows.
by the way seperate issue a great wee box frrom £70 to £30

Good to hear. Which box did you get? There are 3 different ones that Tesco are selling at £30 :-

STBHD V 2010, STBHD H 2010 & STBHD IS 2010

Chris.

[ulsterlistener]

hi chris, the model i bought is STBHD IS 2010
very impressed with picture and ease to use
channel zero as well
2 scat connections and hdmi also can be connected to computer

[brumlad36]

Originally Posted by ulsterlistener

hi chris, the model i bought is STBHD IS 2010
very impressed with picture and ease to use
channel zero as well
2 scat connections and hdmi also can be connected to computer

Have a look through the menu to see what software version the box is running. The latest version ends with 0161 and can be downloaded here http://www.ch-zero.tv/support
You may need this version if the box becomes unstable or loses any HD channels.
I downloaded and put the new software version on my STBHD IS 2010 box. It now makes this the best £30 I've ever spent. A lot of HD box for your money

I have the Vestel clone (STBHD V 2010), which is also a great box for £30, but I'm not sure if Tesco are still selling them.

Chris.

[unklesam]

Originally Posted by Peter Rhea

What part of NI? If you're receiving your analogue from the currently restricted Clermont Carn transmitter, you may be able to pick up Saorview from an alternative, such as Monaghan (UHF 55 & 59) or Truskmore (53 & 57).

Depends where you are of course & will require realignment of aerial & polarisation change.

I'm in Cookstown, Can't get a sniff

[Peter Rhea]

Cookstown is in a red area of the Saorview coverage map, so should be covered after ASO late next year.
Clermont Carn is your most likely transmitter & is the likely source of your analogue at present.

I can get a good signal from Monaghan with a small unamplified aerial in a roughly similar direction to Cookstown though only about 1/3 the distance.
I've seen reports of it being received to the east of Newry, not sure if it puts out that power in all directions.

It requires a similar group aerial to Clermont, though horizontally polarised.

[Peter Henderson]

Originally Posted by Fred Smith

Unlikely being as: Saorsat is going to use KA-Sat at 9° East unless the dish is motorised and in the coverage area which I understand may go as far as west Wales or the Western Isles only!

Nope, doesn't need to be motorised:apparently:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showt...968485&page=82

Freesat, Sky and most other Ku band services the LNB can be on High or Low band and Horizontal or Vertical polarity, thus you can't split it. You need a Quad or Octo, or for more receivers a Quad or Quattro (each outlet is fixed at one of four possible) feeding a Multi-switch.

But Ka-sat achieves 82 spots by frequency and polarisation reuse. It has 4 dishes on satellite, each fed by 20 to 24 offset feeds, so each feed is reflected to a slightly different place on the ground. Mathematically you only need 4 different types of spots to ensure that no two adjacent spots match.

So any particular Ka-Sat spot will only be using one part of Ka band and one polarisation. Thus if the signal is strong enough a coax can be split to feed two receivers (using a Satellite IF splitter, not a TV F-connector splitter). Or two Diseqc Switches if you want Freesat also. With a multiswitch you only need feed one of the four LNB in ports. You can even have 3/4ths of the channels from another Ku LNB (quattro) on the other 3 ports! Or the two signals from a C-band Dual (H & V or L&R only).

Plus, some nice pics of Saorsat and Freesat on the one box and same EPG:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showt...968485&page=83

So it can be done in NI.

[Peter Henderson]

Originally Posted by unklesam

I'm in Cookstown, Can't get a sniff

Yep, I'm the same here. Excellent analogue reception here in Jordanstown but nothing from Saorview. Was getting a weak intermittent signal until I moved my aerial a bit higher which is strange. I must try and move ity back down to were it originally was.

Does Cookstown receive Divis or Brougher ? You should be able to get the new mini RTE mux after DSO from either, I would imagine, and as Peter says, Clermont Cairn from the end of next year.

It'll be interesting in this area after DSO. I'll probably be able to receive Freeview and Saorview from several different sources.

The only reason I have Sky at the minute is RTE.