Can you receive ITV ?

[widge]

I seem to have lost ITV on my freesat box, does anybody else have the same problem or do I need to call out the engineer?

[EMM]

We have the same problem, we sometimes get E4, but on our last visit lost C4 and C41. The ITV signal started to break up.

Things improved when I reset the box to its factory default. Still no C4 but ITV came back.

Maybe it has someting to do with the seasonal declination relationship between dish and satelite. We are on the edge of the signal cone.

" Over to the Techies ".

[Farol]

The Channel 4 signal is the weekest of the main channels so often struggle. With all the main channels you might get a better signal if you choose a different region eg BBC1 Scotland is a stronger signal than BBC1 London - same seems to apply to ITV. Weather makes a big difference to loss of signal. Tech firms will say the solution is a bigger dish but in my opinion it's a compromise - who wants a 2 metre dish to ensure you can watch some of the rubbish that is transmitted.

[lagermeister]

We think that SKY are at it. We bought a new £20 card and a few months later they "turned it off" so we lost our normal BBC and ITV regional channels and now have East Anglia.

Same thing happened to a friend of mine last week.

When I rang them they said they couldnt tell me anything as the card was not registered to me even though I paid for it and they sent it to me at my UK address.

[shanagarry]

The last few nights I have noticed that the programmes listings have disappeared - firstly it was ITV then last night they all went. I shut it all down took out the SKY card - left it for 10 minutes and restarted - everything back in its right place when it rebooted.

We recently upgraded our equipment to a 1.8M dish because we were losing the signal after 8.00pm every night. I had tried all the BBC and ITV regions and while some were better - the situation deteriorated and I was advised to get the larger dish. It's been perfect and the picture, including HD is crystal clear.

[completecarvoeiro]

Shannagary,could you tell me how much and who done your 1.8 mtr dish for you please,im getting quotes now etc etc.....

[shanagarry]

Rui and Cristina at RJ Tecnica - they are without doubt the best available locally (based on our experience) and we have used a few in the Carvoeiro area.

They can be contacted on 914 747 051

[EMM]

We think that SKY are at it. We bought a new £20 card and a few months later they "turned it off" so we lost our normal BBC and ITV regional channels and now have East Anglia.

Same thing happened to a friend of mine last week.

When I rang them they said they couldnt tell me anything as the card was not registered to me even though I paid for it and they sent it to me at my UK address.

I assume that is the problem with " buying " a Sky card from a middleman..

Sky will only deal with the official " account " holder. If they wanted to they could cancel your card.

[shanagarry]

how much and who done your 1.8 mtr dish

Sorry, I forgot to answer all your question - the dish alone cost €480. They completely wired the system all around the house - something I was not particularly looking forward to doing. I am delighted with the quality of their work

[tricky]

forgive my ignorance but is a freestat box like a freeview box here, or is the equivlaent of a sky box. I think we may have problems installing a sky dish on the side of our place, is there any other solution to receiving additional channels?

[EMM]

Forget FREEVIEW, that does not work in Portugal. You have the choice between Freesat or Sky both of which need a dish.

The alternative if you have cable is one of the Portuguese networks like CABO which will provide you with Sky News, BBC entertainment and a host of other channels broadcast in English with PT subtitles, All your familiar US soaps, comedies, etc.
On BBC etertainment the UK soaps like eastenders are not that far behind the UK if you need that fix.

Sometimes we watch as much on cable as we do from the dish.

[widge]

The last few nights I have noticed that the programmes listings have disappeared - firstly it was ITV then last night they all went. I shut it all down took out the SKY card - left it for 10 minutes and restarted - everything back in its right place when it rebooted.

We recently upgraded our equipment to a 1.8M dish because we were losing the signal after 8.00pm every night. I had tried all the BBC and ITV regions and while some were better - the situation deteriorated and I was advised to get the larger dish. It's been perfect and the picture, including HD is crystal clear.

Hi Shanagarry,

In your opinion please....................

Is it worth paying the extra to get a 1.8m instead of the 1.4m ? Did you have a 1.4m dish before upgrading or did you have a smaler one?

[blue]

We've got 2 Freeview boxes at the house & they both work very well . We do have a huge dish in the garden. But we also have a Freeview box in the apartment in Carvoeiro & that works well too.

[shanagarry]

Widge

Our previous property was in Vale do Milho and we had a 1.2m dish. We were constantly losing the picture and sound from 8.00pm ish every night (pixellation and then nothing). We were with some friends one night who lived a short way from us and they were having a similar problem - with a 1.4M dish. We live now on the other side of town and have the 1.8M dish without a hint of a problem. I went for the larger dish (it was €75 more) to avoid having to upgrade again in a short period of time. The picture and sound are the same as they were in the UK - first class.

I got some very useful help on here while trying to make my mind up and with RJ Tecnica doing the work in such a professional and non-intrusive manner I believe we have the right solution for us. We have a SKY HD subscription from the UK - which I get the impression, helps (as opposed to through a third party).

I'm glad we went for the 1.8M dish - but it is big. It needs specialist fixing and reinforcing to keep it attached to the house in high winds - something we are having done before the winter gets here

[widge]

Thanks Shanagarry, I have ordered the 1.8m dish from RJ Tecnica. Fingers crossed !!