(edit title) SKY TV viewing Is it going to work Options

[blueearthling]

Hello, I have been checking this place out to try and find out if it is possible to get SKY tv in Sweden but it has raised more questions than answers. I will be living about 25km NE of Stockholm.

Can anyone help me by telling me what equipment I need and if I will still actually be able to view when this new satellite thingy is working and the channels have transfered over?

If its not going to work, can someone tell me what this ex pat box thing is please?

Thanks.

[Hisingen]

With a potential move over from Astra 1N satellite to Astra 2E in the offing, for the time being it is far better to wait a while. Testing is apparently complete, and looking at the tracking 2E is very slowly on the move to its planned position.
What equipment you will need over there on the east coast I am not in a position to say, other than, for Sky, the Sky box and card of course.
But as things look from the planned footprint, there will be several channels that will no longer be available.
The move to 2F was, for some unknown reason, never completed, but all the signs are that the current luxury of the 1N and the many channels is purely a temporary measure, albeit a very pleasant one for us in Scandinavia.
There are others on the forum who live nearer to your region than I, who may answer you, but even they are awaiting the eventual move to see what remains available.
If you are curious, then the Astra2forum.com is the place to go, with many questions, and some answers currently.

[Hisingen]

And to blueearthling, so many thanks for the acknowledgement- - -
You make us wonder why we, who answer, bother.

[blueearthling]

And to blueearthling, so many thanks for the acknowledgement- - -. You make us wonder why we, who answer, bother.

Really! This is the first time I have had a chance to log back in and see your reply. Thank you very much for the information its much appreciated however please don't judge my manners, you would have received thanks more promptly if I had been on line.

[Rick Methven]

The switch over from 1N to 2E looks like it will be delayed until the new year as it is still not at 28.2E. Once there it will have to handed over to SES and testing can begin on a test transponder which will take time and then BBC and ITV will not want to risk switching during the critical Christmas schedule. The switch to 2F was supposed to be last December but did not happen until the spring for BBC HD and channel 5.

Astra 2E is supposed to have the same footprint as 2F so if you can get any reception on Channel 5 now you should be able to get the same from 2E. I think that Astra/SES have actually been tweaking the footprint a bit on 2F. When the channel 5/5* transponder moved to 2F, I lost them completely apart from a very pixilated reception during daylight. In the last couple of months, I have been getting reasonable reception all day and night with my 120cm dish in Linkoping. so maybe there is some hope yet. If it does not work out I would need a 150cm + dish which would be too big to mount on the roof so I would have to go the broadband route.

I have done some research on the alternatives and the best solution I found is Ex-Pat TV

[blueearthling]

Thanks for the info Rick.

I was looking at getting a 1.2m dish, I am not that worried about losing BBC HD or C5 I am more interested in keeping other channels that I currently use here in the UK like sky sports channels for football and cricket and the movie channels.

Do any of you know where I can get a good deal on a dish that size? They seem to be cheaper in England but I don't know how much it will cost to get it delivered to Sweden.

[Rick Methven]

In stockholm you will definately need at least 1.5m dish to get anything at all. For sky you will need to bring your uk sky box and card and have a UK address for the billing. Technically illegal but Sky are not going to turn down money. They know that many expats are watching Sky outside the UK.

[*Guest*]

Hola is a free VPN for Windows, Mac & Android that gives you access to all the major TV services around the world. I've been using it to access BBC iPlayer, 4OD, ITV Player & RTE Player and it works well with all of them. Oh and did I mention it's FREE!

[Rick Methven]

I have had an app on my android tablet called TV guide. It used to be just a program guide for BBC/ITV. the latest update allows you to select the country and platform ( freesat/terrestial) and then when you click on the station Icon in the program guide you get to see the current program about 30 seconds behind the live broadcast. No VPN/proxy or anything just free UK TV via a Swedish ISP. With a Miracast TV connected to your network, you can share it from your Android/iphone phone or tablet direct to your TV.

PS if you are looking for the app it has a red heart shaped logo in the app store and it is FREE!!!!

[rentz]

I use something different to watch Sky/BBC etc. called SmartDNS from Overplay.
This enables you to virtually change your location by simply changing your DNS servers and select where you would like to appear to be.
While it's not free, they charge you $4.95 per month, it's so clever. I simply change the DNS on my router and enjoy all streaming services from around the world on any device in my house, including BBC iPlayer and Sky on the PS3 or tablet.
No connecting to VPN and no bandwidth reduction due to tunneling, you just use your devices as you would normally do.
Highly recommended.
Go here to learn more: http://www.overplay.net/#a_aid=rentz

BR,
Fredrik

[Gordy]

Hola unblocker does the same thing and is completely free so no need for anyone to click on your affiliate link!

[rentz]

Great, thanks, I'll try Hola, no reason to pay for something you don't have to.

[rentz]

Hola unblocker does the same thing and is completely free so no need for anyone to click on your affiliate link!

Could you give some directions? I've setup an account with hola, but I can't seem to find the settings for DNS, only plugins for the browsers. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Hisingen]

I too have tried Hola, but seem to get nowhere,, so any further tips and info will be looked at with interest.
A run-through of the channels now available on Sky shows that both BBC & ITV have 'departed', along with all the 4's and 5's. Sky box signal strength/quality are down to 70%/40% respectively, yet there is no digital break-up in the picture - which is something of an anomaly.
I saw that the ITV channels an Channel 4 were being received in K

[Rick Methven]

I went to my local satellite installer yesterday and he is ordering the Gibertini 150 for mm e with expected installation next week sometime. The current CM 120 is mast mounted on the chimney and I have checked that the new dish which is 166x155cm will fit on the same mast as the current 120x130cm dish. For me I get an improment fro 42.0db to 43.2db which should be enough to up the BBC/ITV quality from 40 to 50%. Typically a 90 cm dish gives 39.5 db amplification.
Once I get my new dish up, the old one is for sale at a good price to be discussed!!