Danny

[quote user="fusterie"] Is this standard on the SDH85 Orange Box???[/quote] Yes, as I have already said. The monobloc in the link has two outputs as opposed to a model with just one output. That was why I mentioned it. Just in case you do want to use two decoders, you need an LNB with two outputs - the part where the cable connects. Danny

[quote user="pachapapa"]SDH85 for OrangeAstra1. BogStandardNumeriqueTuner for HotBird. [/quote] This may be the easiest or cheapest option but for this to work you will also need to have an LNB with 2 outputs like this http://www.transplanet.fr/boutique/info_produit.asp?num=6617&fam=4 so if your dish is not easily accessible, it may be better to go for another solution. Danny

[quote user="fusterie"]When you say it doesn't switch with diseqc properly, do you mean that you have to re-search the channels every time you want to see the other satellite[/quote] yes, precisely. It is only capable of scanning and receiving from one sat at a time. As far as Orange are concerned, their channels are on both Hotbird and Astra 1..... and you can also add the FTA channels from either - but not both at the same time. If you want more choice, you will need to go for a paying option and buy a decoder. it depends on what channels you would like to receive. Danny

If you have the Samsung SHD85 decoder (which is normal for Orange TV by satellite) then you will not be able to as it does not handle diseqc properly even though there is a diseqc setup in the installation menu. It seem that you can only receive from one satellite at a time. Danny

Hang on a minute, Someone has pointed out to me that I missed this in the small print of the email. Nous vous rappelons que conformément au code de la consommation, vous disposez de la possibilité de résilier votre contrat sans frais et dans un délai de 4 mois après l'entrée en vigueur de ce changement de tarif. In case anyone needs a quick translation, We remind you that in line with consumer law, you havethe possibility to cancel your contract without charges up to 4 months after this change of price takes effect. So it appears I was wrong...... The question now is what to do. Cancel the Orange account and go with someone else or keep it and accept the increase in cost. The new Orange offers from January will be sure to include this charge. Free have a new offer which may be attractive to those in an area degroupé by Free. It has inclusive calls to all French mobiles among other novelties. For those like us in the sticks there is not a lot of choice. Danny EDIT P.S. all of the major ISPs are now changing their offers - most like Free and SFR now have two offers at different prices one basic and one luxury offer with better equipment and services for about 5 euros more. These mostly apply in a 'zone degroupée' though.

Well, in theory if they change the terms/price of the contract, they are obliged to allow you to cancel without penalty or accept the new conditions. But they have been quite sneaky in already giving all Orange ADSL customers TV via the web - limited though it is. So they will argue that they have not changed the price (it is the TVA that has changed only) and that this applies to all cutomers as they all have TV via Orange.[:'(] There are plenty murmurings on French forums about this too. Orange have about 8 million ADSL customers so it affects a lot of people. Danny

P.S. here is the full text of the email if anyone wants to know: Augmentation de la TVA relative à votre offre internet       Chère cliente, cher client, Vous avez bénéficié jusqu'à présent d'un taux de TVA réduit sur une partie du prix hors taxe de votre offre d'accès internet. Suite aux modifications du taux de TVA prévues par la loi de finances pour 2011, cette mesure fiscale disparaît. Nous sommes de ce fait contraints de modifier le tarif TTC de votre abonnement. A compter de votre facture du 1er février 2011, vous paierez 32.00€ TTC/mois au lieu de 29.89€ TTC/mois. Afin de vous apporter toutes les informations nécessaires sur cette hausse de TVA, nous vous invitons à cliquer ici. Nous vous remercions de votre compréhension et vous offrons 2 000 points fidélité* avec Davantage internet. Pour en bénéficier, cliquez-ici. Fabrice André Directeur de la relation clients

Quillan, there would appear to be no change to your 12 month engagement as far as Orange are concerned. I recieved the mail tonight "A compter de votre facture du 1er février 2011, vous paierez 32.00€ TTC/mois au lieu de 29.89€ TTC/mois" I have Formule Plus Internet and telephone but no TV either by satellite or by ADSL. So it would appear that Orange considers the commercial product the same, whether or not one has TV. i.e it may be dual play in reality but triple play on paper for them. They will likely say to anyone who complains that as an Orange ADSL customer, you have access to Orange web TV therefore it applies to you. This will probably mean that even those - as BJSLIV said - on Découverte Internet will see their bills going up. Danny

Quillan, not quite sure what you quoted me for but anyway I was only referring specifically to TNTSAT and Fransat cards which will only work when put in their respective specifically labelled decoders. I don't have Orange or Sky TV cards. Danny

[quote user="Anton Redman II"]I thought TNT Sat and Fransat needed a card slot as well ?[/quote] you are correct(ish). For reception of TNTSAT or Fransat, you need a card and specific decoder to go with it. The cards will not work in any other receiver or TV card slot (even with a CAM installed.) For the OP, the slot on your TV may work for other terrestrial ******EDIT****** bouquets with the right CAM and/or subscription *******EDIT******* but not for TNTSAT or Fransat. So you will need to continue to use the TNTSAT decoder/card if you want the TNTSAT channels. Danny *******EDIT****** There are some terrestrial subscriptions available in the UK which you can use the CI slot on your TV http://www.radioandtelly.co.uk/cam.html I don't know if there any services available in France. I suspect Canal+ can be had this way but I am not sure.

strange - works for me on two different pcs with Firefox or IE Have you gone through the steps outlined here? http://assistance.orange.fr/activer-suspendre-depuis-l-etranger-votre-abonnement-ligne-residence-secondaire-4465.php Danny

on this page, http://assistance.orange.fr/gestion-de-ligne-4264.php two thirds down the page there is 'votre compte fixe'. Click on 'nous contacter par mail' and you should get a box in the next window to send you message. Danny

I seem to remember that FT allow up to 30 m inside the boundary within the normal 55 euro connection charge so.... if there is any further, imagine they would say it is not at their cost. Danny

I have a feeling that the software decides what language to install following your either your Operating system language or your regional/language settings. I assume you still have the installation files??? EDIT You said you have the CD, I forgot... If so, you could try uninstalling and then changing your regional settings to English/UK and delete all other regional settings that may be there and then reinstalling the Corel programs This will change your keyboard settings too but these can all be changed back after. It may be worth a go. The UK proxy service tell the download service where you are but the actual download and the installation files will probably be multi language, so I don't imagine it will help to have the Expat shield active. Danny

[quote user="scotty"]Anyone experiencing this intermittent loss of signal from Astra 1C,1E,2A,2b these last few days? TIA Scotty[/quote] I presume you mean from the Astra 2 satellites? http://fr.kingofsat.net/pos-28.2E.php Astra 1C and 1E don't exist on Astra 1 satellite at 19,2 E http://fr.kingofsat.net/pos-19.2E.php I  am not trying to be picky but just mentioning it as it can be very confusing. Anyway, if you do mean the UK channels on Astra 2 sat then I have no problem here either. There are lots of possibilities - dish moving slightly, water ingress (as Pierre says), cable corrosion, loose connection..... Danny

I can find no link at all to Rupert Murdoch or News corp Danny

Lollie, you may want to get better informed about the possibilities of CESU and AE. As an AE, you cannot be paid by CESU. This is because under CESU you are being employed by someone i.e you are (very!) temporarily getting a salary from them and they are paying all your social charges, as as employer. If you are an AE, you are then self employed and must invoice your clients and receive their payments as a business. Then you declare you earnings and pay your own social charges. You can be an AE and get paid under CESU as a non professional and declare it accordingly but it is not as part of your business. It can and does get more complicated. Some more info here: http://aide-creation-entreprise.info/Auto-entrepreneur-cheque-emploi Danny

Lollie, PAYE does not exist in France. PAYE is how most salaried people pay income tax in the UK. In France income tax is not Paid As You Earn but is paid after the year is complete and you declare your earnings and the tax office send you a demand. It is also declared as a family unit rather than individually. So all your income is put together (including your income as an AE) and declared as a family income. Income tax is completely separate from cotisations or social charges which I think you are referring to These are paid by the self employed. In a 'micro entreprise' and under the AE, it normally works out at about roughly 23 % of your turnover. Danny

it is a Leclerc SIM card. They have their own deal and it uses the SFR network but Leclerc is an independent provider. http://www.leclercmobile.fr/ The credit lasts one year and 1,50 (for the basic call price plan, more for the others) is deducted from your balance each month. If you want to use this SIM card, your phone will need to be unblocked. Danny

the difference is that if it is launched internationally, it will be charged for. The expatshield software is free so while it works, I think people will continue with the unofficial method. Danny

Ok, you need a sat dish set up. you need to have it pointing correctly to either 5.0 W or 13.0 E or 19.0 E satellites and you will then receive about 45+ channels. There are minor differencs between the three satellltes that Orange use. List here on this page. http://www.orangeinfo.fr/chaines-orange-tv-sat Danny

Gary, "You plug the TV aerial into the decoder" You seem to have missed something here. You either have: TV via the livebox - all the channels come via the livebox and you have no need of an aerial or satellite dish at all. OR you have TV via satellite. In this case, you need a satellite dish to recieve the channels. You have no need of the rooftop aerial in any case* I asked you which specific model of decoder you had because Orange give you a different model for TV by sat or TV by ADSL. That way, I could determine whether you need to have a sat dish or not..... Danny * the rooftop aerial may also be used in addition to give you certain channels not yet available with the Orange sat TV service like France 3 local channels and some HD channels.

I am not sure how you are getting any channels without a decoder???? You either have orange TV via your ADSL i.e. through the livebox. OR TV via satellite which comes down via the satellite dish. Channels via ADSL 100+ Channels available via satellite about 45 plus any free to air on the chosen satellite. It depends on the speed of your internet connection and whether or not your local exchange is enabled for TV by ADSL or not. If not, then you will only get Orange TV by satellite. Did you receive a decoder as well as your livebox? what is the model? If it is the Samsung SHD85, then you have Orange TV by satellite. If it is the UHD86 then you are eligible for TV via the ADSL line and you do not need a satellite dish. Pictures here http://assistance.orange.fr/tous-les-guides-des-decodeurs-tv-1555.php If you have no decoder then you have no Orange TV and you need to ask to have the TV added to your subscription. layout here for Orange sat TV http://assistance.orange.fr/brancher-le-decodeur-tv-d-orange-associant-adsl-et-satellite-3072.php If you need to install a satellite dish, you can get someone professionnal in or DIY. You can buy sat dish supplies from most bricos if you want or online - Cost of Dish, LNB and cable from about 50 euros + Good luck Danny

If you don't any immediate neighbours, then as AnO said earlier, you should not worry about using wifi without any security. Someone would need to be right next to your house to use the wifi. I did think that there may be a problem of wifi signal quality i.e. if certain PCs are just too far to get a good signal then that could make the connection unstable but if they are all working OK with an open connection, that seems unlikely. Still, I would try moving either the PCs affected or the livebox closer together just to test and hopefully you could eliminate one possible problem.  Danny

That is a possibility too. If it is a rented livebox, then you can call up Orange 3900 in French or there is the English speaking service 0969 36 39 00 OR take it in to an Orange shop and they can test it for you. If you can borrow another livebox which you know works, then test that on your line, it would tell you if the problem is the livebox. Danny ****EDIT**** sorry, the formatting has gone strange......