[Set top box for British/French combined TV]

What is the excitement?

Any open linux satreceiver can do this.

The only problem is that there is no guarantee the TNTSAT card will remain functional.

[HD satellite receiver or not?]

DVB-T2 is downwards compatible with DVB-T. So a UK DVB-T2 television will be able to show the French terrestrial HD channels.

Same for DVB-S2, but (as with dvb-t) they can (and will)  use DVB-S2 for SD channels, not only for HD channels. The extra bandwith from the MPEG4 compression will allow to more than double the number of SD  channels per transponder, thus saving 50% transponder capacity=50% less money to pay Astra. Do the math...

[French Satellite TV reception in UK??]

I use "project-x" (free) to demux, cut etc a .ts file  and a free dvd authoring utility to create a dvd from the demuxed basic audio/video/txt/subtitle  files. Both work fast and the two combined can create a dvd in minutes.

VLC should play a .ts file perfect though.

[Best LNB ?]

The writer of the article is an idiot.

If any lnb has a bias towards any polarisation it is malfunctioning and should be replaced.

Performing one test with one item during one moment and conclude anything is also ridiculous.

A website publishing this nonsense should be ignored.

 

[Ordering on line from Pixmania, extra charges for unwanted "add-ons".]

This method is very common in France. I had the same with Pixmania a while back but I was able to suppress the unwanted options.

[CMU de base, has there been a U turn?]

No u-turn, no change.

Si vous êtes ressortissant de l'Espace Economique Européen (E.E.E.) ou de la Suisse et que vous êtes « inactif », vous devez être couvert par une assurance maladie et disposer de ressources suffisantes (équivalentes au montant du R.M.I. ou de l'allocation de solidarité aux personnes âgées ASPA). Vous ne pouvez donc pas bénéficier de C.M.U. de base ni de la C.M.U. complémentaire.

Click here: ameli.fr:

[Why is the pound now falling against the euro?]

[quote user="Sprogster"]Quillan, the fact is that EU growth is being driven solely by Germany and France's growth is anaemic by comparison. [/quote]

Every time the UK produces better-than-expected quarter-on-quarter figures it is only because the previous quarter is adjusted down. Just like in the US the UK is using this trick to manipulate the sentiment.

In the Euro-zone, most figures are better-than-expected despite an upwards revision of the previous quarter.

So in fact the French 0.6% growth is better than the UK's 1.1% 'growth' . ( as is obvious in the y/y figures)

UK 'growth' is just a statistical anomaly caused by manipulating the figures and high inflation. ( less goods, bur more expensive creates 'growth' ) I am not even convinced that the UK is out of recession yet.

There is hardly any inflation in the Euro zone, interest rates are higher than in the UK and every member is growing (real GDP growth, not  inflation ), with the obvious exception of Greece. Stating that growth is solely driven by Germany is contradicted by facts.

[tv changeover next year]

I use this: beer-can antenna.Works like a charm and costs ...nothing.

[Faster ADSL than FT/Orange will provide?]

[quote user="Ian"]

Do I have any other options? Will any other (reliable) ISP give me an uncapped service that will (possibly) run at 4meg?

Thanks[/quote]

-check if you actually can completely move to another provider (dégroupage total)

-if not, check the equipment that FT has installed in your exchange (ariase.com). It might only be capable to deliver a maximum 2 Mbit  ADSL connection. In that case 1 Mbit is the maximum on your location

In case of no "dégroupage total" any provider will have to use FT's equipment and if that equipment is technically not able to deliver more speed, then that is it for now. You'll have to wait or change to another infrastructure (wimax, satellite etc)

[HDMI Cables]

[quote user="pachapapa"]the way forward HDMI the scart plug of the 21st century for the europeans, invented for them by non-europeans.[/quote]

Invented  for the American Hollywood-lobby, HDMI integrates a full copy protection protocol in which the author and the provider of the material are able to control your equipment. In theory Hollywood may decide that your tv is not allowed to display their movie and it wont. This protocol is so complicated that the first problems have already occurred where equipment erroneously refuses to display or record a certain program or tv channel. 

Not the way forward but backwards.[:(]

[courgettes]

'ordinary' courgettes have to be pollinated. So you need good weather, some friendly insects and a compatible plant nearby. If not, they turn brown and die.

Better use F1 Hybrid courgettes that do not need pollination.

[Motors TV]

I's a bit complicated with Orange, but when you live in an area where adsl-TV is not available ánd TV is included in your Orange ADSL subscription then you can get the card and receiver for free (with deposit) but you need the extra "sport" option for motors TV  currently at  € 10,- a month.

Motors TV is only available on satellite, so you will not be able to get it with Orange if you have fast ADSL or  fiber.

Just checked Canalsat:

You would need at least a 4 star subscription with sport option for € 31,90/month  "seulement" for Motors TV to be included.

[Motors TV]

Motors TV is also included in French TV packages. All you need is a Orange- or Canalsat card, proper decoder and a dish aligned to astra19.2.

[No chance of Orange ADSL what next ?]

You can always get internet via satellite. Try Nordnet (click) for 29,90 per month. It is an affiliate of France Telecom.

Some communities subsidise Nordnet satellite internet if nothing else is available, ask your mairie.

[3D TV in France]

[quote user="Mr Coeur de Lion"]Be aware that European voltage is 240V and not the 110V variety you get in the States.[/quote]

No, European voltage is 230 volt.

The UK and the continent decided about 10 years ago to couple their networks. To make that process easier all counties decided on 230 volt instead of the continental 220 volt and the UK's 240 volt. So all continental countries have upped their voltage from 220 to 230.

We've already been waiting 10 years for just one country to live up to its promise and lower its voltage from 240 to 230 volt....

[How to receive FREE almost all UK Channels]

Many 'nerds' with a linux orientated box (e.g. dreambox) get a full  epg and proper channel listings fully  automatic from the internet.[;-)]

[The pound is on the brink]

[quote user="Quillan"]Sadly none of them have any (intelligence) and they all want to win at whatever cost including telling lies to the people, all a bit sad really.

 [/quote]

We totally agree.

I hate the Euro-bashing by UK and US "analysts" trying to manipulate markets in focusing on a problem in a tiny economy while there are  greater problems in big economies. The Euro zone would be in real trouble if Greece had to save Germany and France and yet that is exactly the situation in the US (and the UK).

[The pound is on the brink]

First you start to warm up the general public by publishing an article in a newspaper in order to avoid a big shock e.g. by hinting at a possible IMF involvement:

Tories urged to call in IMF for audit of UK's debts if they win election

The Tories might just follow the lead of Greece and declare: "it is all much worse than Gordon said, we need help"

[The pound is on the brink]

[quote user="Sprogster"]

The UK has a fantastic reputation for always meeting its financial obligations, and without being complacent there is no sign whatsoever of international investors shying away from the UK.

The UK was able to effectively devalue the £, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Ireland have saddled themselves with too strong a currency and that is where the main problem ls.[/quote]

There are only two countries that have never defaulted: The Netherlands and the USA. The UK has no such reputation.

The UK is already defaulting by devaluing its currency by 25% ( = 25% haircut for foreign debt holders) ,paying debt by simply printing money to the extend of 13% of gdp and promote inflation in order to inflate the debt away.

The real unemployment is 23 % ( non-active), the real public debt is 180% of gdp ( including the bank bailouts) and private sector debt is 200% of gdp.

This way of defaulting is easy for the UK, but markets are not stupid, there is no easy way out.

[The pound is on the brink]

Don't worry. As soon as Greece is out of the picture markets will start to play with the next vulnerable country: The UK.

With no aid package coming from Euro land, the UK will need help from the IMF and the money flows back.[:)]

[TNT-Limoges les Cars activated!]

Inhabitants of Limousin area and north-east Dordogne ( Perigord)  are now able to get TNT from the powerful "Les Cars" transmitter.

[Paying the audiovisuel contribution]

[quote user="Will"]

I think the problem with the words you used was the implication that receiving Sky is France was 'illegal' - inferring a criminal act. It's not 'illegal', just a breach of the broadcasting licence and copyright. Broadcasters like Sky and BBC can't help it if people outside the satellite 'footprint' watch the programmes, but they cannot be seen to encourage it. Ironically, under the French legal system a lot of matters - including this - which would come under civil law in Britain and most other countries are criminalised, so the police could easily act. They don't though.

[/quote]

It is much more complicated than this.

Under European law ( still including both the UK and France) you have the right to use goods (sky box)  and services (sky subscription) in the whole of Europe. But Sky does not have broadcasting rights for France, that is Sky's problem. So Sky cannot sell subscriptions in France ( and they don't) but it is against European law to prohibit you to take the service you payed for to another European country. (but they have to forbid it in order to comply with the "Hollywood" rules.) No policeman in France has any grounds to enforce a rule imposed by a private company called Sky which is against European law.

BBC is using a spot beam, aimed at the UK only (sort of) and is using the exemption clause that allows for a spillover into neighbouring countries.

['Free' predict the price of ADSL is to rise.]

[quote user="Lehaut"]A paperless world is a likely as a paperless toilet![/quote]

 Paperless toilet (click)[:P]

[Orange: cheaper internet €19,90/month]

[quote user="Jane and Danny"]

Maybe some Orangers here can corroborate this by looking at their espace clients for us.

[/quote]

No need. I confronted Orange with this and they had to confess that their online system is unable to check whether you are actually using Orange TV or not. This service is switched on by default for all users. Even Orange shops are not equipped so see all the relevant information...

They regard returning a satellite- or Ip-tv  box as too complicated for an online service.

[Orange: cheaper internet €19,90/month]

[quote user="Martin963"]

Nadine: L'offre

découverte n'est pas disponible pour une souscription en ligne, je vous

invite donc à contacter le service client Orange au 09 69 36 3900 pour

souscrire cette offre.

Vous: OK, merci Nadine

Bother,  will have to wait until we're over.   Probably just as well.

[/quote]

Martin,

You can contact the English speaking helpdesk from the UK at  +33 (0)9 69 36 39 00

The French commercial helpdesk at +33 (0)800 10 14 XY where XY is the number of the departement you live in.