WJT Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 I thought I would start a new thread. [:)] Can anyone tell me if the TV packages that Orange, Free and SFR would work with our current Sky dish? Orange says it would but I cannot see how. Also I cannot decide between the above three, I keep reading conflicting opinions about them.[8-)]Unfortunately the fibre optic line option isn't available to us, in this case can anyone advice which provider may be the best option? Also as I asked in my other post if anything goes wrong with the line and you aren't with Orange/FT is it a problem getting it sorted? We are a bit rural. Thank you in advance for any advice or suggestions. [:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Coeur de Lion Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 A dish is a dish, it will work with your sky one, but it will have to point in a different direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunday Driver Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Wouldn't an ADSL TV package come down your ADSL internet connection rather than a dish? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob T Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 [quote user="Sunday Driver"]Wouldn't an ADSL TV package come down your ADSL internet connection rather than a dish? [/quote]Not if you are in a slow ASDL area, they just supply a satellite decoder box instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WJT Posted February 7, 2011 Author Share Posted February 7, 2011 BobT, I haven't spoken to other providers yet but that is what Orange would do, they would send a box to attach to the satellite dish. She told me that English people with Sky just connect it to the dish. But having looked into it a little I Think what Coeur de Lion says is right we would have to have it in a different direction and then we would lose Sky.[:(]Edit: By the way, the packages show up to 20 meg but after BobT's comment perhaps we wouldn't get that. At the moment we are on the old package of 1 meg with Orange and paying more and paying for telephone calls. This is the reason I am looking into, I stupidly didn't realise what was available. [:$] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pachapapa Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 [quote user="Sunday Driver"]Wouldn't an ADSL TV package come down your ADSL internet connection rather than a dish? [/quote]In effect total degroupage would be required; in the context of Deux-Sèvres that would mean residing in Niort and a couple of the satellite towns like Chauray. There is an exception to this in that there is a limited area in North-East Deux-Sèvres on the the Free trunk between Niort and Nantes. This was considered in detail in a thread last year concerning a foum member living in that minute area of Deux-Sèvres. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WJT Posted February 7, 2011 Author Share Posted February 7, 2011 I just visited some of those ADSL test sites to show what is available and there are many options not available to us here. But one site showed an estimation of between 14 Mbps and 16 Mbps that would be available and a distance of over 2000 meters form the central. I assume that is the source of the ADSL?14 Mbps seems quite fast to me![8-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 You asked this in another thread and as I said there about try running http://www.degrouptest.com which will show you whats on offer for your phone line and the speed you can expect.My two dish's, Sky and Orange point in different directions and the LNB is skewed differently on each. To get regional stuff I have to connect the TV aerial to the decoder as it accepts TNT terrestrial as well for these services. I think my dish is pointed to Atlantic Bird 3.Orange TV via satellite is available from three satellites namely Astra, Hotbird and Atlantic Bird 3 now I don't know if you can put a dual LNB on your existing Sky dish to pull in any of these but I suspect somebody else will know. If you want more information on this start from THIS page.As to what the differences between each of those three satellites and what you get with each you may find THIS pdf file of interest which seems to imply that Astra is really the one to point too.You also need to know that the LiveBox and decoder have to be connected together but if they are not in the same room there are ways round this by buying and using a pair of devices known as LivePlugs from Orange for about 70 Euros which support HDi TV.With reference to Orange, if you get a line fault and it's important to you then go with Orange as they own the line as well and of course they put Orange users at the top of their list. If you go with another ISP you could possibly end up as the piggy in the middle whilst the two debate if it's a line or equipment failure. The other thing is if you feel more comfortable speaking in English and getting your sales and support in English as Orange have a dedicated phone number for this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 [quote user="WJT"]I just visited some of those ADSL test sites to show what is available and there are many options not available to us here. But one site showed an estimation of between 14 Mbps and 16 Mbps that would be available and a distance of over 2000 meters form the central. I assume that is the source of the ADSL?14 Mbps seems quite fast to me![8-)][/quote]If you get that sort of speed then you probably won't need to have a dish. Did you try the website I gave you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 [quote user="WJT"]BobT, I haven't spoken to other providers yet but that is what Orange would do, they would send a box to attach to the satellite dish. She told me that English people with Sky just connect it to the dish.[/quote]Blatant sales lie to try to get you to change your package. [:-))]keeping it simple.....you need a separate dish for Orange TV by satellite if you want to also keep the dish you use for UK TV.SFR are now doing TV by satellite too but it works out more expensive than Orange.If you are still on an old Orange deal without inclusive unlimited calls, then you could well save money by changing either with Orange or to SFR or Free or some others.All of them offer packages in the region of 35 euros which have unlimited calls on a VOIP line with minor differences.You generally have the choice with all of them to keep your FT line (and continue to pay 16 euros per month for it) or give up the FT line and rely on the VOIP internet phone line.Costs vary but not by a lot.Yes, Orange/FT control and repair all the main lines. It should not be a problem to go with other companies but eseentially the other compainies priority is not with rural lines - they make very little profit - and Orange probably have a natural inclination to prioritise customers who don't have middlemen go through.For me, it is probably best to stay with Orange in areas which are not 'degroupée' i.e. areas where other companies like Free etc have installed their own equipment in the exchanges.Orange offer a range of packages....By the way the packages with TV are exactly same price as without TV.Danny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 [quote user="Quillan"][quote user="WJT"]I just visited some of those ADSL test sites to show what is available and there are many options not available to us here. But one site showed an estimation of between 14 Mbps and 16 Mbps that would be available and a distance of over 2000 meters form the central. I assume that is the source of the ADSL?14 Mbps seems quite fast to me![8-)][/quote]If you get that sort of speed then you probably won't need to have a dish. Did you try the website I gave you?[/quote]That's not necessarily the case Quillan, the exchange also has to be equipped to offer TV by ADSL service .Many local exchanges are equipped for ADSL2 so can give real speeds up to 18 - 20 Mb but there is no TV service. Certainly the case around here.The degrouptest results also say if ADSL TV is available as well as the internet speed possible.Danny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pachapapa Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 On 22Mbps here! ADSL+2. No triple play.In effect the large increase in bandwidth in rural in non degrouped areas is rarely used by the subscriber. In my opinion it will be used by Free with Alice to facilitate fixed to mobile and mobile to mobile communications when Free starts the mobile service. Free have already got the OK in Paris for 300 mobile aerials.P.S Q got his orange specs on today![:P] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WJT Posted February 7, 2011 Author Share Posted February 7, 2011 Thank you so much for the responses. Quillan I did run a test on the website you posted and for some reason that one doesn't show Free as an option. It shows Orange at 15 Mbps and TV from satellite. I re-ran the other one with our real number, used a false one before because after entering info on these test sites we started getting calls about ADSL! http://www.testadsl.net/It is now showing Distance central just under 2000 and Debit ADSL2 (estimation) 18 Mbps. So even faster!It showed on that site under Orange the TV takes 4 Mbps. But it is not offered for us, only satellite. Jane and Danny, that is what I suspected when the lady at Orange said it would work and that is what English people do.[blink]Quillan, sadly it is important for me to have an English speaking line, it is already too complicated for me in English! So it is looking like it will be Orange at the moment. I just worry because of all the problems with the Livebox. In fact that is why we don't use one. When we first were connected we had a live box and it was a nightmare and we exchanged it for an ordinary Sagem modem. Even then we had all the residual Orange stuff left over on the computer and a glitch with the Parental Control so had to pay someone to come out and wipe everything off our computer and reload everything! So I am not looking forward to another Livebox. [:(] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Don't worry about entering details in to the website I gave you, the only people who have contacted me are SFR because we had a mobile with them once apon a time.The availability will depend on if your line is degrouped or not as will TV over Internet as was pointed out and I forgot about.I am on my second LiveBox, the one I have now is a LiveBox 2 and that's in many years, I don't think they are any better or worse than other manufacturers these days. If you go voip with Orange you will have to use the LiveBox anyway. If your worried about loosing everything in a power cut do what we do. We simply forward calls on to our mobile if not answered or the line is engaged, works a treat. If that fails then a message is left on our mobile voicemail. I suspect the cat having a waz on the old one really had something to do with it failing. The LiveBox 2 has the function to change the language to English which was not available on the old one. DO NOT use the install disk with the LiveBox when you get it, it is very easy to set up manually, all you need are your login details. The information on how to set it up manually is 'hidden' on this part of the forum somewhere if not post again and somebody will 'hold your hand' through doing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 no problems with the livebox 2 here either. Our cats have much better manners.[:)]Danny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WJT Posted February 7, 2011 Author Share Posted February 7, 2011 Thank you that is very good news. The info about manually setting up the LiveBox is excellent! I hated the idea of all that Orange nonsense. No cats here so no problem.[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 I should mention I guess that when you get all the kit don't expect the phone to work straight away if you go voip. The LiveBox and line are linked and Orange knows when you have connected your LiveBox. They say they take 24 hours to connect the phone but I seem to remember they did mine in about two hours. So if the phone light does not come on immediately don't panic. The other useless bit of information is that when you plug the phone directly in to the line (as opposed to your LiveBox) you hear the French 'engaged' tone when everything is functioning, it's just handy to know if your fault finding for any reason other than that it's of no interest what so ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WJT Posted February 7, 2011 Author Share Posted February 7, 2011 Quillan, thank you. One concern now that you mention it, is an electricity cut. It is fairly frequent and when it happens the cordless phones don't work but I can plug in an old corded phone at least and report the fault. Unfortunately we don't get a mobile reception in our house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Well if you can't get a mobile phone to work in the house you may just as well let the call go to your Orange voicemail. Another alternative, depending on how long the 'outage' is, would be to use a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply). When the power fails the unit automatically provides power via a battery and inverter. You only need about 600 to 700VA as the current used is very, very low and it should keep you running for a couple of hours. I have one just in case, not for the computer but just for the LiveBox and phone. It also acts as a surge protector. APC are a good make, I have been using them for years for computer systems, file servers and alike. You can get a good one for about £70 via Amazon although I suspect you can get cheaper if you shop around. Most modern cordless phones 'integrate' quite well with the Orange system. My Siemens allows 'one touch' connection to my Orange answerphone and you get all the other normal functions as well like it flash's when a message is left or transferred. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WJT Posted February 7, 2011 Author Share Posted February 7, 2011 Thank you very much Quillan for the information and taking the time. I have never heard of a UPS so very very helpful. Thank you again.[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnOther Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 I'm disappointed but not surprised that the Orange sale people are still telling potential English clients that they can get TV via their existing Sky dishes. I was told this when I changed back in October 2009. I started a thread about it at the time but to avoid reading it's 3 pages the salient point was this:"Re the TV: I was very very questioning and specific about it being via Astra @ 28deg and was assured that this was correct.Iwas told that it was a recent innovation, I think September wasmentioned, and something that they had been fighting for in response tomany English clients already having Sky dish and wanting the TV servicebut not wanting to erect a second dish."As expected it turned out to be 100% pure BS.I think the problem is that they just do not appreciate that there is a difference between Astra @19 deg and 28deg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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