Ross Satellite Dish & Receiver

[Keni]

Homebase have a special offer of a Ross Satellite Dish & box for 89.99.

Does anyone know if this is suitable for use in France to get the usual free channels - BBC1 etc.,

Also is the price good for what you get -and does anyone know this system and think it's pants or works well?

Many thanks

[Pierre ZFP]

Yes it is suitable for france (with an adaptor for the power supply.)

Yes it will get the 'usual' English channel, BBC1, ITV etc if you point it at the right satellite  (Astra 2D 28.2 deg East of South)

No it is definitely not good for the price.  You can get something that will do the same in a French Brico Shed for half that amount or less.

 

 

[Keni]

Thanks Pierre ZFP - I just thought as it was the box and satellite dish it was good value - never having purchased a dish and a box, apart from 'renting' one from S*y.

It says it's a Ross HD Satellite Kit with everything you need to receive FREE SATELLITE High Definition TV from anywhere in the UK.

•Future proof – As more and more HD channels come on stream, the HD Satellite Kit will receive them.

•Provides over 350 channels and 150 Radio stations from Astra2/Eurobird1 SUBSCRIPTION FREE.

•Now and Next EPG Guide

•Option to receive 1,000’s of FOREIGN Language channels from all over the world.

•Save money – No need for expensive Digital HDTV subscriptions.

•PVR function for live product recording

The Kit includes

•HD DVB-S2 Satellite TV Receiver

•Remote Control

•65cm Diameter Satellite Dish

•Roof Terrace/Wall mount

•Fully adjustable mounting bracket

•HDMI Cable for TV connection

•12m F type Satellite Cable, connectors and clips

•Single Digital LNB

•Full Installation Instructions

•Set up guide for finding Astra 2 and Eurobird 1 Satellites

If any of that makes sense to you. Just waffle to me.

[Anton Redman II]

Good News  - it is HD and apparently includes ITV1 HD. It also supports USB so if prices continue to fall could be a good recorder option

Bad News - Dish is only 65 cms rather than 80 cms so check coverage maps. It is not freesat so you will need to reprogram when channels move.

I beleive it may be £ 10 cheaper at B & Q. 

[Anton Redman II]

To expand on my comments.

The box is not bad value and if you are North of the Loire the dish will do the job. It will be fairly no harder than anyother box to align but you will have to re enter channels from time to time using parameters from say Lyngsat. I originally bought a digital receiver in France as a backup and to use with a DVD recorder. After six months use I replaced it with a Sky Digibox becasue the Electronic Programme Guide was better and if we went out fro the night it was easier to record a number of different programmes on different channels.

If I knew as little Satellite TV you apparently do and wanted HD - I would either buy a freesat box in the UK and source a dish and cables in France or spend time and money on the Satcure E books about instalation and then make my own mind up.

[Keni]

Thank you - you have answered my question perfectly. I have an old sky box - had to leave the dish when we moved. The card is no longer valid I fear, so might have to purchase a one-off and then get a dish out in France. My present home is rented and won't allow a dish so I had to break the contract with Sky.

Thank you to all for the help.

[suein56]

[quote user="Chris"] The card is no longer valid I fear, so might have to purchase a one-off and then get a dish out in France. [/quote]

You should not need a card if all you want are the many 'free' channels. Things have changed over the last couple of years and many channels, which were encryted in the past, are now free to view. (With the right equipment of course).

Sue

[Will]

I suggest you would do better getting a freesat box in Britain (£30 for SD, £67 for HD from Argos, if that's too much you may find cheaper) and the appropriately sized dish, cable etc from one of the many reliable trade suppliers on e-bay, which you can have delivered either to UK or France. The freesat box is very simple to set up, and you get the regional British programmes you want by entering a post code - far simpler than using a Sky box without a card.

That way you get a brand new box. Second-hand Sky boxes are generally reasonably reliable but many are getting a bit old and are prone to power supply problems. The 'hundreds of free foreign channels' sounds tempting, but most are on a different satellite from the free-to-air English ones so it can be a choice of one or the other.