French tv - 28 channels !!! all free!!!

[Tina86]

I have recently bought a little gizmo that plugs into the usb slot of my laptop and now I am able to not only watch French TV (TNT) but can also record it or time shift. Apparently it can be used in the UK to get freeview as well. Oh and did I mention that it also get HD channels. I have been mesmerised by ARTE for several days now. It cost 39.90€ and is brilliant. I am finding this a great way to help learn the language as well.

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[Pickles]

In case anyone is interested, the device referred to is a a very

ordinary USB digital TV receiver which simply allows you to use your

computer as a TV receiver/PVR for terrestrial digital TV signals - ie in

France you get normal French terrestrial signals, and in the UK you

will get the terrestrial Freeview signals. Note that the reception on

these (unless plugged into your main TV aerial) is strongly dependent on

your location with respect to the transmitter. It does NOT pick up TV

via internet and it does NOT pick up Satellite TV.

Regards

Pickles

[sid]

Pickles - does this pick up TNT then? I presume it must? You need to connect it to your aerial socket? Have you got a link that an example product please?

Sid

[Jazzer]

As mentioned on another thread www.playtv.fr will give you most of the French channels apart from TF1, with no costs involved and good quality.

[Clarkkent]

They have been on sale in places like PC World for years.

Of course, if you use one you are obliged to have a tv licence.   [6]

[Tina86]

The device in question picks up TNT digital channels via your aerial or with the aerial that is supplied with it.I have had a look at Play Tv and apart from offering only a handful of channels it does not offer the same service.Firstly there are no high definition channels and there is no need to take up all your bandwidth downloading streaming tv.In order to make use of the like of Play tv it is necessary to have a very fast internet connection.I for one have to use a satellite connection as we are in a grey area for adsl.

I have not tried it on a roof top aerial yet but can only report on the results achieved with the supplied aerial.We are in a very rural location, in a valley and miles from the transmitter!!

Post edited by the moderators.

[Pickles]

[quote user="sid"]Pickles - does this pick up TNT then? I presume it must? You need to connect it to your aerial socket? Have you got a link that an example product please?[/quote]

I've sent you a PM with a link to a similar unit selling for 19.90€. Yes, it picks up TNT - and TNT HD. It comes with its own mini aerial which may give you a decent signal but which in poor signal areas would need to be plugged into your TV aerial - via an adaptor as the connection to the dongle is not a standard size TV coax (not a big problem, but just don't expect that the TV aerial plug will go straight into it)

Regards

Pickles

[Tina86]

"They have been on sale in places like PC World for years

Of course, if you use one you are obliged to have a tv licence."

Yes they have been around for a while and are available from major stores over here too. You will need a Tv Licence as you will do for anything that contains a tv receiver ie video, dvd recorder, tv etc.

[Frederick]

Loads of them on Ebay cheap as chips . Mine works anywhere in the world ...provided you connect the TV arial   The one they provide is as much good as a chocolate tea pot

[Pickles]

[quote user="Clarkkent"]They have been on sale in places like PC World for years.[/quote]

Indeed, as well as Carrefour/Leclerc/Auchan/etc etc.

Regards

Pickles

[cooperlola]

Lots of the little beggers for sale on AMAZON

[Tina86]

I too looked at the multitude available on the likes of Ebay and Amazon.I found that most were not windows 7 compatible or were worded very ambiguously.I can confirm that this is win7 compatible and I got really good results from the supplied aerial, which i have to admit I was initially very sceptic about. I guess you get what you pay for and cheap is not always the best.

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[pachapapa]

[quote user="Tina86"]I too looked at the multitude available on the likes of Ebay and Amazon.I found that most were not windows 7 compatible or were worded very ambiguously.I can confirm that this is win7 compatible and I got really good results from the supplied aerial, which i have to admit I was initially very sceptic about. I guess you get what you pay for and cheap is not always the best.[/quote]

 

Your stick and it's symbiotic relation with Windows 7 is a driver issue; available on the producers site

Win 7/Vista/XP

Vers.3.60.06.0152

18.09.2009

[sid]

Got your PM thanks Pickles.

Sid

[pachapapa]

[quote user="Tina86"]The device in question picks up TNT digital channels via your aerial or with the aerial that is supplied with it.I have had a look at Play Tv and apart from offering only a handful of channels it does not offer the same service.Firstly there are no high definition channels and there is no need to take up all your bandwidth downloading streaming tv.In order to make use of the like of Play tv it is necessary to have a very fast internet connection.I for one have to use a satellite connection as we are in a grey area for adsl. I have not tried it on a roof top aerial yet but can only report on the results achieved with the supplied aerial.We are in a very rural location, in a valley and miles from the transmitter!!


Post edited by the moderators.
[/quote]

It wont receive HD in the UK but it will in france.

They have been around for a while; I bought a Pinnacle DVB-T stick at a vide grenier acouple of weeks ago for € 4; works fine on a Medion Netbook running XP.

[pachapapa]

[quote user="cooperlola"]Lots of the little beggers for sale on AMAZON[/quote]

The sticks with the software in flash memory on the stick and 32 GB Micro SD memory are particularly suited to netbooks.

[Tina86]

hi pachapapa, interested in your comment about not being able to get HD in the UK. Is this from experience or is there a technical issue involved? Planning a trip there next month and would like to try it out. Also did you get my reply to your email?

[Danny]

Hello, In case PPP is busy I will answer. There is a techinical difference. Your device supports DVB-T

http://210.80.82.116/Genius/wSite/ct?xItem=16822&ctNode=172&mp=1

It won't pick up HD in the UK because the UK is using a different system - DVB-T2 for HD terrestrial broadcasts but in France the system used is DVB-T.

Danny

[NormanH]

I am having a senior moment.

I don't understand this thread at all.

I watch French TV on my netbook (as on my PC) using adsltv.

Why do I need anything else?

[Pickles]

[quote user="NormanH"]I am having a senior moment.

I don't understand this thread at all.

I watch French TV on my netbook (as on my PC) using adsltv.

Why do I need anything else?

[/quote]

If you've not got a decent broadband speed - or only dialup - then you might prefer to use a USB TV receiver. Also if you are for some reason worried about download limits - though this doesn't seem to be an issue in France.

Regards

Pickles

[NormanH]

Thanks.