Suninfrance Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 Can anyone tell me how we go about getting English channels on our French TV. At the moment we just have a small aerial and can only get TF1, TF2 and TF3.We went to our local electrical store this morning to enquire about satellite, but they are telling us that we could only get some English channels but definately not BBC1, maybe BBC2 and some others. I do know for a fact that you can get the BBC channels, but not Channel 4 or 5, which we're not bothered about, but which system to we go for for free English channels.Any advice?Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 You'll need a numerique decoder and a dish, both widely available from any brico shop in France.Once both are set up, you'll be able to watch BBC, ITV , Channel 4 and associated channels, without a Sky card, as well as Sky News and a wide range of other more por less entertaining channels.You will not have access to Sky's own EPG.Alternatively, if you buy a Sky decoder from Ebay, provided it comes with a card, you'll be able to watch Five as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/1268062/ShowPost.aspxBut try another shop! Mine had no problem at all with doing the installation of a sat dish, but I provided a UK box bought from ebay. Cost about 150€ including the dish. If Channel 5 is a must have for you, you can get a card for this also - once again lots available at low cost from flea bay.EDIT: Simultaneous posting with Clair, but we came to pretty much the same conclusion! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suninfrance Posted June 17, 2008 Author Share Posted June 17, 2008 Channel 5 is not a necessity. Thanks for that information though - very helpful. I do have a UK digibox, but do can I use it with a French satellite dish?And I forgot to ask, which system do you use. We've been told about TNT, Astra and Canal+, but not sure if we're being told right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 Most satellite dishes will do the job - you don't say what size and how old it may be - but it will need to be pointing at the right satellte system for the UK channels - i.e. Astra/Eurobird 28.2/5 east.TNT is a French system for digital French TV through the TV aerial (although there is a sat version) Canal + is also for French TV - mainly pay channels. Astra is the satellite system itself - they, generally, don't have TV channels. TimP.S. you say you have a UK digibox - need a bit more info about that before we can say whether you can use it in France for satellite or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 Yes, you can use you UK digibox with a french dish, provided the dish is aimed correctly to recieve the UK channels. (I am assuming you mean a digibox and not a freeview box which works via the aerial. This will also work with a French aerial but will only get the French TNT channels in France) If you already have a dish at your house, that has been used for French channels, it needs to be moved 9degrees further to the East for the UK channels. There is plenty of advice available about this on the web and also several installers in France. www.brittany-satellites on 02 96 45 91 55 is one which I would recommend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suninfrance Posted June 17, 2008 Author Share Posted June 17, 2008 It's a Bush iD Digital set top box, brought from England, so I assume by what you are saying, is that if I get a dish, connect it all up, point it in the right direction, then I should get the English channels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 I think that's a Freeview box, in which case it won't work for UK channels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 [quote user="Suninfrance"]It's a Bush iD Digital set top box, brought from England, so I assume by what you are saying, is that if I get a dish, connect it all up, point it in the right direction, then I should get the English channels.[/quote] Sounds like a Freeview box to me as well - that's why I asked for more info - no, a Freeview box will not work with a dish for UK channels. It needs to be a Digital Satellite Box. Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suninfrance Posted June 17, 2008 Author Share Posted June 17, 2008 Even though it says on the boxConverts any TV into a Digital TVReceives all Dgital Freeview ChannelsDVB CompliantReceives over 30 free digital channels Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 Yes, even though it says all that!The box you have is meant to receive digital terrestrial channels, i.e.via an aerial (see here)It will most probably receive French TNT channels (like these), but not UK channels, as the UK signal is not available through the aerial.What you need, as Timco says above is a digital satellite receiver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suninfrance Posted June 17, 2008 Author Share Posted June 17, 2008 I think it's best if I start from scratch then and pay my local Brico a call to see what's available.Thanks for all your help though.I'm only doing this as we have a small French telly and while Euro 2008 is on, I've not got to watch any "decent" telly as OH is hogging the English one. I don't mind watching the odd bit of footie, but not every b****y night.Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anton Redman Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 Even though it says on the boxConverts any TV into a Digital TV Receives all Dgital Freeview Channels DVB Compliant Receives over 30 free digital channelsEspecially as it says on the box It is a digital terrestrial receiver. It may if the signal at your French house it strong enough enable you to watch French TNT – (Television Terrestrial Numerique) but it will do nothing when connected to a dish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 If you look in a brico shed in France, you need to choose a décodeur numérique (= satellite receiver) and a parabole (= dish).Otherwise, get yourself over on Ebay and search for a "sky satellite receiver". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 [quote user="Suninfrance"]I'm only doing this as we have a small French telly and while Euro 2008 is on, I've not got to watch any "decent" telly as OH is hogging the English one. [/quote] There is plenty of "decent telly" on the French terrestrial channels, Euro 2008 wont be on for ever so why dont you persist with watching your small French telly, you may even learn some French[:D]If not then go without telvision for the duration, I doubt that you will be able to organise the installation of a second satellite system that quickly.I went without TV for the first 18 months here before weakening and installing my old Sky system, in hindsight it was a mstake but thankfully it went tits up a year ago and I have had French television through my Free.fr abonnement since then. I can honestly say that it has been the most significant thing in my learning the language as it constantly reinforces the formal lesons that I had. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWINKLE Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 For all of you who miss British TV - remember this? I used to be deliciously terrified by this series - my gran would come and babysit on a Saturday and bring a big brown paper bag of sweets. When my younger sisters went to bed we would curl up on the settee and watch it.http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=hCJbEMo4ntY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suninfrance Posted June 17, 2008 Author Share Posted June 17, 2008 If I could get more than TF1, 2 & 3, generally I would agree with you. If I had a button on my remote which said "lentement SVP" then I would stand half a chance of learning French.Having said that, I do watch a couple of games shows on French telly which are good for learning French. One is the equivalent of "Countdown" and the other is a word game where you start with a word, then have to guess about 6 other words to find the winning one. It's slow paced and excellent for beginners. Haven't watched it in a while, but you have prompted me to look it up again and have another go.Personally, I don't watch telly that often, but sometimes there are some programmes I want to watch, but can't at the mo because they clash with the footie. I will be watching France and Italy tonight though. Our other problem is that we have different tastes in programme. OH is sport, sport and oh yes, sport. I like CSI and Corrie and Time Team, period dramas and some of those excrutiatingly nauseous talent shows in the later stages can be quite entertaining. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin963 Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 If your set has teletext then the subtitles for the hard of hearing are a boon for those struggling with pacy dialogue. Press text then choose pg 888.Les Feux de l'Amour was how Wendy brushed up the French that she thought she no longer knew. Lamentable show in many ways but paced ideally for those learning French. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 Agreed Martin. I have the text subtitles permanently switched on on my Freeview, now TNT set. I find 'Questions pour un Champion' on France 3 good for learning the language. Get quite a thrill when I understand the question, and you don't want to be here if I get the answer - especially when the competitor on programme doesn't.[:-))] Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chessfou Posted June 20, 2008 Share Posted June 20, 2008 [quote]I'm only doing this as we have a small French telly and while Euro 2008is on, I've not got to watch any "decent" telly as OH is hogging theEnglish one. [/quote]Does that mean you have 2 TVs, one receiving uk programmes and the other French terrestrial?If so, all the Euro2008 matches are on French terrestrial, so tonight, come time for Gardeners World, I'll be off into my study to watch the footy on TF1 (I like Arsene Wenger, although I generally prefer the BBC team) while my wife hogs the satellite connected set in the salon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suninfrance Posted June 20, 2008 Author Share Posted June 20, 2008 You are correct. However, the little french telly just has an internal aerial and the reception isn't too good. However, tonight OH has "offered" to watch the match on the french telly, so that I can channel hop on the english telly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody234 Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 so if you have a tv that picks up uk programmes in france, then you must have a sat dish and digibox already so why dont you put a double lmb on the dish and connect 2nd cable to a 2nd digibox to the 2nd tv then you can watch eastenders and bigbrother Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anton Redman Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 [quote user="woody234"]so if you have a tv that picks up uk programmes in france, then you must have a sat dish and digibox already so why dont you put a double lmb on the dish and connect 2nd cable to a 2nd digibox to the 2nd tv then you can watch eastenders and bigbrother[/quote]Possibly because despite years of alcohol abuse I am still in my right mind. I would rather remove my own appendix with the aid of a rusty razor blade and bottle of vodka for both anaesthesia and antiseptic and a mirror to check my progress than watch either of the programmes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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