Concise
'Frequently Asked Questions' pdf
What
is the difference between Dome satellite systems and folding-dish satellite systems?
Dome
systems have a satellite dish enclosed in a dome, (e.g. Tracvision R4), while
folding dishes or clam-shell systems (e.g. Oyster) are open to the elements. For
this reason the dome has an advantage if the wind is high, whereas the clam-shell
systems can suffer damage if care is not taken.
Do
I need to have a Sky subscription?
You
don’t need a Sky subscription. A Sky digibox can be used without a viewing card
to watch BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Film 4, More 4, E4 along with many more. The only
channels you won’t receive are Channel 5, and the Sky channels. There are also
Free-to-Air (FTA) satellite digiboxes, which you can use to see all BBC, ITV,
Channel 4, Film 4, More 4, E4 along with many more. These digiboxes can also decode
signals from other satellites from which you can receive BBC World News, and Euronews
in English.
Can
have BBC Freesat in my vehicle?
Yes,
using a BBC Freesat Digibox, costing around £70. The broadcast is from the same
satellite as Sky and can use the same dish, including any of the mobile dish systems
on the Conrad Anderson Website.
Can
I get High Definition (HD) channels in my vehicle?
Yes.
You need a HD ready TV and a HD ready digibox connected with a HDMI cable. You
can use a Sky HD digibox, or now you can use a HD ready Freesat digibox, costing
around £200.
Which
channels can I get in my van?
You
can watch any channels in your van, the same as from any fixed location i.e. at
home. This includes all the free channels (BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Film 4, More 4,
E4 along with many more) and Sky channels (if you have a Sky viewing card).
Can
I watch UK TV in Europe and where?
The
bigger the satellite dish, the further from the UK you can watch UK TV channels.
From the Astra 2 satellite a 40cm dish will enable UK TV in the UK, a 50cm dish
enables France to Bordeaux/Lyon and Holland; 65cm dish South of France and Germany
and an 85cm dish to Barcelona/Madrid in Spain and North of Rome in Italy.
If you can’t receive Astra2 Northern beam you can swap to Astra 2 Southern beam
however, there are limited channels available.
What
is the difference between Freeview and Freesat?
Freeview
works from a terrestrial signal, received via an aerial and requires a freeview
set-top box; Freesat is a service introduced by BBC and ITV to give a digital
satellite TV service without any monthly subscription, received via a satellite
dish that requires a Freesat digibox. The freesat channels are from the same satellite
as the Sky channels. http://www.freesat.co.uk.
I
am receiving signal strength but no quality, how do I put it right?
This
is from pointing the satellite dish at the wrong satellite, for most UK channels
or if using a Sky or Freesat digibox you need to point at Astra 2 satellite found
at 28.2 E. I am receiving mostly foreign channels, I want to receive UK channels,
what I am doing wrong? The dish is pointing at one of the many satellites which
broadcast around Europe, Astra 1 @ 19.2E – mostly German channels or Hotbird @
13E – mostly Italian channels. For most UK channels or if using a Sky or Freesat
digibox you need to point at Astra 2 satellite found at 28.2 E.
For
more details on satellites available see: http://www.lyngsat.com.
How
do I know which satellite I am pointing at?
If
you have a universal digibox that can decode signals from the satellite you are
pointing at, the satellite details will be on the digibox itself once the channels
are downloaded. There are sophisticated satellite finders available that can tell
you this information however, they are not cheap and usually not necessary as
a compass, a satellite signal strength meter and some background reading will
do the trick.
Which
satellite should I be pointing to for UK channels?
For
most UK channels or if using a Sky or Freesat digibox you need to point at Astra
2 satellite found at 28.2 E.
What
is the difference between a Sky Digibox, a Freesat Digibox and a Universal Digibox?
Sky
digibox – enables
you to watch Sky television including any subscription channels (as long as you
pay for a subscription). Interactive services and HD broadcasting is available.
A sky digibox can be used without a viewing card to watch the free channels however
Channel 4, Film 4, more 4, E4 and Channel 5 are not available. You can only watch
channels from the Astra 2 satellite.
Freesat
digibox – enables
viewing of free-to-air satellite channels, BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Film 4, more 4,
E4 (not including the +1 channels) and many others. HD broadcasting is available
using the Freesat HD digibox and interactive services can be used e.g. ITV HD
(Channel 4 HD is not available on Freesat)
Universal
digibox – Enables
watching of Free-to-air and subscription satellite channels (card interface slot
required) from many satellites in Europe (not Sky Digital) (reception subject
to suitable dish size) including UK channels from Astra 2, BBC World News on Hotbird
13E and Astra 19.2E.
I
have a manual-search satellite dish, how do I find the satellite?
These
instructions are specific to Maxview units, but are similar to other manufacturers.
-
Connect
the TV and Digibox and put it on the signal strength screen.
-
Using
a satellite finder makes this much quicker; attach it inline with the LNB
-
Turn
the gain dial on the sat finder until it bleeps, then twist back slowly so that
the bleep just stops.
-
Using
the scale on the dish mount, set the elevation according to your latitude (our
Maxview dish kits are supplied with a guide sheet).
-
Use
a compass to find the direction of the satellite (Astra 2 – 28.2E for UK Channels,
these values are degrees East of South).
-
Turn
the dish to approximately point at the satellite, the sat finder should bleep
and light up.
-
Slowly
adjust the direction of the dish until the sat finder bleeps at a highest pitch
and the most lights are on (the higher the pitch and the more lights the stronger
the signal) 8.
-
Turn
the gain down on the sat finder until the bleep stops and fine-tune the direction
until the finder bleeps again.
-
Adjust
the elevation for the strongest signal.
- Check
on the TV screen that the signal strength and quality is showing in the status
bar. If it shows strength but no quality, this usually means you are pointing
at the wrong satellite.
Does
my home Sky digibox work in my van? What about Sky+?
Yes,
you will just need 240v electricity in your van to power it. Sky digiboxes will
work without a card and will receive all the free channels apart from Channel
4 and Channel 5. If you have any premium channels (Movies and Sports) you can
move the digibox with the viewing card and watch the same channels in your van.
(For premium channels the Sky digibox and the Sky viewing card are a matched pair,
so you can’t use the card in a different Sky digibox unless you re-initialise
the card with the new box).
How
can I watch British channels in Spain and South of France?
British
TV is available all over Europe as long as you have a big enough satellite dish.
65cm dish: will work to South of France to the South and Eastern Germany to the
East. 85cm dish: will work to Barcelona, Madrid and Rome to the South and Eastern
Poland to the East. (Signal is also available in Gibraltar, but not between Gibraltar
and Madrid).
I am out of the Astra 2 footprint, how can I watch British channels?
There are British channels broadcast on almost all satellites around Europe. These
are news channels including BBC World News and Euronews broadcast on Astra1, and
Hotbird.
Crufts
is on and my dog can’t bear to miss it, how can he watch it while I’m driving?
The
Tracvision R5 is a dome satellite dish system which automatically tracks the satellite
while the van is moving, enabling anyone in the back to watch TV.
I want to watch Eastenders while my husband wants to watch sport, how can I
do this?
You
need a satellite dish with a double LNB and a second digibox and TV, this will
enable different channels on 2 TV’s at the same time. Most of the automatic and
manual systems can be upraged to include a double LNB.
Which
inverter do I need to run my TV and Digibox in my van?
Most
TV and digibox combinations can be run using a 300W inverter, if you want to use
it for any other electrical items at the same time a larger one will be necessary.
I have an American motorhome with a satellite TV system already fitted; can
I use it in Europe?
If
you have an American Tracvision system Conrad Anderson can adapt it to work in
the UK. For any other system you will have to contact the manufacturer.
Can I watch Premiership football without subscribing to Sky?
There
are other packages available to see premiership football, none of them are free
but they can be far cheaper than Sky. Please contact us for details.
Will
I be able to fit the systems myself?
Yes
provided that you are a reasonably confident and capable DIYer.
Can
I Watch Terrestrial TV via Satellite?
All
the current UK terrestrial analogue channels are duplicated on digital satellite.
Astra 2A, 2B and 2D at 28.2º East jointly provide this digital service which being
encrypted can be viewed only with the aid of a Sky DigiBox i.e. integrated Sky
digital receiver/decoder and a viewing card which is available at a one off charge
of £20 to UK TV license holders on request. This should not be confused
with the Sky Subscription card which for a monthly fee allows reception of a chosen
Sky channel package plus the duplicated terrestrial channels.
What
Can I Receive Without a Viewing Card?
A
Sky DigiBox without a card or a free-to-air digital receiver can provide enough
entertainment for those just wanting to keep in touch and up to date with news
etc. In addition to free to air channels like Sky News and I.T.N. 24hr service
there are many radio stations including BBC both National and Regional plus many
music stations e.g. Classic FM, Classic Gold and Planet Rock which broadcast in
high quality digital stereo.
What
About The Future?
There
are fundamental changes afoot to move some existing channels from Astra 2A and
2B to the recently launched Astra 2D satellite co-positioned with 2A and 2B at
28.2º East. This new satellite has a smaller footprint covering only the UK and
Ireland and whilst this means that existing services in the UK will be unaffected,
the channels chosen to be transferred to 2D will no longer be obtainable in mainland
Europe (with the possible exception of France). Because the domestic home market
will be unaffected it is not possible to speculate on the impact to reception
abroad. Indeed because this is seen as illegal and frowned upon by Sky they are
unlikely to publish advance data on the exact changes. As and when changes
do occur we will, as always, be heavily reliant on our friends and customers touring
abroad to inform us of exactly what is available so that we can compile a list
of channels available throughout Europe. We would therefore welcome any information
to this effect from all.
What
Size of Dish do I Need?
The
Astra 28.2° footprint map shows that a 60cm dish is adequate for the South Beam
in Spain, ( please note that the software settings may need to be altered on your
Digibox ). The footprint map shows the North Beam cutting off approximately two
thirds the way down Spain with a 120cm dish. We have however heard of many people
using 120cm solid dishes successfully in the far south. The ITV channels
are on the Astra 2D satellite which has a footprint that only covers the UK Eire
and northern France. Astra do publish the official footprint maps and programme
listings on their website www.astra.lu
Can
I use my Old Analogue Dish for Digital?
If
your existing dish has a standard 40mm L.N.B. fitting, the L.N.B. can be replaced
by a Digital universal one. We can supply a high quality Platinum 0.6dB L.N.B.
for as little as £35
Please note
If upgrading from
Analogue to Digital, the cable between the dish and receiver will also need to
be upgraded. We have a 10m cable kit with connectors and weatherproof boot for
£15
Do
I Need a Specialist Finder to Align My Dish?
It
is possible to locate the satellite without a finder, however it is not easy and
usually very time consuming. We would always recommend a finder which will enable
you to align your dish considerably more quickly, accurately and a lot less stressfully.
Whilst finders are available at a modest cost, the inexpensive ones are relatively
insensitive, whilst the semi-professional quality T7301 is sensitive enough (when
following our supplied instructions and guidelines) to ensure the satellite is
accurately located.
Can
I Use a Smaller Dish if I Only Want Radio?
Unfortunately
not. The size of dish required depends upon your location, not whether you are
receiving sound only programmes.
Which
Fixed Dish System for My Motorhome?
The
pole adjustable systems by their nature need to be sited adjacent to a vertical
wall (i.e. Wardrobe). It is therefore important that the vehicle is checked for
any possible obstructions when the dish is folded for travelling and whilst raised
and rotated for use.
The system uses a crank-up mechanism which is very
shallow and projects approx. 2" from the ceiling inside the motorhome. It is much
more flexible in its positioning, it does however require sufficient roof space
to fold and rotate.
The fully automatic system is bonded onto the roof
with no moving parts coming through the roof. It is therefore the most flexible
system in relation to positioning, but does require a slightly larger turning
circle due to the extra performance available from the larger size.
If
you are unsure as to the suitability of a particular system for your motorhome
please ask for space requirement details or check the Satellite section of this
website
Can
I Buy a 12 Volt Digital Receiver?
For
the British services there are only 240V A/c receivers made. You can however operate
a mains Digibox via an inverter, giving you 12V operation.
Does
it Need a Telephone Line to Work?
No
it does not need a phone line to work. The sound and picture information, along
with the E.P.G. ALL come from the satellite to your dish. There are two reasons
for it to be connected to the phone line:
- A
contractual obligation for those who have received a subsidy on their Digibox.
- Whilst
at home the box can talk directly with Sky's computer for ease of use when booking
pay-per-view events.
Please
Note
There is no technical reason to have a digital box permanently
connected to your phone line. If you have had your box less than 12 months you
may have received a subsidy, contractually obliging you not to disconnect it in
the first year. Whilst we sell the equipment to use digita l satellite mobile
we do not endorse its illegal use or recommend you break any contracts.
How
do I know where to point my satellite dish?
The satellite will always
be in the same position, this is called geostationary. You will find the Astra
2 (Sky Digital) satellite at 28.2 degrees East of South. To help you quickly and
easily locate the satellite signal, Maxview has a specially designed compass.
Can I use my satellite receiver from home?
Yes. Please take
note that there is a requirement to keep the "Digibox" connected to
a telephone line for the first 12 months with a subsidised box.
Do
I have to subscribe to Sky to be able to receive digital satellite television?
No, there are certain channels on the Astra satellite that can be received
without the use of a Sky subscription.
Can I obtain a free and comprehensive
list of all available channels covering the UK and Europe?
Yes, there
are a number of websites where you can obtain this information, please visit the MSTV
features page of the site.
Do I have to adjust my satellite dish and satellite receiver to pick up channels
being broadcast between the North, South and UK beam?
The satellite
dish requires no adjustment. The satellite "footprint" or projected
beam is set by your satellite broadcaster and can only be picked up by being physically
inside the footprint area. However the satellite receiver's default transponder
is set to the North Beam. If you travel to Southern Europe you may need to change
the transponder setting of you Sky decoder. For more information please visit
the "Guides" section of the site.
Will I receive the same
digital clarity with a portable system as I receive at home?
Yes,
as long as you have a clear line of sight above trees and buildings, you will
be able to receive the same picture quality as at home.
Can I receive
my local news channel whilst I am away from home?
Yes. When you receive
your Sky viewing card your local news channel will have been determined for you
through your postcode. This means that as long as you are inside the Astra 2D
footprint, you will receive your local news.
Do I have to use a satellite
finder to find the signal?
Not always, however a Satellite Finder
can greatly reduce the time it takes to locate the required satellite, and does
not have the time delay associated with just using the inbuilt "Digibox"
signal meter.
What is the difference between Freeview and Free To
Air?
Freeview is a terrestrial digital service that is received via
an aerial and then decoded using a "Freeview" box or integrated TV.
It provides up to 30 free digital TV channels and over 20 radio digital radio
stations. Free To Air is the term used when describing the name for the free channels
that can be received using a Sky Digital decoder.
Do you
have a question that is not listed here?
Please Contact
Us and we will reply personally
eventually posting your answer here too.
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