UK Satellite TV for the Oliva area of the Costa Blanca Spain
In order to legally receive UK satellite television channels in the Costa Blanca
Spain, you will require a satellite dish, a Low Noise Block (LNB) and a digital
decoder. The satellite dish collects the signals and reflects them to the LNB
which collects the signals and sends then down the cable to the digital decoder
which then turns those signals into pictures and sounds. Many channels are
available for free and there are also Pay TV channels that require a viewing
card and a monthly subscription. However reception of many channels will depend
on the size of your satellite dish. An 80cm dish can be used and you can receive
some UK English channels, but for the more popular BBC and ITVs in the Oliva
area you will require at least 1.8m satellite dish, or the more popular
2.4m satellite dish.
Satellite Signals (North Beams, South Beams Narrow Beams)
The BBC, ITV and Sky TV channels are broadcast from a series of five satellites
located at 28.2 to 28.5 degrees east. These satellites are called Astra 2Aa, 2B,
2C, 2D and Eurobird 1. Both Freesat and Sky satellite systems use the same group
of satellites and (generally) the same frequencies. You do not need two
different dishes to get both systems.
All transmit signals aimed at Europe but the coverage on the ground varies
considerably. The 2 older satellites, 2A and 2B, can be thought of as flood
lights, lighting up a huge area of Europe, whereas the newer Astra 2D is more
like a spot light focused on the British Isles. 2A and 2B have a north beam and
a south beam, with the north beam sometimes being "tricky" to receive in Spain.
2D has a narrow or spot beam, and this is the reason why we require big
satellite dishes in the Valencia and Costa Blanca area to receive the signals from this weaker
Astra 2 satellites.
Receiving BBC ITV Channel 4 etc in Spain
The satellite that BBC and ITV broadcast from is known as Astra 2D, who’s signal
is tightly focused on the UK. This tight signal for Astra 2D is used by the BBC
and ITV to limit the signal to the UK only due to contractual rights by film,
sports and other TV program makers and is why you need a big dish to receive
these signals. On the other hand signals from Eurobird, which Sky News is
broadcast from, is a very strong signal and is focused over the whole of Europe,
and can be received on a small dish.
It is also worth noting that the BBC, ITV Sky and other channels on the
satellite do not own any satellites; they just rent the frequencies on them from
the satellite owners – Astra and Eurobird. It is, therefore, a misconception
that "Sky change the signal footprints of the satellites" as in fact the signal
footprints are determined many months before the satellite is even built!
"To Free or not to Free"
There are over 200 channels including BBC and ITV channels available to watch
for FREE without any form of subscription. These are referred to as Free To Air
(FTA) channels.
It is NOT illegal to watch the BBC, ITV and the many other free satellite TV
channels outside of the UK. It is generally accepted that signals designed to be
limited to a specific country, like the UK, may "overspill" to other countries,
and be able to be received with the relevant size dish. The main UK broadcasters
have to use this "weak signal" satellite for their channels to try and ensure
that their channels are not easily available outside the UK. This ensures
compliance, to the best of their ability, without affecting the reception in the
UK, of their contract and copyright agreements with the programme makers.
However, it is still possible to receive and watch these free to air channels,
even though the broadcasters have tried to limit their "reach" across Europe by
having their channels on this weak signal, by he use of the big satellite
dishes. As far as I am aware, you are not in breach of copyright laws by viewing
them, as the signals are unencrypted, free, and the broadcaster has taken steps
to limit the reach of these channels, then there is little that can be done.
However availability of BBC and ITV channels does depend on the size of the
dish.
Due to them restricting the "reach" of their free and unencrypted signals, the
minimum size dish in the Costa Blanca to receive these channels is 1.8 meters.
Smaller dishes (80 to 120cm) are also available which will be able to receive
the majority of the Sky subscription service but not those BBC and ITV channels.
UK Sky Systems
The UKs main pay / subscription satellite TV service, Sky, also operates from
the satellites at 28.2 to 28.5 degrees east. These channels are broadcast with
encryption, and can only be viewed by the use of a Sky subscription card. The
amount of channels that are “unblocked” will depend on the subscription charge
you pay.
As far as I am aware, it is NOT illegal to use a Sky viewing cards or watch Sky
subscription TV channels outside of the UK. However, you are breaking the terms
and conditions of you Sky contract, which states that the Sky viewing card is
only for use within the UK only. This is Sky’s method of ensuring that their
contracts with the film, sports and other TV program makers is satisfied, as a
Sky card can only be issued to a UK address.
Is it illegal to watch Sky premium channels and not pay a subscription?
Simply Yes. The viewing of pay TV channels without the proper subscription to
the channels operators is illegal. So if you are watching Sky Sports or Sky
movies on a system without an official Sky viewing card, or by not paying Sky a
monthly subscription, then you are watching those channels illegally.
Mesh / Microwave Rebroadcasting systems
Sometimes people ask "How to view Sky TV in Spain without a dish". The simple
answer is illegally!
Many expats up and down the coast receive their English TV via a microwave
system supplied by a local rebroadcast company. These companies retransmit a
bouquet of channels from the Astra satellite at 28east. These channels included
BBC, ITV and parts of the SKY package. People pay around 20euros a month plus
installation to receive the channels via a microwave aerial which is similar in
appearance to a uhf aerial.
However, in recent months some of these companies have been closed down for one
reason or another (tax issues, illegally transmitting channels that they do not
have permission to retransmit)
These rebroadcasting systems use a relay system to rebroadcast the satellite
signals from a base station. This base station can be many hundreds of
kilometres away so you can in effect be receiving a tenth generation signal.
These systems are not authorized by any broadcaster (BBC, ITV or Sky) and are in
breach of international copyright laws. In fact some suppliers have removed the
Sky subscription channels (Sports, Movies etc) due to pressure from the legal
broadcasters and copyright holders leaving many customers unhappy, especially as
they have been replaced by channels that can be received on a small 80cm dish
for FREE!! Many customers made the assumption that as the company providing the
service was legal (eg paying taxes and properly registered), the channels it was
providing were also legal, which they were not. They ask for a monthly
subscription for FREE TV channels, and are very limited as to the number of
channels and interactive, teletext and other “Red Button” services that they
provide.
Freeview / TDT
You cannot get the UK Freeview service in Spain. Freeview is not the same as
Freesat – a common misconception. Freeview is transmitted in the UK only by the
local TV transmitters, and is only receivable via a TV aerial, and Freesat is
transmitted from satellites and only receivable via a satellite dish.
The Spanish version of Freeview is TDT.
For reception of TDT you will require a TV aerial, an amplifier and a
digital terrestrial tuner (either via a set top TDT receiver, or via a built
in receiver in a flat screen (LCD or plasma) television set).
Depending on your location in Oliva and the surrounding areas, you have
access to at least 4 TDT transmitters - Tossal Gros, Monduver, Monte Pego,
and a recently built one behind Adsubia.
Although it only broadcasts Spanish television channels, many programmes are
available to watch in English. There are no English television channel available
on TDT, but in many cases you are able to change the sound on the programmes
into English using your remote control.
There are many other English satellite television channels available on other
satellites, such as Arabsat, Nilesat, Astra, but the main UK channels are only
available from one "satellite constellation".
With thanks to "The Sat and PC Guy" for the above information.
Visit their website at
www.satandpcguy.com
Satellite and Digital TV Installers for the Oliva and Gandia area of the Costa Blanca and Valencia Region of
Spain.
