Pullling my hair out - guidance appreciated.

scotsbob

dealfinder wrote: »

Thanks. If I wanted it in two rooms, would it be a case of having two decoders and being limited by the dish being controlled by one and therefore only being able to access programs on one satellite at a time?

Never tried that but now I think about it. You could have one decoder and have the same channel viewed in different rooms with a splitter or a sender unit. Or if you had 2 decoders, then you could view different channels but they would both have to be on the same satellite.

dealfinder

That's what I thought but I guess that would be fine if using the main freesat channels most of the time - that said the idea of having two is so that we can watch different programs at the same time and I don't want to create arguments over which satellite we point the dish at instead - though if I've got control of the motor....

dealfinder

Ok to summarise my thinking so far. If I decide not to go for Sky or Virgin which given that they charge an outrageous additional £10 per month just for having it in another room I am inclined to do then the following are my options:

1. Stick with freeview and add another aerial or route another cable from my existing aerial to the bedroom. My question in this regard is how will freeview compare with freesat longer term? If freeview is to have HD from early 2010 then is it worth the extra expense of the dish etc just for two HD channels from now until then? Or am I missing something?

2. Go for freesat in both rooms with a Humax Freesat+ HD PVR in one room and a cheap SD decoder in the other.

3. Get a better dish with a motor and a HD PVR Decoder in the lounge with loads of channels and a freesat SD decoder in the other (of course having to point the dish to the right satellite to be able to watch tv upstairs).

4. I could do2 or 3 above and also take another wire from my existing aerial to the bedroom to give the choice of satellite or freeview in each room.

I am cost conscious at the moment but given I am going to have to call someone out to do the installation (and someone is coming around to have a look on Monday) I want to do the right thing for the longer term.

Thanks for any further help - I hope this is also useful to others.

scotsbob

I haven't done that myself but everything you say sounds right. I have sent you a private message.

planning_officer

dealfinder wrote: »

Are there any issues regarding planning etc with a dish of that size on your chimney?

Provided the dish complies with all these criteria, then you don't need to apply for planning permission:

"Development is not permitted if—
(a) it would result in the presence on the dwellinghouse or within its curtilage of—
(i) more than two antennas;
(ii) a single antenna exceeding 100 centimetres in length;
(iii) two antennas which do not meet the relevant size criteria;
(iv) an antenna installed on a chimney, where the length of the antenna would exceed 60 centimetres;
(v) an antenna installed on a chimney, where the antenna would protrude above the chimney; or
(vi) an antenna with a cubic capacity in excess of 35 litres;
(b) in the case of an antenna to be installed on a roof without a chimney, the highest part of the antenna would be higher than the highest part of the roof;
(c) in the case of an antenna to be installed on a roof with a chimney, the highest part of the antenna would be higher than the highest part of the chimney, or 60 centimetres measured from the highest part of the ridge tiles of the roof, whichever
is the lower; or
(d) in the case of article 1(5) land [that's a conservation area, AONB or National Park], it would consist of the installation of an antenna—
(i) on a chimney, wall or roof slope which faces onto, and is visible from, a
highway;
(ii) in the Broads, on a chimney, wall or roof slope which faces onto, and is visible from, a waterway; or
(iii) on a building which exceeds 15 metres in height."

dealfinder

Thanks, it looks like I would have to get a dish less than 60 cm in diameter then and make sure the chimney is high enough to accommodate it. I wonder if it includes the chimney pots and or cowels? This might limit my options regarding motorised dishes with the full range of satellites. The only alternative for me is the front of the house and I am not sure about this from a aesthetic perspective.

scotsbob

Sky fit 80cm dishes in the northern part of the UK as standard because reception is weaker the further north you go.
I have never heard of anyone there getting planning permission before getting a dish fitted. Either all the people there are breaking the law or different local authorities have different rules. I suspect the latter.

dealfinder

Could be that it is ok anywhere other than the chimney.

planning_officer

scotsbob wrote: »

Sky fit 80cm dishes in the northern part of the UK as standard because reception is weaker the further north you go.
I have never heard of anyone there getting planning permission before getting a dish fitted. .

You can fit dishes up to 1 metre diameter as 'permitted development', i.e. not requiring a planning application. The 60cm restriction only applies to dishes on a chimney.

scotsbob wrote: »

Either all the people there are breaking the law or different local authorities have different rules. I suspect the latter.

Nope, this is national legislation under the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 - that doesn't vary between Councils.

scotsbob

planning_officer wrote: »

Nope, this is national legislation under the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 - that doesn't vary between Councils.

My understanding is that the 1995 order does vary according to which area. I thought the 1995 order only applied to councils in the southern part of Britain (England and Wales) whereas in my posts I was referring to the northern part. (Scotland) Or have I misunderstood it?