Watching TV in Portugal

mazza245

We are going to our share of an apartment in Portugal for longer and longer. Usually we take our spare Sky box with us so we can watch British TV. We were thinking of taking a Freeview box with us this time that we can leave there to save keep carrying the Sky box and possibly damaging it. There is a satellite dish there but obviously no ordinary ariel. Does anyone think that we can do anything with a Freeview box to attach it to this satellite link? The only other thing is to buy a box there but it might be a lot more expensive.

Any help would be much appreciated.

penrhyn

Freeview is a digital terrestrial service, i.e you need a conventional TV aerial to receive it.
You will not get the terrestrial signal in Portugal, and you cannot use a freeview receiver with a satellite dish.

There appear to be loads of people flogging Sky boxes on Ebay.

mazza245

We have now been told that it's FreeSat that we need. Can anyone tell us anything about this? Is it available now and if so, where from please?

espresso

mazza245 wrote: »

We have now been told that it's FreeSat that we need. Can anyone tell us anything about this? Is it available now and if so, where from please?

Freesat info here.

Can't you simply buy a second hand Sky box? Job done!

missile

If you do not want a eBay box, there are a number of suppliers in Portugal who will fix you up with a new or reconditioned box and a free to air or a Sky subscription card. Although, as you are no doubt aware this is not strictly legal.

If you have broadband you can access streaming TV like BBC and ITV iPlayer

brodev

I am writing this from Portugal where I have spent the evening watching Glasgow Rangers beat Sporting Lisbon in the Uefa cup on Scottish TV. AFAIK Freesat have not got any digiboxes for sale yet. As Portugal is on the edge of the footprint to receive the UK satellite signals we don't know yet if the Freesat boxes will work. Not all of the Sky digiboxes work in Fringe areas. The Pace 2600C1 is generally regarded as the best digiboxes for reception of the UK stations. These are only available second hand and can be bought on Ebay. One of these and a Free to View card from Sky (cost£20) will enable you to watch all BBC, ITV Ch4 and Ch5 stations. and a few dozen more besides

weegie.geek

missile wrote: »

If you have broadband you can access streaming TV like BBC and ITV iPlayer

It'll probably block non-UK IP addresses though.

Inactive

The simple cure is to take your spare Sky Box and leave it in Portugal, just get a Freesat from Sky Card, or an ex-contract card, and take that with you.

Either will work OK.;)