Copied & pasted from expats-in-zurich but nicer to be searched-for here:

I thought it'd be wiser to start a new thread just for Sky. My suggestion would be for tips to be posted here and questions from newbies which're not answered already can also go in here ...... as it's a top subject for many expats

Do you need a UK TV to use the SkyTV box (brought from the UK) in Switzerland?

No



Nigel

As we are starting all over again, I think the following will be helpful (some stuff I didn't know at first):

- the satellite that has the 'Sky channels' (incl. BBC & ITV free to air) ASTRA 28.2° EAST does not need a Sky Box to receive these UK channels. Any digital satellite receiver will pickup these channels in Switzerland provided the dish is aligned to Astra 28.2°.

- what a Sky Box (with either a subscription or only free to air channels) gives you that other non-Sky boxes don't is the SKY EPG (Electronic Programme Guide). This EPG allows you to look ahead some hours to see what programmes are coming and do so for other channels when viewing one, as well as 'favourites'. This is relatively user friendly and certainly better than the channel numbering system you will get with a non-Sky box.

- there is a new system called 'Freesat' which is not Sky and has its own EPG - but is simply re-organising the channels downloaded from Astra 28.2°. Launched in May 2008 with boxes at a £149 one-off payment, its success is yet to be seen. I enquired about a Freesat box in 3 stores in the UK last week. No saleman knew much about it or had much enthusiasm for it. Currey's appear to want to charge to install a box "because it has HD" (High Definition). Freesat is not yet available with an integrated hard disc recorder, but is supposed to be where free to air UK HD will be available.

- Sky+ (plus) which allows hard disc recording will only allow recording and playback with a Sky subscription. Otherwise it behaves like a standard Sky box.

The SkyHD box behaves in the same way as the Sky+ box with regards to recording but the free HD channels such as BBC and Channel4 HD are available.

Freesat also offers ITV HD, which is not yet available elsewhere. However it only offers it on selected programmes, accessible via the red button.

It does not however offer CH4 HD or Five (yet) - only the FTA stuff.

Hi,

I am moving over to Geneva in a few months time, and am going to take my Sky sub and box (HD Sky +) with me. Quick question - do I need to bring the dish with me, or just the box and then buy a dish in Geneva? if the latter, who can source and install the dish?

thanks!

I would buy the fish and LNB here and install it yourself. Mark created a great guide to install and tuning. I just checked, Lob even cerated a sticky called getting sky start here. So, probably best to start there

http://www.englishforum.ch/tv-intern...tart-here.html

ITV HD is available through some receivers - for example the Lyngbox which is available in Switzerland.

Channel 4 isn't officially available yet - they're still broadcasting on a test-frequency. Both Channel 4 and Five will be available later this year on Freesat.

The Lyngbox, btw., also offers a full EPG for all the Freesat channels.

peter

SKY's EPG lets you look ca.. 1 week ahead (not just hours). Also to 'Series Link'.

I thought there was a Freesat SD box available with PVR, but the HD version is not due till the end of this year.

I will probably pickup the Freesat HD PVR when I get the chance (obviously after it becomes available).

Eldudo: You can pickup the Dish and LNB here. For Geneve the bigger the dish the better. Once you have your flat you can then decide on where/how you can install your dish and how big it you can have it. So if you don't have an apartment yet, add 'having a south facing Balcony or garden to your list of requirements'. You can either buy the dish ina shop like 'Media markt' or on-line i.e. thesatshop.ch There are MANY other threads on this, so worth reading those. For installation, this will depend on your compedence, if possible try and set this up yourself (or at least buy the stuff at good prices), then if necessary call in an Engineer to do the final tuning. There are plenty of 'specialist' shops around for Sattelites and/or I'm sure some people here will know an Engineer locally. I travel down to Geneva every so often so maybe could discuss over a beer if you get stuck.

As I mentioned - the Lyngbox is HD-capable and is able to record programs + it comes with a full tv guide for 10 days or so - you can see the channels available in the guide over here: www.lyngsat-guide.com

You can even program recordings over the web interface.

The box is somewhat buggy (like most HD-PVRs), though.

peter

Where is the Lyngbox available and approx price?

How open is the Lyngbox?

Is it easy to get a softcam working?

Yes, saw the mention of this box and jsut did a google on it. So this sounds very interesting. If you can get a GOOD EPG on a non-SKY/FreeSat box for the main UK channels, then this would be the direction to go.

I have a SD Dreambox, but still have an OLD Sky box connected. So I sometimes use the SKY box to find what is on / when then program the Dreambox for the recording. Adding an EPG to the Dreambox is meant to be possible, but not had the time to look into this properly.

I will keep an eye on this and hope to move to HD TV probably in the New Year. Have Full HD via BD, HD-DVD & DL etc..

If you bring a Sky box from the UK don’t forget to change the transponder to receive the southern beam. It’s very easy to do. Instructions here.

Guess you have a new project

It's pretty much closed-source, AFAIK

http://www.toppreise.ch/index.php?se...yngbox&sRes=OK

Costs about 940.- with one tuner. Second tuner is another 150.- So not very cheap. As it's pretty buggy I'd wait a bit for the prices to come down and the bugs to get fixed

peter

Guessed it would be around that ball-park.

No Hurry for me at the mo, so happy to wait till the New Year or maybe longer. I have tons of HD content which I need to get round to watching.

The longer I can wait, then the cheaper and the better the technology will be. Same goes for a HD TV.

I brought my Sky box along and kept the subscription as suggested. Connected it up the dish that was already hooked up to the apartment oriention seems right, previous occupant was a Brit) - I have great pictures (better than my previous rez in England), but NO SOUND.

Help - Any suggestions? Thanks!