We've just moved into an apartment where we have cable TV. Previously we had satellite, and it was very easy to programme the receiver once, and thereafter all movies soundtracks were in English if available. How do I programme our TV to do the same via cable? I've tried in the setup menu but only got the display language to change. Dr House talking german really just isnt the same, please help.

Only a few standard channels have a dual language option. You can usually access it using the stereo/mono button (on some TVs that is - could be labelled as DUAL / MTS / I-II). This thread lists all English channels, including recent additions. Here is a full list of channels for Cablecom Digital TV ( German speaking region ).

I am not sure sure about other Cable providers though.

Thanks, I will check my TV and remote tonight, although it is a bit old, hopefully it will be possible.

Yes, your TV definitely needs to be stereo. If it's only got one speaker then probably not. Failing that, if you've got Cablecom, you can go for the CHF 6 per month subscription and get the digital receiver that connects to your tele via SCART or whatever. From the receiver like satellite, you can change to English some channels plus receive a load of channels from the UK.

Thanks. Please treat me as a cable dinosaur, since I am totally ignorant of how it works. I checked on the internet & our service provider seems to be connected with swisscable, through a company called wwz ag. This is probably NOT cablecom, but sounds like something connected to swisscom? Do you think I need to phone them to register and/or get help with the language settings? Does not having stereo mean we cannot get english soundtracks or just that we will need to spend some money to get it? I am terribly confused & feel quite ignorant.

WWZ is Wasserwerke Zug (I have the same), if you have a box connected to between your cable and tv then you can set the box to automatically use your preference language. If not then your television might have memory where it remembers your previous sound track choice for that channel and automatically uses it. The tv might also have somewhere in the menu the option to only use only one specific track or stereo. Your tv probably does have stereo, you'd be hard pressed to find one anymore that doesn't.

I've just been to Wasserwerke's website. It's like going back to the 90s in terms of Internet sites. I like it. I was expecting to see those "Site under construction notices" like you used to get!

Thanks for all the help. My genius son managed to change it on the TV, but it doesn't store the setting in the memory so we have to set it each time we change programmes. We will just have to strain ourselves and do that extra click every time! It was great hearing Dr House speak English again last night!

Hi, I have just moved to Geneva and have been experiencing problems watching TV as most channels are in foreign languages. I line in an apartment and don't have any dish. I am merely connected to the arial socket in the wall so I only get channels like TF1, TSR, Eurosport, TVe, RTL. Really not a lot of choice.

Can you please tell me how you managed to get English audio. I tried everything I could possibly think of last night but to no avail. I wanted to watch Dr House last night but it was in French.

Thanks

Check your remote for a audio button, might look like a roman 2 (II) or

might also only be labelled audio. With this you should be able to get the original version audio for some programs. Check the TV guide and look for the above placed icon.. not all english shows/series are shown in original language though...

If you have ability to get the original audio as mentioned by Herc, you can watch Dr. House on Friday as well on TSR1. Otherwise, Monday on SF2.

Check listings on TSI, TSR and SF2 for US series such as Lost, House, CSI everywhere, One Tree Hill, Grays Anatomy, Private Practice, Desparate Housewives, Gossip Girl, Californication, Damages, FlashForward, Mentalist, Heroes, 24, Nip/Tuck etc. All of these and more are broadcasted in dubbed and original language on at least one of these channels.

Thank you very much for your replies. I did find the button you are referring to. Mine has a I-II icon. But when I press that it just switches between mono and stereo. So does this mean that spefic programme playing at that time is not broadcast in the original English language? If so, will this mono/stereo signal change when the next programme is available in multiple languages?

Exactly, if there is only one language, you can switch mono and stereo. On my tv it shows if/once the dual broadcast starts, but only briefly. But at least you know what to do now.

If you go right away to SF2, you should be able to catch some Scrubs - dual language.

Cheers

Thank you so much. This has been helpful. Much appreciated. I guess I will have to print the tv guide at work to check times for the dual language programme.

Regards

Our TV stores the language settings so you get English as a default.

I will have to check if my tv can do that as well, but it's quiet old. Thanks

By the way, where can I download a TV guide for a whole month for the standard arial channels?

I am not sure where else this is available, but you can try the following site (in german unfortunately). Click on "zweikanalton" on the left side, which will automate a search for all dual language programmes. From there, you can choose the time and date.

http://www.tvprogramm.sf.tv/

Good morning. I am still experiencing problems with this dual language system. Last night I stayed up to catch a programme (criminal minds) that was supposedly (according to the tv guide) broadcast in dual language. I did not even change channels just in case. As soon as the show started I waited for any signal that it was dual language, but nothing was displayed on the screen. So I did as you advised and pressed the I-II button on my remote, but it just kept displaying the mono/stereo signat but not changing the language of the programme.

Do you have any further advise I can try? Or am I doomed unless I buy a box?

Well, there is the odd time that the station "forgets" to change to dual language. I have had that before and it's a royal pain in the backside if I was looking forward to the show. If it was clearly marked as dual language, somebody forgot to press the switch... nothing you can do about it (unless you want to write letters to SF DRS et al...)

Has it worked in the meantime, apart from the series you wanted to watch?