I really want to watch the English Premier League but I am having some problems with the various options.... let me explain:

• I don't have a phone line so I am not particularly keen on paying the $25/month phone line rental in order to get Swisscom's Bluewin Teleclub thingy, all in all the costs add up; 25 [line rental] + 19 [Bluewin basic] + 29 [Teleclub basic] + 13 [Teleclub sport] = 86CHF/month

If I get Internet thrown in this is another 50 or 70 CHF per month depending on the down speed, so at least 136 CHF/month.

• I have tried looking at Cablecom but apparently they do not do 'cable' to my address.

• I have looked at the local cable provider www.gagnet.ch and they say that I can get a digital set-top box and get pay-TV bundled onto this through the cable with Teleclub digital. Which would be cheaper than the Swissom option as the initial outlay for the set-top box is approx 170 CHF (a once of write off that I can easily live with) and then Teleclub digital (40 basic + 10 sports) = 50 CHF/month basically I don't have to pay for the phone line rental for the ADSL modem of Swisscom and a phone line I never use. For the record I am currently sharing internet Wifi with my parents-in-law who live next door, the coverage aint perfect but I can live with it.

Can someone give me some insight into CABLE television!!!

BTW - I do not want to install a satellite dish so that is out of the options.

Muchos gracias amigos

it seems you've done all of the work already. Cable box and the basic + sport package.

What is your question?

Err I'm not sure really just looking for some insight into the cable world. I guess off the top of my head - does the cable box cover the free-to-air digital channels as well such as SF1/2, Eurosport, TSR1/2 etc. I guess so as it would be pretty weird having two set-top-boxes.

I assume also that the cable channels can switch some channels to English using the zweicanal thingy? I tried in the MediaMarkt store using the SwissCom Bluewin but on Eurosport it couldn't - whereas on my current analogue I can switch Eurosport to English. Weird. I guess no-one can tell me exactly what 'cable' channels have this - so its going to be pay and see.

Teleclub will provide you with a set top box if you get this alone.

If you get teleclub via cablecom or swisscom, it will directly through the
cablecom/swisscom boxes, i.e., no need for a separate box. I had to return my teleclub box when I subscribed to Cablecom.

Zweikanal thingy is a box issue not TV. Some channels, like Eurosport are not zweikanal via digital. Don't know why.

Best deal for EPL at the moment is Sky.de (via teleclub satellite). Only Fr.29.90 per month. Sure you can't do satellite?

ok so with the basic digital stb that you buy, you get lots of channels.

I assume you then sign up for Teleclub directly and get a card which corresponds to your subscription and unlocks certain channels. The card, in theory, will go into your stb purchased from the listed stores.

Their base digital channel set seems less "nice" than Cablecom and BluewinTV - you tend to get more UK channels from those two providers (one of which you cannot use).

Well you wouldn't figure it but I've decided to go with the Bluewin through Swisscom, even though I have to pay the 25 monthly line fee I figure if I bundle in ADSL then I can start using the Wifi anywhere in the house as opposed to currently sharing wifi and only being able to receive it in the entrance hallway [where I am now stooped next to the door]. I am going to be happy to see the back of this arrangement.

I Was tempted to go with the Teleclub only cable box but the limited English channels put me off - might as well pay a little bit more for this luxury. Though I was originally enticed by the 6 month offer that ended today (ie free sports or superpackage for 10 CHF/month). I surfed around the German only Teleclub website and found that apart from EPL, which was my first priority anyway, and movies everything else is in German. Would get frustrated watching Discovery, Animal planet etc only in German. I've decided I need the BBC channels available through Bluewin.

Thanks for your input guys, appreciate it.

Yeah thanks but satellite if off my menu. Realise Zweicanal is a box thing or more precisely a signal thing and not related to the TV. Just find it weird how Eurosport is zweic on analogue of all things and not on digital.