Hi guys!

In the 'Ignorance is expensive' thread, Mark said:

How does one access the 2nd sound channel?

Am loathed to pay the 280CHF Billag license fee to be able to watch BBC Prime, BBC World news and CNN, hoping that this might unlock some more comprehensible content.

Thanks for any help!

on regular cable, TSi TSR SF2 often carry zwei-kanaltön. If you have a stereo telly, you can watch in the original language on channel B. There should be a button on your remove perhaps with I-II or two circles to change language channel...

You need a television that is two channel compatible, and most newer ones are. Look for the button on the remote (or under the sound menu) that says A/B or I/II , or something similar. Basically a two-channel broadcast is a split stereo broadcast, one language on the left channel and the other on the right. This button lets you toggle between the two. Funny enough the last Sony WEGA we had did not have a button for this on the remote, you had to search through the menu each time to change it.

Not all programs are dual sound, check the program on http://www.sfdrs.ch . Dual sound programs are indicated with a two circle symbol. At least good programs like Dr. House are in two channel.

Excellent! Thanks for the info lads!

Which channel shows house? I saw it once but cannot find it again.

By the way, on my remote, the button is called 'sound'. Then you see the I/II changing on your screen.

Third, why do you think you do not have to pay if you stick to the Swiss channels? My understanding is you have to pay as soon as there is a tv in the house...??

No, of course you are correct. If you've got a TV capable of receiving a signal or a PC with a TV tuner in it then you have to legally pay the 70CHF a quarter.

I'm just thinking 280CHF is a bit steep to be allowed to watch 24 hour news channels and repeats of programs I paid licensing fees for the BBC to make 10 years ago. Can't understand any of the other channels so aren't much use to me.

Now that I can get the English soundtrack on some films, Lost, The Simpsons and what have you then 280CHF seems a little more justified.

TV with an English channel: http://tv.brx.ch/

I have Cablecom TV (in canton ZH) and that does not give me dual channel. I have to switch to the standard telly.

(I have 2 leads from my cablecom box: one SCART for digital, one standard TV wire to get dual channel)

And I pay my billag because I don't want any blot on my ausländer record in the Swiss Police State...

SF2 Monday nights at 21:30, when the WM is not on.

Which channel shows The Simpsons with the original soundtrack? Listening to Homer speaking German broke my heart.

SF2, weekdays at 2pm and 5.30pm apparently. Sick your PVR on it.

Does anyone know if you can get the English channel if you use a tv tuner on your PC? I tried it once and used the stereo/mono switch but no use.

Did anyone manage this?

I would suggest that this would be highly dependant on the specific hardware and software that you've purchased. I'd suggest checking the product documentation and consulting with the manufacturer for support.

It is a card from 2000 and the company is American, so I doubt they'd be aware of it, but I will search for it...

I just thought maybe someone here had tried successfully as it is a typical expat thing to want the VO (version original). Secondly, I could always switch software if the option exists in another program.... (I am using Fly 2000 TV).

Well the best part is that these things cost almost nothing - you could always research this feature in another type of card and then buy it

Yup, can get the second audio channel from an AVerMedia AverTV Hybrid+FM PCI tuner card installed in my Sony Vaio XL100 (which runs Windows Media Center Edition 2005). Needed to use a registry edit to get MCE2005 to use the second channel. So, yup, possible, though my card's very recent.

Which software did you use? Something native to MCE? And why did you need the hack, is it because MCE does not want you to use both channels, or did you just need to enable this full stop?

Hi -
Does anyone know if there is an add-on device for accessing the second audio channel? I have two multi-system Sony WEGA TVs that I bought before moving to Switzerland from the US, and NEITHER of them are SAP compatible. Ignorance is indeed expensive.

Alternatively, I do have a PC connected to my TV, but don't know how to access the SAP through the PC either....

el cheapo stereo VCR
sad but true