Technology

Satellite TV

October? Where did the summer go? Oh well, time to focus on Christmas then. As I type this, there are only 106 days to go. So, by the time you read this we’ll be well into double-digits. Just something to bear in mind. Anyway, I very much hope that you’re all keeping safe and well. It’s a genuine concern of mine. That and the fact I need the readership. So, onwards dear reader, we’ve a lot to talk about.

Did you know that even though Channel 4 is too tight to pay for its channel to be in HD on the Freesat platform, you can still receive it in high-definition? You can simply add it as a non-Freesat channel. Different receivers do this in different ways, but once you find the correct page in the menus, you need the following details - Frequency : 11126, Polarity : V (for vertical), Symbol Rate : 22000. The channel will not appear in the Freesat EPG (position 104 will still be Channel 4 in SD), but it’ll be saved as a nonFreesat channel. If you have a generic free-to-air receiver you should find Channel 4 HD in the long list of available channels. If not, just input the same details and hit ‘scan’. Freesat is not the same as Freeview. Right, moving on… For those of you who have an active Sky subscription card with a sports and/or movie package but then get a new Sky box, you can now pair your card to the new box via Sky’s website. You used to have to call Sky in the UK which could potentially cause an issue as you’re not supposed to use a viewing card abroad. However, using your Sky ID details you can now pair the card to the box yourself. This is only required for the premium services. Whilst the world of satellite internet used to be a bit hit and miss, I’m hearing good things about the Starlink system. This is the service offered by SpaceX, the company founded by that Elon Musk fella. Word is that he’s pretty forward thinking. Anyway, the service is gaining traction and is available in more locations across France. I used my address on the Starlink website and it no longer says ‘coming soon’ but allows me to buy the equipment. I’ve not tried it as I don’t need it and it’s still quite expensive. However, from what I read, the speeds are excellent (c.150Mbps download). There are the occasional service drop outs as it is still in the ‘beta’ testing phase, but this doesn’t seem to be affecting users’ enjoyment. Starlink is an alternative to Nordnet’s ‘Neosat’ service, also satellite broadband. The service offers speeds of up to 100Mbps (which you’ll probably never get). Bear in mind though, that if you are thinking of moving to this service from something like BigBlu, you cannot use the same equipment and the satellite that the dish is aligned to is also different (Eutelsat 7.2°E). Worth looking into though if you are unable to have a decent telephone line based service. Don’t forget that if you have either TNTSAT or Fransat (not to be confused with Freesat), the viewing cards will expire 4 years after first activation. You’ll get notice in advance but if you don’t renew it before the expiry date, you’ll lose nearly all the channels. As always, please feel free to get in touch if you would like any further information or would like to discuss your requirements. Contact details can be found on the advert. That said ... I try to be accommodating, I really do. However, please bear with me if I’m unable to get you as soon as you might hope. For example, if you message me at

by Stuart Wallace

20:23 on a Tuesday, the night before you move house, and want me to install your tv equipment before the weekend, that might be a bit of a stretch. If I can, I will. However, the chances are I can’t.

Have a good month.

Stuart runs The French House Satellite TV tfhsatellite@gmail.com Other contact details in his advert in the Buildings & Renovations section of the magazine