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Television for English speaking people on the Costa Blanca Spain
The information in this FAQ is aimed at people living on the Costa Blanca. Reception conditions in other parts of Spain will vary.
Television for English speaking people on the Costa Blanca
The information on this webpage is aimed at people living on the Costa Blanca. Reception conditions in other parts of Spain will vary.
(1) Analogue Terrestrial
Analogue terrestrial stations have been phased out. - the “digital switchover”. Digital Terrestrial (TDT) is now the default Spanish terrestrial system.
(2) Digital Terrestrial
The Television Digital Terrestre (TDT) service is
the main Spanish terrestrial service, covering over 90% of the population and expanding all the time. Depending on area, there are 40 or more channels. These include the seven national channels, regions and local channels, and various general and special interest channels, broadcast “in the clear” - i.e. No viewing card required. You can usually receive these broadcasts using your normal aerial, but in poor reception areas you may need an upgrade. Modern television sets include a digital tuner, but for older sets you will need a small box to decode the signals. These can be bought for well under €50.
Of interest to English speakers is the multiple audio track facility whereby if a program was originally recorded in English, the English version is often available alongside the Spanish or Valenciano and can be accessed with the press of a button on the remote.
At the time of writing (June 2010) there are a couple of encrypted channel (such as Gol TV). Decoders and cards seem to be in short supply, as does information.
(3) Cable
In major towns and cities (but not, as yet on the Costa Blanca unless you count Alicante itself) TV, phone and Internet are available by cable. ONO is the provider for Alicante. Much the same range of channels is available as for TDT, plus some specialist channels requiring an extra subscription (such as Gol TV). If you are in an area served by cable, the ONO home page is on the right.
(4) Satellite
This is what most of you reading this page are interested in. There are many different satellites, and ways of receiving them (especially Sky Digital), so we'll take them one by one. For
suppliers check out the ads at either side or use the search bar.
Technical background.
Satellites.
There are a number of satellites broadcasting signals receivable on the Costa Blanca. To be precise, each of these is a collection of satellites ("constellation") broadcasting from exactly the same point in space, but we deal with each constellation as if it were a single satellite. Each group is often referred to by its position in the sky - however many degrees east or west it is. So, from east to west the main ones are Astra 2 at 28,2ºE (includes Eurobird at 28,5ºE), Astra 1 at 19,2ºE, Eutelsat at 16ºE, Hotbird at 13ºE, Nilesat at 7ºW and Hispasat at 30ºW. With a fixed dish and single LNB (feed) you can only receive one of these. To receive more than one you will either need a motorised system, multiple dishes or, in certain cases, one dish with two LNBs pointing in different directions.
Encryption
Signals broadcast unencrypted can be received with any generic satellite receiver. Unencrypted is generally called "Free to Air". Most stations are broadcast encrypted - you can only receive them by using a special viewing card in the appropriate receiver or Conditional Access Module. The viewing cards for a few stations are available either free or for a small fixed fee to those who qualify. These are called "Free to View". But by far the most common system is a subscription requiring a monthly fee. The only subscription service we shall be dealing with in any depth is Sky Digital.
Receivers
Most satellite receivers are of a general type, designed to receive broadcasts from any satellite or system with the appropriate card. They accept CAMs - Conditional Access Modules - which will decrypt the broadcasts from the appropriate viewing card. Unfortunately, the big exception is Sky Digital. Sky have never released a CAM for their encryption system (NDS Mediaguard) and with only hobbyist exceptions of little interest to the average person the only way to receive encrypted Sky Digital channels is by means of a special receiver usually called a Sky Digibox. A new type of receiver (and service) has arrived in the UK. Called Freesat, this is essentially many of the Free To Air (FTA channels, i.e. unencrypted) wrapped up in a new EPG (Electronic Program Guide). Freesat has nothing to offer that can't be received by either a Sky Digibox without a viewing card, or a generic satellite receiver. Reception conditions on the Costa Blanca North especially limit the appeal of Freesat boxes and in general I don't recommend them.
Satellite from the Astra2 “constellation” - mainly Sky Digital, and Freesat.
Sky Digital subscription channels are broadcast from Astra2 28,2ºE and Euroobird 28,5ºE together with the television and radio stations of the BBC, ITV , Channel 4 and Channel 5, which are Free to Air. There are also roughly 200 other channels broadcasting FTA which need neither a Sky Digibox (although this will still work fine) or viewing card. However, in almost
all cases except for the BBC, stronger but encrypted broadcasts are also available.
All Sky Digiboxes and Freesat boxes are equipped with scart sockets. This is how you connect your Digibox to your television and it works equally well with British or Spanish standard sets. HD receivers (see later) generally use a HDMI cable which, again, is standard for all European HD TV sets.
What can I receive?
That is the €64.000 question. The channels are broadcast on seven completely different beams, each with their own footprint. Broadcasts on the south beams are easily received on the Costa Blanca. Broadcasts on the north beams can be received with a large enough dish and sensitive LNB for most of the day, as can those from the two Eurobird beams, but for technical reasons may disappear from between about 1500 and 2300. Broadcasts from Astra 2D, on the so-called "narrow" beam, can't be received at all without expensive equipment, and even then some channels not 24 hours. Unfortunately, this includes almost all the BBC, ITV Channel 4 and Channel 5 FTA broadcasts. To complicate matters still further, channels can, and sometimes do, move between beams. If you want to know which channels broadcast on which beams, you can consult Lyngsat
Purchase
As stated previously, only Sky Digiboxes can receive Sky Digital subscription and other encrypted transmissions. Except for expensive hobbyist units, no other type of Digibox will do so, nor is there any at the moment any type of decoder module that can be fitted to other digital receivers to enable this. Although it is technically simple it is strongly resisted by Sky for commercial reasons. Sky Digiboxes are currently manufactured by Pace, Amstrad and Samsung . To reiterate, all BBC, ITV, most C4 channels and Channel 5 are broadcast Free to Air. These can be received by any generic digital satellite receiver, or Freesat box, provided you have a big enough dish to receive the signals in the first place.
STANDARD DEFINITION
Sky Digiboxes- standard
Sky has stopped production of the standard (non recording) Digiboxes, although currently new examples are still available. All Sky Digiboxes are built to similar specifications and offer the same features. Minor exceptions include the S-Video (S-VHS) output on some previous Grundig models. The only major difference that is evident between brands is the speed of the on-screen graphics display. However, they do have different tuning circuits, and in this area we do better with a Pace 2600 or Pace DS430N. These haven't been made for over 6 years, but can be bought second hand. Later boxes have proved to be less sensitive, but if there's no alternative Pace models are acceptable. Digiboxes are particularly prone to overheating, and should be kept as well ventilated as possible. Overheating is by far the commonest reason for failing.
Sky Plus Digiboxes
In common with the standard boxes, these are no longer made.
These incorporate a hard disk for recording programs for later viewing. They requires two inputs to function, and a £10 monthly fee to Sky if you don't have any other Sky subscription. If you have ANY Sky subscription, the £10 fee is dropped, which means you can have a decent selection of subscription channels to go with your recording facility for under £20 per month. Without the recording facility activated, a Sky Plus box works just like a standard box – you can still watch any FTA channel, or anything your card (if any) decrypts.
Freesat boxes
Freesat boxes are becoming available in Spain from specialist dealers. If you buy one for use here, remember that it will receive fewer channels than either a Sky box without a card or a generic box, and is more expensive than the latter. Its sole advantage over a generic box is the EPG.
Freesat PVRs
A PVR – Personal Video Recorder – is a receiver with an integrated hard disk to record and later playback programs. The Sky Plus boxes are PVRs. A Freesat PVR from Humax is available in the UK, and also from a few outlets in Spain, but this is a HD (High Definition) recorder and will be considered in the HD section.
Generic boxes
I hadn't included these in previous versions of this FAQ as the number of major FTA channels limited their appeal. However, with all of the five major UK terrestrial channels having at least one FTA broadcast, the use of a general receiver designed to receive FTA broadcasts from any satellite becomes a viable proposition for those uninterested in subscription channels. Both normal and PVR models are available from a range of manufacturers; you can buy a basic one for well under €100 or pay well over €500 for an all singing all dancing model.
HIGH DEFINITION
High definition broadcasts are now well established from a number of channels, on the Astra2 constellation.
BBC HD, BBC1 HD (from 3rd November 2010) one region of ITV1HD, and Luxe TV HD are broadcast FTA. Channel 4HD, Channel 5 HD plus the other ITV1HD regions only need a subscription free Sky FTV card. Boxes to watch these broadcasts are becoming more numerous.
Sky
There are several models of Sky Plus HD.
For new installations in the UK, these are now the standard box. The most common offered second hand is the Thomson DS8215. This box has some good points – it is sensitive and so receives weak signals well, and the picture quality, especially in HD. However, it has several faults. The power supplies are made from poor quality components, and fail at any time from a few hours to (if you are lucky) 18 months. A cottage industry in replacement power supplies has sprung up, but it's still a pain and expense to have to replace them periodically; don't rely on any UK guarantee in Spain!
Another problem is called the “future failed recordings” bug. If the box receives a weak or faulty signal, its internal clock is likely to go wrong and run very fast. Thus recordings set up in the future will be marked as “failed" and need to be set up again.
The Pace TDS850NB is well established as the best and most reliable HD box for weak areas, and is worth paying a little extra for. The only box currently in production is badged Amstrad but despite that seems to be a fairly decent box with good sensitivity
.
Freesat
Unlike for Sky, there are a couple of standard (i.e. non recording) HD Freesat boxes - from Humax and Grundig. The odd teething problem has been reported, and it's too early to tell long term reliability, but the boxes are small, neat and sensitive, and may well suit you if you want HD but not a Sky subscription.
Also, a HD Humax Freesat PVR, as mentioned above, is available. It is very sensitive, and many of the early bugs have been ironed out, but remember that it will not receive any of the alternative, stronger versions of ITV1, ITV1HD or Channel5, nor can it receive Channel4HD or Channel 5 HD.
Generic boxes
There are also a number of generic HD PVRs available. If you only want FTA stations, these generally represent good value for money.
THE DISH
The Sky and Freesat "minidish" as used in the UK is completely useless on the Costa Blanca. For reception here, you need a minimum of a 1m dish, and this will only get you the south beam full time and the north and Eurobird beams part time. If you want the narrow (Astra 2D) beam, i.e. BBC, plus the FTA versions of ITV, C4 and C5, you will need a 1,9m or 2,4m dish depending on your area. Whichever you decide, have your dish installation done by a local specialist - it's a false economy to do it yourself, or to use a general TV engineer who may well lack the necessary technical skills. This is a major outlay - don't just rely on adverts in the paper; ask your neighbours who they used and ask if they're happy. The best local specialists are just that - specialists. They have worked out the best way to get the most out of the incredibly weak signals received here, and are in competition with each other which keeps them on their toes (and the price down). In conjunction with the dish, you will need a good LNB. The LNB is the object which sits on arms pointed at the dish and sends the signals to your receiver. The Invacom 0,3dB quad LNB is by far the most common LNB used, because it is the most suitable. However, they don't last forever and for the best reception you should reckon on changing it every two to three years.
SKY SUBSCRIPTIONS AND CARDS
Unless you are happy with only the FTA channels, you will need a Sky card. Some Costa Blanca installers can arrange cards for you - don't ask them how they do it! Otherwise, you will need to do it through a friend or relative's address in the UK. You (or your friend) will need to call Sky and ask for a "second hand contract". A contract will be sent to the UK address. If the contract is in your name, your UK contact will then need to send it to you for signing, and you'll need to fill it in and send back to them so that they can post it using the Sky supplied envelope. Sky will then send the card out which will need to be put in its Digibox and a call made to Sky to activate it. Subscription prices vary currently from £16 a month for a very minimal set of channels through £26 for a wide choice of general channels to £51 for all films and sport.
To activate a card yourself follow this procedure, which is best done between 1000 and 1200 in the morning, as it depends on a signal being received from the north beam! Get the card number, serial and version numbers from the Digibox service menu. Put the box on Sky News and leave the thing alone. Get your UK contact to ring Sky (or do it yourself taking the necessary precautions) and ask for the card to be switched on. Wait for anything up to 24 hours! Do nothing else at all to the box. If using a friend in the UK, you may find it helpful if your friend has two phone lines (a mobile perhaps?) as then you will be able to talk to him whilst he is on the phone to Sky. Usually Sky will want to know your name, address and subscriber number as well as the details of the box as mentioned above.
With the card in (assuming that your box/card is already authorised) then you should be able to see all the appropriate channels that you are paying for.
Free to View (FTV) - the "Freesat" card.
A card to view the FTV channels, currently C4+1, C4HD, all the C5 channels, Pick TV and a couple of other minor channels, can be bought by anybody with a UK address from the Sky website at https://mysky.sky.com/replacecard/get-a-card. The card will cost £20 and will be sent to the UK address. Once received, it will need to be activated as above, but once activated, it will work in any Digibox.
Radio and other channels.
All national UK radio channels are available on Sky Digital. Almost all are FTA and most are on the easy to receive south beam. Most radio channels are also available over the Internet.
SKY DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTIONS, AND OTHER WORRIES.
The Digibox phone line and Spain
When you have a standard Sky installation in the UK, your contract will say that your Digibox must be kept connected to the phone line for a minimum of twelve months. At the time of writing (May 2010) this particular aspect isn't policed. However, if you subscribe to multiroom in the UK, Sky DO police the phone connection, checking that not only are both boxes are connected to a phone line, but that they are connected to the same phone line - the one stated in your contract. If you fail to comply with this, you will start receiving letters from Sky and in the end you will be charged two full subscription, not the £10 multiroom fee. Multiroom is simply not possible from Spain. However, for certain other types of calls (such as to order movies or to access certain interactive services) you can purchase a device called a "smartbox" which goes between your box and the phone line to enable the Digibox to "phone home". Smartboxes typically cost around €150 - whether it's worth it is a decision only you can make.
Is it legal to watch Sky Digital in Spain?
Yes!
There are no restrictions at all on the export or use of a Sky Digibox outside the UK.
When you or anyone else fills in the Sky Digital subscription form you undertake to comply with the following conditions (amongst myriad others): (a) Only you may use the Viewing Card that SSSL sends you. You can only use the Viewing Card at your Address with the Digibox in which it is first used to receive the Service and you must only use it for private viewing purposes. and (b) This Contract only applies if you live in the United Kingdom.
This has been interpreted as meaning that by passing on the card to someone else for him to use or by using it (as opposed to merely having it which does not appear to breach the contract) elsewhere than at the address specified in the contract you are breaking the terms of the contract. This is not a criminal offence and the contract goes on to say that a breach of the contract will merely result in its cancellation. In other words, the worst that can happen is that the card is turned off.
Just in case you're worried, a large number of Sky subscribers live abroad anyway. You probably know a few of them yourself. The person writing this is one. After all, do you think that Sky are likely to want to lose this source of revenue? I don't. We can all sleep soundly. I do. <grin>
Phoning Sky from Spain
In general, unless you know what you are doing, I would advise you NOT to phone Sky from Spain. If they find out you are using their services outside of the UK they have no option but to turn off your card. However, they don't generally go out of their way to try to catch you out, and with a bit of care you can make many types of call. Sky have recently changed to 08442 numbers which can't be dialled from a Spanish landline or mobile. By far the best way to call is from your computer via Skype or another VOIP provider. If this worries you, then don't do it. You could always get a friend in the UK to call for you, but this can get awkward if you have to start reading details from the screen.
Whichever way you use, I suggest having your contract in front of you so that you can read out any details they may ask for without hesitation. You should also be aware that the time is an hour behind what your own clock says.
Finally, if your card was provided by a reseller, never phone Sky - get your reseller to do it - that's what you're paying them for!
A note about channel numbers and transponders
Sky are frequently changing which channels are given which numbers, and even which transponder is involved. For up to date information, consult Lyngsat.:
RESETTING A SKY DIGIBOX
Sometimes a Sky Digibox will crash and display the message "No Satellite Signal is Being Received" even though everything is plugged in and appears to be working. There are four usual causes for this.
(1) In an area of contrasting signal strengths, such as the Costa Blanca, the box has been scrolled through the channels too quickly. Always select the channel you want to see by keying in its number, rather than using channel up or channel down. Panasonic TU-DSB30 boxes are particularly susceptible to this.
(2) There has been a power cut. When the power is restored, the box just gives the "no signal" message. For short power cuts, an interruptible power supply (UPS or SAI) will prevent this.
(3) There has been a software update.
(4) The box has overheated
This section is NOT intended to explain all the various tricks of the trade. All it aims to do is to give a single, long winded but reliable way of restoring the service which even my mother-in-law can follow. I know there are other ways; please don't e-mail me to tell me what I already know. If what is below doesn't work, particularly if the box has overheated, there are more complicated paths that need to be followed - ask your friendly installer.
OK, resetting the box - the dummies' guide.
(1) Physically unplug your box from the mains supply for (at least) ten seconds.
(2) Plug the box back into the mains
(3) Wait two minutes
(4) Turn the box on with the remote - until the box shows a green light, not a red one.
(5) Press the Services Button.
(6) Press, in succession but without pausing, 4, 0, 1 and Select You should now be in the Installer's Menu.
(7) Press 2 - Default Transponder
(8) Select the Frequency (GHz) box line and type in 12129 (the default is 11778). If this doesn't work, you can also try 12441, 12051 or 12207.
(9) Scroll down and select Polarization. This should show V. (There are only two choices, V and H; if necessary, change by pressing the right key (to the right of Select) on your remote.
(10) Scroll down to Save New Settings and press Select. This will bring you back to the Installers Menu.
(11) Press Back Up Three Times. Your screen should now display "Searching For Listings".
(12) Wait a couple of minutes for channel 998 to "come in". The process is now complete, and you should be able to select the channel of your choice.
This procedure will not allow you to receive any channel (such as BBC1 & 2) for longer than would otherwise be the case, and the box has a habit of reverting to 11778V. This is not a fault. The above procedure is just a way of getting viewing back when it may appear you can't get anything at all
RECOMMENDED CHANNELS and HOW TO ADD THEM.
Updated for BBC changes 18th October 2010 and 3rd November 2010
These changes have altered the recommended BBC1 channel, and added recommended BBC2 regions for the first time.
Updated for ITV and Channel4 changes from 18th March 2011 which removed both ITV1HD and C4HD from the strong south beam.
Certain of the BBC / ITV / Channel 4 / Channel 5 broadcasts are stronger on the Costa Blanca than others. More than most other sections, bear in mind that this information could become out of date overnight if channels move transponders, which last happened on 17th march 2011.
Sometimes, you may need to add a channel that isn't in your EPG. To do this, go to Services - System Setup - Add channels. Enter the parameters for the transponder you wish to scan. Once the channel list has come up, check which you wish to add. They will now be available to you from Services - Other Channels whenever you want them.
For BBC1, one of the strongest channels is West Midlands (Sky channel 979), although there are several with very similar strengths on 10788 - V and 10818 - V (both 22000 - 5/6).
For BBC2, you need either BBC2 Wales (Sky channel 991) 10788 - V - 22000 - 5/6 or Northern Ireland (992) 10817 - V - 22000 - 5/6
For ITV1, there are three channels to consider. ITV1 London is a strong channel, to be found at Channel 993. If you don't have a 993, then your 103 is set to London anyway!
Channel TV is (marginally) stronger than London, and is to be found on 10906 - V - 22000 - 5/6 if you want to add it manually.
If you have a viewing card, then ITV1 Central South and Central West are on the south beam and can be received with even a small dish.
They are on 11973-V-27500-2/3.
For Channel 4, the default broadcasts on Sky 104 are on the weak 2D horizontal beam and disappear at the same time as other horizontally polarised broadcasts. However, Channel 4 +1 on 135 is on the better vertical beam and is easier (albeit an hour behind). There are also FTV broadcasts on 12480 – V – 27500 – 2/3, including one simply marked “Channel 4”
Channel 5 regions on 12422 – H – 27500 - 2/3 are strong and are OK with a small dish
High Definition
On 3rd November 2010, BBC1 HD launched on 10847 - V - 22000 - 5/6. This was previously used by BBC1 Channel Islands, and is the strongest BBC (although still needing a big dish)
From 17th March 2011, ITV1 HD stopped broadcasting on the strong south beam. If you have a big dish, then Meridian on 10847V (same as BBC1 HD) is probably the best. If you only have a smaller dish, you need to stick with the SD transmissions listed above.
From 17th March 2011, Channel 4 HD also stopped broadcasting on the strong south beam. It has moved to Eurobird 1 - 12602 - V - 27500 - 3/4. This may be receivable with a 1m plus dish; a lot depends on other factors as there could be interference from a nearby satelliie (Badr5) for non ideal installations.
For Channel 5 it's 12266 - H - 29500 - 3/4. That's the south beam, OK with a small dish.
(5) Rebroadcasters.
In some areas there are local microwave or cable rebroadcasting subscription services. If you live in an area covered by one of these systems, this is an alternative way to continue to receive UK television. You will need to ask locally. It isn't cheap, and you are entirely dependent on the reliability of your services' receiving equipment. Also, the picture quality isn't as good as that received from a Sky Digibox.
However, for those within the reception area who cannot have or do not want a large dish this is a viable alternative. Some of these services are now restricting themselves to broadcasting FTA channels only, others have been closed down and a few are continuing to operate with apparent impunity. If you sign up with a rebroadcaster, be aware that a worst case scenario is that the service could be cut off the day after you pay your subscription.
(6) TV over the Internet
This section applies to anybody anywhere in the world with a decent broadband connection
There are now a number of ways to receive British TV over the Internet. New services are starting (and closing) every month. Until a reliable direct service becomes established, I shall concentrate purely on the “On demand” services of the main UK channels. I am going to major on the BBC iPlayer, but much the same applies to the services from ITV, C4 and C5.
These services are officially only available to residents of the UK. This is policed by checking the IP address of the client device, and if it has a non UK IP rejecting the call.
This can be overcome on your computer by making use of either a proxy or virtual private network (VPN) service. Although you can find free services, these don't run fast enough to allow streaming. However there are several services which, for a small fee, allow you enough bandwidth to use the iPlayer etc. reliably at standard definition. At the moment I find that the speed is just insufficient to make use of the recently introduced HD service. Nevertheless, the SD service give a usable picture.
There are two major services specialising in giving overseas users access to the iPlayer. They are
International Alliance Privacy Services and My Private Network.
Both services offer extensive help facilities to get you connected.
So far, we are viewing the iPlayer etc on a computer. If we want to watch it on our TV, which in my opinion is more enjoyable, there are a couple of ways to go about it.
If your TV has a PC in socket, then all you have to do is to connect the computer that you're viewing on to your TV. Most desktops have two outputs on the graphics card, and almost all laptops have a VGA out in addition to their built-in screen. You'll need to consult your computer manual to discover the key combination to switch between them.
If your computer has an S-Video or composite output, which most desktop computers do, you can connect it to an S-Video or composite input on your TV.
If you want to use an Xbox, PS3, Humax Foxsat HD or other device which can handle the iPlayer but which can't directly make use of a proxy, then this is what you do (with thanks to Brian West whose idea this is).
You will need a computer with two network connections. These can either be one Ethernet plus one wireless (most laptops fit the bill) or two Ethernet (many desktops have this).
For the sake of convenience (as I think it will be the commonest setup) I'm going to assume a laptop connected to the Internet via the ADSL router wirelessly. The PS3, Xbox or whatever is connected to the laptop via the Ethernet connection and a crossover cable.
Connect the laptop to the VPN service.
Connect the laptop and the PS3 etc. with the crossover cable.
On your PS3 etc. set the IP and DNS settings to automatic
On the laptop, go into the control panel, network, manage network connections
Click on local area connection and select properties – TCP/IPv4
Click “use the following IP address” and input 192.168.0.1 with subnet mask 255.255.255.0
Leave default gateway and the DNS servers blank.
Right click on your VPN and select properties
Click the sharing tab and select “allow other computers to connect through this computer's internet connection”
Under that should be a drop-down “home network connection”. Select local area connection (NOT the wireless connection)
Make sure “establish a dial up connection” is not marked and “allow other network users to control” is unmarked.Make sure your laptop is connected to the internet via wireless internet connection and that your VPN is connected
Everything should now work.
(7) DIGITAL +
Digital + is the satellite subscription service for Spain in the same way as Sky serves the UK, with the big difference that many of the major Spanish terrestrial channels are either not available at all or require a subscription. You may well consider TDT the better option for Spanish language TV. For those who are interested in subscribing,
the link is on the right.
This article has been prepared by, and is copyright of, Bill Hayles,
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
, to whom all errors and omissions should be reported. Thanks to the members of the TV in Spain group who have offered corrections and suggestions.
DISH SIZES REQUIRED..
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