Freesat

Wi-Fi Freesat receiver With BBC iPlayer integrated

2010-04-01T02:56:00.000-07:00

iPlayer from the BBC is great. I don't think I've read a bad review yet. And having iPlayer built into your Freesat receiver or Freesat Box is even better, though I'm still waiting for the Bush BFSAT01SD to support BBC iPlayer, after all, it's sitting in my bedroom and it has an ethernet port on the back and everything. But anyway, I digress. Actually, I've recently read a report that says the SD boxes will never get iPlayer support, based on the recent Bush, Goodmans and Grundig support of iPlayer on their HD freesat receivers. This is a real shame, because it forces people into an upgrade path that they really shouldn't have to go down.

So, welcome to the Wi-Fi enabled Freesat digibox which will allow you to view iPlayer though it. Now that iPlayer is available on many HD freesat boxes, the next logical step is to have iPlayer and freesat over Wi-Fi. enter TechniSat HDFS which, unlike other freesat HD boxes such as the Goodmans GFSAT range or the Grundig GUFSAT, or even the much applauded Humax FOXSAT (which as we know was the first to include the iPlayer software), the TechniSat allows you to receive your iPlayer over Wi-Fi. Why is this a good thing? Well, for a lot of people, wiring up an ethernet connection to their freesat box is just not feasible. Maybe your wife doesn't want another bloody blue wire trailing around the living room, up through a shonky hole in the ceiling, around the loft and down into wherever your broadband router is. Maybe you don't want to go to PC world and fork over large amounts of money for another ethernet cable, or maybe you just plain hate wires and don't want to bother with them anymore. Wi-Fi is the obvious way to go - and all your other internet connected bits and bobs use it, so why not your freesat box as well?

At the end of the day, a freesat box is really just a little computer sitting there, decoding messages comming in, so adding in the Wi-Fi support is an obvious step. Connectivity on the TechniSat will be through USB antenna, and of course you will need to enter your wireless key to get online. Once that's done, you should be up and away. The other good thing about the TechniSat is that it allows you to add in an external hard drive via usb as well so you can use it to record to an external drive as well as watch movies and playback music and view photos from memory cards (it has built in support for compact flash and MS/SD/MMC memory cards) or just across your wireless network.

That kind of puts this box into more of a media centre realm than simply a freesat receiver, which means that we can get rid of one more box underneath our TVs - which is great for anyone who wants a minimal home entertainment setup like me.

Plus, given that this thing is going to work off Wi-Fi, it becomes ideal as a second box for bedrooms or kitchens.

How to Install a Freesat Satellite Dish and Freesat Receiver

2009-11-20T13:40:00.001-08:00

For many people who are considering moving to freesat from their current television setup, one of the big put offs is the fact that you have to have a satellite dish installed and positioned so that you can start picking up freesat. The big problem with this is getting someone to come and install the dish for you can be rather expensive - especially when you see things like sky giving away free installation with their packages. What you have to keep in mind is that sky make their money from monthly subscription packages, so it behoves them well to give away the satellite dish installation and get you up and running so you can watch TV without any fuss or bother. But Freesat, as we know is free to air satellite television and being as it is a Channel 4 and ITV initiative and that they aren't making money out of you by charging you extra for fancy television packages like sky does, they can't afford to give away the installation of the dishes. But of course, you can hire a trusty freesat dish installer who will come around to your house and put up your satellite dish and wire it in for you, drill a hole through your wall and point the dish in the right direction so you can start watching all that great TV on a Friday night instead of going out ('cause you know, the economy and all that - we are all staying in all the time now - hopefully that means TV will get better because there will be more viewers, but I expect all it really means is that we will get more adverts because viewer numbers will be up).

Hang on, so what you're saying is all you need to do is put the dish up, drill a hole in the wall to pass the wire through and point the dish in the right direction? And they charge how much for it? Well, yes. I mean if you are reasonably handy with the tools and the DIY and you already have the equipment, it might make sense to do the install yourself. It isn't as hard as you think - really the most difficult thing about it is setting the dish in the correct position to point at the correct satellite.

Before you rush off to buy a brand new satellite dish to install your Freesat with though, you might want to check if you already have a satellite dish installed. Maybe from a previous tenant or if you previously had Sky and then cancelled it? Anyway if you have a dish sitting around not being used it is worth hooking it up to your Freesat or Freesat HD digibox to see if you can get a signal out of it. See, many consumer satellite dish installations use the same satellite to get their feed from so Sky and Freesat need to be pointed towards the same satellite, even though they receive different channels. That's a good thing for us.

If you don't already have a dish installed and you want to give it a go yourself, then here are a few tips and hints to help you on your way.

You will need a few things to install your satellite dish properly:
A ladder - handy for getting up a little bit so you can install your satellite dish out of the way.
A drill - to drill holes in the wall to install your satellite dish and possibly to drill a hole through your wall to pass the wire through.
A satellite dish (44cm is big enough to receive Freesat)
High quality coaxial cable
Compass
Satellite finder meter (you don't need this, but if you have it it makes things easier)
F connectors to connect your cable to your dish. You might also need some crimping tools.

Do buy yourself good coaxial cable. It is the life line between your satellite dish and your freesat receiver, and really, you want to minimise any interference from other electronic devices so that you get the best signal. There really is little point in installing a HD freesat box and a good satellite dish and having youself state of the art television if your cable is a let down. Get double shielded cable at the very least.

Your connectors should also be high quality - a good snap and seal connector will be a little more expensive, but it will also protect your cable against moisture and are relatively easy to install.

Ok, the actual steps to set up your satellite connection to receive freesat on are as follows:

Find a good satellite mounting point. You will need a clear view south east to mount your dish, so find a suitable wall on your house to put the dish on. Look around, it is likely that at least one of your neighbours has a satellite dish already installed, and that can give you a good clue as to which side of your property is the best to install your dish.You might have to mount the dish high up to get a good clear view of the horizon. Ideally you want nothing between your dish and the horizon because any obstacle be it a tree or a building or anything else will cause interference. Also, do double check if you are installing in winter because trees will be bare of leaves. In summer they will fill out and you might find your satellite dish becomes obstructed suddenly, so take that into account when you choose a good spot.

You satellite dish will probably have a built in wall mount which you can use to bolt the dish to the wall. Some dishes need a wall mounted pole to allow them to correctly swivel, but if your dish is new, it probably doesn't (especially if it is a 44cm dish). Fix your dish to the wall. Make sure it is secure, and then connect up your coaxial cable to the dish and run it into the house. You might have to drill a hole through your wall to get the wire in, or if your dish is mounted high enough, take it through the eaves into the loft and then wire it up to your living room or television viewing room.

Connect your cable to your freesat receiver, but do not yet turn on the receiver.

We are now ready to find our satellite. We are interested in the Astra 2D satellite as this is the one that broadcasts the freesat signal.

You want to make sure that your cable is properly connected to your satellite dish and through to your Freesat recevier. Don't turn the freesat box on though, until you are sure everything is properly connected. Once it is, turn on the freesat box and press the Menu buttton on your remote and select the option that says Information. Basically you want the option on your menu that will allow you to see the signal strength and quality. At this point, it is usually handy to have a friend or relative around so that one of you can watch the screen while the other moves the dish into the correct place. Use a compass and get your dish pointing directly south and then slowly move the dish east until you get a strong network strength signal and the Network ID is 003b. The Trasport Stream on your TV should be 090b. Now you have your dish locked onto the Astra 2d satellite, you can do a little fine tuning of the satellite dish so you get the best freesat signal possible. To do this, you will want to maneuver the dish in very small steps left and right and up and down until you get the strongest signal strength reading on your TV.

Work slowly since if you swing your dish around too fast, it won't get a chance to lock on to the signal properly.

Well that's about enough, I hope you all enjoy your freesat viewing and installation.

Oldest television in Britain set for Freesat!

2009-07-22T13:56:00.000-07:00

This is pretty cool; the oldest television in Britain has been converted so it is set for digital, with the help of a digital set top box - I like to think they would have used a freesat digibox, but given the reported price of about 20 quid, I imagine it was probably just a freeview digibox. Oh well. Still it proves that it doesn't matter what television you have, a simple investment will get you ready for digital.

The set was tracked down as a result of a competition held by Digital UK and is a Marconiphone from 1936. Gloriously black and white for a true vintage appeal, it sports a massive 12 inch screen that would put any of todays Freesat Televisions to shame :)

What the UK can learn from America's Digital Switchover

2009-06-18T02:48:00.000-07:00

One of the reasons you might have bought or might be thinking about buying a freesat digibox or television with built in freesat receiver is to get ready for the big digital switchover which is looming. By 2012, the whole of the UK will have switch their television broadcast and viewing to digital, shutting down the old analog broadcast equipment and rendering any analog receiving equipment pretty much useless.

America has already completed their switchover - last Saturday, they officially turned off the analog broadcasts. The UK is well underway with the digital switchover and if you haven't decided how to move over to receiving the digital broadcast, you should be looking into something like Freeview, Freesat or Freesat from Sky. If you are confused about the difference between the three, don't worry, so was I..... :)

Anyway so all the US television stations have switched from analog to digital broadcasts and it would be remiss of the UK if they didn't look at the problems that occured in America and learn from them. According to lots of news sites, switching off the analog signals did not all go swimmingly. Some sources report that 2.5 percent of households in America were not ready for the switchover and have been left without any television, with some people completely unaware that the transition was taking place. America had already delayed their switchover by 4 months because too many people were not ready. Since TV is such a valuable form of public information, many TV stations in Amerca have introduced an Analog nightlight services where they broadcast an analog signal at night to advise about the digital switchover and to inform those who haven't bought their equivalent of a freesat box about any national disasters such as hurricanes. They analog nightlight services will air for 30 days after which analog tv will be in the dark.

I'm sure that the UK will have teething problems when all the analog signals are switched off, let's just hope they learn a little from Americas problems and our move is a little smoother.

NHK World on Freesat. Kore Kudasai.

2009-06-12T07:52:00.000-07:00

I've noticed a new channel pop up on my freesat box. It's called NHK World TV, which is essentially and English language news and information channel from NHK - a Japanese public broadcaster. So now we have world news from a Japanese and Asian perspective on freesat, which is rather nice. It gives us freesat users an "Eye on Asia".

The NHK channel adds to an already international news line-up that freesat already offers, including Bloomberg Television, CNN, Russia Today, BBC (obviously) and France 24.

NHK World TV has already been available for a while on the 28 degree east satellite position via BSkyB, so it's no surprise that it has now been added to the freesat service. NHK World is automatically added to your freesat digibox and appears on channel 209, so you don't need to go through any complicated set up like you would if you wanted to add non-freesat channels.

The cool thing about NHK world, is that every now and then, they have a little Japanese tutorial - last night I learned how to say "I want that" - Kore Kudasai. I'm sure I'm using it wrong, but what the heck - watch freesat and learn a new language at the same time!

Kore Kudasai

Freesat Ethernet Port

2009-05-30T12:43:00.000-07:00

I'm sure I'm not the only one who is still waiting for the ethernet port in the back of the freesat boxes to be activated. The freesat specification requires that any freesat digibox or TV with built in freesat must have an ethernet port built in for future use. I'm not very technical, but surely it wouldn't be hard to switch it on already and let people connect their freesat boxes to their broadband, even if only to watch BBC iPlayer. I read somewhere that the port is there for future software upgrades, but I can't see the point of not taking advantage of the iPlayer service right now. It would give you the basic functionality of a PVR in a freesat box and would surely only boost the sales and marketability of the boxes over some equivalent services like freesat from Sky or the Virgin Television service.

I can't imagine it would be very difficult to integrate a web browser into the software of these boxes since I'm pretty sure that the info coming down in the EPG is either XML based or HTML based (now and then I get some spurious characters that are HTML formatting so I'm basing my assumption on that).

In the meantime, we still have to have a seperate box to browse the internet, which is a real shame because it puts another computer under your television or in your lounge if you want to access some online TV. And of course, connecting up my computer to my television is a little bit awkward....My ideal situation, obviously is simply to have a freesat television with the ethernet port active for web browsing - then I can do away with all the little black boxes under my television :)

Oh well, just some thoughts. Anyone out there have the inside scoop as to when the ethernet ports are going to be useful to the consumer?

Freesat Televisions

2009-05-22T06:44:00.000-07:00

It makes sense, when you're next in the market for a television, to buy one with a freesat tuner built in. Doing away with a digital set top box for your freesat reception makes sense and keeps your living room tidy, with fewer cables and fewer remote controls.....and usually, a happier wife :)

Up until April this year, you could only purchase Panasonic TVs with built in freesat tuners, but now, LG have entered the market as well, bringing more consumer choice to the table. Which is a good thing. Consumers get more choice and more competition in the freesat television arena will undoubtedly bring the prices down. I think freesat will become bigger in the near future. It still seems to be a bit of a forgotten technology when people buy new televisions. Which is strange, especially with digital switchover looming. Freeview seems to be the digital tuner of choice for manufacturers to integrate into their television, but it won't be long before the choice for freesat tuners integrated into TVs becomes larger.

As it stands, you currently have the choice between several Panasonic Viera models, starting at 32” and working upwards to 50” as well as some LG televisions, again starting at 32” with the LF7700 model and working up to a 47” offering. The LG televisions with integrated Freesat are LCD TVs and are all 1080p with a good selection of HDMI ports as well as USB connectivity. Panasonic's
Freesat enabled televisions include some plasma displays in their Z1 series NeoPDP televisions which are available in 46” and 54” models. The Z1 Panasonics also offer wireless technology and the 54” model is only 1inch thick, making it an ultra thin television.

It's good to see LG enter the Freesat integrated television market, but really at this stage of the game, with Freesat being almost a year old now, it would be nice to see some more manufacturers enter the market with Freesat integrated into their televisions.

Freesat From Sky, Freeview, Freesat

2008-12-31T01:07:00.000-08:00

It really is easy to get confused with the different digital television options of Freesat, Freeview and Freesat from Sky. All these broadcast technology options sound very similar and one could be forgiven for thinking that they were all the same thing, or at least just variations on a theme from the same company. However, they are all seperate entities and different ways of enjoying digital television, which is obviously all the more important given the UK television's digital switchover which is occurring soon.

Freesat is the digital satellite television broadcast service from the BBC and ITV, Freesat from sky is a similar satellite television broadcast service but supplied by Sky and Freeview which is also an initiative that is sponsored by the BBC is a non-satellite digital television broadcast service.

So, how can you decide which option is best for you? Well Freeview is undoubtedly one of the easiest ways of getting digital television in the UK. It uses a standard television aerial on your rooftop and a decoder box to bring you digital television. However, it doesn't support HD yet. Freesat is a great service to get if you don't get good terrestrial television reception because it uses satellite broadcasting to bring you your standard BBC television channels, plus a host of other radio and TV channels. Obviously you need a satellite dish to use Freesat for your television viewing. It already supports HD, and although you most commonly need a decoder box, you can already get televisions with Freesat built in to them. Freesat from Sky is a non-subscription based package from Sky which gives you access to a fair number of channels in the Sky lineup. Again, you are going to need a satellite dish to watch television (though Sky obviously install this for you) and you will automatically be signed up to one of Sky's basic packages after 3 months, so you need to remember to cancel the subscription if you want to carry on watching only the free offerings. Freesat from Sky also offers you HD viewing. Again with Freesat from Sky you don't need good analogue television reception because it works using a satellite dish.

So why would anyone chose Freesat over Freesat from Sky? Both need a satellite dish, and unless you already have one installed, Getting Freesat means plumping for a satellite dish and a decoder box, whereas with Sky, you simply pay for the installation and get the decoder box, satellite dish and installation. In the end, it works out to be about the same price whichever of the satellite services you go for. Many people don't want to end up on Sky's mailing list and don't want the hassle of cancelling a subscription 3 months into their viewing. And this is obviously how Sky makes their money, but if you are organised, getting freesat from Sky can be a good option. Of course, if you already have a satellite dish installed from a previous occupant or old Sky installation, you can just hook up a Freesat (from the BBC) to the dish and enjoy Freesat HD Digital television.

It can be very confusing with the three digital television options all sounding so similar, and why the BBC didn't keep sky from naming their product "Freesat From Sky", I will never know. It seems a foolish marketing step, especially as Freesat is a new service that was only launched this year and is still relatively unknown.

Freesat

2008-12-22T05:44:00.000-08:00

It has been a long time since I've updated the freesat blog. A lot has happened - freesat has added some new channels for example Simply Movies has joined the freesat lineup, as has ITV4+1. With all the television channels available, you should have no trouble finding something to watch over the Festive season. In fact, if you are struggling to find a gift for someone, why not buy them a freesat digibox?

The Metronic Freesat boxes have finally been launched and it looks like freesat is just going from strength to strength.

There are some great television shows on at the moment as well, all watchable on your freesat boxes. Heros and Survivors are currently my absolute must sees, and both of them are showing in HD if you have purchased an HD compatible freesat box and television. Something for the kids? Well the very popular In the Night Garden is also in HD. Just don't let the little ones watch too much tv :)

Freesat Toolbar

2008-11-05T08:49:00.000-08:00

Download our browser toolbars now - complete with BBC radio stations that you can get through freesat!

Freesat Firefox Toolbar
Freesat IE Toolbar

12v Freesat

2008-09-25T03:54:00.000-07:00

Can I get freesat in my motor home or caravan? All you motor homers or caravaners know that it can be a real bitch getting electronics to work in a caravan. You need devices with 12v input or an inverter. So the question is, can you get a freesat box that has a 12v input so that you can use it in your motor home or caravan and continue watching all those great freesat channels, not to mention all the other non-freesat, but free to air channels that you can pick up with a freesat box.

The simple answer is Yes, you can. There are several freesat receivers on the market at the moment that can be run off a 12v power supply. These are ideal for use in a caravan or motor home, allowing you the pleasure of watching your favourite TV show or keeping up to date on news and sport even if you are on holiday. With digital switchover just around the corner, you might want to take the opportunity to make sure you are up to date with a digital receiver. So which models can you buy that will be compatible? The Goodmans GFSAT200HD box is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a bargain because it currently has £10 off at Argos. The Bush BFSAT01HD is also a great digital box for the budget conscious. Also available at Argos, the box usually retails at around £120 and is a good entry level digital set top box.

Missing guide information on the Bush BFSAT01SD

2008-09-08T02:25:00.000-07:00

So a funny thing happened on my Bush freesat box the other day.The programme guide kept listing “no information available” on a whole bunch of channels that were previously fine. Also, attempting to view the channels gave me the “no service available” message and a blank TV screen. Not good at all! I know we have been having bad weather and it can sometimes affect the satellite signal. And I have had the occasional no information available on a few channels before, but this usually rights itself after a few minutes or at most a few hours. But it seemed to be getting worse and worse. More and more of the listed channels were being affected. I wondered whether my father in law’s recent visit had anything to do with it…..He seemed a little at odds with how to use the freesat box, and his lust for watching the cricket on any channel that would show it led to him hitting buttons on the remote left right and centre and getting in a right state about it. Eventually I just set him up with listening to the commentary on one of the radio channels – I can’t remember which one.

Anyway so back to the lack of freesat channels. As you know, I can’t receive terrestrial television because of the rubbish reception I have in my area, so I rely on freesat exclusively for my television. I flipped through a few menus to try and see if what the signal strength was……all good there. I tried manually adding a channel, but for some reason, it wouldn’t let me. The only thing left to do (because the bush has an extremely limited menu system) was a first time install! Yikes….wipe out all my settings – so with some trepidation I selected the option, only to be prompted for a lock code! I’ve never set one up, so either my father in law had somehow managed to create a lock code, or the automatic upgrade to the software has put one in by default! A little worrying really, especially if it was simply upgraded automatically to include one – I mean that would be pretty confusing to the casual user. Anyway, I took a wild stab at an access code of 0000 for my freesat receiver , and hey presto, luckily, it worked. OK off we go with a complete fresh re-install…..or first time install. Typed in my postcode and set it off to find all its channels again. Which it duly did. And hey presto all my tv guide information is once again displaying, and all my channels are back up and running! Thank goodness for that. Even got a few new channels showing up, which weren’t there before. One of which seems to show mixed martial art all day long! Cool!

Metronic Freesat Boxes

2008-08-28T01:11:00.000-07:00

The choice of freesat box is pretty thin on the ground at the moment. With only a few manufacturers actually producing freesat boxes, your choices are very limited indeed.
Bush, Goodmans and Humax all produce freesat boxes, though we all know that Bush and Goodmans are basically the same manufacturer. All three produce HD freesat digiboxes, and Bush and Goodmans also have SD freesat boxes for those not bothered with HD or without a TV that can support HD. Grundig have also got an offering, and Panasonic are producing televisions that have built in freesat receivers which look very tempting indeed!

Anyway, recently, Freesat announced that they have decided to add another manufacturer into the fold. So, Metronic will be adding their version of a Freesat digibox to the fray, with the first version tipped to be released in mid October. There you have it, more choice for your freesat viewing! If you haven't bought a freesat box yet, check out the links to right to purchase one!

Adding non-Freesat services to Bush Freesat Digibox

2008-07-17T12:28:00.000-07:00

The recent upgrade to the Bush Freesat Digibox's operating system allows the box to receive non-freesat services. This means that you can program the digibox to receive a plethora of other free-to-air television channels over and above the standard ones that the box is programmed to find. In general, free to air services include many channels that you would have received if you had installed any service from Sky. Alternatively, you could purchase third party satellite decoder digiboxes and receive the free to air channels using these boxes. Luckily the freesat boxes all have the ability to receive any television channel that is broadcast via the Eurobird satellite (at 28.5 degrees E) or the Astra 2A, 2B, 2C or 2D (28.2 degrees E).

The original release of the instruction manual doesn't show how to add the non freesat services, and it is a touch un-intuitive, so I'm going to help you out.
First, using your remote, select "Menu", choose "Settings" and then scroll down to Add Non-Freesat Services, click tho "Ok" button and then select "Manual Tune". It should look like this:Now you have a screen where you can add the non freesat services. There are three settings you need to be aware of: Frequency, Symbol Rate and LNB Polarisation. You also have signal strength and quality indicators down the bottom. Here's a screen shot:

Ok, this is a lot less complex than it looks at first. We need a good reference for the various channels that are available to us. Luckily, here it is:
Eurobird
Astra

Lovely. So just type in the frequency and the symbol rate listed on those pages, check the polarisation and then highlight the "Scan" field and hit the right arrow. You'll add your new channels! Wehey!

Now, how to view these channels? Well get to your "TV Listings" and then hit the "Swap" button on your remote and voila......free to air satellite channels to view on your freesat box!

Great stuff.

What's that I hear, you don't want to decipher the frequencies you need.....ok, 'cause I'm a gent, just type these in to your manual tune.....

Astra 2A/2B/2C/2D 28.2 East

Frequency	Symbol Rate	LNB Polarisation
10714	H	22000
10729	V	22000
10744	H	22000
10758	V	22000
10773	H	22000
10788	V	22000
10803	H	22000
10818	V	22000
10832	H	22000
10847	V	22000
10862	H	22000
10876	V	22000
10891	H	22000
10906	V	22000
11052	H	22000
11778	V	27500
11876	H	27500
11914	H	27500
11934	V	27500
11954	H	27500
11973	V	27500
12012	V	27500
12032	H	27500
12051	V	27500
12070	H	27500
12090	V	27500
12110	H	27500
12129	V	27500
12188	H	27500
12207	V	27500
12226	H	27500
12266	H	27500
12285	V	27500
12304	H	27500
12382	H	27500
12402	V	27500
12422	H	27500
12441	V	27500
12460	H	27500
12480	V	27500

Eurobird 28.5 East

Frequency	Symbol Rate	LNB Polarisation
11222	H	27500
11223	V	27500
11259	V	27500
11261	H	27500
11307	H	27500
11307	V	27500
11343	V	27500
11390	H	27500
11390	V	27500
11426	H	27500
11426	V	27500
11469	H	27500
11488	V	27500
11508	H	27500
11527	V	27500
11546	H	27500
11565	V	27500
11603	V	27500
11623	H	27500
11642	V	27500
11661	H	27500
11680	H	27500
12524	H	27500
12524	V	27500
12560	V	27500
12607	H	27500
12607	V	27500
12643	H	27500

1080p or 1080i Which is better?

2008-07-08T08:25:00.000-07:00

Television buying can be a bit confusing, especially when you don't know what all those technical looking numbers mean. Sales staff are often only concerned with selling you the TV with the greatest commission so you should do you homework before you purchase your television.

In this article we are going to briefly explain what 1080p and 1080i mean when it comes to television specifications. Well, the number in 1080p and 1080i (i.e. the 1080 part) indicates the number of horizontl lines available on your television. High-definition television is either 720 or 1080. So that means your TV has either 720 lines or 1080 lines that form the picture that you actually watch. This is opposed to standard-definition television which only has 575 lines. So you can see, with High-definition, you get much more horizontal lines making up an image, giving a clearer picture.

So, what does the little "i" or "p" after our number mean? This tells us that an image is either interlaced or progressively scanned. Interlacing is basically a method of creating an image by showing it in two halves, flashed so close together that your eye cannot tell that there have been 2 images and your brain is tricked into thinking there is only one image. This technique is widely used in broadcasting because it saves bandwidth. So, the "i" obviously refer to an interlaced picture. Standard-definition is interlaced - and in fact, interlacing an image is perfect for CRT devices. With plasma screens or LCD screens, interlacing no longer works as well. The "p" refers to progressive scanning. Progressive scanning refers to the technique of drawing each line of an image in sequence.

So, which is better? 1080p or 1080i? Well, the ultimate in HD TV is considered 1080p because it displays a smoother image than 1080i. But, be careful, just because your TV can display 1080p does not mean it will; your signal source needs to be 1080p for you to reap the full benefits of 1080p. Currently, most HD broadcast is in 720p or 1080i, so even if you have a TV that can display 1080p, you won't be getting the full benefit of it from your average television program. Where you will notice the difference is if you play a lot of video games or watch a lot of blu-ray movies. Serious gamers already know the xbox360 and playstation 3 can output at 1080p, and obviously blu-ray dvds can also send a picture in 1080p to your television.

Ultimately, to decide which TV is better for you, you need to take into account your viewing habits.

Panasonic HD TV with built in Freesat

2008-06-17T06:19:00.000-07:00

Panasonic have launched 3 new televisions that feature a built in Freesat receiver.
The three televisions are all Full-HD plasma screens, ranging from 42inch through to 50inch screen size. The inclusion of freesat receivers in the televisions marks a breakthrough in digital tv for the consumer. Removing the need for an extra freesat box under your telly, getting rid of that extra remote control and also, removing the need for extra wiring between your TV and your freesat box can only be beneficial to the consumers. I wonder how long it will take for other manufacturers to follow suit.

The Panasonic Viera PZ81 series has three models: TH-42PZ81, TH-46PZ81 and TH-50PZ81. They are stylish and offer Panasonic quality.

Freesat - Digital set top boxes

2008-06-08T05:37:00.000-07:00

Well, it seems that initial supply problems are starting to subside with good availablility of freesat boxes in many retailers now.

There is currently a special offer on at currys where you can purchase a Goodmans Freesat High Definition Digital Box for only £119.99. This is a significant saving on the cost of the box from Argos where you would pay £149.99 for the same box.

iPlayer

2008-05-20T03:17:00.001-07:00

The register reports that iPlayer could be used to watch Freesat programs within the next year. For those that don't know, iPlayer is the BBC's online service that basically lets you watch TV programs that have already aired over broadband. Television shows up to 7 days old are available on iPlayer. You have to pay your TV license to be able to watch shows for free and shows expire after 30 days.

So theoretically, within a year, we will be able to watch Freesat HD shows over our broadband connections. There are already ethernet ports in the back of all Freesat digital boxes (currently not in use, but there for future proofing). The biggest problem though is the huge amount of data and bandwidth an HD movie would consume. Internet Service Providers would struggle to offer cheap broadband solutions if everyone maxed out their downloads and pulled HD movies down everyday.

Which Freesat Box Should I Buy?

2008-05-18T01:11:00.000-07:00

So, which freesat digital box should you buy?
It depends on your budget. There are several options available; SD, HD and soon a PVR version and integrated into your television.

The SD box is the entry level option, but don't let that fool you. They still have the following great features

7-day on-screen programme guide
Digital text
Interactive service
Audio descriptions and Digital subtitles
Parental controls and child lock

The SD box is probably for you if you TV is not HD ready, or you just want a simple box for use in the bedroom with your second TV. The Bush BFSAT01SD Freesat SD Digital Box From Argos is a great choice if you just want a simple box. Alternatively, the
Goodmans GFSAT100SD Silver Freesat SD Digital Box From Argos is also a great choice.

If you prefer a High-Definition (HD) box, then you should be sure you TV can support HD. Look for the HD ready image on your television or in your instruction manual for your TV. An HD digital box will allow you to take full advantage of freesat's high definition television. A great box for HD is the
Humax Foxsat HD Freesat Set Top Box which also has the added advantage of allowing you to control a motorised satellite dish.

High Demand for Freesat HD Boxes

2008-05-13T08:35:00.000-07:00

Freesat's website has issued a small update, pointing out that there is a shortage of freesat HD boxes available for sale.

Freesat teething problems

2008-05-12T06:57:00.000-07:00

Freesat is today coming under fire for keeping a tight lid on the Freesat specification. Thus only selected manufacturers can make Freesat equipment. Furthermore, any channels which are already free to view on satellite will need to pay a carriage charge and sign a contract with Freesat before they will be included in the electronic programme guide. According to the Freesat specs, any non-Freesat channels that are free to view must be seperated out from the Freesat channels in the user interface of the Freesat digital receivers.

Freesat is set up as a not-for-profit company. BBC and ITV are its joint shareholders and will each put in £3m per year into the company. Obviously both ITV and the BBC will be marketing Freesat onscreen.

Meanwhile, for consumers, getting hold of Freesat receiver boxes has been difficult. Currently, you can only purchase your receiver from Argos, Currys, Comet and John Lewis, and many stores are out of stock of all boxes. Not to mention the online shopping arm of the stockists have been very slow to update pages with the products. Only Argos has a consistently update page of products.

Further teathing problems include some rumours that all Grundig, Bush and Goodmans Freesat receivers have been recalled.

Humax Foxsat Freesat digital set top box

2008-05-09T02:28:00.000-07:00

The Humax Foxsat-HD digital set top box is available from several retailers. You can purchase it from Argos for £149.99. The HD box comes with an HDMI cable, scart lead and remote. It has a seven day EPG and an intuitive "find" function. There are also parental controls so children can be prevented from watching inappropriate content.

There is an Ethernet port which is currently disabled, but in the long term will allow users to receive additional content via IP.

Freesat Official Press Release

2008-05-09T01:21:00.000-07:00

The official BBC press release for freesat can be found here.

BBC Freesat Video

2008-05-06T11:38:00.001-07:00

BBC video reporting on Freesat highlighting the fact that freesat should solve the problem that many of us face in not being able to get a digital signal in our areas. Also points out that Sky might have a similar free satellite service though the BBC contends that Sky's free service is simply there to lure people in and convert them into paying customers.

BBC HD Freesat promo video

2008-05-06T11:34:00.000-07:00

Here's a promo video from the BBC touting the HD capabilities of the new Freesat service: