Keith T Posted February 10, 2007 Posted February 10, 2007 Having tried researching this on the forum, I have found a fount of info, but not what I was looking for! I am sure I read somewhere that Freeview (as in UK) is also used in France, and that the UK freeview boxes would pick up the French Freeview programes (in French!)when in France. Having just (of necessity) got a new TV for home with freeview it seems very good, and I'n thinking of getting a box for the motorhome TV. Can anyone advise if it's the same system/box for France, and what the general coverage is like, also what programmes are likely to be found. Does the 'auto turning' as in Uk also work in France? Any info would be helpful. I would only be looking for a mains voltage Freeview box, as we don't worry about Tv if we're not connected to Mains electric, and in any case the 12v ones seem frighteningly expensive! Thanks.
terry1956 Posted February 10, 2007 Posted February 10, 2007 Hi from normandy, well at the moment I can get the following channels, bbc1,2,3,4 ITV1,2,3, film 4 film 4+1 CNN and a few channels that I just don,t watch, all are free view, non sky. by pluging in a digt mini box with a free view card in the Hymer , I get the above plus the history channel and loss CNN,film 4. This was just a test as at the moment the Hymer does not have a dish, I understand that a large 65cm to 85cm dish is needed if you wish to get these channels over most of europe, the footprint for the BBC channels is small due to the BBC not wishing non licence payers to view the rubbish they but on. Anyway I hope this info helps. also if you are using an english pal TV then any french channels will be in black and white. terry
derek500 Posted February 10, 2007 Posted February 10, 2007 terry1956 - 2007-02-10 6:17 PM Hi from normandy, well at the moment I can get the following channels, bbc1,2,3,4 ITV1,2,3, film 4 film 4+1 CNN and a few channels that I just don,t watch, all are free view, non sky. by pluging in a digt mini box with a free view card in the Hymer , I get the above plus the history channel and loss CNN,film 4. This was just a test as at the moment the Hymer does not have a dish, I understand that a large 65cm to 85cm dish is needed if you wish to get these channels over most of europe, the footprint for the BBC channels is small due to the BBC not wishing non licence payers to view the rubbish they but on. Anyway I hope this info helps. also if you are using an english pal TV then any french channels will be in black and white. terry I didn't know that CNN and Film4 +1 were on DTT.
Dave Newell Posted February 10, 2007 Posted February 10, 2007 CNN isn't but film 4+1 is. I think Terry is using a satellite system while Keith is asking about digital terrestrial. I believe the French system uses different frequencies and not all UK purchased freeview boxes will receive these. D.
Brian Kirby Posted February 10, 2007 Posted February 10, 2007 Dave Newell - 2007-02-10 6:02 PM CNN isn't but film 4+1 is. I think Terry is using a satellite system while Keith is asking about digital terrestrial. I believe the French system uses different frequencies and not all UK purchased freeview boxes will receive these. D. So do I!
terry1956 Posted February 10, 2007 Posted February 10, 2007 Hi there, yes its a satellite free view system for the house, I hocked up the dish to the 12v sky pace box in the motorhome and I could pick up BBC,ITV, etc also the history channel, for some reason free to air, I am going to fit a roof mounted 80cm dish and hope to get the same mix of channels terry. non satellite channels, I have no idea of, bar that the TV aerial does not pick up anything in english
Keith T Posted February 10, 2007 Author Posted February 10, 2007 HI - yes my enquiry was about the UK Freeview box with Aerial not Sat dish, although the motohome TV is multi standard. However, the freeview box would go into the set via Scart, and presumably in effect an AV input. DO I assume then that some of teh Freeveiw boxes would work, and others wouldn't, and if so, how can you find out which would?
derek500 Posted February 10, 2007 Posted February 10, 2007 My 'Freeview' box I bought in Spain works fine here and in France and the UK. I don't see why one bought in the UK wouldn't work either.
derek500 Posted February 10, 2007 Posted February 10, 2007 Dave Newell - 2007-02-10 7:02 PM CNN isn't but film 4+1 is. You're right, stand corrected.
Dave Newell Posted February 11, 2007 Posted February 11, 2007 derek500 - 2007-02-10 8:38 PM My 'Freeview' box I bought in Spain works fine here and in France and the UK. I don't see why one bought in the UK wouldn't work either. Some will, some won't (at least that's my understanding). What brand and model do you own Derek? I believe that most, if not all, of the PCMCIA card and USB units for computers will work in all European countries but I doubt that's much help if you want one for use with an ordinary TV. D.
derek500 Posted February 11, 2007 Posted February 11, 2007 Dave Newell - 2007-02-11 10:03 AM derek500 - 2007-02-10 8:38 PM My 'Freeview' box I bought in Spain works fine here and in France and the UK. I don't see why one bought in the UK wouldn't work either. Some will, some won't (at least that's my understanding). What brand and model do you own Derek? I believe that most, if not all, of the PCMCIA card and USB units for computers will work in all European countries but I doubt that's much help if you want one for use with an ordinary TV. D. It's a Skymaster DT100. I bought it from Brico Depot which I believe is the French/Spanish name for B&Q.
aion Posted February 11, 2007 Posted February 11, 2007 if you are enquiring re terrestial freeview in france, yr uk box wont work, the system here is secam [neither will yr tele if it's just a pal 1 system] suggest if you wish to receive french didgital via terrestial you purchase a system here, not expensive, around 50 euros, pal/secam tv around 90 euros. hope that helps
derek500 Posted February 11, 2007 Posted February 11, 2007 aion - 2007-02-11 4:48 PM if you are enquiring re terrestial freeview in france, yr uk box wont work, the system here is secam [neither will yr tele if it's just a pal 1 system] suggest if you wish to receive french didgital via terrestial you purchase a system here, not expensive, around 50 euros, pal/secam tv around 90 euros. hope that helps Sorry you're wrong, French analogue may be SECAM but digital is the same standard as in the UK and will work through the Euro Connector (SCART).
Guest JudgeMental Posted February 11, 2007 Posted February 11, 2007 derek500 - 2007-02-11 4:08 PM aion - 2007-02-11 4:48 PM if you are enquiring re terrestial freeview in france, yr uk box wont work, the system here is secam [neither will yr tele if it's just a pal 1 system] suggest if you wish to receive french didgital via terrestial you purchase a system here, not expensive, around 50 euros, pal/secam tv around 90 euros. hope that helps Sorry you're wrong, French analogue may be SECAM but digital is the same standard as in the UK and will work through the Euro Connector (SCART). I have a "roadstar" 10inch 12/230v TV that I believe is both pal/secam. any ideas as to what channels I should be able to get in Europe via my new plug in digital adapter?
Terrytraveller Posted February 11, 2007 Posted February 11, 2007 Hi Eddie, I sometimes use the Avermedia TV pcmcia card on the laptop, to receive French digital and analogue transmissions. I have to change the settings to secam before being able to receive either the digital and analogue French stations. It does leave some doubt as to whether or not a UK digital box in conjunction with a TV which will receive secam will work, my guess is it would work. Also the reception expectation is the same as UK, sometimes if you get a ropey analogue signal, you may get an excellent digital signal and vice versa - so many variables all dependant on location. Regards Terry
derek500 Posted February 11, 2007 Posted February 11, 2007 As long as your TV has a scart socket to connect the DTT box to you will be able to pick French DTT or TNT as they call it. SECAM is only for analogue broadcasts. The UK and France use the same DVB pan European broadcast system for DTT.
Guest JudgeMental Posted February 11, 2007 Posted February 11, 2007 Yeh But, Will I get bbc1,2,3,4 ITV1,2,3, film 4 film 4+1 as someone said earlier in this thread and yes it has a scart.
derek500 Posted February 11, 2007 Posted February 11, 2007 JudgeMental - 2007-02-11 8:44 PM Yeh But, Will I get bbc1,2,3,4 ITV1,2,3, film 4 film 4+1 as someone said earlier in this thread and yes it has a scart. No, they got a bit confused and thought the original poster was talking about 'Freesat' not 'Freeview'
peedee Posted February 18, 2007 Posted February 18, 2007 derek500 - 2007-02-11 7:27 PM As long as your TV has a scart socket to connect the DTT box to you will be able to pick French DTT or TNT as they call it. SECAM is only for analogue broadcasts. The UK and France use the same DVB pan European broadcast system for DTT. I go along with Derek, the DTT is a common standard adopted across the EEC you should be able to use your Freeview box on the continent. I took mine last year and tried it a view times but could get nothing in Germany. Didn't try it in France. My understanding is digital terrestrial transmissions are not so prolific as in the UK. France is scheduled to phase out analogue by 2011 so I would have thought there would be transmissions now especially as they are supposed to start switching off analogue next year region by region in much the same way as UK. peedee
cczrwh Posted February 21, 2007 Posted February 21, 2007 I'm not very techie minded as regards TVs, but I took my Sagem freeview box with us to France last summer and had limited success. I used an Evesham 8" LCD TV and all was using 12V. Most of the sites we stopped at were in relatively unpopulated areas and I didn't get it to work there, but I did get it working at a couple of sites (and these were French TV stations - coverage can be found at "http://www.tnt-gratuite.fr/"). Since I didn't have any info to hand on location of transmitters it was all a bit hit-and-miss. On a farm just NE of Pontalier we even picked up stations in Switzerland - useful for weather forecasts. I even once got the 'alternate audio languages' option to work (not sure of proper name!); however it was a German film with choice of audio in French or German (!) So it should work, but I suspect it is just like in the UK - it all depends on the signal strength (if any) and quality of aerial. Regards Bob
Dave Newell Posted February 21, 2007 Posted February 21, 2007 Plus of course, if it does work, all you'll get is the local country's programming not British TV. D.
derek500 Posted February 21, 2007 Posted February 21, 2007 Last summer we overnighted in Budgen's car park in Battle, East sussex. Looking forward to a bit of English TV with our DTT box, but we could only pick up French channels!!
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