| Hi Folks! Well, my wife and I did our tour of the southern coast, taking in the area from Brighton to Lands End. Very interesting. I was suprised to see that someone has stolen a lot of trees from "The New Forest". Half of it is open moorland. The weather was remarkably kind to us, considering the force 9 gales that had been forecast. We got rained on only once and it was very brief, light drizzle. Meanwhile, our two youngest sons had a fortnight in Ibiza and announced that it was "rubbish". That didn't stop one of them from announcing that he now has a new girlfriend!
Freesat - BREAKING NEWS! Yesterday BskyB "soft-launched" its "Freesat" offer without any great publicity. You can phone 08706 061111 to order the installation of a dish, Sky Digibox and FTV card which will get you all the Free To Air programmes available from the Sky platform, plus ITV, CH4 and FIVE. The cost is £150 inclusive. There is also an option to phone the number and buy for £20 inclusive just the card. You will be read a legal notice telling you that you must not use the card outside the UK. (It will work outside the UK of course). Sky quote a delivery time of "3 days" for the card but some people have already received theirs. You must phone Sky to get the card activated in your Digibox. The card is guaranteed for 3 years. There is currently no official limit on the number of cards (I know someone who has ordered five) but you'd better be ready with a good excuse if you need more than one. You can also phone the above number and get a free information pack posted to your UK address without speaking to a human being. It is possible that ITV will go Free To Air later this year but nobody knows for certain. I can't answer any questions so please DON'T email me about this. Everything I know is here but keep coming back to this web page (refresh the page in your browser!) because I'll add more information as I hear about it. Update CORRECTION: You have to phone Sky to get the card activated. (Just for the record, the number on the back of the card is 0870 8500033). Phone connection? Not required and not mandatory but if you have the £150 installation "we will connect the Digibox to your phone line if a socket is available unless you ask us not to". Obviously a phone connection will let you make use of the Interactive Services and I'm fairly sure that you will be able to watch Pay Per View movies, although, curiously, the Sky information doesn't push this point.
Panasonic TU-DSB30 I had an old decoder Panasonic DBS30 which has not been used for 3 years, since moving house. I have carried out a DIY dish install in our current house and all appears to be OK, Good signal strength and quality. Network and Stream ID appear to correct. When I turn the box on, the box tries to download the listings. But it appears as soon as it hooks in to the satellite the decoder goes straight into Standby. On occasion I will get a snipet of the menu background music just as it goes into standby. Ewart As it hasn't been connected, it will still have the early software. Try forcing a software download by holding the front panel "backup" button while reconnecting the mains power supply at the wall socket switch. Continue to hold the "backup" button for 15 seconds then release it. A connection via Scart lead will indicate on the TV screen that software download is proceeding. This will take around 10 minutes. If it doesn't work then that indicates that upgrade is only possible in a fully equipped workshop. See http://www.satcure.co.uk/repairs.htm Just wanted to say thanks. Everything is working great now. Regards, Ewart
Pacesetters Pace Micro Technology announced several new, innovative products at IBC 2004. The company demonstrated Europe's first high-definition personal video recorder (HD PVR), Model TDX840, which has been designed for use with satellite and cable services. It incorporates MPEG-2 decoding, a minimum 16OGB hard-disk drive, and can be configured for all major conditional access (CA) and middleware systems. The TDX840 is to be launched in the second half of 2005 and will provide live recording, pause live TV, fast forward, rewind and time-shift and content for recording and playback at high-resolution rather than standard-definition quality. Pace also displayed a Euro 1080 HD set-top box, Model DS840. Its features include a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) for connection to high-specification displays and projectors, and SP13IF for connection to surroundsound audio systems or hi-fi amplifiers. It has an MPEG-2 decoder, a 300MHz, 420MIPS RISC processor and works with HD video at HP@HL. Other features include a multilingual EPG, a teletext timer for programming VCR and DVD recordings, TV/VCR scart connectors (both with composite or RGB video output), component video outputs, a terrestrial RF loop-through and a USB 1.1 port for software upgrades and data transfer to external devices such as a memory card reader. The DS840 HD digital satellite box is due to go on sale in Europe this December. Pace launched what is claimed to be the world's first mobile PVR for pay-TV, the hand-held Model PVR2GO. It has a 5in. (12.7cm) widescreen display and a 4OGB hard-disk drive. The PVR2GO can also be used for viewing JPEG images and playing games, and as an audio player - it's compatible with MP3 and Windows Media audio files. Other features include integrated speakers, 3D surround sound, a headphone socket, wireless headset provision, an analogue TV output socket plus USB 2.0 and IEEE 1394 ports. Pace has also unveiled an MPEG-4 high-definition set-top box, Model TSX800, with a hard-disk drive for personal video recording. Model DB440 is Pace's second-generation STB based on Windows Media 9. It uses the Windows CE operating system and can handle a full range of Windows Media 9 video and audio material. It also works with Microsoft's Digital Rights Management (DRM) and incorporates a programmable digital signal processor. Initial targets for the DB440 are broadband and internet service providers, for advanced on-demand and interactive TV services. Pace showed digital STBs with integrated GSM, SMS and GPRS wireless return-channel technology. A wireless return channel will enable digital satellite and terrestrial broadcasters to deliver interactive, internet-based services via mobile-phone networks instead of PSTN lines. A multi-room PVR system that enables cable, satellite and IP broadcasters to distribute video content and PVR services to multiple TV sets in a household was demonstrated. It uses wireless, Ethernet or coaxial cable to stream recorded content from a subscriber's hard drive to nonPVR STBs. Model DSR21OF is designed for satellite radio services. It connects with a domestic stereo system to enable free-to-air satellite radio services to be distributed throughout the home. Mobile phone TV Mobile phone TV trials Starting next spring 07 and NTUs broadcast division are to carry out the first UK trial of multi-channel TV to mobile phones. Nine transmitters will be used, covering an area of 120 square km around Oxford. 07 customers will be provided with multimedia mobile phones that incorporate a TV receiver. Those participating will be able to receive sixteen channels devoted to music, sport, news, comedy, soaps, documentary material, drama, cartoons, plus specialist channels including interactive gaming and shopping. The trial will test consumer demand for mobile TV services, the demand for specific types of content and likely viewing habits. It will use the DVB-H transmission standard for handheld devices, which has been designed for lowpower consumption and robust reception. Rohde and Schwarz has introduced a range of DV13-H compatible equipment to encourage the development of such services. It includes transmitters, a data inserter and test and measuring equipment. Since mobile phones have little energy to spare for multimedia reception, DVB-H data is transmitted in bursts instead of continuously. Use of discontinuous transmission (time slicing) enables receivers to power down between bursts, saving up to 90 per cent in energy. The 4k modulation mode ensures reliable mobile reception, even when travelling in a car at high speed. Added flags (TPS bits) indicate which DVB-H features are used by the receiver. When Analogue TV transmissions are switched off (probably starting in 2007 in selected areas) it will leave more bandwidth for this sort of facility. (top)
Sky+ News BSkyB has launched a new service for Sky+ boxes, enabling viewers to record scheduled interactive programmes. The first programme available via the new service was the Sky Sports UEFA Champions League coverage on September 29: viewers were able to record any one of the eight live games. The Sky+ programme planner has been upgraded to provide increased sorting capabilities. Viewers can now sort by A-Z, by programme genre, by recorded programmes still to be viewed, those that have been viewed and those still to be recorded.ln addition Sky+ has been enhanced to make radio recording easier.
ITV News SES Astra has signed a new two-transponder deal with ITV, which already leases three transponders. The additional capacity will be used to expand ITV's digital offering, including more regional and interactive services. SES Astra has also signed a two-transponder contract with Channel 4, which will use the capacity for a variety of digital channels and for interactive TV services. The Astra satellite system currently delivers free-to-air, pay-broadcast and broadband services to over 94 million households in Europe, via DTH or cable transmission. The thirteen satellites transmit over 1,400 analogue and digital TV and radio channels, also multimedia and internet services. (top)
BBC deal with CH4 BBC Broadcast, a commercial arm of the BBC, has won a five-year contract with Channel 4 to provide all its 'access services' - subtitling, audio description and signing. By next January BBC Broadcast will be providing tailored services for Channel 4 from the Broadcast Centre in West London. More than 80 per cent of Channel 4's programming is subtitled for the benefit of those who are deaf or have impaired hearing. Substantial proportions of E4, Film Four and Film Four Weekly are likewise subtitled. With DIT Channel 4 (Freeview) nine per cent of programmes are also audio-described and over three per cent are signed. Audio description is provided for the blind and visually impaired: a voice track is added to describe what is happening on screen, while dialogue, music and sound effects speak for themselves. Invision signing is the translation of a programme's dialogue into BSL (British Sign Language) by an interpreter whose image is superimposed on the broadcast. (top)
Freeview and Free To Air combined Mike Hancox of Satalogue has come up with an interesting Offer: a receiver that combines Freeview (UK digital terrestrial) with FTA satellite reception! Just connect it to a suitable dish and aerial. See this page for a list of programmes and more details: http://www.satalogue.com/section1/page3.htm
New Dishes By popular request we have added the aluminium 80cm and 1m dishes by "Orbital" to our range of products. These are ideal for those of you who live close to the sea and are troubled by salt spray. (top)
Happy Customers
I meant to reply before, expressing my thanks for your swift service and supply of the capacitors. I particularly appreciate the crossing out of my credit card number on the receipt. It's a small gesture, that, in these times, can mean an awful lot and I am very grateful to you for doing that. The capacitors work fine, and I no longer get colour changes on my Grundig Digi box. Thanks once more, Tom
Why did I not come to you in the first place ??? After 2 years I now have all channels as they should be. Had experts in and none picked up the fault. 10 minutes on your web site - 5 minutes fitting the filter - all completed in less than 24 hours fron surfing to viewing. Brilliant - what more can I say. Julian L
Fan Kit installed and everything works fine. Thanks for good service and a very helpful site best regards Bruce D
Thanks for checking but I did receive the link and have downloaded the pdf. Very useful and your site is brilliant. It's really helped me (a complete statellite novice) understand what's involved in trying to get Sky in Switzerland. Janet I
Thanks for your excellent service, I thought 1-3 days meant I was unlikely to get the CT100 cable before the weekend. I was so excited to receive it the next day, that I climbed up to the aerial and rewired it that night after work. Although there was a significant improvement in 'stability' of the signal for freeview and much better signal through to video and TV (for analogue), I think I may have to bite the bullet and go for a 'quality' Satcure high gain aerial. Thanks for an information filled website/ebook, and you may well expect some more business. Alastair J
Sorry for the delay in replying. We had someone trying to hack the system so I've moved all the eBooks to a secure directory on a new server. Delay!!!!! I didn't even ask until 8 o'clock last evening; you replied within 3 hrs on a Friday night!!!! I would have been pleased if you'd come back on Monday. Please let me know when you've downloaded your eBook (or not!) It should work OK but you are the guinea pig. I just got it. Many thanks for an excellent service. Now I know that all those unsolicited testimonials for you are true :-) Terry C
(top) Note: Mediabullet has moved servers From Radio Bullet ( http://www.mediabullet.co.uk/radio/ ): From Sky Digi Online ( http://www.mediabullet.co.uk/skydigital ): (top)
eBook Updates - All eBooks have been moved to a secure server which requires a username and password. Please contact Sales with your original Order number and ask for the new download information, stating exactly which eBook(s) you purchased and the EBK number.
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