THE BIG SWITCH OFF…

The possibility of losing British Freeview in Spain

This has been much talked about since the first news in about July 2012 that the current Astra 2D satellite was to be moved/switched, and we would all suddenly lose our Brit TV overnight.

You can imagine the uproar and horror of those who have got used to UK TV in the sun.

There has been much speculation and scare mongering about the alternatives (if this were to happen.)

Currently we nearly all have a Sky Digi box, a satellite dish and we get Freesat (courtesy of Sky, who elects to include Freeview channels on their satellite.)

(Some people have a normal ‘Freesat box’ and dish, but the signal comes from the same source.)

There are currently four satellites in operation:  (Astra 2A, 2F, 1N and Eutelsat 28A) and  the new Astra 2E that everyone is talking about.  Sky will have to move to a new satellite in the very near future from their existing one. But as yet, know one knows which one. (Hence we do not know what channels will be lost.) The reason for such speculation on what may/not be going to happen is that a new satellite, Astra 2E (which MAY be the final choice for Sky/other channels) has finally been launched (after a delay post the Russian rocket explosion,) and it is now up there and being tested. The actual date, and which channels might be lost in Spain, is still as yet ‘undisclosed.’ (The reason for the potential loss of signal/channels is that the owners of this new satellite have chosen to make the footprint (the digital beam that we receive this end on the ground), will be narrower, thus cutting off virtually everyone outside the UK.  (This is only speculation, and we still don’t know whether other parts of Northern Europe (France, Italy etc,) might still be able to pick up the signal.) There are also other use able satellites up there 2F and 2G. It is quite possible that Sky will move to 2E, 2F and 2G.   

I have also been advised that 2A will also be retired and its channels moving to the new satellites, may be 2G in 2014

(NB It has always been a ‘grey area’ regarding receiving a broadcast outside of the UK, but we have enjoyed the fact that it has been there for around 9 years.)

So; The first switch to new signal testing happened back in December 2012, and most of us on the Costa del Sol lost Channel 5, USA etc (except those who have a Sky Subscription and HD, and still received Channel 5 on HD. Our friends in the Costa Blanca gained, and suddenly could now receive channel 5, and also a smaller dish became OK to receive the Freeview.

 (Second NB; The continued reception of Sky in Spain is still a ‘grey area.’ Many people already pay a Sky Subscription to get their up to date movies, and live sport, but many of us also just like the BBC/ITV etc that is on the Freesat.)

Let me say here; Even when the Freesat channels move (BBC/ITV etc) SKY WILL STILL BE AVAILABLE. So people who pay a subscription, for movies or sport, will still receive those as usual. Nothing is expected to happen to these as although Sky is moving their signal to the new satellite but we hope they do not intend to cut the current beam.) If we are very lucky, Sky may retain some of the ITV channels, (ie.ITV2HD, ITV3HD AND ITV4HD as they are already a part of the Sky subscription package,) so it will just be the BBC and ITV (1) channels we will need to source.(And any others if they are lost?) But of course all of this is still speculation! (As I say, this is still an unknown - I have only heard 'rumours' that ITV will be staying on the Sky platform. But there is also the possibility that this may go too. So it might be the two main channels that we have to look for alternatives.) NB This is speculation only. An educated guess, but not guaranteed. 
Just to clarify here (from what I have read - and it is not a guarantee...)... We have already lost on Sky viewing channel - 5. But HD remained. So what I am trying to say is (as we really don't know until it happens), is there is a POSSIBILITY that some HD channels will remain. (Hopefully the ones people want to watch.) 

I am going to set out below the possible alternatives (some which people are already testing/using as they want to be ‘prepared.’) There is no right way or wrong way. If you read carefully each one has pluses and minuses. At the end of the day it will be down to what limitations you have regarding your INTERNET capabilities, and then it will be a matter of personal choice as to which system you chose.

I will try to avoid using too much technical jargon, as this is really intended as an overview for the end user.

(There are many technical pages out there. I will make a separate post with some links for those who are interested.)

1)      Sky Digital Satellite – This will be staying! It might just mean the system being limited to the ‘sky  owned’ channels. We very much hope though, they will at least keep the ITV channels and we only have to find a solution for BBC viewing. Sky is a dish, a cable into the house and a box to read the channel/view the other end (connected to the TV of course.) It is a fairly stable system, with only occasional issues in bad weather. It has also been the mainstay of Ex Pat viewing for the past 9 years or more.

2)      IPTV (Internet Protocol TV) – This is likely the way forward, but only possible if you have a good internet signal! (Sadly this is a bug bear for the majority of us in Spain.) We are probably around 15 years behind Northern Europe, and their infrastructure of Fiber Optic and fast internet cables. There is much talk about upgrading/keeping up here but, as anyone who has lived here for a while will know, ‘manana’ could be well into the next decade! So we just have to work with what we have, and expect to be disappointed in some cases. NB I don’t like to be negative, but I am also a realist.

There are 3  TYPES OF IPTV: or 4 if you  include VPN (see below)

2a)       Via your home computer/laptop: If you are technically minded, and don’t mind ‘streaming’ (getting video/sound into your home) via your computer and internet connection, and are prepared to fiddle and run back and forth (although of course one can set up a laptop beside the TV and, using the correct cables, view on the TV screen.) Then you just need to find the correct website to download/watch from, and away you go. If, however, you want to watch live UK TV, or even catch up, you are likely to need a VPN* (see below.) There are currently plenty of free channels/sites where you can find movies etc. But the main TV channel companies are always fighting to get these stopped. (Film-on for example has been on and off these past few months whilst a court case goes back and forth.)

2b)       A mini computer that is small, lightweight and will take out the need for a home computer (once you have configured it to your required settings.) Such as the ‘Raspberry Pi’ . It has limited storage capacity due to its size, (i.e there is no inbuilt hard drive), but if you love to fiddle with computer stuff and are prepared to learn, you can use it to stream video (instead of a laptop/PC.) You can then connect to your TV, and change channels via your mobile smart phone etc. (There is no facility for a standard remote with this credit card sized computer!)

2c) There are also a whole range of other ‘consoles/smart phones’ etc that can also receive a video stream. I am not going into these as they are not my area of expertise. Eg: Sony Playstation 3, X box Wii. WDTV Live. Smart phone. Etc. (Tip; we are moving into WiFi streaming so, if you really want to view this way, and you are buying a new TV or computer, make sure it has WiDi built in.)

2c)  Android Media Hubs:  Basically this is a box that connects to your TV (like the current ‘digi set top box’.) They are quite a bit smaller, but they do a similar job, except the signal is received via internet and not the satellite dish/cable.) There are many brands out there and you can purchase either as a basic box only (some sell the remote as an accessory/extra!)… and programme it yourself, or you can pay a bit more and have it pre-programmed. (See XBMC software below.) You can also pay for a subscription to have guaranteed programmes (see more below.)

Some boxes that are currently on sale:  Mag 250D, Minix, Roku to name a few.

I WOULD LIKE TO SAY HERE THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF MIS-INFORMATION regarding these Android Boxes. Sadly on the Costas we are all used to spotting the ‘latest scam,’ and sometimes shout before we know enough about ‘new offers.’  As someone who has taken the time to learn a little more about what the offers are (that are seen daily on the Facebook pages and elsewhere,) I can say, hand on heart, if you read the Terms and Conditions you will soon see exactly what you are being offered.  (I will cover this in more detail below.)

Options B & C above will require the following software (for example) to make the box do what you want it to do (i.e video streaming.)  XBMC. The good thing about this software is that it’s a free and open source media player application, developed by the XBMC Foundation, which is a non-profit technology consortium. (Unlike Apple who have limited their applications to their own technology.)

Of course all these options above rely on an INTERNET CONNECTION. As I touched on briefly, the fact we are in Spain means we are at a disadvantage with the current state of technology. If you are in, or near, a large city and Fiber Optic internet is an option, then you are (hopefully) not going to have any of the issues the rest of us are facing.

The Facts for watching IPTV:

To stream/watch video of any kind via an IPTV system you will need a MINIMUM of 2 mbps (mega bits per second) absolute minimum for SD (Standard Definition) TV.    (If you don’t want to be constantly losing the quality/image.) If you are planning to watch HD (High definition) it needs to be 6 mbps or more.

The more mbps you have the better, and less chances of having your viewing interrupted/ruined.

But remember, this system is open to many ‘changeable factors.’ If everyone in your street wants to watch TV at the same time, you are very likely experience reduced speed, and could even lose the video stream totally. We think! This is yet still to be put to the test!

Eg; We pay for 10 mbps (mega bits per second) download from Telefonica/Movistar. But in reality we only ever get a maximum of 7mbps (which some people would say is still great for Spain.) However, even though I know there are very few in our street who actually own a computer, the speed can go below 1 mbp at peak times. (To check your download speed, go to this link:  http://www.speedtest.net/ Test it at various times in the day and night and at peak times. I think you will be surprised how much it fluctuates!)

THERE IS NO WAY TO CONTROL THIS! It is what it is!

Some friends who already download movies to watch later, do it via their computer in the middle of the night, so they can watch a movie in peace the following day.  (I for one do not want to do this, unless I really have no choice!)

The other factor with the current internet connection is which provider you use. You need to read the small print of the ‘Fair Useage Policy.’ Although you may have been sold an ‘UNLIMITED DOWNLOAD’ package, in reality there will be some ‘small print.’  I have checked with Telefonica, and ours is what it says it is. We could, in theory watch TV all day, every day, and it is included in our package. (Note; many other providers will cap the useage, and if you exceed this, you will be paying per mega bit thereafter. So please read the small print!)

A NOTE ON THE HYSTERIA regarding the ‘Mis-selling’ of Android Boxes.

You can choose to:

A.      Buy a basic box (nothing loaded on it) from Amazon, EBay/ANother supplier, and pay around 80GBP (Eu 93 approx). You will then have to hook it up to a computer, follow the steps to load Software (such as XBMC) and likely do several other things before you have it connected to your TV, and are viewing in comfort.

B.      Buy a box with everything pre-installed for you. (Off EBay, or one of the many ads you see on our local Facebook pages or English language freebie newspapers).  The prices seem to be from 180GBP (Eu 200) up to 300Eu in some cases. Ok; What are you getting for your money.

NB THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF ONE AD I HAVE SEEN:  27 UK TV and Radio stations. These have all been programmed into the box (which takes time,) the XBMC software will have been installed too. If you are lucky, you will get a remote and a HDMI cable (which are not automatically included with some basic boxes.) These WILL WORK as long as those channels continue to be available FREE.    What you have paid for is an engineer to take all the donkey-work out for you. There is however, no back up, and no guarantees. You will only be able to view these programmes free as long as they continue to be available from that source.

Option B will have pre-loaded existing sources where you can currently view these channels free. However, as things never stay (or rarely!) stay static, there is no guarantee whatsoever that these sources will continue to give you free TV/Radio. If these sources are shut down, move, or something else, you will be stuck with just the channels that are still available.  Please note I am not a mind reader (or I would be making millions at something else!) but I do know that things come and go. (Usually when a large company realizes it is ‘losing out on revenue,’ and takes website X to court, and tries to get the ‘illegal’ streaming shut down. Case in point the ‘Film-on’ dispute that is ongoing.)

Worst case scenario, and you lost most of your pre-programmed channels, you could either fix it yourself (by downloading new ones that do work,) or go and find someone who might be able to do this for you.

C.      Buy a box, pre-programmed (with XBMC/other software installed) for around Eu200 – 300. PLUS A MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTION. (From around Eu15 pcm, depending on what package you choose.) 

      So why a monthly subscription for something we have already said, in B, is FREE? 

 Important Note: Your monthly subscription is to pay one of the various companies who offer their own private SERVERS that feed in and out the TV channels.

(It’s the equivalent of the Sky subscription, which many people currently pay to get sky sport and movie channels.)

PLEASE BEWARE AND DO YOUR RESEARCH. You are best to go for an established, or recommended supplier. (We all know there are a lot of chancers out there!)

These companies earn their money by being reliable. They stream in the TV, via their own system, and you are paying for the technology behind that too. (There is always research going on to keep up with the changes, and to keep providing you with the reliability you want.)

These companies will likely offer a catch up service too, so should the internet speed in your street have been ‘too slow’ during the live transmission of programme X, you can watch it later at your leisure, or even download it to a memory stick to watch when you want/know there are going to be no interruptions.

NB Again as with any IPTV box, it’s only as good as your internet connection/speed. There may be times of the day when you cannot watch your favourite programme live, due to the demand on the system in your area.

3.   VPN

There are two types of VPN (Virtual Private Network) out there (well three if you count the first.)

A VPN blocks your IP (Internet Provider) address and replaces it with another.  Officially if you are in Spain, you are not supposed to have access to BBC or the i-player. So you pay for a VPN service which has a UK IP address. (Problem solved.) 

a)      A ‘Free’ VPN download. But I am very sure it might be full of bugs and you are putting your computer at risk.

b)      A paid for/cheap VPN, say 5USD a month. But I have not tried these and don’t think I would be tempted.

c)      A fully paid up VPN service. Usually from Eu15pcm.  These companies will provide you all the UK TV channels you want (and more depending on level of package you pay for.)

Two choices to view streaming via the VPN.

d)     Buy a dedicated router for the purpose. (I am just trying one of these out. It is connected to my main Telefonica router, a cable runs across to the TV in the other room, (It could of course be done wirelessly, but personally I prefer to use a cable.) With this option you do NOT HAVE TO HAVE YOUR COMPUTER SWITCHED ON, or connected to the dedicated VPN router.  You just put the Ethernet cable into the box, connect the router to your TV and away you go! 

4. There is a FOURTH option – that virtually no one has discussed/is talking about (save one local engineer who does not mind sharing his knowledge.)

a.  Spanish Digital TV – This can be received with a basic ariel and a Digital TV set up (you can buy a small ‘TDT’ box to convert your old TV to receive digital signal too.) Some channels can be programmed to give ‘Original Version’ language. So if a movie for example is an American or English speaking one – you just select the English version!

b. Likewise (but a more expensive option) Spanish digital satellite service. This is probably out of the reach of most at Eu60 pcm subscription, but there are many more films in English and you can always put English subtitles on too.

(Tiny bite size of history of Spanish satellite services. Back in the late 90’s – before Sky came to Spain, there was a company called ‘Via Digital’ that signed up any Expat who wanted to watch BBC/English channels – as they were sending it out via their system. Many were happy to have this system/pay a subscription – until they cut all the English channels and finally went bust.)

NOTE – There is also another alternative. One that will not be affected by any of the above. It is the Tooway satellite system. This is a smaller, private company, who have their own Satellite, and sell a dish & receiver to get your signal. However, it is based on data usage, and even if you took out the highest download package they currently have, it would still be prohibitively expensive for the majority.

So… to conclude. What should you do? Right now I would suggest NOTHING – Until we know what changes are going to happen. It is likely something will change, but why spend time, money and effort setting up a new system, when you don’t know if the current one will change to the degree you are going to miss your favourite programmes.  This said trying out the IPTV systems for example to see if they will work on your home internet system now will prepare you ahead of the rest 'should' something change.  Worst case scenario (if you get one of the free trial packages that are out there at present), you will have spent some time setting it up and trying it out. No harm in having a ‘Plan B’ should some programmes disappear!

Happy Viewing!  

© Susan James 2013. You are welcome to share this article for free to help others. But if you intend to publish for profit – please make sure you have my permission first! https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100007162779107  Susan James (in Malaga)  Facebook

Ps - 3rd December 2013 - some minor editing done to the piece - as some good feedback from

Sat and PC Guy...