ASTRA 2F Satellite

[joeysoap]

So the Mayans were correct, the end of the world is nigh!!! ( but they were out by a few months)

[EMM]

Sky broadcasts on a different beam ( Pan European ) at the moment, what is not known is when the moves to the new sats takes place will it continue with this or do as Freesat and use a UK defined spot beam.
If a spot beam then the same potential loss of channels will apply to SkY.
Owners should prepare from lots of calls from guests this summer.

[EMM]

Just to add to the last post , I have been told that the main UK channels BBC/ITV etc when transferred to the new sat could be lost to Sky subscribers anyway. Chanel 5 and some others have already gone . Confused !!!

[laserblazer]

FROM THE BBC'S BLOG
Changes to BBC satellite transponders in 2013
I’m conscious that there is currently some speculation about the timing of forthcoming moves of BBC services between satellites and the reason for these changes. So I thought you would appreciate it if I set the record straight. The quick answer is that, as a result of SES’s fleet replacement programme, BBC services will move in the second half of 2013.

Regular readers will recall that in February 2012, SES retired Astra 2D and BBC services moved to a new temporary home on Astra 1N. Astra 1N is due to take up its permanent position in 2013 (19°East), so the BBC’s services will move to their new permanent home on Astra 2E (28.2°East) when that becomes operational. SES expects Astra 2E to launch in Q2 2013, so we currently expect to transition BBC services to it during summer 2013.

Some of you have also noticed that we commissioned a new transponder (which we call DSat8) in the autumn. It moved from its temporary home on Astra 1N to its permanent position on Astra 2F at the end of November 2012. DSat8 is still in a testing phase but in the coming months it will be used to broadcast BBC One Scotland HD and BBC One Wales HD as we complete the programme of providing all Nations programming in glorious HD. We’ll be publishing the details of DSat8 on our satellite reception advice page when the services launch.

I hope that clarifies the timings of moves and also that the moves relate to the SES fleet replacement programme, rather than any BBC strategy to change its footprint. That said, the new transponders do have a slightly different footprint, so I’ll explain a bit about that, and why the changes are no cause for concern for the BBC in our requirement to ensure that the BBC’s domestic services are readily accessible to people living in the UK.

In all likelihood the move of BBC services from 1N to their new permanent homes will have no impact on UK households. Astra 2E and 2F have the same, tighter but slightly more powerful UK spot beams which means that UK households should get a slightly stronger signal. So if you happened to be on the edge of coverage, you will hopefully get more reliable reception.

The overspill of the BBC’s services will be reduced so viewers outside the UK will find it even harder to receive them. I know that this causes unhappiness to some of you living outside the UK. However, it is entirely appropriate because the BBC domestic services are for people living in the UK only.

For viewers outside the UK, BBC Worldwide offers a number of channels which are available in various territories. These include BBC Entertainment, BBC Knowledge, BBC Lifestyle, CBeebies along with BBC World News throughout Europe and the rest of the world.

I hope the detail above helps you to understand a bit more about the changes coming in the second half of 2013 and the reason for them. Finally, thank you to SES for the lovely pictures of Astra 2F.

Alix Pryde is Director, BBC Distribution
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/aboutthebbc/ ... rs-in-2013

Read more: http://astra2.proboards.com/index.cgi#ixzz2F8EFtoyc

So, we should be able to get BBC Entertainment, BBC Worldwide and Cebeebies, so there's no real problem.

[EMM]

I looked at Robs satellites site and once you get below Lisbon there it does not show a dish size that will give recption in the Algarve.

True ?? or has he forgotten us ??

[ron5000]

All the bbc channels disappeared off my meo box this week

[joeysoap]

So, we should be able to get BBC Entertainment, BBC Worldwide and Cebeebies, so there's no real problem.

but exactly where will you get them

[laserblazer]

Not sure but I've asked Mark at Skyrealm.

[EMM]

To be fair to Mark and almost anyone else in the business they will not know much will anyone until the transfers to the Astra 2f and 2E are completed by the middle of next year.
Report on another forum that a 4mtr giant sat near lagos does not pick up the new Astra 2f sat.
There are suggestions that there are obscure alternative sats which carry UK signals up there or that you can download your favourites to watch the day after etc etc.

[md 600 driver]

i didnt want to reply to this thread as it emms but as usual she has got wrong end of the stick so i thought i would add my 10 pennorth

the sat service at 28 degrees uses lots of satellites on each satelitte there is a number of spot beams facing towards specific points in europe some are focused on the uk and some are focused on other countrys
the program makers rent their transponder slots from astra and eutelsat [28.2%] dependent on their requirements and geograpical coverage required ,i cant remember the total transponders numbers but their are a lot

untill the satellite goes live you wont know the coverage but their will be loads of english speaking programs left remember this is just one of the satellites and things will always be changing as these services get moved around for operational reasons just like yorkshire itv being good one month then it changed to midlands being good proberbley the best bbc and itv to get will be he channel islands offering after the satellites have swaped over

so dont go out and buy new kit untill its all transmitting properley as you may end up buying new dishes that you dont require or worse still wont work remember not all english program providers want to transmit soley to uk they also want a european service too

steve

[Polli62]

I have already got my skybox tuned to Channel Isles BBC1 & ITV excellent picture with no break up, even when weather is bad, think they are still broadcasting on Astra 1N until change-over later next summer to 2F, hope the reception is still as good when satellite does change.Shall panic when the need arises.

[steve]

I can tune my freesat box by the choose of postcode that I put in but with a Sky box the only tuning I am aware of is via the additional channels menu. This can cause a problem for Sky+ because you cannot programme recordings form the additional channels. There are other BBC channels on the EPG which can be used for programmed recording but the ITV channel you receive is determined by Sky based on where they think you live.

[Polli62]

I am not sure how my skybox (basic one not sky+) was tuned into Channel Isles BBC & ITV as the sat guy did it, but it automatically goes to these channels when switched on, so not sure whether its been done through the adding other channels option or not. He also messed about with the dish & lnb so whether that's got anything to do with it I don't know.Not very techie minded.

[steve]

If the BBC and ITV channels appear on the normal menu (EPG) and not through the additional channels menu then the guy who set it up has told Sky something which makes them see the box as located in the Channel Isles.I have had several Sky boxes which I bought second hand and their basic BBC and ITV channels varied according to where the box had been originally registered with Sky. If you are not using Sky+ it is easy enough to tune in several alternative ITV channels on additional channels and switch to these to view if necessary.

[pointersister]

The secret is not to panic xxx