PRACTICAL solutions to loss of TV Reception

[widge]

I thought a VPN was something to do with ladies attire

[pickwick]

Hi Bruce

In order to get your UK Smart TV to work and give you all the channels you will need to instal a FlashRouter with a VPN package pre-installed in line after your exising router but before your TV connection. The best set up is the following:-

Cable in from your existing internet supplier to their supplied router, network cable to new wireless Asus router (see below) with VPN preconfigured, cable from this to your wired network (or if no network) to your smart TV. This will mean your TV will think it is in the UK and will get you all the channels you cureently cannot get and if you have iPad etc you can connect wirelessly to the new router and get BBC i-Player etc.

A great fast router is the ASUS RT-N66U and you can get it and a fast VPN package from http://strongvpn.com/packages_portugal.shtml . I think the router is about 300US$ and the fast VPN is 55US$ per annum. You can also buy this and other routers from PC World etc (Asus is £109). VPN Routers are defined as routers loaded with DD-WRT or Tomato firmware so make sure you get the correct type. If you buy your own router Strong VPN can configure it over the internet for you on site.

Hope this helps

Pickwick

[EMM]

Is there something so simple that all you need to do is plug it in an turn on !!!

[sasha1]

Hi,

This is question for Pickwick please. Is the spanish service provider, that you will be getting your Tv channels through, legitimate? ie will they be around for a long time or might they too be taken to court? I want to find a legal, long term solution but I'm finding it a mine-field! Also did you have to pay the monthly 18 euro subscription a year up front?

Many thanks for your help.

[sunman]

has anyone ever tried satellite internet?

[RichardHenshall]

I have trialled unblock-us.com (for free, no card details required) today.

It merely ( ) involves changing the DNS, either on your (normal) router or on the individual devices. I changed the DNS setting on my Humax Foxsat HDR and am able to use iPlayer on channel 901, with much better picture quality (using the higher resolution option) than available from my Tesco Hudl's iPlayer app with HDMI connection.

I only suffered buffering when trying to download one program to the Hudl at the same time as trying to watch another on the Foxsat.

An Ookla speedtest says I'm getting 5 Mbps download.

[pickwick]

Hi sasha1

I have no idea if they are legal or not but as I will be paying Projection Dreams (a Portuguese Lda) I am not worried in the short term. I will be paying monthly so the most I can lose is one months sub which I will demand back pro rata if the service stops!

As a back up plan I am looking at the following VPN to a UK server set up and then a subscription from a UK IPTV licenced legal supplier (NOW TV for example):- (see below from an earler post).

In order to get your UK Smart TV to work and give you all the channels you will need to instal a FlashRouter with a VPN package pre-installed in line after your exising router but before your TV connection. The best set up if you have fast internet is the following:-

Cable in from your existing internet supplier to their supplied router, network cable from existing router to new wireless ASUS router (see below) with VPN pre-configured, cable from this to your wired network (or if no network) to your smart TV. This will mean your TV will think it is in the UK and will get you all the channels you curently cannot get and if you have iPad etc you can connect wirelessly to the new router and get BBC i-Player etc.

A great fast router is the ASUS DSL-N55U N600 and you can get it and a fast HideMyAss VPN package from http://strongvpn.com/packages_portugal.shtml . I think the router is about 300US$ and the fast VPN is 55US$ per annum. You can also buy this and other routers from PC World etc (ASUS is £89). VPN Routers are defined as routers loaded with DD-WRT or Tomato firmware so make sure you get the correct type. If you buy your own router Strong VPN can configure it over the internet for you on site. The VPN will probably half your download speed but for me 24mbps down to 12mbps will still be fast enough for streaming live TV and using the internet on one or two devices etc all at the same time.

Pickwick

[shanagarry]

Does all this mean that the bars showing live football across The Algarve will not now be able to do so?

I ask this because there was a situation in the UK a few years ago where football was being received from Eastern European source. There was a case of a Portsmouth pub being sued by SKY and the pub won. While football is not the prime requirement of those wanting British TV - is there a way to tap into this source.

While we were in Cvo recently, I saw a leaflet advertising British channels from a Scandanavian provider. Those leaflets were around the bar in Gramacho.

It's clear to see that Pickwick has carried out a lot of research with results that look very complicated and potentially expensive. Will there be a legal solution from the usual suspects any time soon - probably not - in the meantime - you might have to talk to each other

[pickwick]

Hi Shannagary

Not very expensive at only 18€ per month and after installation as easy to use as Sky etc. The problem for everyone ( bars too) is that the satellite signal no longer reaches the Algarve. Game over.

Pickwick

[cumbria sue]

The Portugal news have an article giving solutions etc about what you can do

[EMM]

Pickwick, as it as another IPTV box albeit as you believe better than some on the market if we already have a good internet service do we need Meo ?

[pickwick]

Hi EMM

No you do not need MEO. I am waiting for MEO to install as I can get a minimum of 12Mbps (perhaps 24Mbps) with unlimited downloads v my existing 5.5Mbps with a limit of 15GB per month. You need unlimited downloads to stream live TV.

Pickwick

Pickwick

[Farol]

€18 per month is a lot if you don't pay anything for Freesat currently. Add on to that the cost of the internet connection if you don't currently have one plus the cost of any new boxes and the costs start to rack up.

I have 2 dishes, one pointed at 19 degrees and one at 28 degrees plus a Portuguese set top box.

I am not worried about tenants nor watching English soaps. My main TV interest when I am in the Algarve is Sky News plus an occasional english programme of some sort. There are often english language programmes (films and National Geographic type stuff) on Portuguese channels and if I wanted more I would go back to watching DVDs. I also think that watching Portuguese news and quiz shows helps to improve my Portuguese language skills.

Does anybody know which satellites transmit Sky News UK unencrypted with a footprint that could be watched in the Algarve?

Sky News used to be on the satellite at 19 degrees but I think they stopped that transmission a couple of years ago.

[pickwick]

Hi Farol

See below original post.

Pickwick

PRACTICAL solutions to loss of TV Reception
by Bruce Wallis » Sat Feb 08, 2014 9:35 pm

The loss of UK Satellite TV reception is now a given.

The are several solutions being touted in the Algarve News etc.
Is anybody yet aware of a reasonable clean replacement for the existing SKY service? ie something that doesn't depend on the individuals PC or tablet.

Many of us need to find a foolproof solution.

Any ideas folks?

[shanagarry]

Does anybody know which satellites transmit Sky News UK unencrypted with a footprint that could be watched in the Algarve?

Having followed this thread since the beginning - I believe the answer for now is No

I suspect there will be some form of solution find its way there - especially as the bars will have to find something to pull people in