Freesat Postcode.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2012
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From: spacetime
Freesat Postcode.
Moved to E Sussex two years ago from London and still like to watch the London local news on the beeb. Hence I still tell my TV my old London postcode. Last Saturday my LG TV did a software update and decided my TV was telling lies, and therefore deleted channel 101. Took me a while to figure out what was going on, and so re-entered my London postcode [which had been deleted]. If I can successfully con my tv that I still live in London, what was the measure taken to delete the channel and why? 
Joined: Apr 2008
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From: Passed away on Sept 6th
Think it's that your machine gets its location info from the terrestial transmitter you are close to. When it updated it also updated location.
Sometimes it gets it "wrong". My tv thinks I'm in the W. Midlands, so if I'm watching terrestrial I get Brummie news. Now I'm sure they're wonderful people in Brum, but...
Must get out the (digital) handbook when I can be bothered.
Sometimes it gets it "wrong". My tv thinks I'm in the W. Midlands, so if I'm watching terrestrial I get Brummie news. Now I'm sure they're wonderful people in Brum, but...
Must get out the (digital) handbook when I can be bothered.
Joined: Dec 2013
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From: Norfolk
The TV updated its channel guide from the local multiplex system. Your local TV transmitter obviously covers parts of both East Sussex and London, so both local news broadcasts are carried, but the default in your area is to receive the broadcast for East Sussex. The TV possibly just latched onto the strongest signal being received locally, or perhaps East Sussex came up first because it would be ahead of London in an alphabetical index. At least you have the option to select which channel you want to view.
Similar systems seem to operate when using BBC iPlayer software on a computer. It tries to determine your location from the internet address and may refuse to play programmes from other regional areas, or if you are using a virtual private network (VPN), that allows you to pretend to be anywhere in the world, as far as the computer and internet are concerned.
Similar systems seem to operate when using BBC iPlayer software on a computer. It tries to determine your location from the internet address and may refuse to play programmes from other regional areas, or if you are using a virtual private network (VPN), that allows you to pretend to be anywhere in the world, as far as the computer and internet are concerned.
Joined: Dec 2013
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From: Norfolk
ImageGear
In a word, no.
the digital cheannels are broadcast in interleaved digital clumps on two or three discrete frequencies. You can only receive the channels that are encoded and broadcast locally.
Depending on your TV antenna set up and receiver type, you could receive multiplex broadcasts from more distant transmitters which will mirror most of the national channels available locally, but with different localised programming available from the more distant multiplex broadcast.
Not like the old analogue days, where you could tune across the entire band and pick up other regions or even continental TV broadcasts (although the sound was at a different spacing from the video signal than in the UK, so you got picture, or sound).
In a word, no.
the digital cheannels are broadcast in interleaved digital clumps on two or three discrete frequencies. You can only receive the channels that are encoded and broadcast locally.
Depending on your TV antenna set up and receiver type, you could receive multiplex broadcasts from more distant transmitters which will mirror most of the national channels available locally, but with different localised programming available from the more distant multiplex broadcast.
Not like the old analogue days, where you could tune across the entire band and pick up other regions or even continental TV broadcasts (although the sound was at a different spacing from the video signal than in the UK, so you got picture, or sound).
Joined: Dec 2013
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From: UK
I'm confused by all the suggestions here. How can gemma's FREESAT TV update itself from its local multiplex system when the dish is pointing at the Astra satellite? How can it get its location info from the local terrestial transmitter? Surely all the answers here are for Freeview not Freesat or am I missing something?
Joined: Dec 2013
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From: Norfolk
Democritus
Well spotted!
The responses did refer mostly to the system used to identify local programming for terrestrial DVB broadcasts. FREESAT relies on a telephone link and/or personal registration details to identify suitable local programming for your location. Virtually all media providers require some form of registration for administrative purposes, although this is really used primarily to target you with directed advertising, junk mail, and spam emails. If no area can be identified for some reason, I believe the default setting is London.
Well spotted!
The responses did refer mostly to the system used to identify local programming for terrestrial DVB broadcasts. FREESAT relies on a telephone link and/or personal registration details to identify suitable local programming for your location. Virtually all media providers require some form of registration for administrative purposes, although this is really used primarily to target you with directed advertising, junk mail, and spam emails. If no area can be identified for some reason, I believe the default setting is London.
Joined: Aug 2001
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From: UK
FREESAT relies on a telephone link and/or personal registration details to identify suitable local programming for your location .......
Sky gives you the option of watching any BBC region you want.
Joined: Dec 2013
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From: UK
Same with my Humax Freesat HDR - no telephone link nor registration. If I move house I just replace my old postcode with the new one.
Joined: Mar 2008
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From: Malvern, UK
As already mentioned the FREESAT box has no link to terrestrial transmitters and no need for an internet link (unless you choose to connect it thus).
What is far more likely in this case is the the FREESAT box was doing some dynamic reallocation of channels and got confused.
101 should be BBC1 for you selected (postcode) region. It is a re-allocation from the channel numbers in the 900+ series. These are often re-arranged - for example when one of the BBC regions upgrades to HD. This is when things may go wrong for your box.
Incidentally there are two ASTRA satellites up there at the same focus. ASTRA have in fact been playing musical chairs with the satellites at this focus for a few years now. Channels have been switching across between these satellites also. This is another reason why your box may get confused
What is far more likely in this case is the the FREESAT box was doing some dynamic reallocation of channels and got confused.
101 should be BBC1 for you selected (postcode) region. It is a re-allocation from the channel numbers in the 900+ series. These are often re-arranged - for example when one of the BBC regions upgrades to HD. This is when things may go wrong for your box.
Incidentally there are two ASTRA satellites up there at the same focus. ASTRA have in fact been playing musical chairs with the satellites at this focus for a few years now. Channels have been switching across between these satellites also. This is another reason why your box may get confused
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2012
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From: spacetime
Democritus, well spotted, I was beginning to think I didnt think it through properly
DHU I Think you may be correct. Remember also the tv is connected to the net and a software tv update has decided that ch101 in sussex is not allowed. Why? One reason could be due to the tv also knowing I`m in sussex because of info I inputted for Amazon tv.
If I want to watch local news then that is on ch959
DHU I Think you may be correct. Remember also the tv is connected to the net and a software tv update has decided that ch101 in sussex is not allowed. Why? One reason could be due to the tv also knowing I`m in sussex because of info I inputted for Amazon tv.
If I want to watch local news then that is on ch959
Joined: Nov 2015
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From: Here
DHU I Think you may be correct. Remember also the tv is connected to the net and a software tv update has decided that ch101 in sussex is not allowed. Why? One reason could be due to the tv also knowing I`m in sussex because of info I inputted for Amazon tv.
If I want to watch local news then that is on ch959
If I want to watch local news then that is on ch959
If your Freesat box is not connected to the internet (My Humax Freesat box for example isn't as there is no reason for it to be connected to the outside world) then the telly can 'think' what it likes and it will not affect anything because it only has a video connection to your Freesat box, there is no 'intelligent' connection between the two.
Generally you will have two satellite feeds going into the Freesat box and and a single HDMI lead between the Freesat box and the telly.
Joined: Dec 2013
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From: Norfolk
I think that what it ultimately comes down to is that the broadcasters want to restrict their audience in some cases for copyright reasons. They also want to have a decently reliable assessment of viewing figures so they can charge advertisers the appropriate amount.
The BBC is available across the UK essentially free, provided you have a TV licence, but the BBC charge other countries for the right to rebroadcast their programs. Satellites have antennas designed to restrict programmes to certain regions, even though they could easily and more cheaply cover the whole of Europe with a simpler antenna design.
It all comes down to how much money these systems can generate, as was always the case. As I recall, quite a few pubs installed large satellite dishes to receive football match broadcasts intended for continental Europe as the decoder cards were much cheaper than Sky's offerings in the UK. Lots of money ended up being paid to Sky by said pubs by the time Sky's lawyers had dragged them through the courts.
It's all about money. Even PPRuNe has adverts!
The BBC is available across the UK essentially free, provided you have a TV licence, but the BBC charge other countries for the right to rebroadcast their programs. Satellites have antennas designed to restrict programmes to certain regions, even though they could easily and more cheaply cover the whole of Europe with a simpler antenna design.
It all comes down to how much money these systems can generate, as was always the case. As I recall, quite a few pubs installed large satellite dishes to receive football match broadcasts intended for continental Europe as the decoder cards were much cheaper than Sky's offerings in the UK. Lots of money ended up being paid to Sky by said pubs by the time Sky's lawyers had dragged them through the courts.
It's all about money. Even PPRuNe has adverts!
Joined: Nov 2015
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From: Here
You don't need to be connected to the the internet to receive Freeview or Freesat. (Mine is only connected to the internet to enable us to use internet telly services such as Netflix etc)
