10275 Freeview channels in Lecco area

Can anyone help. Our old TV gave up the ghost the other day and in a fit of madness our son purchased a new Sharp TV with a built-in digital freeview receiver. However, when we don't seem to be able to get any freeview channels although the normal terestrial channels are OK. We are in Balabio, a small mountain village above Lecco. Do I need to get a new aerial or is it that Freeview reception is restricted in parts of italy. Is there a web site that give details of freeeview reception. Advice etc will be much appreciated.:veryconfused:
[I][B]Irishrover[/B][/I]

Category
Cost of living - Utility Services

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 08/26/2008 - 14:12

How old is your aerial?If it is old you may need a new one.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 08/26/2008 - 14:19

Thanks for the quick response PAS 55.
The aerial is a communal one on the roof of our appartments. I suspect that it has been there at least 15 years.
I check with the administrator regarding a replacement.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 08/26/2008 - 16:05

I'm up at the top of Lake Como (near Colico) and have an almost new 85cm dish ariel that you can have, for free, if it will be of use to you. I have a digi box linked to Astra D2 satellite for British tv, and put in a 120cm dish - hence the redundant 85cm one.

If it is of use - just send me a PM - but you would have to collect it!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 08/27/2008 - 04:34

Carol B
I am returning to the UK today but I will be back on the 11th Sept. I'll make some enquiries and if the 85cm dish will work, then I'll contact you on my return. Just a quick query, did you use the dish for 'Terestrial Freeview' or normal Italian Satelite reception?. At present I am not particularily bothered about picking up UK channels.
Thanks for you response.
Irishrover

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 08/27/2008 - 12:15

The digital TV website is: [URL="http://www.dgtvi.it/stat/DGTVi/Page1.html"]DGTVi - Per la Televisione Digitale Terrestre[/URL]

"Ricerca Copertura" would seem to be the link for checking coverage in your area, but it's not working for me right now.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 08/27/2008 - 15:52

A 85cm dish will work (even 60cm) for Italian channels only if you have a Satelite receiver. Digital Tv is not available via Satelite in Italy (at present) it can only be picked up through the normal TV antennas which may need to be adjusted to get the signals. I would of thought though as your in an apartment block they would of already adjusted them to the new directions.

You can pick up the usual Italian channels and a few extra's (Satellites 13e and 19e) through a satellite receiver but the only thing i have discovered is that they tend to scramble italia 1 and rai 1 when there are sport events on. I guess this is to block people in countries outside of Italy watching sport matches / races for copyright reasons.

Another thing that i also discovered is that the new tv's with built in Digital Tv can only view the freeview channels. If at a later stage you wanted to subscribe to Mediaset premium or la7 payment channels you will need an external digital box as the cards will only work in them. (May change one day)

There may be a cam slot in the back of the tv but apparently the Italian cards will not work in them as Mediaset or la7 do not sell the cam.

Hope that answers your questions with the difference between Satelite and digital tv but regading the aerial signals i cant help as i was in the same situation last year and i opted just to keep the satellite as i wasn't prepared to pay someone €200 just to adjust the aerial on my rented home when a dish costs less than €30 (attached it to my balcony)