Laptop TV in France

On 2008-08-04 09:41:30 +0100, LittleRob said:

Adrian wrote:
LittleRob wrote:
I'm going to be in France for part of the Olympics. Does anyone know
if one of the USB Freeview jobbies for a laptop (e.g.
http://www.hauppauge.co.uk/tvonyourpc/) would work abroad, and if so
will I be able to get any English channels?

We were in France during the Sydney Olympics in 2000 and the Frence TV
coverage was hopeless (hours and hours of fencing) so I was hoping to
take a laptop and stay informed.

Thanks

LR

The only way you're going to get english TV in France is via satellite.
OK A revised question. If I got one of the Hauppauge USB devices would
I be able to pick up French TV in France? Do they use the same
frequencies and what not?

Rob

You can watch your own English TV on your laptop in France - or
anywhere else that you can access the internet. See:
http://www.radioandtelly.co.uk/slingbox.html

Stan

Stan The Man wrote:
On 2008-08-04 09:41:30 +0100, LittleRob
said:

Adrian wrote:
LittleRob wrote:
I'm going to be in France for part of the Olympics. Does anyone know
if one of the USB Freeview jobbies for a laptop (e.g.
http://www.hauppauge.co.uk/tvonyourpc/) would work abroad, and if so
will I be able to get any English channels?

We were in France during the Sydney Olympics in 2000 and the Frence TV
coverage was hopeless (hours and hours of fencing) so I was hoping to
take a laptop and stay informed.

Thanks

LR

The only way you're going to get english TV in France is via satellite.
OK A revised question. If I got one of the Hauppauge USB devices would
I be able to pick up French TV in France? Do they use the same
frequencies and what not?

Rob

You can watch your own English TV on your laptop in France - or anywhere
else that you can access the internet. See:
http://www.radioandtelly.co.uk/slingbox.html

Stan

Stan

I won't have internet access, but thanks for the suggestion.

Rob

LittleRob wrote:
OK A revised question. If I got one of the Hauppauge USB devices would I
be able to pick up French TV in France? Do they use the same frequencies
and what not?

Rob

They use a different encoding method - SECAM - so check if it will
support that.

Andy

On Mon, 04 Aug 2008 22:55:07 +0100, Andy Champ wrote:

They use a different encoding method - SECAM - so check if it will
support that.

SECAM is the color encoding method used for *analog( transmissions in
France.

In France, digital terrestrial transmissions are broadcast in DVB-t FFT
8k mode, with MPEG-2 encoding for all free to air stations, and is known
as TNT -- Television Numerique Terrestre.

To see if the service is now available in the area to which you are
travelling, consult the web site

http://www.tnt-france.COM/

with more detailed and technical information at

http://www.csa.FR/TV_numerique/tv_numerique_recevoir_avec_antenne.php

So should DVB-t service be available in a particular locality, there is
no reason why a Hauppauge USB device purchased in the UKofGB&NI should
not function in France.

J G Miller wrote:
On Mon, 04 Aug 2008 22:55:07 +0100, Andy Champ wrote:

They use a different encoding method - SECAM - so check if it will
support that.

SECAM is the color encoding method used for *analog( transmissions in
France.

In France, digital terrestrial transmissions are broadcast in DVB-t FFT
8k mode, with MPEG-2 encoding for all free to air stations, and is known
as TNT -- Television Numerique Terrestre.

To see if the service is now available in the area to which you are
travelling, consult the web site

http://www.tnt-france.COM/

with more detailed and technical information at

http://www.csa.FR/TV_numerique/tv_numerique_recevoir_avec_antenne.php

So should DVB-t service be available in a particular locality, there is
no reason why a Hauppauge USB device purchased in the UKofGB&NI should
not function in France.

I can't say that I found either of those web-sites terribly easy to
follow (and its not just the use of French ;-) but I'm inclined to buy a
device and "go for it".

Thanks for all the help.

Rob

J G Miller wrote:

SECAM is the color encoding method used for *analog( transmissions in
France.

It did occur to me after I posted that, that this is
uk.tech.DIGITAL-tv... but too late...

Andy

On Tue, 05 Aug 2008 21:26:37 +0100, Andy Champ wrote:
It did occur to me after I posted that, that this is
uk.tech.DIGITAL-tv... but too late...
Actually, what matters is, that as far as I am aware, all analog
Hauppauge TV receivers designated for the European market have always
been able to decode not only PAL, but SECAM and NTSC as well.

Even the current Hauppauge analog TV USB device listed on the page to
which Little Rob referred is listed as being PAL/SECAM/NTSC compatible.

Personally, in my limited experience, I have found the Terratec

http://www.terratec.NET/en/products/tv.html

DVB devices to be better performing and better technically supported than
those of Hauppauge.

The compatibility issue of digital TV devices sold in the UKofGB&NI with
other European countries is for *some* models (usually the early models
or bargain basement models) limited by

1) UHF only
2) 2k FFT only
3) MPEG-2 only
4) MHEG only (no MHP)
5) no DVB teletext
5) no CI slot for pay stations

And let us not forget that some bargain basement models no longer work
because of their failure to cope with the split NIT issue.

I am not aware of any other country which has digital transmissions that
has suffered from models becoming obsolete before DSO has been achieved.

Another first for the UKofGB&NI!

J G Miller wrote:
On Tue, 05 Aug 2008 21:26:37 +0100, Andy Champ wrote:
It did occur to me after I posted that, that this is
uk.tech.DIGITAL-tv... but too late...
Actually, what matters is, that as far as I am aware, all analog
Hauppauge TV receivers designated for the European market have always
been able to decode not only PAL, but SECAM and NTSC as well.

Even the current Hauppauge analog TV USB device listed on the page to
which Little Rob referred is listed as being PAL/SECAM/NTSC compatible.

Personally, in my limited experience, I have found the Terratec

http://www.terratec.NET/en/products/tv.html

DVB devices to be better performing and better technically supported than
those of Hauppauge.

The compatibility issue of digital TV devices sold in the UKofGB&NI with
other European countries is for *some* models (usually the early models
or bargain basement models) limited by

1) UHF only
2) 2k FFT only
3) MPEG-2 only
4) MHEG only (no MHP)
5) no DVB teletext
5) no CI slot for pay stations

And let us not forget that some bargain basement models no longer work
because of their failure to cope with the split NIT issue.

I am not aware of any other country which has digital transmissions that
has suffered from models becoming obsolete before DSO has been achieved.

Another first for the UKofGB&NI!
There seem to be 2 possible Terratec products the Pihrana (sp?) and the
XXS. However, getting them in the UK at (relatively) short notice might
be tricky. Even on Amazon it seems they have to come from Germany.

Rob

On 29 Jul., 15:37, LittleRob wrote:
I'm going to be in France for part of the Olympics. Does anyone know if
one of the USB Freeview jobbies for a laptop (e.g.http://www.hauppauge.co.uk/tvonyourpc/) would work abroad, and if so
will I be able to get any English channels?

We were in France during the Sydney Olympics in 2000 and the Frence TV
coverage was hopeless (hours and hours of fencing) so I was hoping to
take a laptop and stay informed.

Thanks

LR

The http://www.hauppauge.co.uk/tvonyourp...intvnovatd.pdf
(or other brand's with diversity receivers) are much better than
models with only one antenna.
The signal will be much more stable.

You may use the two small antennas or connect one or two
better/larger antennas.

The display software used will determine if you can
decode MPEG-2 and -4 or only MPEG-2.

Lars

note:
http://www.hauppauge.fr/pages/produc...nova-tdhd.html

LittleRob wrote:
There seem to be 2 possible Terratec products the Pihrana (sp?) and the
XXS. However, getting them in the UK at (relatively) short notice might
be tricky. Even on Amazon it seems they have to come from Germany.

Well my Hauppauge Win-TV Nova turned up today and of course (as perhaps
expected) it can't "see" any TV broadcasts. So what's the next step?

It seems I could try:

1. Nip to B&Q and get an indoor aerial perhaps
http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav/na...condid=9686693

I could also get a booster

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav/na...condid=9686624

2. Try a more specialist caravan site such as Towsure

How about
http://www.towsure.com/product/1879-..._UHF_TV_Aerial

which can run off batteries

or

http://www.towsure.com/product/2146-...band_TV_Aerial

Any suggestions?

Rob