# how do you watch UK TV in Spain?



## jonny512379 (Oct 24, 2017)

Hello All

I am wondering what you all use to watch UK TV in Spain?

The property we are moving to has a large Sky dish and Sky decoder, but we dont want the pay Sky channels. We just want the standard Free View TV channels (i.e BBC, ITV, C4, Dave, etc). Is this possible on Sky without subscription?
I have seen on eBay Free sat receivers (and things called OPENBOX). can i just plug these into any satellite dish, to receive UK TV (assuming the dish is pointing in the right direction)?

My other options (that i am looking into) are:
1. set up a VPN from my UK address, then i can watch Iplayer and NetFlix over the internet.
2. use an App like TV Player or TV Catchup (again possibly via a VPN).
3. are there any other, better options?

FYI: i of course pay for a full UK TV Licence from my UK home address and i also have a NetFlix subscription in the UK. We do not want any form of hacked TV that we should pay for, just the channels that are offered for free in the UK (and BBC what we already pay for)

Thanks All


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## sat (Jul 20, 2008)

jonny512379 said:


> The property we are moving to has a large Sky dish and Sky decoder, but we dont want the pay Sky channels. We just want the standard Free View TV channels (i.e BBC, ITV, C4, Dave, etc). Is this possible on Sky without subscription?


As long as the dish is large enough for where you are in Spain (required dish sizes range from 80cm to 5m!), and aligned to the UK TV satellites, then it will receive UK TV channels.

BBC ITV C4 Five and Dave are all free to air.
This means available without encryption or subscription.
And will be available on any satellite receiver. Even a Sky box without a viewing card.




jonny512379 said:


> I have seen on eBay Free sat receivers (and things called OPENBOX). can i just plug these into any satellite dish, to receive UK TV (assuming the dish is pointing in the right direction)?


Yes.
But then if you already have a Sky box, like you say, then an openbox will not get you anything else.
A few years ago yes, as these boxes were able to be used to get "cheap sky" via cardsharing, but this was pretty much closed last year by Sky improving their security.




jonny512379 said:


> My other options (that i am looking into) are:
> 1. set up a VPN from my UK address, then i can watch Iplayer and NetFlix over the internet.
> 2. use an App like TV Player or TV Catchup (again possibly via a VPN).
> 3. are there any other, better options?


Android box using the free streams found on the internet, or a paid IPTV service - both of which will usually be from a third party and not direct from the broadcaster

Netflix operate in Spain anyway so you can use that without a VPN. But content will be different to that in the UK.

And the BBC are very active in blocking VPNs and Smart DNS services, so that may not be always available to you.



jonny512379 said:


> FYI: i of course pay for a full UK TV Licence from my UK home address and i also have a NetFlix subscription in the UK. We do not want any form of hacked TV that we should pay for, just the channels that are offered for free in the UK (and BBC what we already pay for)


Makes no difference if you have a UK TV Licence or not, as that is purely for watching any live TV from ANY broadcaster (UK or other - not just the BBC!) and iPlayer in the UK and UK only. It does not apply if you are living in Spain. And Spain has not TV Licence scheme anyway.
BBC ITV C4 Fives are all free to air on the main UK TV satellites, so no need to "hack" them.


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## JimmyLocksDad (Nov 2, 2017)

Personally Amazon Fire TV in conjunction with Smart DNS service will enable you to watch UK TV via BBC iPlayer Itv hub etc apps also Netflix and Amazon prime, dependent on a decent steady internet connection.


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## jonny512379 (Oct 24, 2017)

sat said:


> As long as the dish is large enough for where you are in Spain (required dish sizes range from 80cm to 5m!), and aligned to the UK TV satellites, then it will receive UK TV channels.
> 
> BBC ITV C4 Five and Dave are all free to air.
> This means available without encryption or subscription.
> ...


Thank you very much Sat, much appreciated!! 
Great news that any Sky box will work for the free to air channels and without a card, as there is a Sky box in the property!
I can only assume the dish is large enough, as someone saw fit to install it. i would estimate it between 1 and 1.5m. We are in the Antas area.
I THINK i have attached a photo that shows the Dish, but it is hard to work out the size from just the photo.... 










Thanks again
Jon & Marianne


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## Chica22 (Feb 26, 2010)

You will not receive bbc, ITV,c4 etc on a 1m or 1.5m dish in the area where you are moving. You will need a 1.8m dish, or alternative provision. We live fairly near you and have a 1.8m dish which works fine except in very bad weather.


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## sat (Jul 20, 2008)

As above...the sky box will boot up, and you will receive some UK TV channels (Sky News, Pick, Challenge, a f ew news channels, a load of shopping channels!)... but the dish (1.1m iirc) is simply too small for where you are to receive channels from BBC ITV C4 or Five.


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## jonny512379 (Oct 24, 2017)

sat said:


> As above...the sky box will boot up, and you will receive some UK TV channels (Sky News, Pick, Challenge, a f ew news channels, a load of shopping channels!)... but the dish (1.1m iirc) is simply too small for where you are to receive channels from BBC ITV C4 or Five.


Thanks!!

I dont know the exact size of the dish.
Would you be able to look at the photo i added (above in this thread) and see if you could estimate the size of it please?

Thanks
Jon


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## JimmyLocksDad (Nov 2, 2017)

jonny512379 said:


> Thanks!!
> 
> I dont know the exact size of the dish.
> Would you be able to look at the photo i added (above in this thread) and see if you could estimate the size of it please?
> ...


Looks like a 1m to 1.2m dish no bigger for sure, as said above you have no chance of getting the U.K Free to air channels like bbc, itv etc just the ones mentioned that are still on wide beam in the area you are going to.


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## jonny512379 (Oct 24, 2017)

JimmyLocksDad said:


> Looks like a 1m to 1.2m dish no bigger for sure, as said above you have no chance of getting the U.K Free to air channels like bbc, itv etc just the ones mentioned that are still on wide beam in the area you are going to.


OK thank you very much.
Any idea what a 1.8 to 2 meter + dish will cost me? 
And can i use the same LNB or will i need to change this too?
I should manage to install it myself (although pointing it correctly may be tricky without knowing what im doing...) 

Thanks Again!!
Jon


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## Trubrit (Nov 24, 2010)

I have used Catchup tv for many years and have never had a problem. I receive all 5 terrestrial channels without a problem plus many others.


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## sat (Jul 20, 2008)

jonny512379 said:


> Thanks!!
> 
> I dont know the exact size of the dish.
> Would you be able to look at the photo i added (above in this thread) and see if you could estimate the size of it please?


I did say in my reply (which you quoted) it looks like a 1.1m dish...
and not the best as those arms that hold the LNB are quite "flimsy" and not that accurate.



jonny512379 said:


> And can i use the same LNB or will i need to change this too?


The dish you currently have is an offset dish. (with the LNB offset at an angle to the dish)
1.8 and 2.,4m dishes tend to be prime focus dishes, with the LNB in the centre of the dish.
LNBs for offset dishes are not designed for prime focus dishes.
So you will need a new LNB and probably a "feedhorn" for that LNB for the larger dish


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## JimmyLocksDad (Nov 2, 2017)

So new 1.8m or 2.4m dish plus LNB etc ££££££££££ whereas is you have a decent internet speed a Firestick or Nowtv box will give you everything you need for £


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

There's a streaming service called TV Mucho which will give you access to all UK channels. The price depends on the subscription period - €19 for three months, €48 or thereabouts for a year. Or if you watch less than an hour a day, it's free. It has a week's catch-up.

I have it on an Android box but you could download it to a smartphone or tablet and display it on the TV with an HDMI cable or wirelessly via Chromecast or similar.

https://tvmucho.com/


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## Chica22 (Feb 26, 2010)

It is your individual choice whether you prefer to go the internet route or via a 1.8m dish. We chose the latter as OH is not very computer literate (it took months of training to show him how to access Netflix!!) and even though he is Spanish he likes to switch on the TV and watch Newsnight!!! In Antas you will be able to use a 1.8m dish, ours links to 3 TVs with separate freeview boxes in each room and facility to record programmes, not cheap for the initial installation, but for us ease of access to both UK TV and Spanish TV was important. I am no expert but looking at your property I am not sure you would be able to put a 1.8m dish on your wall!!


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