Using a UK digital satellite receiver in Germany

Hi

I've read through the various forums about Digital TV. I've brought over my Phillips DTR-1500 Digibox from the UK. Contrary to some of the previous posts it appears to work almost perfectly with an amplified zimmer antennae and German TV set. I can get everything I'm supposed to except Das Erste. Anyone know why? Everything else is there - ZDF, VOX, RTL's, Kabel Eins, Pro 7 etc but no Erste? Any help appreciated

Hmm, sounds like some kind of built-in quality control.

Oh no, take it back, you get VOX Seriously, it's probably just a reception issue. I get das Erste but not ZDF. Try with the roof antenna, or move the room one around and then retune.

The Philips DTR-1500 is not, in the strictest sense, a "Digibox" - this is the accepted name in UK for digital satellite receivers specifically for DVB-S services from Sky. The DTR-1500 is a DVB-T terrestrial system, and by all accounts not a particularly reliable one at that. The specification of the DTR-1500 indicates that it is intended for UK use, and tunes to input freqeuncies in UHF Bands IV and V, i.e. 303MHz zo 855Mhz (Channels 21-69), which are the public licensed TV frequencies in the UK. Here in Germany additional frequencies in the VHF band (175-225Mhz, Channels 5-12) are also licensed for public television, and herein lies your problem. There are currently 6 transponders im the Munich area being used for DVB-T services, each with 4 TV channels, providing a total of 24 TV services on the digital terrestrial system. 5 of these transponders sit in the UHF bands that the Philips receiver can tune to - Channels 34, 35, 48, 56 and 66. Unfortunately, one, Channel 10 (212.5Mhz) is in the VHF band, so the Philips can't receive it. This transponder provides Das Erste, Phoenix ARTE and Plus 1 TV services, so these will not be not available on this receiver.

YL6

@Al from Wales: Are you Big Al, the Escape DJ, or a different one?

mods please change the title. DVB-T is not sat but comes under the brand of "freeview" in the UK.

Thanks for the info, looks like we'll have to do without erste for the time being!

I'am not an escaped DJ from the Escape but I've been there once or twice in the dim and distant..

A replacement that works isn't going to break the bank. Under €40 here + €5 shipping. An "award winner" too.

Thanks,

I think I can stretch to 45 EUR!