sky tv in malta

20 euro per month seems a bit steep for television.

Hahahaha...my link was moderated...if u want it PM me and I send u....

The TVTorrentz site has been open to new members for the last month on and off, for the first time in well over a year. I managed to register a while back. They only have 3000 members, so it's difficult to get in, but if you're interested, keep checking every day or so. It's not as good as UKNova for newer programs but has loads of really old stuff.

tvtorrentz.org/signup.php

most UKTV programming is available to download on torrents websites and this includes most of the soaps omnibus editions so no need to worry. top up to date movies are also available too so no need to worry about movie channels either. and as for sport i always find going to the nearest bar is a more enjoyable experience when watching sport LOL.

Yes the dreambox is used here an awful lot - I have one and am perfectly happy with it as we get most of uk sky and itv1 and the plus 1 channel too - some live bbc streams (these are almost perfect) and channel 5 and its derivatives all on a 1m dish.....but dont be fooled into thinking its perfect (its not as it sometimes freezes but to be fair its usually down to number of users and how well you get in with your supplier as he can make a hell of a difference to the quality of your viewing experience with this box)....and its not legal either - although buying and owning the box is certainly legal its what the box does thats illegal - but you pays your money and takes your chances.

I know for sure that in my experience of Go and Melitas offerings - they are a waste of time and money...too many repeats - we had been here 12months when we changed over...having been subjected to multiple repeats of just about everything broadcastable...and these are repeats of programs from bbc and granada from over 4-5 years ago.

and as melita and go have been caught out illegally broadcasting a number of sky programs....the question of legality of the rest of their programming is questionable......

Hey Hammersfan ... how did you get on with the Jim test box you had?

costagriff wrote:

Hey Hammersfan ... how did you get on with the Jim test box you had?

Here's my review:

Pros:
* Very easy to set-up - I was watching BBC inside 2 minutes from starting to open the box.
* Worked right out of the box without referring to any manual (good thing as there is no manual!)
* Very convenient and easy to use - nice to have an Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) and a Remote control.
* Not very expensive and no long term contract - as I understand Jim's pricing.
* Jim is or will be very soon, local - so if you have problems you should be able to get help pretty easily.
* Watched "A Question Of Sport" for the first time in years. It's not available over iPlayer s there are too many rights issues for the BBC to be bothered with resolving so they simply don't broadcast it on iPlayer, but it was available on this box. Probably the same for other shows the have lots of copyright issues.

Cons:
* Not 100% reliable - some freezes; some channels not available at some times (when they should have been); some random shutdowns (and start-up for that matter); some buffering/jittery picture; some audio out of sync - these were my biggest problems. Should not have been my internet connection, but there's always that possiblity I suppose.
* The remote/menuing is a bit laggy and temperamental.
* Picture quality is not HD quality or close (but Jim says that up-front...he didn't try and over-sell the box to me), but it's not horrible either. In fact I found sport on it better to watch than on ITV via my VPN connection (though BBC was still better via VPN). But it may not look good on really large screens.

Not sure if Pro or Con:
* Personal Video Recorder (PVR) service and being able to watch shows previously aired (simple go back in time on the EPG and select a show you missed). Sounds like a great feature - but in reality most of the things I tried to watch that way (4 out of 5 I think) were too stuttery to watch.

Who is it best for?
People who want easy access to live BBC/ITV (and some other channels) in a covenient box with EPG and remote control and who don't want to mess around with connecting a PC/Laptop to a TV and sorting out VPN/Proxy services etc.

Conclusion:
Having tried it myself I'd say it was great for my kids as they could easily use the remote and EPG. But, I already have access to mostly the same content and some more besides through other means that I will not give up and replace with this, so I don't think the convenience of this box is worth the extra cost for me, but that's very personal and I have a PC already set-up and attached to my TV so I've already got a working solution, just not as user-friendly as this box.
But for others, I'd say that Jim's pricing and return policy (as I understantd it) makes it really a no-brainer if you are at all interested. Get in touch with Jim for details and try it out yourself.

Tim

you can get a scart to s-video and audio adaptor too. which will allow both audio and video to be carried from your pc via appropriate cables....

i thought that any programme that had been already broadcast was ok to view - and it was just watching live tv that was an issue...... probably wrong though.

if the dvd has a usb socket will it not allow you to view the content of the stick direct to tv...mine does!

i use various torrent sites and clients depending on what i want...and its mostly pretty damned good.

as for streaming  - isnt streaming still classed as download and thus counted as being part of your download limit....it does seem to be that way with Melita - unless your streaming 11pm to 7am when its free. In my experience (with Melita) once you exceed the limit they do have a habit of slowing your speed to "put the brakes on" -- but its easy to get round just call them and its instantly restored  - my mate does this all the time with amazing effect.

A very fair and unbiased report if I may say.

However, please also advised that there will be a free pilot trial for a month or so of an alternative service (the pilot trial being available to a selected number of ex-pats (250) through various areas of the Med region) of a 'Virtual Cable Network' (including full EPG) which will be delivering circa 25 plus channels of UK service. Initially, this will be available upon a pc player but following that, it may be made available 'direct to TV'.

More information will be made available in the next few days.

me3512 wrote:

20 euro per month seems a bit steep for television.

20 euro per month is the start price in Spain..  and that service was awful and unbelievably unreliable.

not sure if anyone has posted this before its a piece of software that asigns you a uk ip address which allows you to view itv and bbc i  players and its free

expatshield.com

mark49 wrote:

not sure if anyone has posted this before its a piece of software that asigns you a uk ip address which allows you to view itv and bbc i  players and its free

expatshield.com/

Thanks Mark - it's been discussed on one of the other threads. I and toonarmy both installed it but didn't continue using it because it does take over the browser a bit too much for our liking - but it's certainly an option and it works.

Tim

Have to agree with Tim - too much control over your browser for my liking. If users are happy with that then thats fine - it does work but its not for me.

hi hammers fan

yes it can be a bit aggresive with your browser and will affect any incoming emails through local servers i just use it on my laptop and then pipe it through my tv i keep my main pc (DESKTOP) for emails

Ok so how do I get US TV shows?  When I lived in Malta before I had cable which was fine,from the sounds of it now I won't be able to get the shows I like unless I do so illegally! I don't intend to spend ages in front of the box but I love Rescue Me, Big Love and The American Office among many others.

There are a number of options all of which have been mentioned in threads about tv programming reception and downloads

Cable - Go or Melita - go on their websites and look at the packages see if the channels that you normally watch are within the packages (doubtful) if not you will be left with the following options

Dreambox with 1m dish and internet connection - illegal in what it does but the box itself is not illegal - pay for a package from a local installer and get most of UK German Italian Austrian Sky and also arab channels all of which can be made to be viewed in english.

The IPTV option speak to jim iptv for that one hes on these forums - that will get you UK TV via internet and set top box

Obtain a download client like utorrent, vuze or limewire and use one or two of the torrent websites like eztv, kickass, uknova demonoid etc and you can download them then watch them when you want.....if you get melitas internet service downloads are free overnight between 11pm and 7am and do not get counted against your download limit.

the last one would be to search the net for one of the many streaming websites for UK and US programming......

hope this helps

Simply out of interest, there is a brand new alternative option being released for 'volume testing' over the next day or so!

Anyone interested will have an opportunity of becoming involved during the month long 'free' test period...

Mike

i would be interested

That's good news... watch out for the press release due to be issued (I believe) tomorrow ...

where will we see this press release then?

I'm pretty certain a copy will be on here!

so where is the press release?????

Every night in our house on our 36 inch TV we watch, "Pointless followed by EggHeads then Hollyoak then Hollyoaks E4 then Corry followed by Eastenders then Corry. And then I get the remote back although now it gets snatched back for Red or Black and Hollyoaks latenight. I am really concerned the TV guys have almost made the perfect schedule that I may well need to pug another box into my router. No computers or 3 meter dishes. Anyone is welcome to drop round and see or borrow a box to try. Jim.

"Hollyoak then Hollyoaks E4 then Corry followed by Eastenders then Corry"

perhaps Maltese TV isn't so bad after all then

Its Hollyoaks 3 times a day now George, maybe a Finca in Gozo is the answer. Right now I am being force-fed Real Housewives of New-York any attempt to snatch the remote is covered. Still I have Eggheads to look forward to. Jim

Another sneaky plug Jim.....

That was two weeks ago, on the topic and no links to web-sites or distributers.
Right now I am watching the Celtic game unfortunatly they are winning 2-0 so I am still suffering. I have never been sneaky in my life. Jim.

Just as painful as watching Chelsea at the moment then..

Rangers are getting beat 1-0 by Falkirk !!! I turned down a trial with Falkirk in 1972 because they were rubbish, now they are beating the Gers........nightmare.

Correction 2-0 I am on suicide watch, Jim

serves you right for watching pirate tv, jim lad



:-)

2-1 now

2-2 now George, so back on track, Jim

3-2 total disaster, after the weekend win they lose to Falkirk, a pub team !!!. Pirate TV, thats a bit Wolfman Jack way to look at it, Jim

Great thread guys, thanks. Looking at TV options, considering whether to have Melita/Go for the "just switch on the telly and watch something" no hassle option, and then a UK IP or VPN to watch  iPlayer, 4oD, etc. with a little more fuss (hooking up laptop, etc.)...

Thinking (and reading) hard!

165721 wrote:

Great thread guys, thanks. Looking at TV options, considering whether to have Melita/Go for the "just switch on the telly and watch something" no hassle option, and then a UK IP or VPN to watch  iPlayer, 4oD, etc. with a little more fuss (hooking up laptop, etc.)...

Thinking (and reading) hard!

Both Go and Melita are much the same and similar pricing...they both offer the same very very repetetive programming of ancient out of date Uk tv, with the exception of football. premiership is only avaiable on Go, certainly for the next two years.... Melita having the rights to italian and spanish footy i think. they both lock ypou into long contracts too...and history and experience tell us that they re are both a nightmare to get out of.

I think the option that mikea is promoting is a good backup option as it also gives the access to the UK iplayers within their pricing and no need for a separate vpn.

I am currently trialing the set top box that jimiptv is talking about....

Cheers,

mikea has emailed me and that option looks interesting, is anyone trialling it at the moment?

How are you finding this box toonarmy9752?

So these things are real viable alternatives to "real telly"? How fiddly are they are a rule? Can one just switch on the telly and watch a programme, or is there lots of tuning, and switching, and the like?

I to am trialing both of these.

At the moment i am finding that Jims box is breaking up on a low internet connection (5mb) but i know it is working very well on a higher speed connection and Mikea's offering is working very well on a low speed connection but its the fact of having to connect the laptop up all the time and the pause button on it doesn't seem to work very well. I do know however that there could be another way of using this system which would make it easier. The best thing about Mikes is the fact of the Iplayer etc build in to the Homepage.

Thats only on using the systems very infrequently... my wife is back here now so i am sure that they will be used more.

Julian

OK, my connection will be (supposedly) 25 meg so may work a little better on this??

fair and unbiased opinions... Thank you.

MikeA

Well having tried Jims box since Monday on a 10mbps connection - here is what I have found so far - my opinion that is all.

The box is not too bad in physical size - about the same size as a small dvd player.

Controls are easy and non too many - the remote to is sufficent

It is easy to connect only three connections, power, ethernet cable to internet, and the av conns to tv

A little slow to start but once there its fine

Some channels didnt work immediately but after a while they were there.

The epg and channel selection is a little slow and quirky. It always takes you back to the last channel receeved if its unable to connect to the one you wanted. This can be a pain.

Sound is sometimes out of synch with the picture

Picture quality in my opinion is less than standard definition and at times a little blurred and does suffer form  breaking up  - this is more evident when fast motion is on screen.

Channels are limited at the moment to the main UK bbc 1 2 3 4 and itv 1 2 3 4 ch4 e4 ch5...theres probably more but havent go to them yet.

It does have a portal to the internet via its own browser and has selected services such as youtube available to it.

The PVR is a little too hit n miss for me but thats just my experience so far

Overall id say it was OK if this is all you want, havent tried anything else and dont want anything HD or SD or stuck into a long term contract.

My problem is really that we have been spoiled by the quality of our existing system and thats not even HD.....over the last two years or so.

Overall so far it doesnt fulfil my requirements - i think in all honesty it may suit some people and not others.

Just have to be careful if the end user has limited download as all the streaming as that is what it is will go against your download limit unless you have an unlimited download connection and even then may be subject to a fair usage policy...if it gets exceeded the provider MAY put the brakes on the connection - not disconnect you just slow your connection down.

at the end of the day you pays your money and you takes your chances....