Free to air satellite TV, often known as Freesat or Saorview, allows you to watch over 130 of Ireland’s and the United Kingdom’s most popular television channels. You simply pay a one-time price for a set top box and installation for 0 per month.
We can provide a setup that allows you to watch both Saorview and UK free channels on the same box using the same remote control. Please click if you are ready to proceed.
Is it true that Saorview is a satellite?
My house already has a sky dish from the previous owner. Can I get Saorview with this satellite dish?
You’d be amazed, Jeremy, how often we’re asked that. The response is an unequivocal and emphatic NO. You can’t obtain Saorview with a sky satellite dish or any other sort of dish.
Saorview is a DTT (Digital Terrestrial Television) system that requires a suitable TV aerial to receive. A suitably grouped UHF aerial or, if in a bad reception region or if installing the aerial in your attic, a high gain UHF aerial are the best options for accessing Saorview in Ireland.
Check out our Saorview Coverage Map to see what type of UHF Aerial you’ll need. It’s color-coded to show you which set of Aerial you’ll require. In many circumstances, a black wideband aerial will suffice because it covers the entire UHF frequency range, but you should always pick the aerial that is best suited to your local transmitter.
On the right hand side of the page, you’ll find the types of aerials we sell that are suited for getting saorview.
You may feed both the satellite tv signal and the digital terrestrial signal into one box by combining your existing sky dish with the aforementioned antenna. This means only one remote, unlimited free Irish and UK channels, and, most importantly, no more bills.
You can get the saorview channels and the Free UK Satellite TV channels in one box without having to pay any additional subscription costs, as mentioned above.
What channels are available through Saorview?
Then you’ll need to purchase a Saorview set-top box and connect it to an aerial in order to obtain Saorview Connect.
It is recommended that you connect your Saorview equipment to an outdoor aerial on your roof in order to receive a strong signal – just make sure your cable is of sufficient quality. However, depending on your location, you may be able to receive Saorview using an indoor aerial.
Don’t worry if you don’t already have an aerial. Simply ask your local electrical merchant for a referral to a qualified installer.
What do I get with the set top box and Saorview Connect?
You’ll have access to 11 Irish TV channels after purchasing your set-top box and connecting it to an antenna, including RTE One HD, RTE 2 HD, Virgin Media One, Virgin Media Two, Virgin Media Three, TG4, RTE Junior, RTE One +1, RTE 2+1, RTE News Now, and Oireachtas TV. In addition, you’ll get nine radio channels.
Online on-demand players such as the RTE Player and the TG4 Player are also available. Unfortunately, the Virgin Media Player isn’t available right now, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be introduced in the future.
You’ll also receive access to over 100 extra free-to-air UK channels if you connect to a satellite dish, including BBC1, BBC2, Channel 4, E4, Film 4, ITV 2, 3 & 4, and Channel 5.
Saorview Connect now allows you to stop and record live TV, as well as offering features like catch-up TV and Spotlight, which recommends the finest daily programming. Simply connect an external USB drive to your new or current set top box and follow the simple on-screen instructions to obtain these new features. Saorview suggests
Is it possible to get Saorview with a satellite dish?
If you’re switching from a Sky + box, you might be able to use one of the existing dish cables to connect to the saorview aerial; an adapter is included for that cable. You do not need to run a new cable in this scenario.
Which satellite offers the most number of free channels?
Eutelsat is the satellite company with the most subscription-free channels, with over 400 across Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East, and over 300 in Sub-Saharan Africa.
In Ireland, which satellite should I use?
Free to Air is a satellite system that provides customers all around the world with free television.
It is supported by advertising. The BBC and ITV broadcast station operate the most popular free to air system in Ireland and the United Kingdom on Astra 28.2east. We can also offer free-to-air television from all throughout Europe.
What channels do I get with Free to Air?
Over 200 free-to-air channels are available, including BBC ITV, CBS E4, FILM 4, SKY NEWS, and more. Our channel list section ‘link’ has a complete list of channels.
How is Free to Air different from Freesat?
Free to air receivers do not have full 7-day guides and have limited recording capabilities, whereas Freesat has complete 7-day guides and strong recording capabilities.
Does Free to Air have Saorview?
Although free to air and Saorview are two different television systems, they can be integrated in one receiver. This is a free-to-air and Saorview commbi system that is particularly popular with our clients because it provides both UK and Irish content on a single box.
In Ireland, how do I obtain free-to-air channels?
Free to Air refers to channels that are broadcast without encryption. This means you won’t have to pay a monthly membership or use a viewing card to see these stations. It is completely legal to receive these free channels. Advertisers pay the corporations that broadcast these channels, therefore the more people who can access their channel, the more money they can charge advertisers. Of course, you’ll still need a TV license to watch them, but if you have a Free to Air system, you’ll never have to pay a monthly TV fee.
How can I Get Free to Air TV?
In Ireland, there are now two alternative ways to receive Free to Air channels.
- Satellite TV that is available for free
- Terrestrial Digital Free-to-Air Television (Saorview)
- A combo receiver can also be used to combine these two services.
Free to Air Satellite TV
At the moment, Astra 28.2e is by far the most popular method of receiving free to air satellite TV. Astra broadcasts hundreds of free satellite channels, including the BBC, ITV, and C4 networks, among many others. This method now provides access to about 400 free channels. When you complete scanning for these channels on your satellite receiver, you’ll notice that they’ve all arrived in an unorganized form on the box, with duplicates. We provide the option of having the box pre-programmed for our clients’ convenience. All duplicates will be deleted, and the channel line-up will be organized in a more logical manner. However, there are a few disadvantages to using a free to air satellite.
- EPG is just today and in the future.
- The box does not immediately update when channel frequencies change.
- You will have to change the settings manually (not a big job)
Digital Terrestrial TV (Saorview)
In 2012, we in Ireland were required by European legislation to switch to digital television. This meant that the old analogue signal was shut off, and anyone without a compatible set-top box or television set would be unable to get the new digital TV broadcast known as Saorview. Beginning in May 2011, Saorview ran a huge public awareness campaign to alert people about the upcoming switch off of analogue and the full transition to Digital Terrestrial TV.
Saorview is a significant upgrade over the outdated analogue television technology. It not only improves the quality of TV reception, but it also expands the coverage area. The Digital TV signal is so strong that the days of hazy or snowy television images are a thing of the past. Set-top boxes or televisions that can receive the Saorview broadcast also benefit from a seven-day EPG. In the long run, you’ll be able to watch all of Ireland’s free-to-air networks in HD (High Definition). Many of the Saorview channels are currently broadcasting in HD as we write this.
The number of domestic Free to Air channels in Ireland has increased from four to ten thanks to Saorview.
There is a separate children’s channel called RTEjr, a rolling news channel called RTE News Now, and a +1 catch up channel for RTE One, among other things. In 2015, UTV Ireland was added to the Saoview channel lineup. All of your favorite RTE Radio channels, as well as additional RTE broadcast channels available on the Irish DAB (Digital Audio Broadcast) network, are being added to the Saorview service.
There are additional benefits as well, such as Digital Telextext (TV or Receiver must have Mheg5 Middleware installed). Digital Teletext is a significant improvement over traditional teletext. Aside from the fact that the signal is stronger and you won’t miss text, pages, or nothing at all due to bad reception, it also allows interactive services. We’ll have to wait and see how these are used, but the possibilities are interesting.
What Channels are on Saorview?
- RT Digital Aertel RT Digital Aertel RT Digital Aertel
- Raidi na Gaeltachta, Raidi na Gaeltachta, Raidi na Gael
There are currently no plans for Saorview to offer any pay TV services. Due to Ireland’s current economic situation, this is most likely to be true in the medium to long term.
What are the UK channels available on Saorview?
Unfortunately, none of the UK Free to Air channels are available on Saorview. Saorview is a platform that only broadcasts domestic Irish TV and radio channels.
RT One, RT Two HD, TV3, TG4, RT News Now, 3e, RTjr, RT One + 1 and RT Digital Aertel are among the channels and services that will be available on SAORVIEW.
RT Radio 1, RT 2fm, RT lyric fm, RT Raidi na Gaeltachta, RT Choice, RT Pulse, RT 2XM, RT Gold, RT Chill, RTJnr, and Radio 1 Extra will also be available on SAORVIEW.
So, if you buy either a Saorview Set Top Box or a Saorview Approved TV, you’ll get the channels listed above. If you don’t already have one, you’ll also need a UHF TV aerial and some wire to connect it to your set-top box or television. You could try an indoor aerial (bunny’s ears), but we wouldn’t put much faith in them unless you happen to be in a Saorview signal area that is significantly saturated.
If you wanted to obtain both the new Saorview channels and the free UK channels on one receiver, a Combo Receiver would be the way to go.
Which Saorview combo box is the best?
Saorview Set-Top Boxes are a collection of set-top boxes from Saorview.
- Ferguson Ariva 154 HD / Ferguson Ariva 154 HD / Ferguson Ariva 154 HD
- Combo of Tiviar Alpha+ Plus Triple Tuners (With 1TB Hard Drive)
- Amiko Mini Combo Extra H.265/HEVC (DVB-S2 + DVB-T2/C) Amiko Mini Combo Extra H.265/HEVC (DVB-S2 + DVB-T2/C)
- Zgemma H7S 4K UHD + 500GB HDD Zgemma H7S 4K UHD + 500GB HDD
- Extra Amiko Mini Combo (Manufacturer refurbished)
- Revez Q12 Combo has been refurbished.