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Freesat is an alternative method of receiving satellite TV that doesn't require you to use a Sky digibox. Freesat has a 7-day EPG (Electronic Programme Guide) and it is possible to buy standard and HD receivers, and PVRs (Personal Video Recorders, with built-in hard drives like Sky Plus). The big difference between Freesat PVRs and Sky Plus boxes is that they will be free to use. Freesat is broadcast on the Astra 2 Satellites located roughly SSE (at longitude 28.2º E above the equator) . For the sake of convenience the signals are referred to as the north beam, south beam and narrow beam (or more usually just the 2D beam). The EPG (Electronic Programme Guide) and the operational software are on Eurobird 1. It is very difficult to receive all Freesat channels and the EPG beyond France. The 2 older satellites, 2A and 2B, can be thought of as flood lights, lighting up a huge area of Europe, whereas the newer Astra 2D is more like a spot light focused on the British Isles A dish set up for Sky will work perfectly well for Freesat or any generic free-to-air receiver as well. If you have one receiver specifically for caravan use you can use it home as well!
Which dish?
For use in the UK, more or less any dish, 43cm or over, will do, though it must be fitted with an LNB. For caravanning abroad, you will have to compromise between size/weight and what channels you want to watch. The further a field you travel the larger the dish that will be needed. So a 43cm dish is fine for most of the UK but in some of Europe an 80cm dish may be needed. We sell a range of Satellite dishes, LNB's etc look here: http://www.aerialshack.com/satellite-c-4.html
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