ᐅ Is a "Free TV" Connection Still Worth It?

Created on: 12 Aug 2018 12:18
M
M4rvin
Hi!
In our new build, there is a provision for a satellite system as well as multiple satellite outlets in every room. Now I’m wondering, is that really necessary? Will my children ever watch anything on free-to-air TV?
My children and I mainly watch Netflix/Amazon, and only my wife occasionally watches crime shows on free-to-air TV.

So my thought is to skip the whole satellite setup and instead install more LAN ports...

How have you handled this?
D
Deliverer
13 Aug 2018 09:37
Regarding the topic again: Since we haven’t had a TV for years, I faced this question as well.

My current solution: I connected a Sat-IP converter to my relative’s satellite dish (we are related). This now transmits free-to-air TV channels over our shared network. This way, I don’t need satellite outlets, but can watch any channel on any reasonably modern device with LAN/Wi-Fi. So, if I want, I can watch the World Cup simultaneously on the projector and on the tablet. Not only is the picture better (due to less compression), but it’s also about one minute more up-to-date than internet live streams.
Mycraft13 Aug 2018 09:52
It feels like the satellite TV question pops up in the forum every two weeks. I always wonder if the search function is broken.

I also don’t understand why someone would even ask about an investment of around 500 euros for a technical “extra.” When the total investment for the house is 300,000 to 500,000 euros (or even more), this is basically negligible.

In the end, all options remain open, and without it, you become dependent. On top of that, there are monthly fees. I just can’t understand that.

For my part, I have an 8-user system with 4 satellites and a medium-sized NAS for content that I want to watch non-linearly throughout the house.

And the total cost didn’t exceed 1,000 euros. What else is there to think about???
A
Alex85
13 Aug 2018 10:34
1000 euros are just 1000 euros. Someone with 4 satellite receivers probably won’t understand why you would want to save that.

We asked ourselves the same question, but I was too cautious and now it’s being implemented. In 2-3 years, I might have voted clearer with "no." It’s simply difficult to retrofit if it becomes relevant again. I also looked at paid online services like zattoo or magine, but they all had some drawback (e.g., ridiculously low number of simultaneous streams, poor audio quality, etc.).

The discussion about news quality... the valuable national news broadcast is freely available online, so you don’t need any extra connection for that. The range of information on the internet is overwhelming. While there seems to be a kind of basic trust in public broadcasters (after all, they probably won’t lie), choosing freely among preferred opinions might lead to overload.
Mycraft13 Aug 2018 11:20
My setup cost 1000€ (A large part of that was for the NAS).

Astra for 4 users without much fuss... costs no more than 500€. It doesn’t have to be Kathrein; Fuba is also sufficient. Nowadays, receivers are often built into the end devices.

100€ for the receiving hardware
100€ for the mast
300€ for miscellaneous items, labor, and cable installation.

Even a single-user system offers more value than none at all. With a setup like this, the average FreeTV user still has access to other services.
Mycraft13 Aug 2018 12:58
Network Attached Storage, basically a system where all kinds of content are stored and accessible at any time, from music and TV series to blockbuster movies.
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hanse987
13 Aug 2018 12:58
A NAS is simply a hard drive connected to the network. It stores photos, music, videos, and data, and every device on the network can access it according to the permissions set. It looks like the one in the picture.

Weiße Synology NAS-Box steht auf dem Boden, umgeben von Netzwerkkabeln.