"Terrestial" TV (This is for visitors to Ireland)
|
UHF and 2.4GHz Analog MMDS in Limerick, R.O.I. |
Do we have Four TV stations or Nine?
In theory we have RTE1, NET2, TV3 and TG4. But most of
Ireland gets United Kingdom: BBC1, BBC2, UTV, C4 and CH5 by one
method or another.
In addition you should know that TG4 is mostly in
Irish (Gaelic) and TV3, part owned by the UK Granada is fast becoming
an ITV region! TV3 appears to be proud of NEVER having Irish.
Radio Telefis Eirean (RTE or Irish Radio and
Television in translation) are the semi state that run / manage RTE1
and NET2. They also "operate" the Irish Station TG4. They
are part funded from Goverment and part from Advertising. TV 3
receives no Government funds.
|
You must have a TV Licence (about £70) to receive
any kind of TV transmission on any kind of device, just like in the U.K.
In Ireland RTE1 and NET2 are on Band I VHF, Band III
VHF, UHF and Cable TV.
TG4 is on UHF and Cable TV.
TV3 is on some but not all UHF relays, Cable TV and
curiously Analog MMDS.
UK TV is on UHF from Northern Ireland and Welsh
Transmitters to over 30% coverage! (By UK TV, I mean BBC1 NI/Wales,
BBC2, UTV, C4 and CH5)
UK TV is also on Privately opertated Transponders
(quaintly called Deflectors here), MMDS and Cable. CH 5 and BBC World
is availaible on Analog Satellite and BBC1 / BBC2/ BBC Prime on
Digital Satellites in the R.O.I.
MMDS is Microwave Multipoint Distribution, basically
TV on 2400MHz instead of UHF 600 MHz. By the time Ireland was
planning to introduce it other Countries were using Digital for MMDS.
The Irish system is Analog (11 / 21 Chs), but Chorus are upgrading it
to Digital (60 /120 chs).
Irish DTT (Digital Terrestial) is now not likely to
start till January or February 2003. Though I won't complain if it is
earlier. It is rumoured to be a better system than OnDigital, but
since no-one actually has it.....
UTV is not on Sky Digital. CH5 is free on Sky Analog.
BBC, C4, CH5 while in theory not available on Sky Digital in Ireland,
many Irish people have UK Post code addresses. (See FAQ to understand why).
Some brave and hardy folks have purchased UK On
Digital DTT boxes and are using them in Border / East cost areas with
serious UHF aerials. This seems not to have the coverage of analog TV!
Ireland is getting its own Digital Terrestial TV. It
won't be like On Digital, but will have 5 or 6 UK TV channels! ASDL
trials using BBC are also underway in Dublin.
So how many Terrestial TV Stations has Ireland got?
In addition, Ireland is the only country outside of
the UK to be offered Sky subscriptions on Analog or Digital. In
addition Irish residents may susbscribe to BBC Prime which is
unavailable in the UK.