TV card for PC - what channels can I get????

[Milou]

Hi, hoping someone out there might be able to help!!

I am currently living in Belgium having moved from the UK.  We are lucky in that the normal TV service offers us BBC1, BBC2 & ITV 1.  However, we would really like to be able to get more channels - ideally Sky.  I did speak to Sky who said yes, we can subscribe to Sky, however we would need to buy and install the satelitte equipment ourselves. 

I was wondering whether a TV card for the PC might be able to help??  Would we be able to at least get the Freeview channels if not the full Sky package???

Would be really grateful for any answers anyone might be able to suggest.  Thank you.

[Potatoman]

You can buy a freeview box that sit on the top of yr TV, so you get all the 'extra' BBC channels etc and connect it to yr card. You could also buy a TV card that has digibox built in, but they arnt as cheap as a the standard ones. Hope this helps.

[Gandy]

I don't think a TV card is the answer. All they do is enable you to plug in a normal coaxial tv aerial and watch TV on you monitor. You would still need to get the signal from somewhere. I very much doubt that British terrestrial TV signals travel as far as Belgium. A satellite might be the only way to go. You may want to check out http://www.skycards.uk.net/prices.html for prices

[Joanne-G]

At the end of the day, you wil need a satellite dish (set up in the right direction) to get any transmitions SKY provide plus a card in your decoder box to see them that is valid (or hacked) As I used to work for them all I can say is that you will either have to pay for a "European" card or go down the illeagal route and possibly face the consiquences of the country you live in now. This is an area that has lots of "I don't knows" and I am one of them, I don't know what the concequences are of viewing what is supposed to be a broadcast that is supposed to be for the UK only. Sorry I cant be of more help but you are outside Tony's island.

[BillyNoMates]

You can get TV cards for the PC which receive Digital Satellite broadcasts provided you have a dish. You would then receive free to air channels but these cards are not decoders so you couldn't for example receive SKY.