TV with integral satellite tuner

I'm shopping for a new 32" TV but first will need to determine if I can get a VHF signal where I live...near Takaka, Golden Bay. At this point it seems that the only sure thing is to get a dish, which is my 2nd choice. I'm still hoping to be able to get Freeview/HD with only a VHF aerial. NOTE: in another thread, I've asked how to determine if I can get a signal...I can't find anyone locally who seems to know.

I know there are TV's with integral satellite decoders but can't seem to find any 32" ones with that feature. I'd prefer not to have an extra device, but would tolerate it if I would be saving much money. Assuming such a TV exists, would it be cheaper/better/worse to buy one of them or just go with the standard, stand-alone Freeview box? Anyone know of a 32" TV with a satellite tuner?

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Permalink Reply by Bel @ Freeview on December 29, 2015 at 15:40

Check this one out with your local retailer or directly with Samsung, I'm not 100% certain but they should know, it seems to come with both tuners (is a Hybrid TV) and is 32": http://www.priceme.co.nz/Samsung-UA32J5500-32in/p-892060005.aspx

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Permalink Reply by Tom Laing on December 29, 2015 at 20:35

I checked it out and you're correct about the dual tuners. The reviews I could find look good. In fact, I just bought one.

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Permalink Reply by Alan Douglas on January 12, 2016 at 11:40

Tom,

To find out if you can get a UHF HD signal go to http://www.freeviewnz.tv/get-freeview/get-freeview/ and enter in your street address.

However I don't think that there is any UHF coverage in Takaka so you will need to go satellite. (No HD for you! I feel your pain.)

Also, http://www.freeviewnz.tv/get-freeview/approved-products/ has a list of approved Freeview products.

There seem to be several 'Hybrid' TV's that have both a satellite and UHF tuner and one of these may suit your needs. However the Freeview website lists no model numbers and the manufactures websites are so badly designed it is difficult to find what you want. I suggest going into a store. (Very old school, I know!) Also you may find it hard to find one in 32" anyway. Everyone wants bigger screens as adverts look much better on them..

Another option is maybe to buy a Freeview Satellite set-top box and feed its signal into a computer monitor. The down side is that you would have to have separate powered speakers as the computer monitors may not have any sound capability. All dependant on how the pricing works out whether it is cheaper or dearer than just using a standard UHF TV and a Satellite box.

Alan

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Permalink Reply by Tom Laing on January 12, 2016 at 18:33

Thanks for the reply, Alan. I HAVE looked on the Freeview site and found a great contradiction. If I search using my address, the message says that service is not available, but when I look at the map on the very same site it shows I should get a very strong signal. Hard to know what to believe.

I took a little walk through our community the other day and noticed that about 1/2 the houses have satellite dishes and 1/2 have antennas. I suppose I should just go around knocking on doors and asking the occupants directly but haven't, yet. Before I commit, however, I will.

I did manage to find (and buy) a 32" Samsung TV that has satellite and UHF tuners built in. Now the problem is that Samsung and Apple are not compatible. Neither my Apple computer or my Apple formatted portable hard drive will work with the TV. Some people tell me that that's just the way it is, but others have told me I can do it but only if I use a genuine Apple or Apple approved cable AND format my hard drive to one compatible with PC's. The cord I have is a Chinese knockoff so I've ordered a "real" one.

This is all a bit frustrating. Thanks for your advice.

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Permalink Reply by Alan Douglas on January 12, 2016 at 19:25

Tom,

I see what you mean about the coverage maps. By the looks of the maps you may well get UHF coverage from the MT Campbell transmitter. Very interesting..

WAKE UP FREEVIEW DUDES..

Regarding your external hard drive. Not too sure about the Samsung TVs requirements but in most cases external disks or USB Flash drives need to be formatted in FAT32. Your Apple hard disk may be formatted in Apples HFS and that is why the Samsung (Or indeed most Set top boxes) will not recognise it.

Your Mac should be able to format it as FAT32 but you will lose all existing data doing that.

Alan

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Permalink Reply by Tom Laing on January 12, 2016 at 23:11

Alan,

Yeah, there are various ways to work around this issue, I'd just rather not have to. Apparently, I can partition a hard drive, reformat that portion and slide stuff I want to watch into that or else get a new, dedicated hard drive just for the TV. In the meanwhile, I'm just putting things on a USB stick and watching from that. At least it works, but seems like a stupid way to do things when it seems to me it could be so easy if Apple and Samsung weren't such dogged competitors. It never occurred to me that the Apple/PC thing applied to TV's as well as other stuff. Just wish Samsung had been more specific in their promotional literature.

TOM

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Permalink Reply by Gary Burke on February 19, 2016 at 19:28

I think all tv's with built in freeview are for uhf only, but I could be wrong as I have never seen one with built in sat freeview

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Permalink Reply by Biggles on February 19, 2016 at 22:01

Not so. Many new TVs are appearing on the market now that are Hybrids with UHF and Sat tuners.

http://www.samsung.com/nz/dualtuner/

They're ideal for people who live where there's no UHF reception.

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Permalink Reply by Tom Laing on February 19, 2016 at 23:07

Just an update since I'm the original poster on this thread. I got my Samsung UA32J5500 that does, indeed, have built-in Sat and UHF tuners. I'm now up an running on satellite.

I couldn't play my Apple computer thru any of the HDMI ports on the TV (it has 3). As I reported, I'd bought a cheap, Chinese Thunderbolt-to-HDMI cable and got nothing. After talking to the place that sold me the TV and an Apple reseller I decided to try a different cable. The one I bought from the reseller, which was not an Apple brand but one they assured me would work, and, miracle of miracles, it did work. Before trying it I was very skeptical as there are people on several Internet forums having the same problem I had and nowhere did I see it suggested that I just needed a better cable.

Still have the issue of not being able to play an Apple-formatted hard drive through the TV, though.

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Permalink Reply by Gary Burke on February 20, 2016 at 16:52

I guess they have responded to public demand and now have sat recievers built in as well as just uhf.

I havent been looking for awhile so guess I am wrong

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Permalink Reply by Satellite Networks Motueka on March 1, 2016 at 17:15

Hi Tom,

I do a lot of Freeview work in your area. If your in the township or anywhere with a near line of sight to Mt Campbell you will get UHF and the 10 local Mainland channels. If your in Pohara forget it, you will be stuck with satellite.

Adrian

Satellite Networks

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Permalink Reply by Tom Laing on March 2, 2016 at 8:21

Hi Adrian,

Thanks for your reply. Have you ever done any work in Patons Rock, about 9KM north of Takaka? That's where I am.

I don't know which peak is Mt. Campbell. I've found it on a map, but don't know if I can see it. Of course, it's all academic now as I'm set up with a satellite dish and all is working well.

TOM