Loewe Individual - built in freesat or not?

I'm assuming that you'll be going to the Loewe Gallery in Sheffield (as that's nearest to Derbyshire). They're quite knowledgeable. I bought my AV kit from them. Speak to Andrew. I'm sure he won't mislead you on this.

Bilbo Boggins:

I am inclined to believe this as they are still on analogue at the moment as they cannot get any freeview reception at all (not even channel 5 on analogue!).

Bilbo Boggins:

Merry Boxing Day everybody! Perhaps someone in the know here can help me

My parents are looking to get a new TV and as they live on a hill in Derbyshire they've been informed that there is little chance of getting a half decent freeview signal - even come the big switchover in August when freeview/freeviewHD transmissions are supposed to be boosted. I am inclined to believe this as they are still on analogue at the moment as they cannot get any freeview reception at all (not even channel 5 on analogue!). We are therefore looking for a telly with built in freesat - having an extra box here is not an option due to room aesthetics!!

Now, I've been trawling around the Loewe website and t'interweb and I'm floundering a little as to whether the new Loewe Individual has a built in freesat receiver. It seems you can have a built in satellite reciever in addition to a freeview HD receiver but is it freesat?? Will the chimps in Loewe Gallery we're going to this week have a clue or will they just say 'yeah mate no problem' even if it doesn't support freesat? I guess if it doesn't it's gonna be a panasonic, a panasonic or maybe a panasonic!

cheers for any insights!

Looking at the specs online it has a DVB-S/S2 tuner so it will receive FTA satellite channels. But it isn't an official/licensed 'Freesat' product, so you won't get the Freesat EPG (only now/next programme info) any red button services or BBC iplayer/ITV player etc...

Thanks for the comments - yes off the the Loewe Gallery in Sheffield today or tomorrow so good to know they will be knowledgable and not some yoof who hasn't a clue and gives the hard sell on something you don't really want or isn't suitable. I guess if it can receive all the FTA channels, including the HD ones, and it is able to easily record those channels onto its hard drive then losing the 7 day EPG alone won't be a big loss.

However, I suspect the Pansonics will be a better bet although I reckon their built in sound quality won't match the Loewe or their ageing B&O CRT (no room for separates!). Have to see what's the best compromise. I thought Sony also did built in freesat but their current range is just freeview - so well done to Panasonic for catering to the small percentage but significant in number of the polulation who will have to ditch their aeriel because of 'technological progress'.

cheers all - off to have breakfast mince pie, only 100 more to wade through.

It sounds to me like your parent's B&O CRT televsion does not have a Freeview tuner built in (hence no digital reception). 

A £20 'set-top box' (from most big supermarkets) will establish for sure whether or not they can receive Freeview. I am just suggesting this as an experiment and not that you keep it permanently.

If that works, then the next step is to get a professional aerial installer to replace the old aerial with one optimised for digital/Freeview. (It really makes a difference especially if reception is 'marginal'.)

Or, you could consult a good local professional aerial installation company for advice first (they might bring their own set-top Freeview box to test reception).

I would suggest these people. (They are Sheffield area.)

This is better than hearsay. Reception conditions can vary alarmingly from one part of a street to another. 

Bilbo Boggins:

I guess if it can receive all the FTA channels, including the HD ones, and it is able to easily record those channels onto its hard drive then losing the 7 day EPG alone won't be a big loss.

I thought Sony also did built in freesat but their current range is just freeview - so well done to Panasonic for catering to the small percentage but significant in number of the polulation who will have to ditch their aeriel because of 'technological progress'.

None of this years TVs from Sony included Freesat, Don't think LG did either. If you can hold out till next year, Samsung will be launching a range of Freesat IDTVs...

chebby:

Or, you could consult a good local professional aerial installation company for advice first (they might bring their own set-top Freeview box to test reception).

daveh75:

chebby:

Or, you could consult a good local professional aerial installation company for advice first (they might bring their own set-top Freeview box to test reception).

A professional installer will/should have a meter/spectrum analyser to test reception...

I would certainly hope so!  However it has not been mentioned yet whether the OP's parents have a Freeview tuner (in their old B&O set or a set-top box) so they would probably like the reassurance of seeing the channels if reception is acceptable from a new aerial.

Hi thanks for all your comments

sorry if there was some confusion regarding freeview - the reason they are not on freeview at the moment is because there is no reception even with a freeview STB and an aeriel upgrade which is why they are still on analogue on the B&O. However as analogue will be switched off in their area in August 2011, their hand is now forced to get freesat, and as they would like a new flat screen TV to replace the old CRT B&O they would like a one box solution.

As a side note - although the freeview/freeviewHD postcode checker says they should be able to receive freeview/freeview HD when analogue gets switched off on August 31, they have been advised by local installers that they will not in fact be able to receive it as they are effectively on the wrong side of the hill.

They had a peruse around the Loewe Gallery today in Sheffield and the chap there was very knowledgable about the kit and explained that they could receive all the freesat channels but you lose the freesat red button functionality that you would get with a regular freesat receiver such as a Humax STB. However some of this would be offset by the fact that the built in wireless in the TV would pick up the home network allowing t'interweb access.

Personally, although the Loewe sets looked and sounded fantastic, I would get the Panny as I quite like the freesat service and functionality I get through my own Humax freesat+ STB which would be lost if all you could do is receive the broadcast.

Thanks for the heads up regarding forthcoming integrated freesat on LG and Samsung but I think it highly unlikely they'll buy anything Korean!

cheers

Bilbo Boggins:

Thanks for the heads up regarding forthcoming integrated freesat on LG and Samsung but I think it highly unlikely they'll buy anything Korean!

Remember that a significant proportion of LCD TVs available today (of any brand) are likely to be sourced from the world's top two biggest manufacturers of LCD panels: Samsung & LG (both Korean).

Sony sourced its screens from Samsung initially, & now LG.

Also, B&O sources its LCD panels from Samsung.