# Will a TV bought in the North, work in the South?



## fran00042 (3 Feb 2009)

Hi,

I have searched and searched on the forum here, think I have the answer but need to be 100% sure.

I am in the process of purchasing a 42' LCD, and 'my understanding' is that there is indeed a difference between those that are sourced from the Northern Ireland (so UK) and those in South. But that difference is only regarding if tuning in stations from aerial.

I am then correct in my limited understanding that as I only need the TV for Sky viewing and DVD's, that I am fine in going ahead and purchasing from the North.

Would really apreciate 'those that know' to help.

Regards


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## jhegarty (3 Feb 2009)

*Re: Need to understand on TV.....apologies*

Sky is the same, the coming digital tv over an aerial is different.


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## Stevo2006 (3 Feb 2009)

*Re: Need to understand on TV.....apologies*

Yes you are fine buying from the North. Bought 4 TV's in the past 8 months from the North


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## jhegarty (3 Feb 2009)

*Re: Need to understand on TV.....apologies*



Stevo2006 said:


> Yes you are fine buying from the North. Bought 4 TV's in the past 8 months from the North



At the moment. Won't be fine once DTT comes online.


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## PetPal (3 Feb 2009)

*Re: Need to understand on TV.....apologies*



jhegarty said:


> At the moment. Won't be fine once DTT comes online.


I'm confused now.  What's DTT and why won't the Northern Ireland TVs be good when DTT arrives?  Is DTT same as what JHegarty refers to as "digital tv over an aerial"?   As  one who is about to buy TV from North I would really appreciate an explanation for "Dummies". Thanks v.much.  BTW I will be using it to watch usual TV stations via SKY or NTL - haven't decided as yet - and also to watch DVDs etc.


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## jhegarty (3 Feb 2009)

*Re: Need to understand on TV.....apologies*



PetPal said:


> I'm confused now.  What's DTT and why won't the Northern Ireland TVs be good when DTT arrives?  Is DTT same as what JHegarty refers to as "digital tv over an aerial"?   As  one who is about to buy TV from North I would really appreciate an explanation for "Dummies". Thanks v.much.  BTW I will be using it to watch usual TV stations via SKY or NTL - haven't decided as yet - and also to watch DVDs etc.




 DDT is Digital Terrestrial Television. Basically it's the type of TV you will get from the aerial on your roof very soon.

The current TV (analogue) they we get will be turn off soon. This is scheduled for 2012.


Becuase the UK is way ahead of us in having DTT they use an older system called MPEG 2. 

We are going straight to the newer (and more expensive) MPEG 4.

Because there MPEG 4 costs more than MPEG 2 then UK tv's will generally not be capable for it.


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## PetPal (3 Feb 2009)

*Re: Need to understand on TV.....apologies*



jhegarty said:


> DDT is Digital Terrestrial Television. Basically it's the type of TV you will get from the aerial on your roof very soon.
> 
> The current TV (analogue) they we get will be turn off soon. This is scheduled for 2012.
> 
> ...


.
Many thanks for that.  Just so I'm clear .... is DTT exactly the same as what I would call High Definition (HD)?  If so, then I understand.


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## RMCF (4 Feb 2009)

*Re: Need to understand on TV.....apologies*



PetPal said:


> .
> Many thanks for that.  Just so I'm clear .... is DTT exactly the same as what I would call High Definition (HD)?  If so, then I understand.



No for the purpose of this argument, DTT would be equivalent to Freeview in UK/NI (if you know what that is). 

Its basically a digital signal that you can get through a roof-top aerial, and which will be transmitted by the likes of RTE once they switch off the anallogue transmitters.

HD signals are a high quality version of the same signal, but with more data, which allowd it to produce a better picture on a HD TV.


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## dub_nerd (4 Feb 2009)

*Re: Need to understand on TV.....apologies*



jhegarty said:


> We are going straight to the newer (and more expensive) MPEG 4.
> 
> Because there MPEG 4 costs more than MPEG 2 then UK tv's will generally not be capable for it.


 
I don't get that -- MPEG2 and MPEG4 are just "software". MPEG4 gives better quality at the same compression ratio, or smaller data size for the same quality, compared to MPEG2. UK TVs won't do it because its not the standard in the UK. I wasn't aware that cost came into it.


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## jhegarty (4 Feb 2009)

*Re: Need to understand on TV.....apologies*



dub_nerd said:


> I don't get that -- MPEG2 and MPEG4 are just "software". MPEG4 gives better quality at the same compression ratio, or smaller data size for the same quality, compared to MPEG2. UK TVs won't do it because its not the standard in the UK. I wasn't aware that cost came into it.




On a PC these are only software, but in a device like a TV it's hardware.


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## j26 (4 Feb 2009)

*Re: Need to understand on TV.....apologies*

A set top box would solve the difficulty, and most likely they will be available relatively cheaply when DTT becomes available.

I beleive the Sony KDL 40W4000 (40") has a mpeg-4 decoder built in, as do some other TV's.  If it's an issue, google for the specs of the TV before you buy.  Samsung Series 6 doesn't

Anyway, given economic circumstances, is RTE likely to have the money to roll out Digital TV soon

For Sky and DVD's there is no issue.


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## askalot (4 Feb 2009)

*Re: Need to understand on TV.....apologies*



j26 said:


> A set top box would solve the difficulty, and most likely they will be available relatively cheaply when DTT becomes available.



All DTT will have to go through a set top box either to decode from digital to analogue, this will enable you to use a standard scart lead or decode the Mpeg 4 signal and use a HDMI lead for HD/HD ready TVs, so no problem. Just do not buy a TV with a built in decoder in the North as these will only handle Mpeg 2.


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## Towger (4 Feb 2009)

*Re: Need to understand on TV.....apologies*



j26 said:


> Anyway, given economic circumstances, is RTE likely to have the money to roll out Digital TV soon.


 
It is already available in a number of areas.


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## j26 (4 Feb 2009)

*Re: Need to understand on TV.....apologies*



Towger said:


> It is already available in a number of areas.


Is that not only on a testing basis?


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## jhegarty (4 Feb 2009)

*Re: Need to understand on TV.....apologies*



j26 said:


> Anyway, given economic circumstances, is RTE likely to have the money to roll out Digital TV soon




Their funding it pretty much fixed by the license fee, and the capital costs are coming down. So I think 2012 for full roll out is possible.


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## allthedoyles (4 Feb 2009)

*Re: Need to understand on TV.....apologies*

Make sure your new TV is HD ready , as I believe RTE will soon be experimenting with it.

Check this out .................

http://www.rtenl.ie/


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## soy (6 Feb 2009)

If you want to get Irish channels without subscribing to Sky/NTL, you will need to get a TV with an MPEG4 tuner as described above. 

If you intend getting your TV from Sky/NTL, any TV will work.


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## sfag (9 Feb 2009)

You want a freesat telly - they're newesh. Panasonic do one.  That way you can tune in the free sat channels with out a seperate decoder box. 
Most tellys come with freeview built in which is not much use to us here.


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## bleary (9 Feb 2009)

Bought a tv with a decoder last year from uk, So mpeg-2 decoder. I can now get the digital channels but sound only no picture unfortunately ,there are some posts on boards with brands and model nos that have the Mpeg-4 decoder 
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055420793


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