So, the brief was quite simple. TV for the kitchen (so no bigger than 24" really) and really wanted a built in satellite decoder. Simple right?

It seems not. Trying to find such a unit only brings up the Avtex L247DRS which is horrendously priced but it seemed to fit the bill so I stumped up.

2 things though. 1, we got a German unit - i.e. all the defaults are set to German and 2. It flatly refuses to tune in the satellite side of things.

We've had 2 now, both the same (both from Amazon hence the German spec I suspect) and they both do similar things, When the satellite scan is started it goes a little over halfway (one manages 60%, the other only 53%) and then the TV restarts with all the defaults back to German. So it's going back for a refund.

Trouble is, I can't find anything else to replace it with. I really don't want the separate Sky or FreeSAT boxes as it's just another remote and a load of cables but none of the sub 32" TVs seem to come with on-board satellite decoders, only aerial based Freeview.

Come on chaps, don't fail me now.

Would it be something like this you are after Dom ....


http://www.leisureoutlet.com/caravans-and-...wgod4_QMYA

Why the 24" restriction - does it have to go in a particular gap ?

With TV resolution improving, you can generally go bigger than you're used to & it still looks OK.

As with Micks link, they're selling 24" TV's for caravans....

I have a 21" TV in the bathroom & a 50" in the kitchen

caravan tvs are ridiculously priced for what you get imho, is there any particular reason that you need a freesat receiver rather than a freeview receiver? I had a freest box for a while and didn't find the content any better than freeview tbh.

there will not be a whole lot of options at that size with built in sat receiver and as you have found most of these will be geared towards caravanners and expensive as they are designed to run on 12v too. There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
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Looks like a decent alternative Mick.

Yes, any bigger than 24" will be too large to fit the space. This is an old cottage kitchen with low ceilings (6'3") and the wall width rules out a 32".

As for Satellite, we don't have an aerial, only a dish and I pretty much standardised on this some years ago due to poor aerial signal issues. Even installing an aerial now would mean digging out plasterwork to run the co-ax so I really want to stick with satellite.

Doing some more research though, it's unclear to me if the Panasonic Viera range come with a sat receiver. they list it as having "Freetime built in" which is the catch-up on Freesat. But it's not clear if this is over the internet or if you also need a Freesat box as well.

Considering I work with Tech all day you might like to think this would be easy for me. God alone knows how old folks get on with all this modern array of technical options.

Amazon seems to say Freeviw and not Freest for the Panasonic

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Panasonic-TX-24CS5...onic+24+tv

Quote:

mzplcg

God alone knows how old folks get on with all this modern array of technical options.

Well Dom, that's a question you would need to put to Stan

Ooh, I see the "Bitch Gland" is working well this morning Mick.

Right. So I called Avtex support this morning and now I have a solution, i.e. Don't buy from Amazon.

Apparently I have a European spec unit which is pre-programmed for the Astra 1 satellite. When trying to add the Astra 2 channels it goes over the channel memory limit and that's why it crashes out. Brilliant! Also no user option to update the software, it has to go back to Avtex and they charge 50 quid for the privilege.

Anyway, ordered another one from a UK only place and the Amazon supplied one is going back.

Alistair wrote:

Amazon seems to say Freeviw and not Freest for the Panasonic

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Panasonic-TX-24CS5...onic+24+tv

We have two 18" AVTEX Multi TV's in the van and they are great tuning into any satellite (Astra 2, Hotbird, Cirrus etc) we can get where we are located. On Astra 2 we get full UK listings including every channel in HD.

The Amazon one must be an older model.

I was getting to that conclusion Gaz. Anyway I've ordered one from Capital outdoors now so peace should be resumed.