Irish Satellite Television Channels Costa Blanca Spain
Irish Satellite Television Channels are transmitted from the same group of UK TV satellite as BBC, ITV and Sky TV channels.
The Irish Satellite Television Channels are currently transmitted from three UK TV satellites : Astra 2E,Astra 2F and Astra 2G
Irish Satellite Television Channels require a Sky viewing card, and a Sky Irish subscription, ie a Sky viewing card that is registered at an address in Ireland.
The Irish channels available via satellite are :
RTE One
RTE One HD
RTE 2
RTE 2 HD
RTEjr
TV 3
TV 3 HD
3e
TG4
Oireachtas TV
UTV Ireland
In additions, Sky also operate a number of Irish variations of the Sky UK channels, mainly due to programme rights.
Comedy Central Ireland
Sky SPorts 1 Ireland
Sky Sports 2 Ireland
Sky Sports 3 Ireland
Sky Sports 4 Ireland
Sky Sports 5 Ireland
Sky Sports News Ireland
Sky News Ireland
Sky 1 Ireland
Sky 2 Ireland
Sky Living Ireland
More 4 Ireland
Channel 4 Ireland
Channel 4 Ireland +1
E4 Ireland
E4 Ireland +1
Nickelodeon Ireland
Comedy Central Ireland +1
Nick Jr Ireland
MTV Ireland
Universal Ireland
E! Ireland
At the Races Ireland
Dave Ireland
Gold Ireland
Alibi Ireland
Watch Ireland
Challenge Ireland
Discovery Ireland
Irish TV Reception In Spain
Irish TV in Spain is, contrary to what some people believe, still available.
The Irish TV channels are currently transmitted from three UK TV satellites : Astra 2E,Astra 2F and Astra 2G.
The majority of the Irish TV channels are on the European beam of the Astra 2E, Astra 2Fand Astra 2G satellites. The European beam give very good reception across the majority of mainland Spain. This means that the Irish TV channels can be received in Spain on a satellite dish measuring a minimum of 80x85cm.
Some Irish TV pay channels are on the “UK beam” or “UK Spot beam” of the Astra 2E, Astra 2F and Astra 2G satellites. This UK beam signal footprint is different to the previous UK TV satellites UK beam. This has meant that reception of channels on the new Astra 2 satellites will be different to previous reception. In the areas between Valencia and Alicante, our service area, the Irish channels on the new Astra 2 satellites UK beam can still be received on a small satellite dish – as small as a 110x120cm satellite dish, with a 125x135cm satellite dishbeing the recommended size satellite dish.
However, in other areas of Spain, reception of these Sky TV pay channels on the new Astra 2 satellites UK beam has become harder. For example, in areas such as Barcelona, Catalonia and Zaragoza, you need at least a 1.8m satellite dish to receive these channels on the Astra 2F UK beam, whereas previously you only needed a smaller 80cm satellite dish. It is a similar story in the south of Spain, in areas like the Costa del Sol, Malaga, Almeria, Seville, Gibraltar and even Portugal, where even the larger 2.4m satellite dishes are struggling to receive these channels on the Astra 2 satellites UK beam.
The expected mission lifespan of the current UK TV satellites, Astra 2E, Astra 2F and Astra 2Gis approximately 12 to 15 years. So we can expect no further changes to reception of Channel Four TV channels via satellite until around 2025.
Saorsat in Spain
Saorsat is the Irish equivalent of the UK Freesat satellite service, offering Irish TV channels via satellite on a free to air, subscription free basis. TV3 and 3e do not broadcast on Saorsat.
Saorsat is not available to receive in Spain. This is because Saorsat uses a narrow-band satellite that operates in the Ka band, whereas Sky and Freesat use the normal Ku band. Using Ka band allows Saorsat to transmit from a spot beam. This spot beam is aimed and dedicated exclusively to Ireland,with virtually no signal overspill to Britain and Europe.
Saorsat operates on frequency 20.185 GHz, Left Circular Polarisation, DVB-S2 QPSK, SR 25000 with 2/3 FEC from the KA-SAT located at 9 east.