Best TV satellite deal for bike racing in UK?

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alanmclean
Posts: 297
Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2005 5:10 pm
Location: Inverclyde, Scotland

by alanmclean

Hello

What's the cheapest way of (legally) getting proper bike racing on TV?

The SkyTV satellite packages with Eurosport seem to cost at least 40 quid a month. They want to sell me football (whatever that is), news and films as well. I don't have a sat. dish.

Is there any way of getting just bike racing? Or do I have to grit my teeth and pay Rupert Murdoch for a full SKY sports subscription, dish etc?

Spring classics are looming....

Regards

Alan

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Rodrego Hernandez
Posts: 1227
Joined: Mon Oct 31, 2005 7:11 pm
Location: Out there

by Rodrego Hernandez

www.cycling.tv

Pretty sure there are cheaper sky deals than £40 per month.....

NS
Posts: 2437
Joined: Wed Nov 05, 2003 7:27 pm
Location: Manchester, UK

by NS

You get Eurosport on a 20 quid family package

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jay cee
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Joined: Sat Mar 10, 2007 7:17 pm
Location: Bristol
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by jay cee

hey mate.
if i were you, i'd get a 80cm dish (judging by your location, maybe even a 1m dish), good lnb (invacom), get an old analogue receiver, line it up to astra1 satellite at 19.2e. you can change the language on Eurosport to English only on a Analogue box, alternatively, you can get a standard FTA box and watch it in German. No subscriptions on either option. Or you could try and get Belgian tv through a satellite, not sure on that, or the costs... but i think you have to pay and get it through a TV Vlaanderen package.
J EURO

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dastardly
Posts: 30
Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2007 11:47 pm
Location: UK Northwest

by dastardly

Cycling.tv is great for the smaller spring races such as the E3, dunkirk etc. worth getting time off work to watch some of these, proper gritty belgian toothpaste racing and c.tv show hours of it. The PT races are best on ES, as long as poking balls with a stick or poncing about on horseback dont over-run.

As NS says you get ES with the cheaper packages.
Ambition makes you look pretty ugly....

alanmclean
Posts: 297
Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2005 5:10 pm
Location: Inverclyde, Scotland

by alanmclean

Thanks guys,

Jay Cee, that all sounds very cool but too difficult for me. Looks like I may have to get Sky after all.

Alan

NS
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Joined: Wed Nov 05, 2003 7:27 pm
Location: Manchester, UK

by NS

you can get Eurosport on "top up TV" if you have an appropriate freeview box. No annual contract IIRC www.topuptv.com

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Mr.Gib
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Joined: Fri Mar 18, 2005 4:12 pm
Location: eh?

by Mr.Gib

Beware of Cycling TV. Some great coverage but it can be a technical fiasco. The on screen navigation is a total mess and they struggle to keep subscription info accurate. I subscribed to watch the Giro on Versus and now it seems they no longer transmit Versus, so no access to archived footage (which I use for training indoors) - no explanation, just kiss your money goodbye. Will not respond to inquiries.

That said I maintain my subscription to the Premium channel on Cycling TV and it can be great hooked up to the big screen if you have serious bandwidth.

alanmclean
Posts: 297
Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2005 5:10 pm
Location: Inverclyde, Scotland

by alanmclean

Follow up to my first post.

Got basic Sky for £16/month. This has Eurosport which has most/all of the cycling. No need for pointless football premium channels. very easy hard disc recording and playback.

Best thing is seeing my wife watching four hours of track cycling daily and explaining keirins and Madisons to me.

Roll on the Tour of Flanders.

Alan

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jay cee
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by jay cee

glad you got it sorted.
J EURO

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Roobay
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by Roobay

NS wrote:you can get Eurosport on "top up TV" if you have an appropriate freeview box. No annual contract IIRC www.topuptv.com


This is a server download channel and you wont be able to see "Live" races when theyre on.
Im in a similar predicament just told sky to shove it
As i only watch Eurosport, so im trying to find a old analogue box to watch the Spring classics on, as Cycling TV have an agreement with eurosport not to show televised races only the ones that eurosport dont cover. The other problem with Cycling TV is the buffering thats caused by the server useage, its so frustrating and spoils your enjoyment of the race, dont get me wrong the coverage i think is the best, but streaming is still in its infantcy.
Sky called yesterday with a deal thats good £16 for Broadband/TV/Phone but its only for 6 months.
Cheers
jr
i like people... i just can't stand assholes

by Weenie


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