British sky satellite TV in Poland

If you have an Xbox360 it might possible to watch it through it. Sky TV is launching a streaming service soon..

Not much good unless you are in the UK as the IP will be geo-blocked and the xbox360 is as buggy as hell as regards streaming, our engineers were trying to make a front end plugin for our site, but gave up because of the low quality of the streams.

There is one possibility though and that is bypassing it through TVersity, which looks promising.


Wrong, this will be a paid service showing old repeats through the iPlayer and pushed out through BBC world wide and it will have no live content.


Harry did you know this year in Spain the local Police removed many illegal sky dishes on the request of sky.... Sky do not like their signal being captured over the EU !!!

From that link, they weren't removing dishes (how can you have an illegal dish? There's plenty of FTA channels at the same location as Sky's encrypted content!) - but rather that they were removing Sky cards on the request of the Spanish rights holders. Given that these bars probably were using a domestic UK subscription on top, there's really nothing to cry about there.

I'm not really sure, but are you 100% on that? I heard somewhere that you only need to have an account created from UK. And later you can use the service from anywhere..

100$ certain and I do know what I am talking about as I am heavily involved in a company that is developing IPTV.


Show me legally where you can get these from because until 19th December, legally you are not allowed to receive a broadcast that is intended within the boarders of the uk, by any means whatsoever.

The channels that are broadcasting FTA are by nature - free to air. These have no encryption and cannot be intended for a particular area by virtue of being broadcast "in the clear". The BBC has been treading very dangerous ground by making their channels available FTA - and legally, there's nothing they can do about people accessing them outside the UK as no encryption has been circumvented.

Hence it's impossible to have an "illegal dish" - it's only possible to have an illegally obtained decoder card.

What a load of twaddle!

UK FTA channels intended for broadcast in the UK are by definition are ONLY allowed legally to be picked up within the boarders of the UK.

As from 19th December the new "Audiovisual Media Services Directive" comes into play when FTA channels over the internet IPTV will become freely available across the EU; however, this doesn't apply to Sky as these channels are directed towards a commercial enterprise. See ---> These services must be directed at the general public and intended to inform, entertain and educate under the editorial responsibility of a media service provider.

ec.europa.eu/avpolicy/reg/avms/index_en.htm

Our Lawyers have been studying these directives for six months in preparation for 19th December when we will be releasing our service across the EU.

Last month their were very strict guidelines introduced by Ofcom controlling what and what isn't allowed to be rebroadcast after 19th December and Sky has massive restrictions against it's service.

You may well receive FTA channels over the EU but you are doing so illegally; however, really I am happy for you and I am glad you can get these over the EU.... but don't use the paint brush of innocence in defining your actions.

Show me one prosecution made anywhere in Europe for receiving FTA content in a 'free' country. It just doesn't happen - again, if you actually read the link that you posted, you'll find that they were seizing Sky digicards, *not* dishes or receivers. If it was illegal to receive FTA channels, then the digiboxes would have been seized too.

FTA channels in Europe have always historically been available without fuss - and the actions of the Spanish police confirm that they're not interested in those accessing FTA broadcasts. In fact, the BBC (and C4/ITV) have been treading a very thin line by making channels available FTA - many observers were surprised that rights holders allowed them to broadcast content 'in the clear'.


I'll believe it when I see it. I'm not at all convinced that the directive, as implemented into national law will allow you to rebroadcast the BBC et al without problems. In fact, most online sources seem to suggest that the only thing that's changing is that iPlayer et al will become regulated for the first time.

Do you have a link to anywhere that can definitively prove that you'll be entitled to do so? My reading of the subject so far is that while in theory, such services can be made EU wide - the issue of rights holders only selling the rights for one territory will prevent anyone from actually rebroadcasting it freely.

Interesting times for media, certainly.

I provided you with a link if you cannot read and understand EU directives that is hardly a basis for your uneducated assumptions is it !!!

Nice to see that sky_expert has revealed themselves lol

EU directives mean nothing in the context of national law - which is why I find your talk of 'lawyers analysing the directives' amusing because they have little to no relevance unless you can afford to take a case to the European courts.

As far as I can see, the updated Audiovisual Media Services Directive does nothing except update the Television Without Frontiers directive - which doesn't give you carte blanche to rebroadcast anything. I've read the directive and nowhere does it grant permission for anyone to rebroadcast FTA signals over the internet.

So again - which part of the directive allows you to rebroadcast FTA UK television throughout the EU? Failing that, what part of the directive as incorporated into UK law allow this? Given that you've supposedly had lawyers working on this, I'd expect you to be able to quote me the exact parts of the directive and the relevant UK law.

I'll wait and see - but I'm very interested to see the legal argument that allows TVCatchUp and others to break UK copyright law by broadcasting copyrighted content against the wishes of the rights holders to the rest of the UK. It's pretty obvious that these sites are using a loophole which allowed cable systems to rebroacast content - but this loophole won't allow them to broadcast to the rest of the EU without breaking copyright law and the relevant EU directive changes nothing.

Either put up or shut up - but given that TVCatchUp have pointedly refused to answer the question as to how this directive facilitates the rebroadcasting of content throughout the EU, I don't think I'll be getting a straight answer ;)

I really do not think we have to justify ourselves to the likes of you and there have been many armchair lawyers trying to poke holes in TVCatchup, but when the most prominent copyright law firm in the country (Hamlins) and the most senior judge in copyright law in the country have upheld that it is lawful

blackstonechambers.com/people/barristers/robert_englehart_qc.html]
your minor assumptions pale into significance.

That was a dreadfully predictable response - and in fact mirrors exactly what TVCatchUp have been doing throughout the internet.

Funny that a thread on TVCatchUp questioning their interpretation of the directive was deleted, isn't it? Hardly the work of a company that's certain of themselves, isn't it?

And we're not talking about the issue of the legality of rebroadcasting Freeview TV in the UK - we're talking about the EU directive and how it was implemented into UK law. Don't try and confuse the two issues. Again - what part of the directive and its implementation allows TVCatchUp to broadcast to the EU?

I ask one question - how much is detailed information on British expats worth to those who have more...sinister purposes? For that reason - and given TVCatchUp's attitude - I would strongly recommend not signing up for the service.

Now you are getting desperate and childish, and TBH we couldn't give a flying cahoots whether expats use this or not - in fact it would be in our interest if they didn't as it will save us thousands of pounds each month on ISP transit costs.


What on earth are you talking about now? What thread where and when or are you pulling one of the fantasies out of the air....

Desperate and childish? You still haven't told us a straight answer to a straight question - what part of the Directive and the transposition into UK law is going to allow you to broadcast to the EU after December 19th?

And if you didn't care less, why have TVCatchUp being advertising so openly that it'll be available throughout the EU? In fact - TVCatchUp are seemingly the only people that believe that they'll be able to do so - legally. In fact, there's quite a bit of hype online about it - now, if you didn't want those viewers, why would it be encouraged?


Google (without the quotes) "TVCatchUp December 19th"

I get this - Hmm. Funny how the thread doesn't exist anymore, isn't it?

I vote for delphian in the quarrel!


Agree, what on earth is he talking about now n?

Ok guys I will leave you alone to your fun then :)

Time will tell and we will see in six months ok?
Because we can rant on and on about this and I will not convince you as you seem to be on some personal mission over this.

Just as a postscript we have 250,000 members at the moment with 2,500 signing up each day, I think our future is quite safe and secure and rather fun actually.

Oh one more thing, we are being reviewed on TV on the Gadget show before Christmas, should be a blast :)

And if you know anything about the internet and Google try searching in UK Google not Polish and you will find this LINK.

I've just been looking on the TVCatchUp forum and it seems there's quite a bit of arse-covering going on. The moderators have been saying "...as soon as the EU says its legal" - which is quite considerably different from "available from December 19th" - and gives them a nice easy cop-out when the EU doesn't

I've written an e-mail to the "Citizens Signpost Services" of the EU to ask them their opinion on the legality of broadcasting UK FTA television to the EU after December 19th. We'll soon see...

Sorry ukpolska but it seems you're the one who's taking it very personally, haven't seen delphian mentioning your business at all, yet you suddenly feel the urge to boast about it in that weird manner.. weird ;o

Anyways, I'm happy for your well-being but you could do better than just dodging questions..

Fair enough as I said we will see :)

And it is personal as there has been a hell of a lot of work gone into this over three years now, and if I am proud of it what is wrong with that?

People have criticised us over and over because it is something new that has never been done on this level before, as with all new ideas it has it's haters who cannot see past their on limited understanding of modern innovation.

We'll see on December 20th actually ;)


Again - which part of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive and the transposition into UK law will allow you on December 19th to broadcast to the entire EU legally?

You can convince me (and any other cynic) quite easily by answering this one very simple question.


Who said anything about your business model? I'm only interested in your claims that you'll be able to broadcast to the EU legally after December 19th. I actually think you've found a clever loophole in UK Copyright law - but this loophole certainly won't allow you to broadcast to the EU.


Who is 'hating' on your service? The only question that I (and others) want to know is the question that I've now asked about 5 times and still haven't received a straight answer about. In fact - looking here - forums.tvcatchup.com/showthread.php?t=4437&page=2 - there really is no straight answer being given.

Hahahaha!!! You couldn't make this up -


Someone really has taken it personally!

(yawn - webproxies are so easy to use... )

what drives your criticisms delphi? is it just plain old jealousy?

Jealousy of what? People who can't give straight answers to straight questions? :)

It's a discussion forum and I like discussing things, simple :)

I don't know about the finer points of that Directive but I know that ukpolska has a very good setup in the making and I wish him all the best with it! He has given me the lowdown on how it works and I'm impressed with the expansion of channels. He can be proud.

You've got a legal background Seanus, have a good read of the Directive and see if you can find anything in there that can confirm that they'll be able to broadcast throughout the EU. I'm just not seeing it - and our TVCatchUp representative here seems to be unable to point us to the exact part.


They've certainly found a clever loophole in the law - and by all accounts, they've been fairly driving forward with making the service available on different platforms. The iPhone app seems to be a killer app too. It'll be interesting to see how it evolves in time to come - and I'll happily eat humble pie if they can get it working throughout the EU.

I also know how to circumvent loopholes in the wording ;) ;)

So...Sorry guys, but they completely failed on their promises to make the service available on that date.

Not available.

Anyone surprised? Placing so much emphasis on the December 19th date was always bound to be a bad idea.

From the TVCatchUp forums, it appears they didn't even know what was going on themselves - so called 'lawyers' on the 'staff' couldn't even figure out if the UK had implemented the directive or not!

(anyone with passing knowledge of how laws are passed in the UK will be able to have a good chuckle at such excuses!).

I'm not a lawyer - but I'm not unusually thick either. I think delphiandomine has a point. He asked a direct and simple question. ukpolska probably isn't a lawyer either, but I'm sure it wouldn't have been too difficult to ask one of TVC's resident lawyers to point him to the relevant part of the legislation.

There's nothing in the AVMS directive that even hints at the right to redistribute copyright material outside the country of original broadcast.

The greatest mystery is why have TVC pushed this so hard - especially (as was mentioned above) as it's not really in their interests. Milk of human kindness doesn't wash.

If I'm wrong, tell me where the clause is.

Merged: English SKY satellite decoder and dish

I'm in the process of selling up in England and moving to Poland, is there any use for my SKY decoder and dish in Poland, or should i leave it in the UK?

No Bring it, If you point it at the right satallite you can get UK freeview :)

keep the white card you can get channel 5, itv1, sky3 for free as well