Satellite Guide

About satellite reception

In Finland you can receive thousands of TV and radio channels from satellites 47W-98E. 47W is the furthest in west and 98E is the furthest in east. There are about 90 satellites between them. The satellites are on an arc on the southern sky. On the edges the satellites are just above horizon so you need a clear view to that direction to be able to receive them and preferably also a higher position like roof or wall. In the middle (about 19.2E-33E) the satellites are towards south and in Helsinki about 21.5 degrees above horizon and in Oulu about 16.5 degrees above horizon. In the next chapters we have tried to tell which channels you can receive and how.

Channels

Finnish channels

You can receive finnish basic channels and a lot more with Allente (former Canal Digital) card. If you want only basic free finnish channels, you have to be in an area where there isn't a good terrestrial signal. More information on Digita website and by calling Digita. If you want the basic satellite set from Digita for 60 euros, you need to get from an antenna installer measuring results that show that it is not possible to receive terrestrial channels in your location. Allente broadcasts from Thor 0.8W satellite. To receive Allente channels, you need Allente viewing card and Allente CAM (card reader) from Allente and a CI+ compatible DVB-S2 satellite receiver. Unfortunately the new Allente cards and CAMs are not compatible with many CI+ satellite receivers. Allente can be received with 60cm satellite antenna in whole Finland.

English channels

Astra 28.2E has dozens of free english channels. Part of the channels is almost impossible to receive in Finland but you can receive another part of the channels in South-Western Finland with a 90cm, in Southern Finland with a 110cm and in Central Finland with a 120cm satellite antenna. Some english language channels are broadcasted from many satellites.

Ukrainian channels

Astra 4.8E satellite ukrainian channels (free channels are on white background) can be received in whole Finland with a 90cm satellite antenna.

Arabic channels

Free arabic channels from Hotbird 13E satellite (about 100 pcs) can be received in whole Finland with an 80cm satellite antenna.
For example Hotbird 13E broadcasts dozens of free arabic channels that can be received in almost whole Finland with an 80cm satellite antenna.
Check also ZaapTV - Over 1200 channels by internet: arabic, egyptian, saudi arabian, turkish, farsi, kurdish, emirates, english, french, german, spanish, somali, ethiopian, eritrean and sudanese. Also other (including european) live internet tv channels. Reception without satellite antenna. You only need to have a 2 Mbit/s internet connection.

Other language free channels

You can receive thousands of free channels in whole Finland: dozens of english, german, italian, arabic and turkish and smaller proportions of french, spanish, polish, rumanian, albanian, somali and many more:

(language: satellite, channels, satellite antenna size in most of Finland (check more precise size with instructions below))
-German: Astra 19.2E dozens, 80cm
-Spanish: Astra 19.2E about half a dozen, 80cm
-Italian: Hotbird 13.0E dozens, 80cm
-Italian: Eutelsat 5.0W over 20, 80cm whole Finland
-Turkish: Turksat 42.0E over 80, 90cm
-French: Eutelsat 5.0W over 20, 80cm whole Finland
-French: Hotbird 13.0E about a dozen, Astra 19.2E about half a dozen, 80cm
-Polish: Hotbird 13.0E about a dozen, 80cm
-Somali: Hotbird 13.0E about 8, 80cm

If you click the links: Channels on white background are free always. Channels on brown background are sometimes free. Please note that the amount of channels can change and our numbers might not be correct anymore. The links (en.kingofsat.net) contain up-to-date information.

Sports channels

There's also a lot free sports channels. For example: German Eurosport (19.2E, South-west Finland, 90cm satellite antenna), Supertennis HD (13E, 80cm whole Finland), Real Madrid TV English (9.0E, whole Finland excluding Lapland, 80cm satellite antenna), german Sport1 (19.2E, South-west Finland, 80cm satellite antenna), Italian Rai1 Sport and Rai2 Sport (5.0W, southern and central Finland, 80cm satellite antenna) and many more free sports channels. Also many all-around channels show sports.

Top soccer matches for free are often available. You can find out which channels broadcast the match you want with services like liveonsat.com. For receiving these a satellite set with motor is the perfect choice. Then you are not bound to just one or a couple of satellites.

4K or UHD channels

All 4K & UHD channels. Free channels are on white background.

PayTV channels

We offer for example german HD+ HD-channels and Redlight HD adult entertainment channels for low cost.

Choosing the satellite

Search first which satellites broadcast the channels you want. Input channel name, language or area and press zap.

Satellites that broadcast free channels, and the necessary size of satellite antenna for their reception in most of Finland (in Lapland and eastern border we recommend to use a bigger satellite antenna):

Satellites with most free channels:
Hotbird 13.0E. 80cm in almost whole Finland.
Astra 19.2E. 80cm in almost whole Finland and 90 cm in Northern Finland.
Astra 28.2E. Many channels 90cm in south-western, 110cm in southern and 120cm in central Finland. Many channels impossible to receive in Finland.

More satellites:
Eutelsat 5.0W. 80cm in whole Finland for italian and french channels.
Thor 0.8W. 60cm most channels in whole Finland.
Astra 4.8E. 90cm in whole Finland.
Eutelsat 7.0E. 80cm in almost whole Finland.
Eutelsat 9.0E. 80cm in almost whole Finland.
Eutelsat 10.0E. Only european channels can be received. 80cm in almost whole Finland.
Eutelsat 16.0E. 80cm in almost whole Finland.
Eutelsat 21.6E. 110cm in almost whole Finland.
Astra 23.5E. Only part of the channels and only in south eastern Finland. Recommendation 110cm.
Astra 31.5E. Only "Central Europe" channels. In southern Finland 60cm, central Finland 80cm and Lapland 90cm.
Turksat 42.0E. 3A West in whole Finland 90cm. Over 80 turkish channels.

Check satellite imagery to see the direction of the satellite in your location. Input your address and the satellite that you have chosen and move the satellite antenna to your preferred location. You can also check how high the obstacles can be by dragging the "obstacle" on the screen where the real obstacle is. If you have a smart phone, you can install SatFinder Lite and you can see on your phone where the satellites are. Highly recommended!
If you would be unable to receive satellites, please go to chapter "If it's not possible to receive satellites".

Check how big a satellite antenna you need. Choose satellite and the beam according to the information that you have obtained in previous chapters. Zoom in and click your location. You'll see how big a satellite antenna you need. You can use bigger but we do not recommend using smaller. Please note that if you want to receive many satellites with a fixed satellite antenna, the LNB at the middle will get good signal but LNBs on the side will get weaker signal. A Toroidal satellite antenna is an axception that gets a full signal from all directions.

Choosing a satellite set

If there are no obstacles (like trees or buildings) between satellite antenna location and satellite, you can choose a suitable Satellite Set. Some of them have all you need and some can be adjusted according to your needs. We recommend to choose one of our satellite sets, if you are not quite sure which products you need. All our satellite sets include a satellite antenna, LNB, antenna cable and F connectors for cable . You also need a mounting for satellite antenna and a satellite receiver. More information about them in the next chapters.

If you want to choose all the parts yourself, here's some more detailed information: A satellite antenna reflects the satellite signal to the LNB and the LNB receives signal and downconverts it to lower frequencies that are better for signal transportation through an antenna cable. Cheapest satellite sets can only receive one satellite for 1 receiver that has 1 tuner. 1 tuner can open only 1 mux at a time. 1 mux contains typically 6-20 channels. If you want to watch and record more with more than 1 receiver at a time, you need LNBs that have more than 1 output. Single = 1 output, Twin = 2 outputs, Quad = 4 outputs, Octo = 8 outputs. With Unicable LNB you can distribute signal to 4 tuners with just one cable. For example: If you want to watch and record different channels simultaneously in your living room and watch channels in 2 other rooms, you would need an LNB with at least 4 outputs or a Unicable LNB.

Mounting selection

If you don't have a mast or any other vertical pipe that you could use to mount a satellite antenna steadily, you can choose suitable mounting:
All Mounting
Wall Mounts
Masts
Balcony Mounts
Mast Mounts
Roof Mounts
Screws

Receiver Selection

There are 2 types of satellite receivers (set-top-boxes = STBs): DVB-S and DVB-S2. DVB-S2 receivers are also compatible with DVB-S broadcasts. DVB-S receiver can not receive most HD broadcasts and even some non-HD channels have switched to DVB-S2 (like Canal Digital). DVB-S2 receivers that have Conax card reader work with Canal Digital cards. You can receive all Canal Digital channels (including HD) with these receivers without CI+ CAMs or card pairing. That's why you have a much wider and better choice of receivers than you would have with terrestrial or cable reception.
Our recommendation for a receiver and information about our best receivers.

If you install the satellite set yourself

If you install the satellite set yourself, then we strongly recommend to buy a satellite finder. It will save you a lot of time and make satellite finding easier.

Smart phones have many useful apps:
SatFinder Lite lets you see on your phone where the satellites are
Satellite Director helps you point the dish
DMSatFinder gives signal information from your receiver (works with Vu+, Venton, Miraclebox Premium, Xpeed, Xtrend and Dreambox receivers)

Other useful accessories

-A combiner combines the signals from satellite and terrestrial antennas. Then you don't need so many cables. You can separate the signals with another combiner or a wall socket that has TV and SAT connectors.
-Isolation tape protects the connections from weather. Our satellite sets are weather protected.
-Screws, cable ties and cable clips finish the installation.
-Grounding and surge protection.
-Weather protection

If it's not possible to receive satellites

Through Internet

If it's not possible to to receive satellite channels, you can receive channels by internet:
ZaapTV - over 1200 channels: arabic, egyptian, saudi arabian, turkish, farsi, kurdish, emirates, english, french, german, spanish, somali, ethiopian, eritrean and sudanese. Also other (including european) live internet tv channels. Reception without satellite antenna. You only need to have a 2 Mbit/s internet connection.
Check also: all our IPTV (reception by Internet) receivers and Android boxes for IPTV services.

Antenna Reception (terrestrial broadcasts)

Receivers for terrestrial reception (DVB-T/T2)
Antennas for terrestrial reception (DVB-T, DVB-T2 and radio (FM))

Cable Reception

Receivers for Cable reception (DVB-C).