Final stage

Word has reach the Future Lifestyle offices that the Astra 2E satellite has reached its final destination in readiness for the big switch over.

The countdown is on....

Now it is just a matter of time before the "Freeview" channels will be lost from our screens in southern Spain. There is no definite date for the switch, but rest assured the engineers will have a timetable that they have to keep to. Once the last few tests are completed they will migrate the channels over, our best guess will be in the next two weeks sometime.





Don´t miss out

There is going to be a panic as people wake up one morning to find there is no BBC, ITV etc. Some people have "heard it all before" and will only react once they are convinced the channels are gone and not coming back or are just slow to react to the situation. 
There are a number of companies offering similar systems up and down the coast a majority of them IPTV based. Although the wise amongst us have been stock piling the boxes needed there is going to be a high demand for these boxes as the panic sets in....

So what to do.

Firstly Do you have internet? ok good.. what download speeds are you getting??.. not sure?? click this link to find out. try this a few times throughout the day as it will fluctuate in peak times... You want to be getting around 2.5mb download speeds. One solution we offer needs as little as 0.8mb to watch TV, however we recommend the extra leg room to allow for fluctuations and  internet browsing at the same time.

I have no internet or the speed is below your recommendation?

Future Lifestyle have teamed up with Servifone to provide fast reliable internet. Installation for the WiMax system is quick and causing little or no disruption. They also offer cheap international calls as well as a host of other services.

I have internet, so what now??

Contact the Future Lifestyle sales team to discuss what solution suits you best based on your needs. We will then book your install in to ensure that you don´t miss out. 

email : sales@futurelifestyle.es or call +34 952 830 936

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Just a reminder that you can find out the latest news about Future Lifestyle or the world of home entertainment by hitting the Like button on our Facebook page

Our Installation services include:
Visual:

- Flat Screen Televisions - wall or stand mounted.

- High Definition upgrades
- Satellite Systems
- Home Cinema – full reference
- Calibrated Surround Sound
- Video distribution - TV and Cat5e Networks
- Computers & wireless networks – surf the net from anywhere in the home.
stream movies, music and TV programs on demand!
- Game console set up - link to surround sound and play online.
Audio:
- Multi room audio - Use of MP3 and CDs throughout.
- Integrated speakers – Discrete In-wall or In-ceiling.
- Calibrated Surround Sound set up
- Hifi stereo equipment for use with both MP3 and CD' s
- Gardens and terraces
Control:
- TV Screens, all AV components, lighting, blind & climate control, internal telephone, video entry
and Security system networks.
Each installation is tailor made for each of our clients. Upon final calibration and programming of the equipment we offer a full demonstration of how to get the most from your new system. We provide a aftercare service second to none and can provide a maintenance contract to ensure your system always runs to its full potential.To book your free consultation call +34 902 107 227 or email us at info@futurelifestyle.es

 

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The Corrie Connection...

So unless you live in a cave you must of heard by now that the so called “freeview” channels will be disappearing from the screens of expats in southern Spain. Yes we have heard it before and there was the big panic at Christmas in 2012 they came to nothing (although Ch5 and their related channels did become unavailable).

This time it is official and it is a matter of (short) time before we wake up one morning to find a blank screen where Susanna Reed and the BBC breakfast team once sat.

For some this will make little or no difference, the BBC news channel or other English speaking news broadcasts are available through the same satellite as the Spanish channels. Others are not that concerned with TV and / or can speak Spanish well enough for it not to upset their routine. But what about the rest of the expat community down here?

Let´s get things straight, Sky is not going to disappear Mr Murdock knows a good thing when he sees it . God know how many 100 of thousands of British living in Spain either full time or have second homes the demand for English speaking TV is high and people will pay.

But when I say Sky won´t disappear I refer to the channels you pay Mr Murdock a subscription for, so your Sky1, Sky Atlantic, Dave, the Movies and the Sports will all remain safe. The channels that will no longer be viewable are the ones considered Freeview in the UK, so the BBC´s, ITV´s and so on.

When will it all happen??

Well the satellite is moving into position as we speak check our post “Get ready for a change to the way we watch TV” to get the full picture. But the short answer is very soon......

Will you be ready?

There are a lot of companies offering services to fill the hole in your TV viewing that the BBC is going to leave and Future Lifestyle have looked at most of these to see how they stack up to each other.

We have been looking at each service and evaluating the following: -

• ·         Ease of use
• ·         Strain on your internet connection
• ·         Content
• ·         Extra features
• ·         Customer service
• ·         And of course price.

Fear not... we will not let you  miss out on Coronation Street or be left out of the loop of Celebrity Big Brother. We have put our name behind three different types of service that we believe will full fill everyone’s needs and budgets.

Call us today to find out what system suits you best or to book a site survey...
  
t: +34 952 830 936 
e: info@futurelifestyle.es

Giving the MP3 a bit more quality

Getting your hands on music is easy these days, very easy in fact. iTunes, Spotify, TuneIn and a host of other online services will feed your addiction instantly. Although convenient and cheap to get your hands on the quality of the reproduction isn´t the greatest. Instead have you ever wished you could hear digital music the way the artist recorded it in the studio, without the degradation of MP3 compression? So has Neil Young (yes that Neil Young).
 
For the last several years, Neil and a team have been working on trying to enhance the quality of MP3s, which inherently lose sound quality during the compression stage. Young announced on PONO's Facebook page a few days ago that the technology will be available early in 2014. The company will live as an online music store with software that coverts digital audio files into analog-quality recordings. The enhanced songs can then be played using a triangle-shaped device. Meridian Audio known for producing high-performance speakers and home entertainment systems, , will manufacture the PONO music player.

So will people who are accustomed to listening to music on their iPods and smartphones care enough about sound quality to make the switch? Young argues, and I would agree, that the experience is worth it.


"Hearing PONO for the first time is like that first blast of daylight when you leave a movie theater on a sun-filled day. It takes you a second to adjust," he said. "Then you enter a bright reality, of wonderfully rendered detail. This music moves you. So you can feel. That's why so many musicians are behind PonoMusic - this is important work that honors their art. This is the way they wanted you to hear their music."

PONO does this by getting permission from artists to use their studio masters then, with the help of Meridian Audio, "unlock[s] the richness of the artist's music to you."

The bigger plan is to make PONO-quality music as readily available as any other digital music by having an online library where people can purchased the enhanced songs.

I for one welcome the improvement in quality of the humble MP3

Get Ready For a Change To The Way We Watch TV....

Astra 2E – On The Move & Getting Ready for Service
* Official SES Astra Announcement Below In case You Missed It

Astra SES Official Statement – Source SES Astra Facebook Page – December 11th 2013

“As part of SES' ongoing fleet renewal programme, we will be transferring all the UK Spot Beam transponders currently operating on ASTRA 1N across to ASTRA 2E.

This move at the 28.2/28.5ºEast orbital location will take place over several weeks beginning early February 2014.

The transfer will have no adverse implications for viewers in the UK and Ireland as the affected channels will continue to operate on the same frequencies and will be broadcast at the same, or slightly improved power levels, across the UK and Ireland.

TV viewers outside the UK and Ireland may see an impact and may not be able to receive channels from ASTRA 2E UK Spot Beam, which has a smaller footprint than ASTRA 1N.

The new footprint on SES' replacement fleet has been designed to meet the requirements of UK and Irish broadcasters who target their channels for distribution in the UK and/or Ireland. UK and Irish broadcasters hold broadcasting rights only for the UK and/or Ireland but not for other countries.”

So what does this mean then??

Well like Channel 5 last year all the channels that are referred to as "Freeview" will no longer be available here in southern Spain. To find out why this is going to happen have a look at our blog post back in November 2012 "Satellite News, am I going to lose out?" 

 When??

Well the slow transition from its test location to its final operating position has started, this should take something like 10 to 14 days to reach its destination. Once there it should be only a matter of days until the channels start to disappear.

You can track the satellites location using this website.

Ok So what can I do??

 Future Lifestyle have been working on a number of solutions throughout the year and have been testing them to see how they work under different circumstances. The key to any to the future of television services is going to be the internet. Streaming live programs, using a catch up service of some kind or just downloading a film or a series box set you are going to need a good internet connection. 

What do we mean when we say a good internet connection? Well the services we have been testing run on anything from 0.8mb to 2.5mb, depending on the kind of service you are trying to use and the quality of the image. We always recommend a connection of at least 3mb to ensure a good viewing experience and a little extra to allow someone to use the internet as you watch TV.

So what happens if your telefonica service isn´t up to it or you don´t have internet at all?? 

 

 Contact the Future Lifestyle team we have partnered with Servifone a supplier of a reliable internet service covering the Costa Del Sol. They can supply, install and maintain all your internet and VoIP needs. 

So give Future Lifestyle a call today, we will listen to how you want to watch TV, what components you already have and what solution is best for you. From internet connection to a brand new screen, the guys from Future Lifestyle will ensure you don´t miss a single episode of Eastenders or Corrie... 

Telephone today on +34 952 830 936 or email info@futurelifestyle.es