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With simple how-to videos, live help and our friendly call centre team, we’re ready to do whatever we can to answer your questions about Saorview.

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Got a Saorview Connect box? Checkout our Connect Help Section

How To Videos

Handy how to’s to get set up with Saorview.

Have Saorview and need to scan for channels? Here's how.

Have Saorview combi and need to scan for channels? Here's how.

FAQs

Your questions answered quickly.

The Saorview mobile app is no longer available on Google Play or the App Store. Saorview Guide and Spotlight information can be found on our website at our What's On page.

All broadcasters in Ireland must ensure that their output is compliant with its Authority's codes and standards. If a viewer or listener wishes to make a complaint or correction on something they saw or heard on Saorview, they should contact the broadcaster first.

Most broadcasters carried on the Saorview platform are licensed by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI). To read more about their complaint procedure or to make a complaint with them please go to How to Make a Complaint - Broadcast Authority of Ireland (bai.ie)

An updated list of broadcaster contact details are available on this BAI site.

Sky’s Irish channels are now licensed in Luxembourg and regulated by the Autorité luxembourgeoise independante de l’audiovisuel, also known as ALIA. To read more about their complaint procedure or to make a complaint with them please go to Complaints | ALIA

The Sky Customer Complaints Code of Practice can be found at How to make a complaint about Sky TV | Sky Help | Sky.com

The Saorview DTT platform supports both the Irish and English languages. Viewers wishing to enjoy commentary in the Irish language on GAA Sporting events - have only to carry out the following three simple steps:

Step 1

Whilst viewing the television channel - select the language (lang) button on the Saorview Remote control that came with the receiver. This action will bring up a pop-up window – the viewer then selects “Audio Language” by highlight and pressing OK on the remote control.

Step 2

The action of pressing “OK” on the remote control presents a second pop-up box to the viewer, in this window all the languages available with the television service are displayed to the viewer.

Step 3

The viewer wishing to avail of Irish Language commentary, simply moves the highlight down from the English Language track to the Irish Language track and selects “OK” on the remote control.

That’s it!

In November and December 2021, we added two new channels to the Saorview lineup.

Sky News is now available on Saorview channel 23, and radio channel UCB Ireland is on channel 211.

For most viewers, the new channels will appear in their expected positions and no further adjustment is needed. If you notice that your set-top box has not updated the channel listings don’t worry – a quick manual re-scan of the Saorview channels will ensure that the new channel names are displayed correctly. 

If you need assistance receiving the new channels please see our re-scan videos in the help section above, or contact us at 0818-212221,  email [email protected] for information and advice.

Due to Ireland’s varied landscape there are some areas where Saorview reception may not be possible. SAORSAT is available to  provide free-to-air access to television services via satellite for the 2% of households who are not able to receive Saorview. You can find out more about SAORSAT here.

On TVs the model number is usually found on the back, the front of the frame or (if you still have it) on the cover of the manual. On boxes the number can be found on the label underneath, or on the back of the unit.

If you think you’ve been deceived or misled in relation to the purchase of equipment, for example a TV, set-top box, aerial or satellite dish or the installation of any of this equipment, contact the National Consumer Agency on 1890 432 432 or 01 402 5555.

The National Consumer Agency has prepared independent information on digital television for consumers, it is available on their website www.consumerhelp.ie.

From time to time 2RN carries out essential maintenance on the transmission network. Sometimes this involves turning off Saorview from a particular transmitter site. This usually lasts no longer than a few hours. Information on signal outages can be found on Aertel 169 and on our News page. If the signal is gone for a longer duration than this, and you are confident that your aerial hasn’t been inadvertently disconnected or developed a fault, then here are a few easy things you can try:

  • Using your TV’s remote control, check that you have selected the correct input on your TV for your Saorview box. If you have a set top box is connected to the TV with a SCART lead, you’ll need to select the input named AV or SCART. If your set top box is connected to the TV using a HDMI lead, you’ll need to select the appropriate HDMI input (i.e. HDMI 1, or HDMI 2 etc.)
  • Unplug the TV and set top box. Wait about 30 seconds and then plug everything back in again. Turn on your TV first, and then the set top box.
  • On rare occasions, a re-scan is required to allow your Saorview set top box or Saorview TV to update itself with either new channels, or a change of channel frequency. This will be publicised in advance by Saorview, but just in case try doing a re-scan.

2RN advises that sometimes certain weather conditions can disrupt Saorview reception for a small percentage of viewers.  This problem can occur when a high pressure weather system is stable across the country. Whenever such conditions prevail, unwanted television signals may be received from outside Ireland, and this can result in interference to normal reception. This generally only lasts for a short period of time, although in exceptional cases may be present over a number of days.

In the vast majority of cases a correctly installed Saorview set up will not suffer from this issue. We advise that if you experience this problem, you should consult a qualified local installer who can recommend the best solution.

If you are missing one or more of the channels it may be that you are not receiving both transmission signals that Saorview provides. If this happens, we recommend that you seek the services of a qualified aerial installer who can check out your system and recommend improvements. You will find information on aerial installers near you here.

2RN, who transmit the Saorview signals nationwide, recommend the use of a professionally installed UHF roof aerial to receive Saorview. Your local aerial installer will be best positioned to recommend the correct aerial type for your location. 

It may be possible in some areas to use an attic aerial, and in some instances it may be possible to use an indoor set-top aerial. A good local installer will be aware of the best aerial solution for your particular location and can ensure that is is correctly and safely installed.

Connect your aerial and satellite cables to your combi box and connect the combi box to your TV. Follow the on-screen instructions once everything is connected and switched on. Your Saorview retailer or satellite installer will offer you advice or assistance with combi installation and set up.

Connect your aerial to your new box and connect the box to your TV with a SCART or HDMI cable and follow the instructions on the screen. Your retailer will be able to help you with this, and if you are in any doubt on how to set up Saorview, you can contact us on 0818 21 22 21 and we will be happy to help.

Connect your aerial to your new Saorview Approved TV and follow the instructions on the screen. Each TV manufacturer has its own custom menu set up, which you will see when you first install your new set. If you are in any doubt about how to do this, the retailer from whom you purchased the set will be able to help or give us a call on 0818 21 22 21 and we will be happy to help.

Yes a TV Licence is required. Every household, business or institution that has a television set, regardless of television service – free or pay TV – must have an up to date TV Licence. For more information on the TV licence visit the An Post website.

We estimate that Saorview covers just over half of the population of Northern Ireland through over-spill of the signals.

Use our coverage checker to see the areas covered. Please note the address search tool is not designed for Northern Ireland. If it does not recognise your area use the name of a large population centre such as Belfast, Newry, Derry or Portrush (all followed with UK) to get the red pin to a location near you. Then click on the red pin and drag it to your exact location.

If you are not in Saorview coverage in Northern Ireland, you may be able to receive some of the Irish channels on Freeview. To check Freeview coverage please visit Digital UK .

Yes, all Saorview Approved equipment, both TVs and boxes is capable of displaying subtitles. To access 
subtitles, press the “subtitle” or “sub” button on your remote control. Usually the text “SUBTITLE” will appear at the top right of the screen when subtitles are on.

Yes, just get yourself a Saorview Plus box. Then you can record your favourite series with Series Link, pause and rewind live TV, and record one channel while watching another.  Check out our page on Saorview Plus for more details and next steps.

Or there are also some Saorview Approved products that allow recording onto an external hard drive. These products are not full personal video recorders (PVRs) but will allow you to record what’s currently showing.

Along the border there is overspill of UK signals from Freeview and you may be able to receive those signals along with the Saorview channels. Nice one! For more information click here

You can combine Saorview with free-to-air satellite services to give you a broader range of channels. You need a Saorview Approved combi box or combi TV which comes with a satellite tuner, connected to both an aerial and a satellite dish. Check out our page on Saorview combi for more details and next steps.

No, sorry Saorview isn’t a satellite service and needs a different type of decoder box. You need a Saorview Approved box and a UHF aerial to get Saorview.

If you’re paying a subscription to a pay TV service like Sky or Virgin Media, then you already have access to the TV channels that are on Saorview. However it’s still possible to use Saorview for the other TVs in your house, the one in the kitchen, the bedroom, the man cave or, if you’re lucky enough, the one at the holiday home.

To add Saorview into your home connect an aerial to a Saorview Approved TV or box – for information click here

No, not if your TV is Saorview Approved, thousands are and you can check if your’s is here . If it’s not then you can still keep your TV and buy a Saorview approved box to connect your TV to an aerial.

If you’re thinking of getting Saorview then we recommend that you only purchase Saorview Approved equipment. This is because more than likely you’ll be offered a wide choice of equipment by your retailer or installer and the Saorview Approved logo is your only guarantee that the product will always work properly with our service.

The Saorview Approved logo is backed up by an agreed technical standard between broadcasters (called NORDIG) and sets out a minimum level of quality that a product must attain. This guarantees that the device will always work correctly with existing and new services on Saorview. Including high definition television, stereo sound, digital teletext, a 7 day Saorview electronic programme guide and on screen subtitling.

In addition, all Saorview Approved receivers allocate channel numbering logically and as broadcast this places your Saorview channels in a convenient order, for your ease of use.

Products sold as ‘Irish DTT Ready’, ‘Irish Digital Ready, or ‘Irish MPEG 4’, will in most cases not function correctly with Saorview, either now or in the future. In many cases, these products require continual adjustment when new services are launched, they will not display digital teletext, or list services in the correct channel order in the electronic programme guide or channel numbering. In addition, they cannot access over-air software upgrades, which are necessary for continued ease of use of Saorview.

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