Hi All,,

Can anyone tell me what English language TV options are available in Istanbul? Are there any cable or satellite packages that get a decent selection of channels? Does anyone know if I can bring my SKY box and get it to work...or is it out of range of the satellite transmission??

Thanks for any advice!

john

Sky not out of range. But you will need a 3 meter plus size dish to get all the channels.

Digiturk has loads of english channels. I think you can use your Skybox but it costs LOADS to set it up. I would say Digiturk is the one. I have cable, so I only get 5 channels. BBC Prime, BBC world, MTV and some other stuff. This suits me as I dont really watch loads of TV. I am sure most of the members here have digiturk?

hey guys, thanks...

3m dish sounds a bit excessive and eyesore, though I will miss X-factor, CS, Eastenders I guess (

Digiturk is different than cable then?? Digiturk is a satellite offering?

Do you know if there is a Digiturk website that I can see the english lang channels on offer, I searched, and any digiturk page seems to be blank....

Thanks a mill..

John

Digiturk is the standard satellite offering here. It's actually not a bad deal with plenty of english programming including (for the ladies) 'stenders (UK + 2days I think). There's 4 premiership footy matches each weekend on TV8 and loads of movies. Before digiturk I went down the independent satellite route and ended up with 3 dishes and decoder costing a few hundred dollars - I had 500+ channels but no more english ones than I do now. Lesson learned - unless you have the luxury of a fcuk-off big dish, get digiturk.

dont know about x-factor but you get eastenders and csi on digiturk...
http://www.digiturk.com.tr
http://english.digiturk.tv
check the website...

thanks all!

We purchased the Sky Decoder and Sky card.. we can accomodate a 2.8m dish ( just )
primarily to help our kids settle in Istanbul... Disney Channel etc, ended up paying
top dollar for most programmes once installed no Disney no this no that.

Rang them up....their reply.... you need a bigger dish

CNBCE is a Turkish channel which is available both through cable and digiturk. during the day it is a business channel and then in the evening they have a range of mainly American shows in the original American (Turkish subtitles). Some of the shows they have on at the moment include Rome (heavily censored) and Six Feet Under, both on Sunday nights. Just checking the website now....

Ahh. it is all very easy as they list the names of the shows in English. Here is the Feb. schedule http://www.cnbce.com/subat.asp

Starting on March 1 and then every Wednesday at 9:30 is the Sopranos. Excellent

... but if they didn't censor it the channel would find itself taken of air for a day by the government. Hasn't happened for a while but it does happen.

GB whatrs amusing about 'ROME' is that two weeks ago they had to put up an apology/judgement agaınst CNBCE for showing a bloke naked- this in a country where you can go in to any tourist shop and buy a five ınch man with six inch dick!!!

I know, you only have to look at the newspapers to wonder why they bother editing, when a small child can see near naked women adorning the frontpages.

just revamping this topic: is satellite still out of the question unless one can have a 3m (?????) dish??
I was hoping to see some Italian channels, some dutch ones and of course the english ones...

As for Italian channels you can get only Rai1 through Digiturk.. In the case you like sport, soccer matchs and F1 are even encrypted in Rai1..
Heard the same about the 3m dish unfortunately..