Using UK VAIO VGX-TP3Z_B in Ireland - No TV Signal

[nhowie]

I purchased a VAIO VGX-TP3Z_B in Belfast a few months ago and I have recently moved to Southern Ireland. My problem is I cannot get the Irish TV signal to be picked up by my VAIO even though I have set it to Region='Ireland / Dublin' in Windows Media Centre (Tasks | Settings | TV | Set up TV Signal). I work my way though the wizard and when it gets to 'Scan for Signal' it goes from 0 to 100% without finding any services.

I'm using the analog cable from my normal TV Aerial (from the back of my telly which has 8 channels from the Irish analog signal) plugged into the VHF/UHF input at the back of the VAIO media centre.
I've also tried an analog connection between my SKY HD box (RF-1-Out port) to the VAIO VHF/UHF input, but same result (as far as I know it's not a High Definition feed, just normal analog). I know there is an analog signal from the SKY box as I hooked it to an old TV and it tuned into the signal just fine.

The VAIO VGX-TP3Z_B has 2 tuners of type 'AVerMedia A313 MiniCard Pure DVB-T' and 'DVB-T (Plus)'.

I logged a case with Sony and am waiting on them to get back to me, they reckon the VAIO may be Region Locked to UK TV.

Any assistance as to how to receive Irish TV (or SKY) on my VAIO would be gratefully received as I've tried everything I can think of at this stage.

Thanks,
N.

[stone69]

Hi nhowie and welcome to Club VAIO.

Has the setup you have described above worked before?
In my opinion this will not work, as according to the specification sheet of you TP3Z it has two digital DVB-T tuners built in. For receiving DVB-T signal you need a special aerial.
I don't believe it will be able to read analogue signals from either a normal aerial or from an analogue output.
I also don't believe it's somehow "region locked" as I operate an AR31-S, bought in Switzerland and I can easily receive DVB-T signals from France, Germany and Switzerland where I live.

DVB-T aerials will be available in your electronics shop; you will only need the aerial and not a "USB-stick" with DVB-T tuner. Something like this!

[nhowie]

Thanks for your useful comments.
And, no I never bothered to set it up for TV while in the UK, I was just using it for music and internet.

This makes sense as UK have Digital TV, so I guess this is a DVB-T signal.
Southern Ireland on the other hand has not gone digital yet and so uses an older analog signal not compatible with my VAIO.

I'll check out getting a DVB-T aerial or converter (if there is such a thing) and try to set things up again. Best to talk to a techie in an electronics / TV shop.

The main thing I want to do with the incoming TV signal is record things that are on my SKY+ Planner recordings. I wonder is there anything I can set on the SKY box to set the output to DVB-T so that recording to the VAIO is possible (if anyone has got this working let me know the steps).

I'll look into it and update the post if I am successful.

N.