The Filipino Channel (TFC) in the UK, Direct TV

Thursday 14 Jun 2007 20:27

Direct TV Channels (UK)

Top-rating sitcoms, variety
shows and drama series.

News and talk shows.

Drama, comedy and action
movies and more.

Philippine sights, sports
regional news, talk shows,and travel programs.

Radio News & Commetary

Filipino Music

Direct TV seems the best (and only) way to get Filipino TV channels in the UK. Having just returned from the Philippines and now courting the wonderful girl I went to meet, I've naturally got a lot of interest in Filipino news and culture. The best way to stay in touch is to receive Filipino TV channels in the UK. If only I could just add another channel to my Sky package, but its not so easy.

Google led me to just two distributors both offering a similar service at a similar price. note: PhilMedia are no longer distributors for TFC:

Datu Enterprises
PhilMedia

I'm posting these links because they were not particularly easy to find. I'm sure there are more Direct TV distributors in the UK. Maybe many don't have websites.

Both the above companies offer 6 channels, but two channels are radio. The typical price is around £270 a year. Direct TV is a satellite service. You need an 80cm satellite dish and set-top-box to receive it. A typical Sky mini-dish is about 53cm wide and does not have the right orientation to receive Direct TV.

A big consideration for me is where to put another set-top-box amongst all my equipment. Even after I replaced my DVD player with my Xbox 360 (also plays DVDs) and finally getting rid of my old VCR, its still pretty cramped (and hot) under my TV already.

I'm still undecided as what I want to do. 4 TV Channels (and 2 radio) for £270 a year seems pretty expensive to me, especially compared to what I pay for several hundred Sky channels. Its also more than half the price of a return ticket to the Philippines. But this is about more than entertainment. For Filipinos and Pinoys at heart who want to keep in touch with the Philippines I can see this is a tempting offer.

Comments(13)

3 Feb 2010 03:45 by David2005

Well, you could try www.avenido.info for a web feed to ABS-CBN. There is the live stream and the ability to watch the past 24 hours on demand too. And its free :)

17 Nov 2008 01:44 by romel

money debits is so quick, tfc card activation is absolutely slow

25 Sep 2008 09:41 by Francis

I'm back again to report that Direct Satelite dish and receiver have been installed in my house and the reception and sound quality are superb. Yoiu will rememeber that 2 days ago I commented here that Broadband reception was poor in my area. Now I can report that satelite reception is just beautiful. Now I can say "Thanks TFC and Thanks Ferdie the engineer who installed us the dish and TFC. My wife is Filipina is is enjoying her visual 'home comforts' and she loves a bit of home in our home. Thanks again. Francis

25 Sep 2008 09:13 by Francis

One word of advice. reception via a broadband box isn't very good. The sound is very distortded and the picture is very poor. It has the quality of You Tube video clip. I tried it and changed the broadband reception to satelite whith is far better. Also, with broadband reception you cannot tape/record anything but youi can with the satelite option. A salesman for TFC told me that he NEVER recommends broadband reception because of the poor quality of sound and image. I am speaking from personal experience.

16 Sep 2008 11:37 by Francis

TFC is a rip off. Don't subscribe to them. I have asked for my money back.

16 Aug 2008 10:08 by ted paez

waht is ur contactt tfc plz we nned it now to watch tagalog

6 Aug 2008 02:53 by resty

TFC is at Atlantic Bird 3 @ 5.0'W ---->

http://www.lyngsat.com/ab3.html

8 Jun 2008 03:46 by johnny

you dont need a satalite dish. just go here http://www.pinoyminimall.co.uk/acatalog/The_Filipino_Channel.html

17 May 2008 01:45 by paul

The Filipino Channel in the uk is a total rip off for the average subscriber. They rely on houseshare applicants clubbing together for a subscription. For a better deal you need to point your dish to 8W and GMA TV. It'll keep your wife happy as long as it stays free.....

9 Feb 2008 06:29 by elsie

Can i get TFC on the set top box?

21 Dec 2007 06:55 by Babes

Hi there. Thanks for mentioning PhilMedia but we no longer are a dealer for TFC, maybe you can update your info.

Salamat!

21 Dec 2007 10:45 by AK

Apart from being a different company TFC is broadcast from a satelite at 5 degrees west Sky is 28 degrees east to be able to recives from both a very big dish 1M dia with two LNB, a dish on a motor mount or two dishes pointing at each satellite. Added a sky box can't switch LNBs or control a motor and non sky boxes cant decrypt sky easily unless your prepared to put some serious work into making the set up work your going to end up with 2 set top boxes with either 2 dishes or the one big dish with 2 LNB one going to each box.

AK

17 Sep 2007 02:29 by katie

This is REALLY useful; i spoke to sky and asked them to turn on the Filipino chanel and drew a blank, so this is really helpful. Thank you.

The Filipino Channel (TFC) in the UK, Direct TV

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Comments(13)