That’s (bad) news to me…glad you picked up on that. There may be workarounds, such as supplying it with a clean VPN from another source.
Yes, you would assume that it does not need a VPN to function in the UK, for instance
3 Likes
Where was it that you picked that up. The Manhatten site says that it doesn’t.
1 Like
I think that’s for the additional stuff they include, e.g. some niche channels, some online games, etc…
From what I’ve seen, the Freely stuff is free, even if you don’t subscribe to the other stuff.
1 Like
The below text is taken from; UK TV in Europe Manhattan Aero Freely Box (No Dish)
Installing the Manhattan Aero Freely is simple: just connect the router with embedded VPN to your internet box and then to the Aero. Connect the Aero box to the TV via a HDMI cable.
From my further reading on that website it seems that one is supplied with 2 little magic boxes. One is a router with the embedded VPN, and the other is the Aero box.
I should add that my understanding of all this is virtually zero. My main feelings at present are that once again I’m being forced into throwing away perfectly good and functioning kit in order to have something different of which I have no understanding.
1 Like
Ah, right - the clue is
So not the standard Aero setup
Yes, the VPN is in the router, not the Aero.
My understanding is that the first 12 months subscription to the VPN in the router box is included with the price of the Aero box. Altogether some 320 or so Euro. I’m wondering how much the annual subscription will be for the router VPN after that. I suppose I could ask the company that’s making the offer, but I just wondered if anyone here already knows.
They seem a bit cagey about that - at least as far as putting it on the website is concerned.
I came to the same conclusion. My experience is that when a company keeps quiet about something like that it is usually because it is expensive. If it were real cheap then surely they would be shouting it from the rooftops.
1 Like
I must be a special case. I find UK broadcast tv adequate. I don’t watch much live tv, I can record several channels at once and get enough for me and my wife to watch when we wish. Also a bonus of skipping past ads. Oh, and 2 recorders and 2 tvs avoids any disagreements.
I don’t suppose that is supplied free. And as is mentioned in this thread, you need a vpn to watch UK tv.
Many folk think pylons and wind turbines are ugly but we have those as we need them.
I’ll just need to avoid buying a house on a lotissement if I don’t like their rules.
The rules on other properties are annoying enough as it is. So much for the liberté I was expecting before I came here. 
I now realise why so many French simply ignore rules.
1 Like
Can you not receive TNT through an ordinary aerial? I use a BT box, as it’s the same standard, so can record if required. (not a function I use often for French telly)
Yes, I did in Cholet. I don’t know if it is exactly all of TNT but the 20 or so major French channels. Annoyingly, I set up a generic satellite receiver in my new house in Chars and tuned in 200+ channels (mostly German but a few English speaking news channels) on Astra 19.2 E dish that was already set up. I bought a TNT card, thinking I would get TNT, but, no, I have to have a speshul TNT box. Well, I’ll eventually find one at Emmaus for 5e.
2 Likes
TNT by Sat is no better in the range of channels than TNT Terrestrial ..except that whereas TNT from an aerial will only get the local France 3 , whereas you can get all the regional variants by the Satellite. It is possible that the Satellite Image might be a little sharper. But I cannot say . Since in France I have Terrestrial and in Ireland I used the satellite and both give excellent quality .. You are correct that you must have a legitimate TNT certified sat box with the decryption hardware and the card . Note cards only last 4 years and must be replaced. Of course you still can see those 200+ channels ..mainly German. It’s outside the scope of this answer but there are a vast number of radio channels on 19.2 and if feed into a hifi give superb quality.
FRANSAT uses a different satellite so those German stations etc are less . Now they have made major changes so older boxes you might get in a charity will not work. They are trying to encourage people to use a USB type decryption dongle with a modern TV with satellite tuner .. I was intrigued and have purchased one to try out when I get home …
What you might not have realised is that Free and SFR and other telecoms providers have free to view channels on their websites and there are apps on Apple or Android etc which decode them. I have confirmed that they work ..but will probably find them geolocked if I try access from Ireland.
1 Like
No, the signal comes from Limoges which is NE of use and we are surrounded by trees, to the north and the east, a small price to pay for lovely trees. 
OK. I found tweaking my aerial gave a few more channels. I use an aerial like this, very compact and discrete. Labgear LOG TV Aerial - Screwfix
I’m sure you have tried, but sometimes they start up another transmitter from a different direction. No worries, you don’t need it.
You may be right, but everybody in the neighbourhood is still pointing to Limoges.
Has Sir tried a signal amplifier?
No, does that clear a blocked signal?