menuMENU    UK Free TV logo Freesat

 

 

Click to see updates

Upgrading from Sky+HD to Freesat+HD

What to do if you want to stop subscribing to Sky+HD but do wish to record/pause/play free HD television.

What to do if you want to stop subscribing to Sky+HD but do wis
published on UK Free TV

You might get a glossy magazine every month, but what do Sky really think of your custom?

"Give me a f**king name on a direct debit and it's mine for life,"
- Sam Chisholm, former boss of BSkyB.


Perhaps you responded to an offer like the one blow that promised a gratis Sky+HD box (for new customers taking their first Sky+HD package) with free standard set-up



But you were so excited with the thought of a £50 M&S voucher that you didn't think to follow each of the little daggers and little stars to quite read all the terms and conditions:



So, your twelve months of commitment are over and, for reasons of budget (or politics) you have decided you want to keep all the features of Sky+ - live pause, high definition, extended electronic programme guide, series record, and recording two programmes at once whilst you watch another - but don't want to fork out every month on top of your TV Licence - and you still get hundreds of free TV channels

Here's what you can do.

First you need to buy a Freesat+HD box. There are many on the market, and can be bought from Argos, Currys DIGITAL, John Lewis, Comet and online at Amazon, as well as other stores.

When you use a Freesat+HD box NO SUBSCRIPTION HAS TO BE PAID. NONE. NOT A PENNY TO ANYONE.

Installing

This will take no more than ten minutes. First you will need to disconnect the Sky+HD box mains from the wall socket.

Then you will need to disconnect the cables from the back of the Sky+HD box.

Pull out the mains power connection (1), carefully unscrew the satellite dish links (2) and (3), and then take out the HDMI lead (4) to your HDTV. If you have an "surround sound" amplifier, you may also have a digital audio connection (5).

Remove the Sky+HD box and put the Freesat+HD box back in the same position.



Then reconnect the cables: the mains power cable (1) - but not to the wall just yet, screw the two satellite dish links (2) and (3) and connect the HDMI cable (4) to your HDTV. If you had one, reconnect the digital audio connection (5).

If you have an Ethernet router, you can connect it to the Freesat+HD box at this point (5).

With everything in place, turn on the mains power and power up the Freesat+HD box.

The TV screen first displays the box's logo



The first set-up screen allows you to select the TV type, widescreen mode and resolution:



Next the box checks for the satellite signal:



Then there is a check for updated software:



Then you enter your postcode and the box checks it:



The next step is a scan for channels. This takes about 30 seconds:



And that's it. You can now view channels, like 108 for BBC HD:



Or press the GUIDE button for the EPG:



And that's it.

Help with Free satellite?
What can I do when my Sky Digibox says 'No Signal' or 'Technical fau1
Can I receive UK TV in Ghana?2
What is a CA module?3
My box says "No Satellite signal being received"4
Is there any way I can get free channels via satellite and have the kind of hard5
In this section
Freesat adds a plethora of new channels in time for Christmas including channel 1
A tale of a two Freesat boxes2
Yesterday, Drama and Really joining Freesat this month3
PBS America joins Freesat for Halloween4
Fixing the Freesat Freetime internet connection problem5
Satellite TV operators FRANSAT, TIVUSAT and our Freesat launch FreeTV Alliance 6

Comments
Thursday, 10 March 2011
D
DAS TV
5:14 PM

My point was only that one box can sit where the other does currently without too much palava. What an individual expects from that box of course impinges on what they think of the respective services.

link to this comment
DAS TV's 2 posts GB flag
Briantist
sentiment_very_satisfiedOwner

5:40 PM

DAS TV: Yes, the point of this page was to answer the "what happens when I stop subscribing to Sky+/Sky+HD" question that comes up every five minutes.

link to this comment
Briantist's 38,915 posts GB flag
Friday, 11 March 2011
T
technophobe
4:54 PM

As my user name implies,I am technically illiterate so please bear with me if my query seems banal.
Why do I need to enter my postcode at stage 3 ? Also why can non Sky users only get 3 HD channels with ITV 2,3 & 4 HD only available through the purchase of a complete Sky HD package ? What is the TV license for if it only covers limited HD output ?

link to this comment
technophobe's 6 posts PT flag
Saturday, 12 March 2011
R
Rodlv
4:54 PM
London

Briantist: What Freeview+box woud you recommend for a budget of £150-200. What are you currently using?

link to this comment
Rodlv's 5 posts GB flag
Rodlv's: mapR's Freeview map terrainR's terrain plot wavesR's frequency data R's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Tuesday, 15 March 2011
Briantist
sentiment_very_satisfiedOwner

6:37 AM

Rodlv: As I have not the facilities to test all equipment, I do not feel able to make recommendations based on facts.

For personal use, I have Windows 7 Media Centre with a Hauupauge Nova-DT Dual DVB-T Tuner, but that is for use with an existing PC.

link to this comment
Briantist's 38,915 posts GB flag
Briantist
sentiment_very_satisfiedOwner

6:39 AM

technophobe: You need to enter a postcode to get the correct BBC and ITV regions.

ITV2,3 and 4 HD are exclusive to Sky as Sky have paid ITV to do this.

The TV Licence pays for the BBC only and you can get all BBC services for free on all platforms.

link to this comment
Briantist's 38,915 posts GB flag
Wednesday, 16 March 2011
T
Ted Bellamy
11:18 PM

with a mobile sat dish I locate Astra2 satellite
if I use my existing Sky dish do I need to realign to get different channels? Also I have seen cards advertised to used in Sky+ box to receive freesat, do these work and are they legal?

link to this comment
Ted Bellamy's 1 post GB flag
Thursday, 17 March 2011
Les Nicol
sentiment_satisfiedGold

8:54 AM
Edinburgh

Ted Bellamy - SKY are in the business of subscription TV. However if you are not a subscriber you can obtain for a one off payment around £25 a FSFS (free sat from sky card) - If you wish to make use of the record play pause facility on your SKY Plus receiver you will have to subscribe to a monthly package to have this feature enabled. Alternatively you could consider buying your own "Freesat" receiver - the service supported by the BBC and ITV. Scroll up to the page header and click on the "Freesat" tab for options.
Whilst you can make use 0f your SKY dish to
re-align to other satellites it's design and size isn't the the best for this purpose and you would require an FTA (Free to Air receiver) to pick up European channel services.


link to this comment
Les Nicol's 991 posts GB flag
Les's: mapL's Freeview map terrainL's terrain plot wavesL's frequency data L's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Friday, 18 March 2011
E
ernieg
4:09 PM

I have a Sky Sports subscription and a flat screen digital TV downstairs with a Sky HD Box.

Upstairs I have a analogue TV with a Magic eye connection (To allow me to watch same Sky TV as on Downstairs TV) connected to RF IN socket of my Video recorder to TV aerial with scart connections to the TV and a DVD Player to a multi Scart swocket Lead.

On changeover to digital I am contemplating The purchase of either a new Freeview TV, a new Freeview PVR or new Freesat HD Box.

Which of the above is the best alternative to be able to connect the Magic eye to continue to receive Sky progames on my upstairs TV and do all the alternatives have a RF In socket to allow this.

link to this comment
ernieg's 1 post GB flag
Sunday, 27 March 2011
M
Mr S M Davies
sentiment_satisfiedBronze

9:20 PM

Briantist. I was under the impression that the Humax Foxsat HDR which is a Freesat+ box WILL NOT record from the buffer? However I think a Sky+ box will record form the buffer. A critical difference don't you think so. Nigel asked this earlier. It was not clearly answered? I must say though I am a huge fan of the Foxsat. Thanks.

link to this comment
Mr S M Davies's 32 posts GB flag
Select more comments

Your comment please
Please post a question, answer or commentUK Free TV is here to help people. If you are rude or disrespectful all of your posts will be deleted and you will be banned.







Privacy policy: UK Free Privacy policy.