Can I stop paying Sky and use my satellite receiver to get Freeview ?
Brian Butterworth published on UK Free TV Yes, but only "sort of".
Freeview is the name of the (BBC-backed) digital TV system that uses hilltop transmitters to rooftop aerials. It is run separately from the "Sky" satellite-to-dish service.
free-to-VIEW is a term for satellite channels that need a viewing card to watch, but not to collect a subscription. free-to-AIR channels are ones that can be received without needing a viewing card or subscription.
The free-to-AIR satelite service backed by the BBC and ITV is called Freesat. The free-to-VIEW service operated by Sky is called fSfS or Freesat from Sky.
As long as you have finished your first year, you can leave Sky when you want.
To do this just give Sky a call and tell them you don't want to subscribe any more.
If you stop subscribing you will be able to watch the hundred or so free-to-air channels listed on free channels list. This service is called Freesat from Sky (fSfS).
Some of the channels on the Freeview service are subscription only on satellite, specifically: 4Music, Challenge, Dave, Dave ja vu, Quest, VIVA and Yesterday . See these links to compare the TV channels on Freesat-from-Sky and Freeview, and to compare radio stations on Freeview and fSfS. Many homes have free satellite and Freeview to get the full range of channels.
You will still need to keep your Sky viewing card. If you stop subscribing on a Sky contract, you can keep using that card to watch 5USA, 5* and PICK TV, the so-called "free-to-view" channels. (All ITV channels are free-to-air).
It is not possible to plug an aerial into a Sky Digibox to receive Freeview channels because the boxes have not been designed this way.
You will continue to get the full Sky EPG listings; you just will not be able to watch subscription channels.
If you want to go for High Definition, HD, you can swap out your Sky box for a Freesat one very easily.
A card is not needed to watch BBC services, but it is needed to get the correct BBC ONE and BBC TWO regions on 101 and 102.
Another option is to disconnect your Sky Digibox altogether and Upgrade from Sky to Freesat - ukfree.tv. If you have an HD-Ready TV and a standard Sky box, this is a good option.
6:58 AM
Yvonne Fuller:
You mention "aerial" when I presume you mean "dish". Dishes or the LNB on the dish only need to be a fraction out of alignment to stop receiving signals.
Is all the external cabling securely fixed and not flapping in the wind?
Also the LNB may have failed.
You best bet would be to borrow another satellite receiver if you can and check your Dish, LNB and cabling are ok, or get someone in who knows what they are about!
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3:48 PM
I use a very old skybox (without a card) but some time ago it stopped receiving ITV1 due to some change of broadcast standard. I could re add it as a sort of supplementary but not without a card.
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5:10 PM
steve P:
StevensOnln1 is much more knowledgeable in this area.
I'm no expert in this area as I don't use satellite but isn't that loss down the the fact that ITV have removed some of the SD channels and they are now only in HD?
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4:32 PM
steve P: As Chris mentioned, ITV closed the majority of their SD regions on satellite some time ago after having launched nearly all of their regions in HD on satellite. At a guess, your region is now broadcast in HD only and not having a viewing card had prevented the box updating the channel listing to show an alternative ITV SD region on 103. If you're able to obtain a viewing card from a cancelled subscription (ideally registered to an address in the same area so that you get the correct BBC region) and insert that into your box it should hopefully restore ITV SD on 103 (I don't have a Sky SD box to be able to test this).
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10:29 PM
The Wales region was duplicated from region 43 in the "DTH Wales" bouquet onto region 32 in the "DTH Other" bouquet, some years ago.
Region 43 on the "DTH Wales" bouquet is no longer used or kept up to date.
The current difference status of these regions is as follows:
BSkyB Bouquet 3 - DTH Wales
LCN ServiceName
103
203
801
802 BBC Two HD
803
804
969
973
978 BBC One Wal HD
980 BBC Two Wal HD
0154
0219 BBC R Cymru 2
BSkyB Bouquet 4 - DTH Other
LCN ServiceName
103 ITV Wales
203 ITV+1 [Central]
801 BBC One Wal HD
802 BBC Two Wal HD
803 ITV Wales HD
804 S4C HD
969 BBC Two
973 ITV+1 [London]
978
980 BBC Two HD
0154 BBC R Cymru 2
0219
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11:34 PM
Pretty strange, ironic, stupid, ridiculous - that the "BSkyB Bouquet 3 - DTH Wales" doesn't have an active Welsh region anymore!
Perhaps steve P will tell us which LCN BBC R Cymru 2 is on, on his box?
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8:36 PM
how do i get the sports channels and of course the sex channels as free as possible
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6:24 PM
Excellent post. I definitely love this site.
Keepp it up!
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