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.
10:00 AM
Hi there
Will Sky sports football get any better in Canada in the future.
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1:03 PM
Camberley
Happy New Year !!
I have virgin V+ downstairs and 3 digital tv's upstairs that i was hoping to get up and running with a freeview aerial that i have located in my loft but the signal is very poor so i will need to get an engineer to move it to the roof. But i also have an old sky dish that is not used, can the dish pickup freeview/digital signals ???If i was to use a splitter in the loft to the tvs upstairs would they get digital channels on there digital tv's...???
Thanks
Milsy
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Millsy44's: mapM's Freeview map terrainM's terrain plot wavesM's frequency data M's Freeview Detailed Coverage
1:52 PM
I am moving house and not allowed a dish at the new place - can a sky+ box without connecting to a dish?
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Emily- No, you need a dish. If you do not receive a reliable terrestrial signal, cable would be an alternative option.
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6:48 PM
Do you need to pay Sky to add an addition sky box in another room i allready pay for 1 multi room but have a spare box i wish to put in my daughters room by changing to a Quad LNB
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Hi Gary,
If you want to see subscription channels on the daughters box then yes you have to pay sky each month & you have to connect your daughters box to the phone line too. If you just want access to the free channels you dont have to pay sky or connect it to the phone line. If you have multiroom you should already have a quad fitted to your dish.
Mark Aberfan Aerials
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11:19 PM
hi, i live in a new build house, with no tv ariel,at the moment i am on sky, but i need to pull my belt in. If i cancel sky how can i get any channels on my tv, i am looking at a tv in ebay at the moment with an intergrated digital, if i had this would i be able to use my sky dish as an ariel, sorry but this is all irish to me, money is tight, and i cant afford to go out and get an ariel, and im thinking there must be a way around it , but im not technical minded.
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12:59 PM
Camberley
I have a digital aerial in the loft and the signal is poor, my own ladders will not reach the pitch of the roof where the current aerial is, what is a reasonable price to ask for an engineer to erect my aerial, what is the going rate ???
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Millsy44's: mapM's Freeview map terrainM's terrain plot wavesM's frequency data M's Freeview Detailed Coverage
2:15 PM
a schulen: If you cancel Sky you will continue to receive free to air channels via your Sky box. You will not of course be able to view those channels which are part of the Sky subscription package on satellite but are FTA on Freeview. You can only use a sky dish for a receiver with an integrated satellite tuner. If the receiver only has an integrated Freeview tuner it will require connection to a UHF tv aerial to receive channels.
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3:30 PM
If i have a sky HD box but dont have a sky HD package, can i still watch BBC HD channels for free?
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