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.
3:06 PM
Macclesfield
Tricia Camm : If there is an aerial connection upstairs, then give it a try. On a previous post you gave the postcode, and digitalUK reckons that your just going toi get the Light transmitter at Whitby, but its easy and it wont cost a penny.
If you want to got via a dish, then it might cost you. Have a look at the dish, and look at the bit that sticks out at the end with the wires coming out. If its got two spares apces for extra cables, then you've got a quad LNB - great. If its just two, and no more spaces, then thats not. Each sat. receiver (Freesat, generic or Sky) has to have an LNB. If you have just two, you'll have to add more. You can replace the twin with a quad, and run extra cable or (which might be easier, especially if the bedroom is a long way from the dish), just put up another dish.
Satcure has loads of info about it, and so you could put it up yourself. A twin LNB dish with wiring should be about a hundred pounds or less if you want to get someone to do it. DIY is cheapest, but might be more stressful! The TV might even have a sat tuner built into it, but if not a Freesat box can be easily had.
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MikeB's: mapM's Freeview map terrainM's terrain plot wavesM's frequency data M's Freeview Detailed Coverage
6:02 PM
Thanks Mike
Its so nice to get some decent easy to follow advice. My son is away at sea as a merchant navy cadet and we moved whilst hes been away. He will miss his 21st next month so desperate to get his bedroom ready when he comes home with a new tv.
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7:33 AM
Tricia Camm:
From what you have stated, it would appear that you already have a dish but may also already have a TV aerial. If you need/wish to add a second dish and you do already have 2 antennas (a TV aerial counts as one and a dish counts as another) then you may need to contact your local planning authority as only 2 antenna are permitted on any building, see Planning Portal - Satellite,TV and Radio Antenna for more details.
Changing a dual LNB for a quad is not difficult but does mean climbing up to where the dish is mounted. There will need to be an additional set of signal cables fitted as well.
Note also that there is no such thing as a 'digital aerial', all TV aerials - even the old ones - can receive Freeview signals perfectly well.
Hope that helps?
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7:05 PM
Hi i keep losing the signal on all my itv channels i think my ariel is running from my sattelite dish but i have no subscription with sky,will i need to have an ariel fitted outside to conbect to my tv to get the itv channels back.
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7:51 AM
Julie:
A satellite dish does not act like and aerial for Freeview signals. A dish is used to feed a satellite receiver and is used for Sky and/or Freesat reception. To receive Freeview from a terrestrial (ground mounted) transmitter you will be using an aerial of a conventional yagi or log-periodic pattern. If you live in a multi-occupancy building (flats, etc), you are likely to be able to use a communal aerial.
To help us to help you further we would need to know your poast code and what equipment you are using.
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4:50 PM
hi li have virgin media , the freeview signal here in orpington is very poor , im about 1,5 miles from the town centre so i have virgin media which is very good but when i had sky i could get regional bbc and itv ( bbc wales , scotland and n ireland i can get but loved watching other regions , any ideas ? im in the london tv region . my portable tv can pick up bbc s/east and meridian itv
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7:21 PM
peter : I'm not sure what the point of the question is.
If you are using Freeview then you receive the BBC and ITV regions broadcast by the transmitter to which it is that you are tuned. You may be able to receive from more than one transmitter at any location and this may give a choice of region.
Virgin Media cable offers the official region for which you reside -- BBC London and ITV London in your case.
The only way to have a choice of all the regions is satellite -- typically either Sky or Freesat.
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6:47 PM
Hi I have skyhd downstaires but iv been given an old sky plus box witch I have connected to the dish using one cable but it says no signal?cant I receive freeview or any free chanels by doing this?
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8:34 PM
chris: Provided that the coax cable goes directly to one of the ports on the dishes LNB, then there is no reason for not being able to receive all non subscription (free to view) channels, that is unless one of the following applies.
(1) The Sky box is defective, try it out by temporarily connecting it into one (any one) of the coax feeds used on your downstairs Sky HD box. If still no signal, then the most likely reason for this is that the boxes internal power unit has failed.
(2) If though the box is found to be operational, unscrew the "F" connectors at each end of the coax and check that all strands of the braiding has been pulled back onto the outer cover of the coax, and that one of the strands from has not accidentally got wrapped around the centre core of the coax.
(3) If all appears to be OK, try connecting the coax connector at the dish end into the spare port on the LNB, this said on the assumption that your dish is fitted with a quad (4 port) LNB.
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6:38 AM
Hi, I have a spare Sky HD box and would like to use it in my touring caravanning but do not want to remove my card from my home box as I still need it there for recording programs. Is it possible to obtain another card from Sky or any other source so that I can watch my normal Sky programs?
Thank you.
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