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.
Richard: Well, yes, they have better competition laws in France, they don't allow a single "mogul" to capture their media and business interests.
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11:28 AM
hi i have sky dish. now i can connect straight away to freesat box in one room (excellent picture), yet in my other room where there is a sky plus box with two connectors i get no signal when i connect the freesat box, any help would be gratefully recieved, thanks in advance
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3:37 PM
ive just moved to a new flat. it has a sky dish. my contract with sky has expired. is there any way i can conect a freeview box up to the sky dish to get more freeview channels
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c wilson: You need to connect the dish to a FreeSAT box, rather than a FreeVIEW box. Please see All about Freesat | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice .
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6:06 PM
yes, it works perfect on the sky plus box, can not understand it, thanks for your speedy reply
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6:18 PM
I have an LG flatscreen hd-ready tv with built-in freeview. I would like freeview+hd but have visited currys, comet etc and they don't need to know what i should buy and with what cables - i end up leaving the shop with nothing! I would also like to record. It seems easy enough but the guys in the shops don't know whether the stuff they are selling will do the job and, once i open the box, they say, i can't return it. How can i be sure i'm getting the right stuff?
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Annie: You shouldn't need anything other than the Freeview+HD box, it will come with an HDMI cable. All you do is unplug the aerial from your TV and put it into the Freeview+HD box and connect the Freeview+HD box to the TV with the HDMI cable.
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gavin: That seems very strange, you should have no problems using the connections to the dish if they work on the Sky+ box.
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11:09 PM
I have freeview but have lost all my channels except BBC. My flats have just installed a communal sky dish. Could I connect to this with a freesat box and would this be expensive to install as, presumably, I would have to buy the new freesat box and have wiring installed to connect to the dish to my flat.
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