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.
9:00 PM
David Jones: Just came on a few minutes ago and spotted your query. The point about the Sky+ HD boxes is that unless you pay Sky a monthly subscription (of I believe £10.50) then you cannot using the recording side of the box, as Sky permanently retains the access to this.
However, as you do not have any particular interest in viewing Sky dedicated channels then I would just not involve them, and likewise advise going for a Freesat twin tuner PVR system, and which I am sure would suit your all of your requirements for a one-off payment for the equipment, and as far as a dish is concerned, I would advise you to check the adverts in your local paper for anyone that advertises dish installations and get a quote from them for a dish fitted with a quad outlet LNB (two feeds being required for a twin tuner device) bearing in mind that you can purchase complete brand new dish kits for as little as £35.00 or so from numerous e-bay sources, then all you would require to do is get someone to fit it up for you.
You should have a look at the Humax brand Freesat twin tuner recorders, as these can be obtained with hard drives ranging from 320Gb up to 1TB, Humax of course being a tad more expensive than some of the other brands, but you get what you pay for!
This is a link to the companies direct sales, although you will see them advertised on places such as Amazon etc.
Humax FOXSATHDR1TB Twin Tuner Freesat 1TB PVR - HUMAX UK Direct Sales Website
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11:27 PM
Stourbridge
Thanks for advice jb38. Will do that
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David's: mapD's Freeview map terrainD's terrain plot wavesD's frequency data D's Freeview Detailed Coverage
5:05 PM
I have an old Sky box in my attic, would like to use this while on holiday in the caravan. would i require a viewing card, and how much are they, also how long would the card last
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9:18 PM
i,ve just cancelled sky, i have a sky+hd box, can i buy a digital recorder and connect the two, rather than buy a freesat box?
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8:43 AM
David Jones - Just to add to JB38's info on the Humax Foxsat HDR - this receiver is Linux based and there is now excellent third party software available which can set the Humax HDR up as a fully functioning media and file server.
There are also utilities available for Linux Windows and Mac computers that can convert non-native video sources which can then be imported yo the HDR's Hard Drive i.e. Home Movies, DVD Rips etc.
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9:03 AM
David Jones P>S> I have the earlier 320gb HDD which I converted to a 1TB HDD. Straightforward process if your familiar and competent with PC's.
Earlier - not sure about the current box,- also with "Diseqc" software and can as mine is motorised. Some quirks over dedicated FTA (Free to air receivers) but compensated for in being fitted with highly sensitive - I think they are "SHARP" tuners - means excellent reception properties particularly if the receiver is being used outside the UK in other parts of Europe.
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1:40 PM
I have just cancelled my Sky+ subscription. Can I plug the twin satellite feeds from my Sky dish directly into a Humax and use it or will the dish need repositioning
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12:15 PM
Caerphilly
GOOD AFTERNOON, IMLIVE IN THE MACHEN AREA POST CODE AND THE LOCAL TRANSMITTER IS A "LITE" VERSION SO ONLY GET A VERY LIMITED RANGE OF CHANNELS. FED UP PAYING SKY A FORTUNE, AND WOULD LOVE TO GO TO BT VISION, BUT AGAIN LIMITED CHANNELS AND CANNOT CURRENTLY GET SKY SPORTS THROUGH THEM. ARE THE PLANS TO IMPROVE/UPGRADE THE LOCAL TRANSMITTER WHICH WOULD ALLOW ME TO TAKE THIS COURSE OF ACTION, IE DUMP SKY AND PAY BT THE EXTRA FOR SKY SPORTS 1 AND 3.
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ian's: mapI's Freeview map terrainI's terrain plot wavesI's frequency data I's Freeview Detailed Coverage
ian thomas: No, there isn't likely to be more channels available from "Lite" transmitters. This is because those that don't broadcast from Mynydd Machen (the Commercial or "COM" broadcasters) operate on a commercial/profit making basis only and have no Public Service obligation.
The COMs achieve 90% coverage of the population by transmitting from 81 of the largest transmitters (largest by viewer population). The cost to broadcast from the other 1,000 or so small relay sites is roughly equal to that which they already pay. As their objective is to show advertising to as many viewers as possible which they aquire at lowest possible cost, it is easy to see why they don't bother with the small transmitters.
However, it would appear that your area may be served by Mendip which does broadcast the full complement of channels. Streetview shows a number of aerials in your road on Mendip.
This will obviously give you BBC One West and ITV1 West regional programming. It will also give you Channel 4 HD, instead of S4C Clirlun.
If regional programming is important to you, then you could retain your current aerial, either keeping it separate or combining it (with a diplexer) to the Mendip one so as to give you channels from both transmitters on the one downlead.
I understand that the BT Vision box does not have manual tuning, so it could be a bit tricky getting it tuned in to the desired transmitter.
I'm not a professional, but I have read that some recording devices don't fair well when working with more than one transmitter. They have issues with automatic recording.
If you decide to go down the two-aerials diplexed route, then the worst scenario is that you use them separately. That is, your BT Vision (or other recording box) is tuned exclusively to Mendip and you have a set-top box receiver solely for local programming.
See this page for the six Freeview multiplexes, each of which is carried on a single signal:
DMOL Post-DSO Multiplex Channel Allocations
Those with a bullet in the columns "W"/Wales and "E"/England apply for the respective transmitter.
Mynydd Machen carries PSBs only, whereas Mendip carries PSBs and COMs.
The Sky Sports services that are available as part of the BT Vision package are carried on COM6.
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ian thomas: A variation on this is to have another aerial (on Mendip) installed, complete with another downlead to your living room. This will obviously give you two aerial points by your TV.
WIth that, you could either use each aerial separately (e.g. one feeding into one box and another feeding another), or combine them using a diplexer situated in your living room.
If the diplexer is on the roof, then it's not as easy to change.
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