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.
6:28 PM
Please sign the petition above where i put the link
Avaaz - Last hours to stop Murdoch's UK media takeover
They only have a couple of days to go and need your help in getting the message across to the Government about Sky TV
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12:51 PM
Good for you Michael,somebody needs to let Bskyb know that you are no longer prepared to pay their ripoff prices.They will overcharge you as long as you are willing to pay. Make sure that your phone is not hacked.
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2:14 PM
Clacton-on-sea
well thats sky for you a load of you know whats but the normal worker ain't to blame , if i could get virgin in my area i would go back to them but i moved to a none cable area , you also don't lose channels or should i say reception when it rains unlike sky
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paul's: mapP's Freeview map terrainP's terrain plot wavesP's frequency data P's Freeview Detailed Coverage
6:06 PM
Hi Paul, I must admit you do loose reception when it rains.
Hi Richard, It has probably been already hacked :)
The truth is the UK People are being overcharged for everything and this example is one of many.
It is rediculous that pub landlords have to go Italian Sky because the UK Government won't address it.
Europe is full of Corruption FIFA is a very good example of that.
What suprises me is - Elderly people being involved in it!
What for?
They can't take their wealth with them?
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1:03 PM
to be fair to Sky TV - I can understand them charging for Sky Box Office - The Movie Channels and Live Sports. This makes total sense to me as this service is expensive to run.
The problem is the platform itself.
There are too many low grade channels and the subscriptions are rediculously expensive.
Channels such as E Entertainment, Sky1 Sky Living, Sky Atlantic, Universal SyFy and a whole lot of others should be free.
Other Channels like Dave etc are free on Freeview but Sky TV will not allow these channels to broadcast freely.
Nearly all of these channels receive revenue from advertising and only screen repeats.
Some channels are absolute rubbish - but you all have to pay for them in very high subscriptions collectively.
Basically who wants to pay hundreds of pounds per year to watch channels like E Entertainment full of LA gossip and spoilt kids going to parties and sleeping around. Or the likes of Girls of the Playboy Mansion.
Channels like this would not survive 5 minutes without these subscriptions because they are total rubbish.
Apart from Sky Box Office, Live Sports and the Movie Channels all other channels on Sky TV should be free should be made to stand on their own two feet - and if they go under - it is their fault for the program content.
This would clean up Sky's Platform and allow higher quality channels to survive on advertising revenue instead of the UK public being robbed to support the entire platform
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7:08 PM
Live sport,film channels can be sold much cheaper by sky in other Eurppean markets.Why are British and Irish suscribers charged much more?Canal+ charges £20/month for all premium and basic packages.Sky has the highest market share in all of Europe yet think nothing of ripping off its customers.
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9:20 PM
I had a subscription with Sky many years ago and have been using the standard non-hd box to watch the free channels. I have just bought a HD television and can get a Sky+ HD box for about £30. Can I just swap my standard sky box with the HD one to get the free HD channels like BBC HD and ITV HD or would I require a subscription or dish upgrade? I hear I will not be able to record anything without a subscription.
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6:13 PM
Hi Ijaz.
I think you can just swap the box over for a HD version. You are right - you can't record anything without a subscription, even if you have saved recordings on a Sky + box you can't access them once you stop paying sky.
That in itself is a big con - it is rediculous!
Just as bad as Sky TV- The UK have OFCOM who are useless and are a waste of Tax Payers money as they are paid to regulate all this and do nothing!
If you look at it right - not only do UK Citizens have to pay these rediculous subscriptions to Sky TV. You also have the Telecom's Industry swamped with Premium rate Telephone numbers adding heavy costs to people's Telephone bills.
The pornography Channels you see on TV are advertising services at £1-50 to £3-00 per minute in phone calls or texts.
In the UK you have 118118.com advertising on TV and charging the following.
MY EMAIL TO 118118.com
Dear Sir,
Why are you charging UK Citizens £1.29 Per Minute and a 59P connection Charge for Directory Enquiries?
£1.86 per minute and a £2.00 connection charge for International Directory Enquiries?
£1-20 plus network charges to ask you a damn question about your own products?
Plus many other charges just like this!
No wonder you can afford to sponsor programs and advertise this on TV!
This is the biggest con i have ever come across in my life and OFTEL now under the Control of OFCOM should be doing something about this?
In the past the operator service was totally free as part of the Telephone Service?
Not only do we have the likes of companies such as yours cashing in on this legislation - The Telecoms industry is swamped with Premium rate numbers and the Internet is Swamped with Premium rate Dialers.
Satellite TV is promoting Pornography and Children are being exposed to it.
This area of the Telecoms Industry should be investigated as a matter of urgency as it is a disgrace.
It does not affect me as i don't live in the UK and if i did i would never pay the likes of you!"
I NEVER RECEIVED AN ANSWER TO THIS!
I tried to contact OFCOM who have taken over the role of OFTEL and it is hard to email them! You have to write to them and i can't be bothered!
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7:38 PM
Bskyb have to pay the bpremier league huge sums of money for exclusive rights to their dubious product.This unregulated and unlicensed body in Ireland have sought to dictate to us that we may use their services for viewing football at their ripoff prices.We in Ireland will choose whose services we use to use when we like.No external predator will take that right from us. S ny sky rep is welcome in to an Irish pub to view Premier League matches,pleasr have proof of license and regulation of your ripoff product if you wish to make a case why we should believe in better.Inotice that basic package,phone and broadband is being offered for less than £20 in Britain by Sky,what is the price of basic pakage on its own,possibly £10/month.
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8:59 PM
Hi Guys.
Murdoch has had his come-uppance recently, lol. With a bit of luck, the recent NoW event will have shortened his miserable life.
Sky's going up again in August, I think I saw that at the very bottom in very small writing on a TV ad for Sky.
I have a freesat, freeview ready (very nice, Panasonic) tv.
I have a sky plus box, and a basic sky subscription which is shortly going to be dust. Before I ring the to give them the good news...
I gather that I won't be able to watch the recorded programmes on my HDD, well, yes, ok. Anyone want to hack my box, it's here.
I have the dish on the front of the house, and I have a very nice digi-ready aerial on the chimney with a direct view of Bilsdale tx.
I'm wanting FreeSat - Sky's free isn't, so I'm not having it, which is ok, I just bin them, plug the telly into the dish (I think?) and away I go? is this right? It's a sky plus twin-rx dish, how do I do this? The dish obviously is offering two co-ax feeds - how do I put that to my tv?
Clearly I only need one feed, since recording right now isn't a choice with sky free, and if I ever do find the dosh to buy the (very nice, Panasonic) HDD kit to go with the (very nice Panasonic) tv, I'll record direct off the feed to the telly.
Again, I have a soon useless SkyPlus box, anyone want to fiddle with it, it's in South Co Durham.
Shame the tv doesn't have a USB slot - I have a lovely HD that would do!
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