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Upgrading from Sky+HD to Freesat+HD

What to do if you want to stop subscribing to Sky+HD but do wish to record/pause/play free HD television.

What to do if you want to stop subscribing to Sky+HD but do wis
published on UK Free TV

You might get a glossy magazine every month, but what do Sky really think of your custom?

"Give me a f**king name on a direct debit and it's mine for life,"
- Sam Chisholm, former boss of BSkyB.


Perhaps you responded to an offer like the one blow that promised a gratis Sky+HD box (for new customers taking their first Sky+HD package) with free standard set-up



But you were so excited with the thought of a £50 M&S voucher that you didn't think to follow each of the little daggers and little stars to quite read all the terms and conditions:



So, your twelve months of commitment are over and, for reasons of budget (or politics) you have decided you want to keep all the features of Sky+ - live pause, high definition, extended electronic programme guide, series record, and recording two programmes at once whilst you watch another - but don't want to fork out every month on top of your TV Licence - and you still get hundreds of free TV channels

Here's what you can do.

First you need to buy a Freesat+HD box. There are many on the market, and can be bought from Argos, Currys DIGITAL, John Lewis, Comet and online at Amazon, as well as other stores.

When you use a Freesat+HD box NO SUBSCRIPTION HAS TO BE PAID. NONE. NOT A PENNY TO ANYONE.

Installing

This will take no more than ten minutes. First you will need to disconnect the Sky+HD box mains from the wall socket.

Then you will need to disconnect the cables from the back of the Sky+HD box.

Pull out the mains power connection (1), carefully unscrew the satellite dish links (2) and (3), and then take out the HDMI lead (4) to your HDTV. If you have an "surround sound" amplifier, you may also have a digital audio connection (5).

Remove the Sky+HD box and put the Freesat+HD box back in the same position.



Then reconnect the cables: the mains power cable (1) - but not to the wall just yet, screw the two satellite dish links (2) and (3) and connect the HDMI cable (4) to your HDTV. If you had one, reconnect the digital audio connection (5).

If you have an Ethernet router, you can connect it to the Freesat+HD box at this point (5).

With everything in place, turn on the mains power and power up the Freesat+HD box.

The TV screen first displays the box's logo



The first set-up screen allows you to select the TV type, widescreen mode and resolution:



Next the box checks for the satellite signal:



Then there is a check for updated software:



Then you enter your postcode and the box checks it:



The next step is a scan for channels. This takes about 30 seconds:



And that's it. You can now view channels, like 108 for BBC HD:



Or press the GUIDE button for the EPG:



And that's it.

Help with Free satellite?
What can I do when my Sky Digibox says 'No Signal' or 'Technical fau1
Can I receive UK TV in Ghana?2
What is a CA module?3
My box says "No Satellite signal being received"4
Is there any way I can get free channels via satellite and have the kind of hard5
In this section
Freesat adds a plethora of new channels in time for Christmas including channel 1
A tale of a two Freesat boxes2
Yesterday, Drama and Really joining Freesat this month3
PBS America joins Freesat for Halloween4
Fixing the Freesat Freetime internet connection problem5
Satellite TV operators FRANSAT, TIVUSAT and our Freesat launch FreeTV Alliance 6

Comments
Tuesday, 21 June 2011
J
Jerry
3:23 PM

Hi Les many thanks for the reply so I take it that the installation instructions will be the same as the top of the page ?

Thanks

Jerry

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Jerry's 2 posts GB flag
Thursday, 23 June 2011
J
Josh
11:17 AM

Hi My one year SKY contract was expired in May. I am not sure if I can cancel sky and use sky box to watch freeview channels. I don't care about recording, playback etc.

Thanks
Josh

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Josh's 1 post GB flag
Friday, 24 June 2011
L
louise
4:45 PM

hi can u help me ive got a sky box i want to use it for freeview channels how do i do this what do i need ive got an indoor ariel which is up on my roof and also have scart lead cant get the freeview channels up??

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louise's 1 post GB flag
Les Nicol
sentiment_satisfiedGold

5:55 PM

Louise - You cannot connect a SKY Satellite receiver to a "Freeview" aerial. You either require to use the SKY receiver for the SkY subscription or non subscription services or have a "Freeview receiver that connects to your rooftop aerial. The latter may not be required if your television has a built in "Freevew" decoder.

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Les Nicol's 991 posts GB flag
Monday, 27 June 2011
M
Mark
10:14 AM

Hello. I currently have Sky HD and have no intention of giving up the sports in particular :-) Can I use a 4-input LNB to additionally attach my old Sky+ box (with no card in it) to watch freeview channels in another room? In fact will the Sky+ box work with just one input? (I can use the other input elsewhere). Thanks.

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Mark's 1 post DE flag
J
jb38
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

1:24 PM

Mark: Basically yes! as each of the quad outputs are totally independent of each other, matter of fact two could be used with a Sky box and the other two with a Freesat box.

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jb38's 7,179 posts GB flag
Saturday, 9 July 2011
Inge
12:34 PM
Craigavon

Since I'm totally dissatiesfied with Sky I want to install freesat and wonder if I need the freesat +Hd and also the freesat + HD recorder to record or rewind programmes. My TV is a Panasonic HD/LCD/TV,or do I only need the freesat +HD box?

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Inge's 1 post GB flag
Inge's: mapI's Freeview map terrainI's terrain plot wavesI's frequency data I's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Monday, 11 July 2011
K
Kim Lay
2:09 PM

Inge: The Freesat+HD box should give you all you want. When I dumped Sky I bought a Humax box which not only gave me all the Freesat channels but most of the remaining free to air channels as well. I can stop, rewind etc on all the Freeat channels. You shouldn't have any problems.

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Kim Lay's 14 posts GB flag
Thursday, 28 July 2011
M
marty 47
4:44 PM

Question, I have a sky hd box and have tried to use a sky freesat card in it. Is there a way round being told on screen the card is no good can anybody suggest a way round this

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marty 47's 2 posts GB flag
Friday, 29 July 2011
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