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.
4:57 PM
I am currently subscribing to sky with a HD box in living room and sky plus in conservatory, I also have a telephone line and internet connection. This is all costing me about £100.00 a month. The box in the conservatory is rarely used I am commited til February 2012.
I have freeview on main 2 televisions, but no outside aerial. I am thinking of scrapping sky, the house phone and the internet. What I want to know is what channels I can have with freeview with no outside aerial? also is there a connection for the internet I can have without a house phone?
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9:58 AM
Barry Jarvis:
Did you get a response to your question? I cannot see any answer and you asked the same question that I wanted a answer to.
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glenda: Sky check to see if you were a customer before, so "no".
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Zaina: There's not much you can do with a Sky+HD box without a satellite connection.
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Leah: The answers are on the Upgrading from Sky+HD to Freesat+HD | ukfree.tv - independent free digital TV advice page.
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Fiona: You need a rooftop aerial to receive Freeview.
Virgin Media can provide internet with no phone line - High Speed Broadband | Fibre Optic Broadband Packages - Virgin Media Shop - ask them for "broadband only", or if you can get a signal, you can use a mobile phone company for broadband, for example - Three - Mobile Broadband - Ways to connect .
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2:21 PM
Derby
We have a 2 year old house with new aerial etc. After the switch over our downstairs SAMSUNG TV's were fine. However the pictures on the other TV's in the house are breaking up and in 3 cases have only one viewable channel. The TV's are a maximum of 3 years old so we thought they would be fine. Is there anything we can check before we bin them?
Thanks in anticipation
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Gow's: mapG's Freeview map terrainG's terrain plot wavesG's frequency data G's Freeview Detailed Coverage
1:38 PM
i have sky+box not hd i have connected 2nd tv to the box but no sound or picture i get freeview but no sky?
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3:41 PM
jim: It depends on exactly how you have connected the second TV, as if its via the Sky boxes RF output socket then you have to remember to scan the additional TV to pick up the Sky boxes signal when its (the TV) set to "analogue" or you wont receive the Sky box, all Sky box RF outputs being analogue and not digital.
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