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.
Peter Brown: A Sky+ box will not show HD channels, only a Sky+HD one.
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8:08 PM
Hello. Please can you help? We have an (old) satellite dish on the side of our house - we have never used it and the end of the cable has been cut off inside the house. We are putting a brand new TV with Freeview into our bedroom where we currently use a portable aerial (with a very poor signal) and would love to link up the satellite dish just outside our window - will this work? Many thanks
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1:58 PM
Can a DVR with Freeview (Hitachi HDR325) be confugured to work with my standard Sky Digibox? I want to be able to record Sky channels, not just Freeview. All I get is that the DVR can't find any channels regardless of how I connect it.
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12:31 PM
Briantist: hi can you tell me when we will get film4 ,five and all the other channels available from the lethanhill transmitter
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4:56 PM
I've just moved into a new house. The previous owners had a sky dish installed. If my friend gives me her old sky box (after she upgraded), will I be able to use it to access freesat tv? Do I need a card from sky to get access?
I've very little money after buying my first home and trying to work out the cheapest way to get my TV going. There are 6 TV aerials on my chimney, but not a single cable coming down into the house!
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9:28 PM
Kim: Yes! you can use the old Sky box to receive "free to view" channels with no problem provided the dish was working when the previous owners left it. The only point to note though is that you will not be able to receive Pick TV without a Sky card and the news services will be defaulted to London, likewise adverts, otherwise you do not require a card for normal viewing.
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10:19 PM
Out shopping I was handed a leaflet, offering, for a one-off fee of £180, the installation of a box to replace any existing Sky+ box and service. This service guarantees that their box will deliver all channels available on Sky (including Sky Sports) without the need for any more monthly fees to Sky. The only requirement is that one must be out of contract with Sky, and there should be a communal or house dish in place.Could this be legal/legitimate?
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10:44 PM
Hi all,
I have just had freesat installed and i am very pleased with it.At the same time i had a twin cable installed to my back room in preperation for another telly.
I was thinking of getting hold of an old sky+hd box for now just for viewing all the free channels including the free hd channels.Would i need to buy a card from sky for this?
Bob
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7:48 AM
Bob: It should not be necessary if its only that you intend to do, but as you will probably already realise you will not be able to use the recording side of the box, and this includes playback, as Sky effectively retains control of that side of it.
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7:58 AM
T Ninpont: Sounds a bit suss! maybe you could indicate the companies name printed on the leaflet and whether or not they are only contactable via a phone, or if an actual address is printed what it is.
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