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Upgrading from Sky to Freesat

It takes less than five minutes to replace an existing satellite box with a Freesat one.

It takes less than five minutes to replace an existing satellit
published on UK Free TV

If you have an existing Sky or fSfS (Freesat from Sky) installation and want to go to upgrade to Freesat, it is a simple process.

First, buy the Freesat box from a Argos, Curry.digital, Comet, John Lewes or your local independent shop:



In the box you will find the Freesat box:



Also included will be a remote control, and this model also comes with a SCART cable, a HDMI cable and a stereo-with-composite cable. Unpack the ones you need:



You old Sky box looks like this:



Unplug the mains first from the Sky box, then pull out the SCART (or SCARTs) and then unscrew the connection to the satellite dish.



Remove the Sky box and fit the Freesat box. Reconnect the satellite cable (take care as to not damage the connection) and then the SCART and finally connect the mains power:



The box will look like this:



The box also contains the manual, which has full installation instructions. Finally fit the batteries into the remote control.



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:



(Apologies for the photos not being of the top quality)



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
Saturday, 12 May 2012
J
jb38
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

2:55 PM

douge: Not in the same way as you can with a Sky box "if" this is what you are possibly thinking about, the reason being that Freesat boxes do not have built in modulators.

You can of course purchase a modulator that connects into the Freesat box using a scart lead, it sending an analogue RF signal to a remotely sited TV in exactly the same way as does a Sky boxes RF1/2.

This is a link for the type of modulator referred to. (price could be out of date)


Programmable Universal Modulator : Video Switches : Maplin Electronics




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jb38's 7,179 posts GB flag
Monday, 21 May 2012
V
Vaughan
11:51 AM
Southampton

I have just upgraded my old CRT TV to a Sony Bravia KDL32W5500. Current setup is an old Pace Sky digibox connected to the main TV and to a couple of others in other rooms. I am thinking of ditching Sky and would like to receive HD programmes. I would also like to keep the satellite signal going to the other TVs. Is there a way of doing this through one box or do I need a different solution?

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Vaughan's 1 post GB flag
Vaughan's: mapV's Freeview map terrainV's terrain plot wavesV's frequency data V's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Les Nicol
sentiment_satisfiedGold

2:52 PM

Vaughan - One option would be to purchase a "Freesat" HD receiver or PVR. You could then keep the Pace SKY box for another location for non subscription use and for the other location get a standard "Freesat" receiver - these are relatively inexpensive from most high street outlets. A replacement quad LNB for the dish - around £10 00 or so and some cabling to the receivers in other locations.

Alternatively you could get yourself a stand alone RF modulator - "Freesat" receivers don't have this option onboard - and distribute the signal in this manner. The first option has the advantage of allowing the reception of different channels in all three locations.

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Les Nicol's 991 posts GB flag
J
jb38
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

3:02 PM

Vaughan: Les Nicol just pipped me at the post so to say, however this is a link for a popular type of modulator that I had intended to include in my own reply, the price may be slightly out of date as Maplin had reduced it a while back.


Programmable Universal Modulator : Video Switches : Maplin Electronics


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jb38's 7,179 posts GB flag
Friday, 8 June 2012
K
kev g
7:07 AM

Mark Aberfan Aerials:Hi hope someone can help,ive had a sky plus box approx 3 yrs now,all was ok till i told them i didnt want to renew my insurance this yr,now box keeps freezing during progs,box switches itself off while we are viewing and we cannot change channel till we switch off at wall ,checked card and the chip is almost see through and card is very warm,not very applince minded infact wife or son do all tec stuff ,please someone helllllllllp

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kev g's 1 post GB flag
Sunday, 10 June 2012
M
matt
3:11 PM

I have a old sky+ box(not HD) I wanted to know if someone i was gonna give it to could use it. They had a freesat(not HD) box which is broke. would they be able to connect mine using their cables or is it different cabling for freesat?

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matt's 2 posts GB flag
J
jb38
sentiment_very_satisfiedPlatinum

5:44 PM

matt: A Sky box uses exactly the same input connection from a dish as does Freesat and a card is not required to view Sky's "free to view" channels except for Pick TV(152), and so if the box is working OK then whoever you give it to will be able to couple it up via the usual scart lead and all should be OK.

I would give them your mains lead though!



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jb38's 7,179 posts GB flag
P
Peter Henderson
sentiment_satisfiedSilver

6:09 PM

I gather Challenge TV and Pick TV are now free too air, so they'll be available under non Freesat mode.

That means there are only 3 channels that are now on Freeview that aren't on Freesat: Dave, Yesterday, and Quest.

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Peter Henderson's 240 posts GB flag
Monday, 11 June 2012
M
matt
12:00 PM

Thanks jb38.

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matt's 2 posts GB flag
K
Kimbo Silver
3:55 PM

I have sky in my living room. I wish to buy a freesat box for the bedroom. Can I just plug it in to the TV and go? I am a disabled pensioner but not old enough to have free installation and cannot afford sky multiroom for a year; so I am looking at alternatives.

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Kimbo Silver's 1 post GB flag
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