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.
6:15 AM
Seeing a few reports of Freesat boxes not finding VIVA.
When VIVA was added on the 19th March, the service list descriptor was missing from bouquets "Scotland SD" and "Northern Ireland SD" on transport stream 2010, the one VIVA is on; it is still missing. As per the bouquet names, this should only affect SD boxes in those regions.
"Youtube" was added yesterday to the G2 bouquets but is not yet available to Freesat users because regional data and channel numbers have yet to be assigned.
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3:34 PM
Added to the Freesat test region today:
518 Kiss
519 The Box
521 Smashhits
523 Kerrang!
The Freesat Streams were mapped to those services yesterday.
A new HD channel, "8900", appeared yesterday on 11023H 23000 2/3 DVB-S2 8PSK, the transponder with BBC 1 Scotland HD and BBC 1 Wales HD on it.
"8900" is encrypted and has the Freesat Streams mapped to it.
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3:58 PM
Im still confused
Can you just say without explaining the technology and history
Is it possible to just cancel sky and view
any free channels on the equipment without paying anything please?
If steps need to be taken can you list them 1 2 3 etc? Sorry im not good at this tech stuff
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colin on jacks kit: Yes. Remove the viewing card to see which channels are available without it.
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4:02 PM
i live in southern ireland ,i have sky hd box switched off yesterday,i know how 2 get the free channels by going into other channels,what i,m trying 2 do is get them without searching 4 them,have tried unplugging box and taking out card but it still wont work ,what am i doing wrong .
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marie cunningham: Please see What can I do when my Sky Digibox says 'No Signal' or 'Technical fault'? | ukfree.tv - 10 years of independent, free digital TV advice .
You just view the free channels the "normal" way...
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5:45 PM
hi i was wondering if i bought a freeview box then get sky 1 and 2 for 35 a month could i then put it in a second bedroom or would that cost more
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1:26 PM
So what everyone is saying if I leave Sky then all the recordings on the skybox I will not be able to view them. I do not want to record anything just watch the old recordings. Not possible
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1:47 PM
Dawn: No, as the recording / playback side of a Sky+ box is disabled by Sky at around the same time as your ability to view Sky's package channels, you could of course take out a new contract with Sky purely to enable you to retain that side of the box, but at just over £10.00 per month many consider it not worth the cost and usually decide to purchase a Freesat twin tuner PVR, these being 100% compatible with the dish.
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