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.
5:58 PM
Al: In addition to that said by MikeP, if as you have said you are presently using Sky on a non-subscription viewing card basis then you should also be aware that if you did purchase a Sky+HD box, then you would only be able to view the BBC channels in HD as well as ITV1HD / Ch4HD and "not" ITV2HD / ITV3HD / Ch5HD etc.
Other HD channels available to view being RT on 518, NHK World 507.
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7:16 PM
Thanks jb38, sounds like going for a pvr box is the best option then, I guess the normal channels will still look better over my current scart lead with the hdmi on a pvr box and am I right assuming the audio will be better as well because im using the digital optical lead to my surround sound system currenty going to the tv?
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8:31 PM
Al: Any HD channel on Freesat will look better than standard, and as others have pointed out, all you need is an HDMI lead. In the case of the Humax Freesat boxes, the cable even comes in the box. The HDR 1000S is the standard, and is £209, but if you can, go for the 1TB HDR 1010S (the white one). A larger hard-drive and wifi built in. Both have Freetime, so once its linked to the net, you'll get all of the main four channels on-demand services. I know Brianists speaks very highly of his Humax.
As far as digital optical is concerned, although people do put the optical from their Sky or other box to the surround sound system, best practice is to take the audio from the TV's optical output, and put it through the sound system. It should work the other way, but there is less chance of mismatches and since everything goes through the TV, that applies to whatever else you connected to the TV, such as XBox, etc.
Have a check in your TV's and sound systems manual. If they are both capable of 3D, they will have something called ARC. Use a 3D HDMI, and you wont need the optical at all, and a better quality sound.
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1:21 PM
We're moving to FreeSat from SKY on Monday. I was given to understand that we could get the Disney Channel, National Geographic and Discovery channels on FreeSat, but it seems from various websites that we can't. My grand-daughter will be lost, especially without the last two, so is there any way she can watch them online, connecting to the TV?
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1:33 PM
Mary: Good luck finding the HD channels ?
BBC ONE HD ENGLAND 108 and 972
BBC ONE HD SCOTLAND and 973
BBC ONE HD WALES 976
BBC ONE HD NORTHERN IRELAND 978 (broadcasts Question Time at 11:10pm on Thurs so don't bother with any interactivity as you are wasting time and money as the programme is broadcast half an hour earlier in the rest of the UK)
BBC TWO HD (NATIONAL) 102
BBC THREE HD 106 (until Autumn 2015 when it will be online only)
BBCFOUR HD 107
ITV HD 119
CHANNEL 4 HD 126
BBC NEWS HD 200
BBC RED BUTTON HD 986 (Wimbledon only).
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1:35 PM
The BBC RED BUTTON HD CHANNEL FREESAT 986 is only broadcast during Wimbledon at the moment.
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1:38 PM
You cannot get any of the channels you mention above (Disney Channel, National Geographic and Discovery )on FREESAT but you can get mote ITV regions in STB mode in SD or in HD if you change your postcode to one in that region in non-STB mode.
They are there in STB mode but encripted by SKY as are ITV 2HD, 3HD, 4HD and ITV ENCORE.
Nedbod
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1:41 PM
Sky charge £288 in Year 1 and £384 in Year 2 and beyond (minimum) to receive these channels on their cheapest package, not including installation.
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