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.
5:09 PM
Jenny: Both the the recording and playback side of your box will be disabled by Sky at time (or very shortly after) cancelling your subscription, that is unless you are willing to take out another same at time of cancellation purely for the purpose of retaining this (and only this) facility.
However, many viewers do not consider the fee of around 10.50 per month is worth paying to retain the recording / playback facility by opting to change over to Freesat, this system being 100% compatible with dish systems previously used by Sky boxes, in most cases purchasing a Freesat HD twin tuner recorder which offers facilities almost identical to that of a Sky+HD box.
By the way, the easy way to find out which channels will still be viewable after cancelling your subscription is by placing the box into standby then switching off the power supply to same. Switching it back on again "after" having removed the viewing card and allowing it to go through the usual searching for listings etc procedure, then on completion of running through the channels you normally view, any that requires a subscription triggering a "please insert viewing card" or similar message on the screen.
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1:43 PM
Jenny:
Just a little note to say that what your will be able to watch is Freesat and is not Freeview. The test suggested by jb38 is an excellent way of finding out what channels you will get. Remember to switch the box off and unplug the mains from the wall socket afterwards, re-insert the viewing card and then put the mains plug back in and switch everything back on again to return to 'normal' until your subscription ceases.
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MikeP:I am having difficulties to watch two television at the same time from my sky box and I want to watch freeview channel only.
we have only one satellite socket one in living room another one in my housemate bedroom.And my house mate is sky subscription and I am not If I watch television from my living room my housemate television signal get disconnected at same time and one more thing we dont have sky dish in our flat/ building
Is there anyway to fixed this ploblem.
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2:22 PM
Achut Shrestha:
Am I correct in assuming that you have two satellite outlets, but in different rooms? Are they both connected together by the cables being joined? Is there just a single lead coming out of the LNB (the box on the end of the arm in front of the dish) or are there two or more cables coming out?
If there is just a single cable, then that will explain your problem as that does not work, ever. What you need is at least a dual LNB with two cables, one feeding each room you want to have satellite services. Better is to have a quad LNB fitted (they are really cheap these days) with at least two cables feeding each room. That will allow you to have not just satellite receivers in each room (and working properly) but you have the option of having that ability to record one programme whilst watcjing another. That would need a satellite recorder too. Your housemate might want to have Sky+ and that requires two cables feeding his equipment, but the feeds to yours would be wholely independent of theirs.
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11:50 PM
Achut Shrestha : Looking at what you have said from another angle. If, as you have said, you don't have a satellite dish and yet your housemate subscribes to Sky TV, then this is inclined to suggest that you reside in an apartment block type of situation and are connected into a communal dish / aerial system?
If you are? then there is no way of rectifying the problem except by having a separate dish installed of the type suggested by MikeP.
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8:11 PM
I would love to know what to system would be best to purchase to use in the following country's.
France Spain Definatley and possibly Italy.
I have been using my sky for France but further south it does not work.
Thanks.
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3:02 PM
I have had no signal now for 2 months due to trees in the property next door. Next door was a pub which is going through planning to be built in to homes sky protect have sent an engineer round andso have my landlords with it being a communial dish. I have spoken to sky about my bills but they will not reduce them paying at moment 110 a mouth due to having sky+ phone line and broadband. What can i do next as im still under my contract to them. Many thanks paul rhodes
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4:05 PM
paul rhodes: If you are using a communal dish, presumably everyone use who uses Sky or Freesat in the building is also affected. You'll have to keep raising the issue with your landlord/agent until they get the dish repositioned to a location where the trees are not blocking the signal. Sky won't be able to do much about the lack of signal as they don't own either the dish or the offending trees.
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7:33 PM
If i put in freesat upstairs, will i have to pay sky multiroom
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8:19 PM
Andrew: No, there is no subscription charge for Freesat (hence the name) and it has nothing to do with Sky
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