satellite

hi folks,a few years ago we had a sky system and we were disapointed with the content for the price so we kept it until the contract expired,sold the box for a few pints and we still have the dish and all the cabling so our question is what options are open to us to reconnect,not neccesarily to sky but what would we need for say freesat,we have freeview ,are they the same,thanks in advance

Reply to
bob
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Freesat has slightly more channels than freeview. It has a few HD channels if you have the correct box.

Freeview will have HD channels soon, it will also require the correct box.

Shame you sold the sky box as it would have given you the freesat channels.

Reply to
dennis

"bob" wrote

Bob

Too late now, but I would have kept the system and just replaced the viewing card whenever it expired. Had to do this myself recently - the card had been in use for at least 5 years. With the $ky hardware you can watch all the Free-to-View (viewing card needed) and Free-to-Air channels at no cost. I was given the hardware by friends who were emigrating, so the recent viewing card purchase was my first expense.

Now you do not have the $ky box, I believe you can buy a FreeSat box and simply connect that in its place (confirmation along soon). The advantage of this is that you will get the HD channels for free (HD channels on $ky are paid service only). If you want FreeSat Plus for recording/delayed playback etc, I believe that you will need a dish with dual (or more) outputs.

Finally if you want FreeView, you will need a suitable aerial and either a set-top-box, or a TV with built-in Freeview.

HTH

Phil

Reply to
TheScullster

"dennis@home" wrote snip...

How do you set the $ky box to view FreeSat channels?

Phil

Reply to
TheScullster

Where do you live Bob? I have a Topfield dual channel non HD recorder box, though to use it to its full extent would require a dual LNB, which I also have. If you live near enough to North Staffordshire and can come to pick it up you would be most welcome. It is in my attic taking up space, so I would like it to have a good home!

Reply to
Broadback

And if Bob doesn't want it... What's a 'dual LNB'?

Reply to
Jeweller

One that has two outputs, so you can send a signal to boxes in two different rooms, or send two channels to the same box if you want to watch one channel and record a different channel simultaneously.

Owain

Reply to
Owain

Er, feed it an aligned dish and turn it on?

You don't need a card for all BBC and ITV offereings. You do need a card to get the regionalisation(*) correct and for fives offerings.

(*)ie. your local BBC/ITV on 101 and 103. Also channel 4 might be "unavailable" in 104.

Reply to
Dave Liquorice

Not bothered replacing our similarly aged "Freesat from Sky" card. Still does the regionalisation and decodes the FTV channels. You do get a nag screen popup if you leave the card in but you don't need to do that for the FTA channels.

If Sky do disable the regionalsation I'll just get dual Rx Freesat HDD/DVD recorder.

Yep. Might need a minor dish tweak depending on how well it was intially aimed on installation.

If you have HD capable Freesat box and HD display.

Reply to
Dave Liquorice

Much obliged.

Reply to
Jeweller

And if you're fitting a dual you might as well fit a quad for the minimal extra cost.

Connect cables to all four and take the spares through the wall into the loft.

Reply to
F

Simples: Go to Argos and buy a Freesat box 50 or 60 quid for non-HD. Assuming your dish and cabling is OK that is all you need.

You'll pay more for an HD receiver (~£125) and more still for an HDR with integral hard disk recorder (~£250). beware though for the HDR you really need a dual LNB which may involve a dish upgrade. Given this is uk.d-i-y that should be no problem.

I have the Humax Foxsat HDR and am very impressed.

...and if the above does not work out, go to Argos again and ask for your money back.

Reply to
Vortex4

Notice that all the freeview/freesat device Argos sell are marked with a little dagger symbol, their small print states they are excluded from the 30 day money back guarantee.

Reply to
Andy Burns

I did not appreciate that.

Would that be the same if you buy online? Then the "distance selling regulations" would kick in, giving you the automatic right.

Reply to
Vortex4

I have a Topfield dual channel non HD recorder

Can you tell me if there is an RF output in this machine?

Reply to
Jeweller

In message , Vortex4 writes

Well, the lack of thirty day guarantee would, as that is just an extra Argos offer.

but yes, the DSR would then apply

Reply to
chris French

Argos's own "rules" cannot of course supersede Consumer Law so you would still have the right to return the item under the DSR but presumably it would need to be returned to where it was despatched from and not a store .

Reply to
Usenet Nutter

Secondhand SKY digiboxes seem readily available for Free via Freecycle/Freegle - if my local groups are anything to go by or just start asking all your friends etc.

Reply to
robert

bob brought next idea :

Not the same, there is (almost) the same plus many +1 one hour channels and very many more which are not on Freeview. Depending upon how you might like to count them around 200 extra channels free to air.

I have a Fortec Star Passion + HD receiver which I can thoroughly recommend.

Reply to
Harry Bloomfield

Any idea what kids channels there are? We could dump sky and their ridiculously overpriced subscription if we could find something to keep the kids happy.

SteveW

Reply to
Steve Walker

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