Cheapest Tv Viewing?

[chessington]

We have sky at the moment and wondered if freeview/freesat do the pause tv and record, if not, can anyone recommend what does it please, we are looking to downgrade as things are too expensive TIA

[barry1010]

If you want to record you will need a recorder, a PVR, such as a Humax.

[Dagman]

If your tv is a smart tv and your internet is unlimited broadband you can watch tv on itv hub, all4, bbc iplayer in fact loads of free live tv streaming channels with catchup options just like having a recorder, you just search for it and watch.

[barry1010]

I much prefer to record as it lets me whizz through the blerdy adverts - and I can keep the recordings for as long as I like. Many channels we watch don't have a catch up service.

[bhg481]

The snag with Dagman's suggestion is that not everything is available on catch-up and you either have to suffer adverts or pay a fee to avoid them.

[Buenchico]

Freeview and Freesat, in their basic forms, just deliver TV signals to your aerial (or dish) in much the same way that TV sets have always received their signals over the years. However the addition of a set-top recording box will add the facilities that you're looking for.

https://www.freeview.co.uk/get-freeview/products

https://www.freesat.co.uk/get-freesat/set-top-boxes/recordable-4k-tv-box

You can check which Freeview channels are available at your location here:
https://www.freeview.co.uk/freeview-channel-checker

Freesat channels are listed here:
https://www.freesat.co.uk/channels

[ladybirder]

And you can also pay for a month's viewing at a time on Netflix and Amazon Prime for under £10/month. Wait until there are a few programmes you want to see and watch them all in a month and then don't bother again until you find some more you want to watch.

[wiltsman]

Give Sky a ring saying that you're thinking of leaving. They don't want to lose a customer so they will probably offer you a revised tariff.
We did this few month ago and got offered a £29 a month reduction which we accepted. I think we had to give up the Kids channel, which was no problem as there are no children in the house. For any visiting youngsters, there's children's TV on Netflix, free with the Sky package.

[barry1010]

Good suggestion from Wiltsman, I do it every year with Virgin and always pay what I want to pay, not what they want me to pay.

[chessington]

thank you everyone

[barry1010]

Before you cancel, switch off your Sky for a week and see how you get on with watching just the free channels. It will give you a good idea of what is available and what you might miss too much.

[Karamia]

Good advice from Barry. I am with Virgin media but have switched all boxes off and have been living with freeview on my smart TV for quite a while to see how I get on and to be honest I am finding that I now prefer it!! Almost ready to do the big cancel.