Freeview television

[hardy49]

At the moment we have SKY but in the future we plan to do away with it.However,I have found that we cannot get Freeview where we live at the moment.If we stop SKY does that mean we are going to have to put up with a terrible reception and if so would an aerial help ?

[daffidazey]

I presume you have a sky dish up? Have you had your Sky for more than 12 months? If this is the case then when you cancel your sky, you will get to keep the box which will give you all the freeview channels through your dish. Daffi x

[hardy49]

Oh right - did not know that.Many thanks

[vehelpfulguy]

At the moment the Freeview signals are kept low so as to not interfere with the analogue signals.

Gradually, as analogue is turned off, the Freeview digital signals will be increased so you should be able to get them in future.

Note that the BBC and ITV are planning to bring out a free satellite service soon called Freesat which will be in high definition (HD).

I do not know too much about it, but I believe it will come through a dish (which could be your old sky dish) but you will need a new "box".

After you have bought the box there is no monthly charge.

More here:

http://www.freesat.co.uk/home.php

[hardy49]

Many thanks to you both - it has eased my mind a lot. We want to get rid of Sky because,apart from the football (which we are already getting fed up with) most of the programmes we watch are repeats - and it is quite a lot of money to pay for repeats !!!

[Mac70]

Actually, if it's a Sky digibox, when you quit sky you recieve nothing through their dish.
If it's an old satbox and dish, then you will get the free channels.

We just made the mistake of quitting Sky for BT Vision. We spent nearly �200 on a new aerial, and still the signal quality on a few channels is abysmal.
And you dont get Eurosport!!!!

[daffidazey]

I have a sky digibox, Mac70. I have cancelled my sky as I wasn't really watching it, and I now get the freeview channels through my sky dish.

[Mac70]

We tried it, but every channel just tells us to call Sky to subscribe.

ps Sorry for hijacking the topic Hardy49

[vehelpfulguy]

You can turn your Sky box into a Sky Freesat box for a one off payment to Sky of about �25 (If you already have the Sky dish and Sky box).

You get about 200 channels. No monthly payment.

More here:

http://www.freesatfromsky.co.uk/

I know I mentioned BBC and ITV setting up Freesat earlier, but in fact Sky were calling their package Freesat ages ago so it is a bit confusing having two packages called Freesat.

The Sky one is available NOW, the BBC and ITV one is not available yet.

[daffidazey]

Not quite sure then, Mac70. I have a sky plus box. When I cancelled my sky I kept the box all connected and got all the freeview channels, just lost my sky plus features. I'm confused now! Sorry for the hijack, hardy49! x

[Mac70]

Yikes. How do i tell the missus about that, VHG? After the money we shelled out, plus getting tied to an 18-month contract with BT!

I think your answer is there hardy49. Go with the Sky Freesat.

[vehelpfulguy]

>Yikes. How do i tell the missus about that, VHG?

Thing is, Sky dont shout too loudly about their Freesat option.

I think they are worried that too many people will cancel their expensive Sky packages (mine is �55 a month) and go for the Sky Freesat option.

Of course Sky they hope it will work the other way, people take out Sky Freesat for �150 and get their Sky dish and box, and then in future upgrade to some sort of monthly packaged deal.

[Mac70]

Just took a look at the listings available and to be honest, it's just more abysmal channels.
The only ones we miss is Eurosport, Sci-Fi and the Crime channel. And they arent available on anything but Sky and TUTV (for Eurosport, but I can get MotoGP on BBC2 and for an extra 9.99 a month I can get the SPL football)

[hardy49]

Once again,many thanks - you have all been a great help