Disconnecting Sky TV

[Barquentine]

I am about to cancel my Sky subscription but before I do I just tested to see if I can still access my Freeview channels (TV is Freeview enabled) without the SkyBox connected.

I disconnected everything and plugged in the roof aerial.

The EPG button on the tv remote does not work and re-reading the instructions it says press 'Digital menu' (to install Freeview channels). Nothing happens when I press the Digital menu.

Is there a way that Sky could have scrambled my TV's software and Freeview programmes? I wouldn't put it past them!

[deggers316]

you cant get free-view with a dish you need a freesat box (that's free-view by sat) for that which can use a sky dish

[Yorky Lass]

Why are you disconnecting Sky? There are still some channels you will be able to receive without subscription. I stopped subcribing last year. Just pull your card out and you will be able to see what you will receive.
I also receive Freeview through the built in Freeview TV.

[mike11111]

If the TV is Freeview enabled you shouldn't need a box.

[ABerrant]

You possibly need to place the TV into Digital TV mode, i.e. turn to a (not yet tuned) DTV channel, before the Digital menu becomes active.

[deggers316]

mike you need an ordinary aerial for freeview
the tv is freeview enabled.,
the questionnaire asked if she could use the skydish to get freeview no you need as i said an roof top aerial.. if you have a freesat box then you could use the sky dish for that purpose

[ABerrant]

"...the questionnaire [sic] asked if she could use the skydish to get freeview"

No she didn't - "I disconnected everything and plugged in the roof aerial."

[Barquentine]

Before we had a Sky Box or satellite dish we just plugged in the tv aerial from the roof and got a range of Freeview channels (no box needed since tv has Freeview built in).
Now - after putting all the cables back as they were before we got Sky - and with the tv in digital mode -there isn't even the digital menu - which we used to instal the Freeview channels. It's as if there's no Freeview there at all.

I still get analogue signals via tv aerial (and I know I can leave the Skybox connected for their free channels after cancelling subscription) - but I thought the old Freeview Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) would still be there.

Could the satellite dish be blocking digital signals from the roof aerial? Or is there any way the Skybox (we disconnected its phone line as permitted after one year) could affect the TV's Freeview software?

[LCDMAN]

"Could the satellite dish be blocking digital signals from the roof aerial? Or is there any way the Skybox (we disconnected its phone line as permitted after one year) could affect the TV's Freeview software? "

NO, absolutely no way on God's earth the two are connected!

Sounds like you need to retune the Digital (Freeview) channels on your TV. Connect the aerial up, go into the TV's menu and do a fresh install, or retune or whatever that particular TV calls it. If you've had the aerial lead disconnencted for any length of time then the Digital (Freeview) EPG won't have updated and will be blank.

[Buenchico]

Somewhere on your TV's remote control, there's a button which lets you switch between using the set's internal tuner (which is what you're trying to do) and accepting a signal from an external source (which is what you've been doing with your Sky box).

To put it another way, when you're viewing Sky channels, your TV set is really little more than a monitor which you use to display the pictures. (The Sky box does all the real work). You need to find the button which turns it back into a 'proper' TV set, where the picture is sourced from the set's internal tuner.

With some sets, switching between 'TV' and 'Monitor' is done automatically. i.e., if the set detects that there's a signal coming from the Sky box, it automatically switches itself to 'Monitor' mode. Simply unplugging the Sky box might persuade the TV to switch itself back to (true) 'TV' mode. (If not, you'll have to look for a 'Source' button, or similar, on the TV's handset).

If you're still having problems, please tell us the make & model of your TV set.

Chris

PS: You can get all of these channels with your satellite set-up, with a Sky subscription:
http://en.wikipedia.o...channels_at_28%C2%B0E

[Giggsie]

I cancelled my sky package but still get more free channels than i get with my freeview tv in other lounge. Loads of film channels true movies, horrors, movies for men etc.

[AlBags]

The Sky box won't block anything.
Are you sure you didn't have an amplifier that has since been stored away or removed (in the TV cable line or in roof)?

Have you had digital switch-over there since last time?
Check where neighbours are pointing .. and what they recieve. You may be in a fringe area.

[Buenchico]

Oops!
I've just noticed with I wrote "with a Sky subscription" above. It should, of course, have read "without"!

[AlBags]

You will always get more free crappy channels on a Sky box with/without subs. or Freesat box than Freeview. There are loads .. if you like to waste your time on that sort of stuff.

[Barquentine]

Thanks for all your help. I tried unplugging everything again and just having the loft aerial plugged into the TV and now Freeview is back.
Freeview is still there even now after I plugged Sky and the video and dvd players back in.
Maybe if you don't use it for a few months the TV switches Freeview off. No idea, but it's all working fine again now.
Oh, and the ineffable rubbish that is Sky & my paying for the privilege of watching its interminable adverts is a thing of the past!