Digital Freeview boxes for under £22

JamesDB · 10 January 2007 at 11:31AM

Just to chip in on this...

The cheaper Freeview boxes tend not to have an RF output, but just a SCART one. So if the telly in the kids room or kitchen only has a socket for the aerial you need to make sure the box has a "RF Modulator".

Also, the Freesat from Sky can be a good option. As mentioned by dalriada, when you cancel Sky the card becomes the equivalent of a Freesat card anyway. Also - Sky reps call them Freeview, which it isn't really.

Freeview includes channels like E4, uktv History, TMF, The Hits, Five US and so on - Freesat from Sky doesn't. Just something to look out for if you know a channel is on Freeview and go with the Freesat from Sky option.

Fran · 10 January 2007 at 11:48AM

I recently bought a 5 way Scart splitter, meaning you don't have to unplug when using different devices from Amazon. You can then have Freeview box, DVD, video, games or anything else with Scart lead connected at the same time.

Some of the cheaper Freeview boxes only have one Scart option, others have two which is worth checking if you might need two.

shupa · 10 January 2007 at 12:09PM

Soph wrote:

Dear all

We've been thinking about getting a freeview box and cancelling our Sky subscription. Recently we had a call from a Sky representative trying to sell us insurance for our Sky box. When I told him that we were going to be leaving Sky soon, he told me that Sky actually do a 'freeview' package.

If you are already a Sky customer and have the box and the dish etc, then for a one off payment of £20 Sky will send you a new card for your Sky box, enabling you to view over 120 channels, which beats the 30 or so channels on Freeview.

If you're not currently a Sky customer, however, you'd need to pay £150 to get the box etc, so this is only a great deal if you're looking to 'downgrade' from your Sky subscription.

There is a specific website for this - freesatfromsky.co.uk if you'd like any more information.

Hope this is helpful!

Soph

Does anyone know Telewest will do the same thing if I tell them I want to cancel my tv with them?

I have phone and broadband with them too, and it gets expensive when you add bits on to the package so any saving is a welcome one. TIA!

mike_paterson · 10 January 2007 at 12:15PM

The M&S deal sounds good!

I have seen Freeview boxes in the local market and in the catalogue returns store for around £12. Might be worth checking your local ones.

Complete bargain at that price, even if , like me, you live in a weak signal area and can obly pick up a few additional channels.

pjbuk007 · 10 January 2007 at 12:41PM

Please note that Freeview coverage checking sites can be wrong!!

The one linked to in the post says we CAN get freeview, but many of the others say we cannot, including the one they use in John Lewis.

In fact we discovered last year that our neighbours had been using a freeview box for years. We bought a cheap ALBA one which lost the signal, then got Sony boxand have had freeview no probs for 8 months!

We had the telly bloke around for another reason and to check aerial, and we have superb reception on all channels! Therefor did not need aerial adjusting.

I strongly suggest that if the postcode checker says "No", you borrow a box and try. I also think this should be more widely publicised as we there may be many others who think they cannot get freeview.

r.mac_2 · 10 January 2007 at 1:49PM

dalriada wrote:

Soph - well done on bringing up the freesat option. However, I have some bad and good news for you. the sky representative who told you you could downgrade to the freesat service by paying Sky £20 for a new card was telling porkies - as you are already a sky customer all you have to do to become a freesat viewer is cancel you sky account - you do not need a new card from sky (at the cost of £20) you keep your old card in the box instead.

This £20 cost is only payable by those people who are not sky customers and do not have a sky card for their sky digi box.

You should also note that you can get most free satelite channels without a sky card - this means you do not even need a sky box - you can go to lidl or maplin for example and by a unbranded freesat dish and box. The downside is you will not get channel 4, five, five US, five Life, film 4 or sky 3 - as you need the sky card and a sky digi box for these channels.

The good news for you and other sky customers who want to downgrade is that you just have to cancel your sky subscription and not pay the £20 for a new card. So save yourself £20 do not line the pockets of Mr Murdoch.

Ok following this line of thought.... We have just cancelled our sky subscription. We are paid up until the end of next month. We were going to buy a freeview box instead but it would appear from the above that we can just continue to use our sky box and card after cancellation to recieve the freeview channels???? Or have I read it wrong???

Does this mean I have saved myself the cost of a freeview box?

Any help or clarification gratefully recieved!

mrsyorkie · 10 January 2007 at 1:57PM

I know i'm being thick, but can i plug a freeview box into a portable telly, or does it have to be through the main aerial? We have sky free to view downstairs and we want a freeview box for upstairs in the bedroom but there is no outside aerial point. Do we need one?

Alysie · 10 January 2007 at 2:02PM

Hi there
I bought a HDR with freeview for Christmas and am really disappointed that I now cant get ITV and all associated ITC channels, Channel 4, E4, More 4 etc, although I can get E4+1. Apparently its to do with the aerial reception - I live between Brighton and Eastbourne. Does anyone else have any problems getting various channels?

Lakeuk · 10 January 2007 at 2:12PM

dalriada wrote:

You should also note that you can get most free satelite channels without a sky card - this means you do not even need a sky box - you can go to lidl or maplin for example and by a unbranded freesat dish and box. The downside is you will not get channel 4, five, five US, five Life, film 4 or sky 3 - as you need the sky card and a sky digi box for these channels.

One minor correction to your post, a sky card or sky digi box is not manditory inorder to receive Film1 & Film4+1, as Channel4 broadcast these channels over satellite 'Free To Air'

'Free To Air' channels don't require a sky box, card or subscription inorder to watch.

Channel4 on satellite required a freesat card as they are under contract with sky to broadcast that channel encrypted, their contract finishes at some point next year when it's speculated that it'll change to a FTA channel on satellite (same as analogue/freeview)

dalriada · 10 January 2007 at 2:28PM

r.mac wrote:

Ok following this line of thought.... We have just cancelled our sky subscription. We are paid up until the end of next month. We were going to buy a freeview box instead but it would appear from the above that we can just continue to use our sky box and card after cancellation to recieve the freeview channels???? Or have I read it wrong???

Does this mean I have saved myself the cost of a freeview box? Any help or clarification gratefully recieved!

YES - you can continue to use your old sky box and card - click http://www.wickonline.com/fta.htm and scroll down to see all of the channels you will get for free.

You won;t get all the freeview channels - but you will get most of them, plus many many others that freeviewers don't get.

Digital Freeview boxes for under £22

Comments

Categories

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free