Television reception

shopbot · 27 December 2005 at 9:11PM

Television reception where I live is terrible using a conventional ariel. It's still poor with a signal booster (channel 4 is almost unwatchable and I can't get 5 although I suspect that is less of a blow) I can't get freeview. My home has a previously installed satellite dish and connections. Can I use this to get the 5 terrestial channels for free (i.e not having to subscribe to Sky etc). What equipment would I need?

Thanks
SB

:xmassign:

djohn2002uk · 27 December 2005 at 9:16PM

You'll need a digibox which I would think you can pick up on ebay and £20 for a Sky Freesat card and you're away. Should get the 5 channels you want plus a load of others which I suspect are mostly rubbish.

gizmoleeds · 27 December 2005 at 9:22PM

Yes you can. You can either get this:

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

which costs £150 from Sky who would give you a normal Sky digibox etc just without a Sky subscription, or you can get this from Maplin:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?TabID=1&criteria=satellite&ModuleNo=48305&doy=27m12

It costs £80 although would also need installing (there are instructions on how to do it yourself, but I would not feel confident as you have to correctly position the dish at a satellite and I'm scared of heights :eek:).

It would get you all the same channels, albeit without the Sky programme guide.

gizmoleeds · 27 December 2005 at 9:24PM

djohn2002uk wrote:

You'll need a digibox which I would think you can pick up on ebay and £20 for a Sky Freesat card and you're away. Should get the 5 channels you want plus a load of others which I suspect are mostly rubbish.

Ooops - forgot, yeah you could do that aswell - would still need installing though. If it costs over £80 I would get the Maplin one as it is new.

shopbot · 27 December 2005 at 9:37PM

gizmoleeds wrote:

Ooops - forgot, yeah you could do that aswell - would still need installing though. If it costs over £80 I would get the Maplin one as it is new.

Thanks djohn2002uk and gizmoleeds.
Can I just check something please? I already have a working Skydish and a connection into my living room (courtesy of the previous owner who subscribed to Sky). If I buy a digibox and card does it still need installation by an engineer?
Would it not just be a case of connecting it and then tuning it in?

:santa2:

gizmoleeds · 27 December 2005 at 9:44PM

shopbot wrote:

Would it not just be a case of connecting it and then tuning it in?

No, you're right - just plug in and go. You certainly don't need an installer.

I don't know whether or not you could connect the Maplin box to a Sky dish, although I would presume you could as it is pointed at the correct satellite. Otherwise a second hand Sky box would do you, but you will need a card to watch most of the "free" channels.

djohn quotes £20 which certainly used to be correct but I don't know if that is still true...

djohn2002uk · 27 December 2005 at 9:45PM

shopbot wrote:

Thanks djohn2002uk and gizmoleeds.
Can I just check something please? I already have a working Skydish and a connection into my living room (courtesy of the previous owner who subscribed to Sky). If I buy a digibox and card does it still need installation by an engineer?
Would it not just be a case of connecting it and then tuning it in?

:santa2:

Sorry I pressed the thanks button by mistake. Yes is the answer. You just need to connect the lead to the box, connect to your TV, plug it in and away you go.
That's why my first reply was so short, because I understood you to be saying the dish was still OK.

OK_Sauce · 27 December 2005 at 9:47PM

The only thing you need to do is tell the box where you are to get the right ITV/BBC regions. When you buy a viewing card from Sky (£20 one-off fee) you need to call them with the card and digibox number so you can tell the box where you are. Other than that it's just plug the digibox in. No engineer required.

Ps You will need a genuine sky digibox (either new or used) to receive ITV Ch4 and five as they are scrambled by Sky's encription system.

gizmoleeds · 27 December 2005 at 9:50PM

djohn2002uk wrote:

That's why my first reply was so short, because I understood you to be saying the dish was still OK.

:doh: I missed that in the OP. My mistake!

shopbot · 27 December 2005 at 9:56PM

Thanks everyone for your quick replies and knowledge. Much appreciated :beer:

djohn2002uk · 27 December 2005 at 10:01PM

Just had a quick look on ebay and there are 100s on there from around £20 upwards. I also looked in the completed items and some have even gone for below £20. If you could see a basic Pace one on there cheap, that's the one to go for (not a Sky Plus or Sky+ one). Just the basic box is all you want. Just watch the delivery cost too, avoid anyone piling on the cost there. Shouldn't be more than about £12.
This could all be done for around £60 - £70 as opposed to well over £200 where you are for a decent aerial system.

Television reception

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