Using old sky box as a freeview box

Karmacat

Hi all! I'm already doing this, no problem, but I stayed with my mum this weekend, and she has a dedicated freeview box. And she has 3 channels I don't get, that I really want - Yesterday, Dave, and Virgin. I've just retuned my sky box, but still haven't got them. Does anybody have any ideas what else I could do? Do I just need to give in and get a freeview box?

All help muchly appreciated.

Leopard

The "Freeview" that Sky offers (via a dish) has a slightly different portfolio of channels to that which you can obtain (via an aerial) with a terrestrial Freeview box.

That's just the way it is: retuning will not help.

The portfolio of channels offered (via a dish) by FreeSat are different to both.

Unfortunately, one has to decide which channels one wants and install the kit that delivers them - but there is also the complication that that option may be denied by reception problems. A dish needs clear sight of the correct part of the sky and digital terrestrial requires a strong enough signal at the aerial.

penrhyn

Subscribe to Sky.

Leopard

penrhyn wrote: »

Subscribe to Sky.

What a brilliant solution! That way she can pay £198 a year, every year (until that price increases), instead of getting those three channels completely free by buying a simple Freeview box for £35. :T

Let's rename the site MoneySquanderingExpert while we're about it. :money:

damoandclaire

With you saying you were using you're old sky box as a freesat box, does dave actually show in the channel guide/lists of the box?

If not, you can add additional channels by the following on your sky box.

Services > System Setup > Add Channels

On that screen you will see frequency, polarisation (which is all you need to know really).

Then you can go to this website - http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/satellite/transponder/

On here is a list of all the frequencies and what transponders the channels are on. The frequencies are in brackets and also have the polorisation next to it. for example:
Transponder 1 (11.720H) which means - Frequency is 11.720 and Polarisation is H

Have a play, doesn't do any harm. HTH

robredz

Cheap Freeview boxes are less than £20 these days.

penrhyn

Leopard wrote: »

What a brilliant solution! That way she can pay £198 a year, every year (until that price increases), instead of getting those three channels completely free by buying a simple Freeview box for £35. :T

Let's rename the site MoneySquanderingExpert while we're about it. :money:

OP wanted to watch subscription channels on the Sky platform.
Freeview boxes are cheap enough, the Daily Mail is giving them away if I recall (Money Saving tip).
Perhaps OP can't get freeview or needs to pay £100+ to get their aerial upgraded.

cyberbob

You cant't get Dave and a few other channels on freesat due to copyright issues. they are only available via Freeview for free. If you wish to get Freeview you will actually need a freeview box, which are pretty cheap now.

Karmacat

Thanks all - I didn't realise I wouldn't be able to get those channels using my skybox.... didn't realise there might be reception problems either. I know the terrestrial signal round here for Channel 5 is pretty bad, but nothing else - I guess I'll google it and find out.

Interestingly, the channels *are* in the channel listings, so I could certainly play with the transponder. Gulp.

I won't bother to buy a freeview box right now if that doesn't work - I might put it on my list for Christmas, tho! And as Leopard implies, subscribing to sky (again) is an absolute no-no - money is tighter than the tightest tight thing. Even if I wangled the freeview box as a pressie, I'd have to be sure my aerial was okay. I think its back to the DVDs.... and on to the transponder

So much to learn!

Stubert

If you've got a sky box, all the channels will appear in the listings even if you can't get them. e.g. Dave etc. You'll still be able to scroll up to all the movies and sports channels that you won't be able to get either so having a play won't bring about those channels!

Karmacat

Aw shucks! I should have realised it was too good to be true!