What is the best value Digital service for me?????

Pugliese

I need to cut my bills and with Sky HD at £61per month this needs to be triimmed!

I am moving house on the 7th Jan, so have to give notice to sky on Monday if I am to leave them, so I must decide the way forward this weekend.

Have researched it the best I can but need some extra help. At my new house I cannot get Freeview nor Virgin Cable. However there is a sky dish there, so my options as far as I can figure out are:

• Downgrade my package with Sky
• Get Freestat or Sky equivalent
• Get BT Vision

I also need a new phone line and broadband connection.

Our main TV priorities are to have the main TV channels BBC, ITV etc, the sky+ record facility and a choice of films. We also like to have HD but are happy not to have Sky Sports although my sons when they come back from Uni will miss it.

Looking at the available options:-

• I would like to get away from Sky and talking to them they would only offer me a discount for 6 months
• Freestat is tempting - buy a Freestat box with record and iPlayer facility and then get phone line and Internet from BE. Although this is cheap (box will pay for itself in 3 months) we do not get a good choice of films and no chance of Sky sports
• BT is tempting as I could get a free phone line installation, affordable broadband and BT vision all for £30 a month that will give us the channels, record facility, films and ability to switch on Sky Sports on a monthly contract. The only drawback seems to be that there is no HD on the channels nor Sky Sports only on films.

So on balance BT seems the best deal for us, but am I missing something.???? Any wise advice out there as I must decide this weekend

Merry Christmas to you all :rudolf:

brewerdave

BT Vision is basically Freeview with on demand services via Internet -Sky Sports is supplied thru' the aerial - if you can't get a Freeview signal thru an aerial then no go!!!
If you desperately need new films/ sports then the best (and only) deal is to stay with Sky; if you can manage without the sport then go Freesat and hire DVDs!

Kurtis_Blue

http://www.lovefilm.com/

Pugliese

Interesting. Has anyone used the Lovefilm service??

SophieLO_2

Why dont you use Virgin Media? Obv if cable works in your area.
I have found them fantastic and i have virgin media plus with a hd box.

Pugliese

No cable

macman

Freesat every time. With a Humax Foxsat HDR box which has all the PVR functions-free forever. And you can use your existing dish as long as you already have a twin LNB feed. Saving of about £750pa.

Pugliese

macman wrote: »

Freesat every time. With a Humax Foxsat HDR box which has all the PVR functions-free forever. And you can use your existing dish as long as you already have a twin LNB feed. Saving of about £750pa.

How do I know if I have a twin LNB feed? - There are two wires coming through the wall

Phantom_Flan_Flinger

Pugliese wrote: »

How do I know if I have a twin LNB feed? - There are two wires coming through the wall

In the new house? If there is, then you'll be OK.

Even though I've got Sky, I'd say the route to take is the Humax box and on-line film rental from somewhere like Lovefilm, Blockbuster, Tesco, etc

Pugliese

Phantom_Flan_Flinger wrote: »

In the new house? If there is, then you'll be OK.

Even though I've got Sky, I'd say the route to take is the Humax box and on-line film rental from somewhere like Lovefilm, Blockbuster, Tesco, etc

Thanks - With a Humax Foxsat HDR box can you stream other content as well as i Player from your PC. Also would it allow you to use the Love Film service?

Phantom_Flan_Flinger

Pugliese wrote: »

Thanks - With a Humax Foxsat HDR box can you stream other content as well as i Player from your PC. Also would it allow you to use the Love Film service?

IPlayer is already part of the Humax, so you connect it straight to your router.

You subscribe to Lovefilm (and the others). Starts around £4/month for 2 films/month. Prices here showing current rates and rates after VAT increase in January.