Freeview/Freesat throught skybox

jozvaldo

Quick question which hopefully somebody can answer for me :-)

I ahave a new house with no aerial installed but a sky dish is in place. I also have the sky+box wired up and installed but there is no subscription in place.

Am I able to use my sky box to watch TV without having to install an aerial or subscribe for any packages ie sky etc!? Ie - can I recevie any channels through my dish (bbc, itv etc)

Thanks in advance

new2012

I also have the sky+box wired up and installed but there is no subscription in place

Am I able to use my sky box to watch TV without having to install an aerial or subscribe for any packages ie sky etc!?

Yes.
Have you actually tried it?

jozvaldo

Lol! obviously Ive tried it and it doesnt work which is why Im asking the question? I get to the channel listings and it says it cannot find anything and to switch off my box for a minute and restart - which makes no difference?

movilogo

Then either your Sky box or dish may be faulty. Try borrowing a working box from a friend and see if you can get the channels.

almillar

If it's a new house, you may have a few cables and you don't know what they do, maybe you're connecting the Sky box to a cable that's sitting in the roofspace waiting to be connected to an aerial. Try out different cables. You'll be watching freesatfromsky and you won't be allowed to record.

macman

You can't get either Freesat or Freeview through a Sky box. Without a sub you can get the Freesat from Sky channels.
Freesat is an alternative satellite platform.
Freeview is a terrestial service through an aerial.

new2012

Lol! obviously Ive tried it and it doesnt work which is why Im asking the question?

You asked if

Am I able to use my sky box to watch TV without having to install an aerial or subscribe for any packages ie sky etc!

And I answered

Yes

I ahave a new house with no aerial installed but a sky dish is in place.

You could have yet to move in.

keicar

Assuming the dish is installed and aligned, Freesat will work fine, one of these will work, cheap enough.

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5321557/Trail/searchtext%3EFREESAT.htm

Was only £30 at Christmas.

JimmyTheWig

You will need a reasonably up to date viewing card to make it work.
I believe you can buy them from Sky for around a tenner.

Phantom_Flan_Flinger

Go into the settings menu of the box and see what signal strength (if any) you're getting.

You don't need a card to receive channels on the box, there are only a few less with not having a card.

If you want a card, Sky will charge you £25 for it. The card will also regionalise your BBC and ITV channels though.

As above, if you can't try another box on the cable, you won't know for sure whether there's a problem with the box or the cabling/dish.

jozvaldo

I have again tried today and checked the signal strength for which I get the following:-

Input 1 signal strength (bar is about three quarters full)

Signal quality (bar is about three quarters full)

Input 1 lock indicator is OK
Input 1 Network is 013e
Input 1 transport stream is 1450

Input 2 signal strength (is empty)
Input 2 signal quality (is empty)
Input 2 Lock Indicator (not locked)

Is this okay - any further suggestions as to what I should check??