SKY to FreeSat

Fruball

Hi all

I have had sky for years and years and love it, esp rewind and record but costs are becoming prohibitive and I am thinking of using my sky box and dish to receive free channels.

The kids will miss Disney channel but will get used to it, and I will miss the record and rewind functions.

I just wondered who else has switched after being used to sky for so long and how did you find it? (I hate change!)

I could cancel my multiroom for the time being (only saving about £5 a month ) so I can get used to it.

Once it is cancelled, how do I get the free channels on the TV?

Many thanks


eta Just realised my TV has built in freeview... can I just get rid of the sky box (ebay it?) and plug the tv straight into the sky dish?

dalek

You can cancel your subscription packages, then pay Sky 'just' £10 a month for the recording, rewinding functions to use on the free to air channels.

Here is a list of all the FREE channels you can continue to watch with your Sky box when you have cancelled.
http://www.sdsdigital.co.uk/channel-list.html

penrhyn

Cancel your Sky subscription and you'll receive Freesat from Sky. The channel selection is similar to freeview. The recording and playback features will be disabled.
If you want to get rid of the Sky box, then you would need to connect an aerila to your TV to receive freeview which is a terrestrial (not a satellite) service.

Fruball

dalek wrote: »

You can cancel your subscription packages, then pay Sky 'just' £10 a month for the recording, rewinding functions to use on the free to air channels.

Here is a list of all the FREE channels you can continue to watch with your Sky box when you have cancelled.
http://www.sdsdigital.co.uk/channel-list.html

I saw that too! "Just" £10 a month! lol I am only paying £22 for the entertainment extra package anyway, so hardly worth the £12 saving!

I think I will just have to accept that I can't record anymore - I can always catch up on iplayer - it's only the 2 main channels with programmes I really follow anyway.

Thanks for the replies :beer:

penrhyn

You might want to check out YouView, it integrates catch up TV with freeview, the box is expensive at the moment, but will probably come down in time.

http://www.youview.com/

VoucherMan

Fruball wrote: »

I think I will just have to accept that I can't record anymore

You could always get a Freeview or Freesat PVR. then you'd still have record / rewind etc.

penrhyn

As above, Never give up never surrender!

Peter Quincy Taggert

macman

You won't get Freesat on your Sky box-you'll get Freesat from Sky-similar channels, but a different platform.
If you want the PVR functions then you'll need to invest in a Freesat PVR such as the Humax Foxsat. This is as straight box swap, no other work or investment is required.
It's pointless paying Sky £120pa just to retain the PVR functions when you can do it forever for a one-off cost of about £200.

November2

You could just get an old video recorder and record the programmes instead! People are always giving them away nowdays. Clicked on this thread as I too after well over 10 years am getting rid of Sky as I rarely watch anything now and just been informed my subscription is increasing again by £1.50 (I have the basic family package)! I am thinking of getting a freeview but with top up tv, can anyone advise me please. I watch Eurosport, the kids watch wrestling on Sky 1 and sometimes the kids channels like NickJr. Can't remember when we last watched any other channel as its just full of reality shows!

macman

An analogue video recorder will only allow the OP to record the channel that is being viewed on the TV, whichis not I think what they wanted to do-they want the equivalent of Sky+
And once you've had a PVR, you'd never want to go back to the very poor quality of videotape.

penrhyn

November2 wrote: »

You could just get an old video recorder and record the programmes instead! People are always giving them away nowdays. Clicked on this thread as I too after well over 10 years am getting rid of Sky as I rarely watch anything now and just been informed my subscription is increasing again by £1.50 (I have the basic family package)! I am thinking of getting a freeview but with top up tv, can anyone advise me please. I watch Eurosport, the kids watch wrestling on Sky 1 and sometimes the kids channels like NickJr. Can't remember when we last watched any other channel as its just full of reality shows!

Again? Sky prices have been frozen for the last two years. They also have a great selection of home grown programmes, and the best of HBO.
Anyhoo, each to their own.

YouView is an interesting enhancement to Freeview, as it has access to NowTV from Sky and Milkshake from Channel 5