Freesat or Freeview?

victory

I have virgin media, just read in feb 2013 it is going up by 10%:eek:
it is expensive enough as it is so wanting to cancel going to get freesat or freeview but have no idea which is best?

I am a right remote control surfer, like all sorts E! ITV all those ones,E4, dave, which one is best?

Shall I wait for the sales? Which box to buy?

macman

Neither is 'best'; it depends which specific channels you want.
I suggest you consult the channel listings on each site to decide which is best suited to you.
If you currently have only VM cable TV, then you'll need an external aerial for Freeview, or a mindish and LNB for Freesat. With either, a Humax PVR is the box to get.

[Deleted User]

macman wrote: »

Neither is 'best';

The advantage with Freeview is that almost every new TV will have a Freeview decoder built in, so it's not quite so much outlay. I'd regard Freesat as the province of ex-Sky customers who already have a satellite dish, although it has some notable extra channels you can't get from Freeview.

macman

True, but I'd assume that being (shortly) ex VM/Tivo, the OP will want some PVR functions, so a separate PVR box will be required regardless of choice of platform.

Tommygun2000

They are both so cheap now, why not have 2 boxes that's what we do.

It is a little messing about because our freeview is scart and freesat HDMI.

Most channels are the same anyway, but I like Dave on freeview and a few others on freesat.

Surely in the future all TV's in the UK will just have all the free channels out of the box?

Neil49

First thing to establish is whether you can get a good signal via an aerial for freeview. Possibly your neighbours can help with answering this question. If Yes, then I would probably go for freeview as most tv's have this built in.

To this I would add a dual channel pvr (such as the Humax mentioned above) as you would then be able to record 2 channels and watch a 3rd via the freeview built into your tv.

GooliesOfFire

Freesat
-pros: more channels, still more new ones can be expected even HD ones as there is room for it.
-cons: prone to signal problems in very bad weather, usually requires additional decoder, ugly dish outside your house

Freeview:
-pros: usually no additional decder required as new TVs come with it built-in, you can hide freeview aerial in your loft so it's not visible outside and not affected by any weather problems
-cons: limited number of channels and it's not going to change for better with limited frequencies available, especially more HD channels are not very likely to appear

Niv

GooliesOfFire wrote: »

Freesat
-pros: more channels, still more new ones can be expected even HD ones as there is room for it.
-cons: prone to signal problems in very bad weather, usually requires additional decoder, ugly dish outside your house

Freeview:
-pros: usually no additional decder required as new TVs come with it built-in, you can hide freeview aerial in your loft so it's not visible outside and not affected by any weather problems
-cons: limited number of channels and it's not going to change for better with limited frequencies available, especially more HD channels are not very likely to appear

Lol, can I assume from your pro's and con's list that you dont like Freesat but do like freeview? Quite amuzing 'review' thanks for that, gave me a chuckle.

GooliesOfFire

Niv wrote: »

Lol, can I assume from your pro's and con's list that you dont like Freesat but do like freeview? Quite amuzing 'review' thanks for that, gave me a chuckle.

Who said I don't like freesat? You simply don't understand what you read. You just assume I like Freeview more because I have it (as per my signature).. Surely you cannot assume such thing from my post.. Pros and cons list is true whatever way you look at it. You may add something to it or disagree then be my guest, I may as well but there is nothing more i can think of at the moment.

Both Freesat a Freeview are good and most importantly free.. I think Freesat has a brighter future though as Freeview is at its limits already.

I wouldn't mind having Freesat myself but unluckily at current location I've got a wall of high trees that block my signal.

Niv

GooliesOfFire wrote: »

Who said I don't like freesat? You simply don't understand what you read. You just assume I like Freeview more because I have it (as per my signature).. Surely you cannot assume such thing from my post.. Pros and cons list is true whatever way you look at it. You may add something to it or disagree then be my guest, I may as well but there is nothing more i can think of at the moment.

Both Freesat a Freeview are good and most importantly free.. I think Freesat has a brighter future though as Freeview is at its limits already.

I wouldn't mind having Freesat myself but unluckily at current location I've got a wall of high trees that block my signal.

Actually I didn’t know you had Freeview as I didn’t read your sig. I very much do understand I can assure you. I got my opinion very much from your previous post, and your pros and cons list where in part is factual is also opinion so ‘true whatever way you look at it’ as you say is again true on the factual parts and true on your opinion parts but still, opinion is opinion. I can be more specific if you wish, I would just like to add though that my reply wasn’t meant as an insult or attack so apologies if that’s how you read it.

sniggings

the deciding factors for me would be, is there a channel I really want that is on one but not the other and can I site the freesat dish in a place I'm happy with and not likely to get hit?

I have Freesat and am very happy with it, the only problem I had with the dish was when the roof was getting repaired, the workmen knocked it, luckily I was still with sky and was insured, so got it fixed for free, that is the only problem with the dish, if it gets knocked it can be expensive, saying that, the workmen also knocked the house aerial and the other flats in the building had to pay for a replacement, lesson to learn here I think is pick better roof repairers :rotfl: