Freesat vs Freeview

Shoshannah

I've lived in this house for 3 years and have battled the whole time with BAD digital TV reception. I've been through at least four different Freeview boxes, and the problem is still the same.

Reception is, quite frankly, rubbish. The BBC channels are worse - one night they're working perfectly, the next they are completely unwatchable. I have to retune daily, constantly moving the box around etc. Getting fed up.

We no longer have analogue here, and unfortunately a new rooftop aerial is not an option (rented property).

I have been considering whether or not to switch to Freesat instead. There is a pre-existing satellite dish mounted outside, but I have no idea if it works or not. I don't really want to get Sky as I only want the basic channels.

Is getting Freesat likely to solve the reception problem, and what are the rough costs associated with this? I may as well not have a TV as it stands at the moment. :mad:

That said, the shopping channels and adult channels all seem to work fine... funny, that. :doh:

Shoshannah

Kurtis_Blue wrote: »

Its a rented property, get your landlord/agency to fix the faulty aerial system.

Do you think it is faulty?

I was under the impression that a lot of 'normal' aerials are simply not good enough for digital TV, even if they previously functioned normally.

I can try, but don't hold out much hope. My house still has electrics from the dark ages and they wouldn't update that.

sniggings

go on the freeview site and see if your area has a good signal, if it does then it's your aerial. enter your postcode.

As for freesat, it should be better as you have a dish so that seems to say sky was once there so it must be able to see the satellite, if it has not been moved/knock then all you need is to connect the cables to your box, if you do not have two cables then you will need to call someone out to sort it for you, or do it yourself, a callout from a cheap local guy, (maybe gumtree is an option) shouldn't be much, maybe £50. You don't need to have the dish "turned on" just pointed the right way and plugged into your box, it's free

But as said above, your landlord needs to fit a better aerial if it turns out to be that.

[Deleted User]

If your satellite dish is in the same condition as your roof aerial then it will cost roughly the same to fit new versions of either of them. So it's really a toss up between the two, unless it turns out the dish is in working condition. Do be aware that Freesat will require a different decoder and so you'd have to fork out for that.
You shouldn't need any kind of special aerial to receive digital Freeview, especially from the BBC who do the most to ensure all their channels are available to the widest possible audience.
Perhaps you can come to some arrangement with the Landlord to share the cost of improving your TV reception?

sniggings

Moneyineptitude wrote: »

. Do be aware that Freesat will require a different decoder and so you'd have to fork out for that.

when I moved from Sky to Freesat, all I did was unplug the Sky box and plug in the Freeview one, no changing decoders?

sniggings

Kurtis_Blue wrote: »

But the OP will be moving from a freeview stb to Freesat, not from SKy to freesat.

well if that what he meant, it wasn't clear, as he was talking about Sky then went on to say they would need a new decoder, even still, not sure it even makes sense to say that, as the OP already knows Freesat and Freeview are different and Freesat runs off the dish, talk of a different decoder is only confusing (maybe just me )

VisionMan

sniggings wrote: »

when I moved from Sky to Freesat, all I did was unplug the Sky box and plug in the Freeview one, no changing decoders?

What?: The OP has Freeview atm, and is considering Freesat as an alternative. Whats not clear about that, sniggins? lol

Shoshannah - you can get a new freesat box from as little as £30 - £40 (but not a recorder, for that price) -



http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/goodmans-gfsat101sd-freesat-box-02855144-pdt.html?gclid=CISpoPWQkbQCFUbKtAod5j4AYw&srcid=867&cmpid=comp~Google~TV%2c+DVD+%26+Blu-ray~02855144&istCompanyId=bec25c7e-cbcd-460d-81d5-a25372d2e3d7&istItemId=wqmlirtt&istBid=t&ef_id=UMEVDwAARlNcVkNG:20121211004941:s

sniggings

VisionMan wrote: »

What?: The OP has Freeview atm, and is considering Freesat as an alternative. Whats not clear about that, sniggins? lol

read this and it reads as if he is saying for Freesat you need a new decoder.

If your satellite dish is in the same condition as your roof aerial then it will cost roughly the same to fit new versions of either of them. So it's really a toss up between the two, unless it turns out the dish is in working condition. Do be aware that Freesat will require a different decoder and so you'd have to fork out for that.

[Deleted User]

sniggings wrote: »

read this and it reads as if he is saying for Freesat you need a new decoder.

Yes, I was saying that the OP (who clearly has Freeview, not Sky) will have to fork out for another decoder if he/she wants Freesat. You also seem to be under the impression that my post was made by the OP.

I think this thread is entitled "Freesat vs Freeview" for a reason! The rented house he lives in has an unused satellite dish but the OP merely said he doesn't want Sky, not that he'd ever had it.
I suggest you re-read the thread...

[Deleted User]

VisionMan wrote: »

Shoshannah - you can get a new freesat box from as little as £30 - £40 (but not a recorder, for that price)

The OP won't get HD for that price, of course.

[Deleted User]

Kurtis_Blue wrote: »

Why? its the landlords responsibility.

Offering to share the cost is often the quickest way to get a landlord moving on such things. It depends on the landlord, of course, but this one seems to give a low priority to television.