Best Freestat..?

harveybobbles

Just wondering what peoples thoughts are on Freesat?

Don't watch enough TV to warrant the current Sky package we have so cancelled it this week.

Got offered a massive £2.50 monthly discount.. (!)

I said try harder, but got no where.

So cancelled.

Our TV has built in Freeview, but been looking at Freesat and thinking of buying a box.

Freesat uses a sky dish. but we already have one on the side of the house.

[Deleted User]

harveybobbles wrote: »

Freesat uses a sky dish. but we already have one on the side of the house.

I don't think the cost of a Freesat decoder is worth it for the very few extra channels you'll receive over the Freeview you already have.

However, as you've cancelled your Sky subscription only this week, you obviously don't realise that all the Free-To-View satellite channels will be available via your existing Sky decoder when your cancellation takes effect.

So you won't need to buy a Freesat box anyhow!

harveybobbles

Hmmmm...

Its a Sky+ HD box we have.

VisionMan

harveybobbles wrote: »

Hmmmm...

Its a Sky+ HD box we have.

Well it won't be a Sky+ HD box now, HB. It will just be a standard definition Freeview box. With no recording facilities. Though TOPS is right, it can still be used to view Freesat content. And Free to View content, whilst your Sky card is still active.

harveybobbles

And how long does the sky card stay active for? Never really recorded much anyway to be honest.

Do I just retune the sky box? Read different ways of getting FTA channels. Some with sky card. Some without. Some with it in upside down.

[Deleted User]

VisionMan wrote: »

Well it won't be a Sky+ HD box now, HB. It will just be a standard definition Freeview box.

Actually, it will still receive Free-To-Air high definition channels from the BBC, ITV and Channel 4.
It will be a Freesat-From-Sky box, not Freeview

harveybobbles wrote: »

And how long does the sky card stay active for?

Do I just retune the sky box?

The card lasts indefinitely. You don't have to re-tune, remove the card or put it in upside down. All the channels you don't pay for with Sky (including some HD ones) will continue to be available just as they are now.

Ken68

I gave up paying Sky 10 years ago. Still get their FreesatfromSky channels.Have made up 50 favourite and use the planner for each evenings viewings. Automatic reminders.
And automatic switchover if you choose. Films galore old and new.
And another 100 or more mainly rubbish channels. But not a lot of sport. Replays are on the computer e.g. BBC iPlayer.

macman

VisionMan wrote: »

Well it won't be a Sky+ HD box now, HB. It will just be a standard definition Freeview box. With no recording facilities. Though TOPS is right, it can still be used to view Freesat content. And Free to View content, whilst your Sky card is still active.

It will not be a Freeview box (Freeview is a terrestial service via an aerial), nor can you view any Freesat content on it. It allows acess to the Freesat From Sky platform only. Not the same thing, although many of the channels are common.
OP, the only advantage of Freesat is that it will enable you to retain the PVR functions (if you pay for a PVR rather than a straight digibox) that will no longer function on your Sky+ box once you cancel your sub. If you don't require recording, then just use your existing Sky box, with the existing viewing card.

davemurgatroyd

macman wrote: »

It will not be a Freeview box (Freeview is a terrestial service via an aerial), nor can you view any Freesat content on it. It allows acess to the Freesat From Sky platform only. Not the same thing, although many of the channels are common.
OP, the only advantage of Freesat is that it will enable you to retain the PVR functions (if you pay for a PVR rather than a straight digibox) that will no longer function on your Sky+ box once you cancel your sub. If you don't require recording, then just use your existing Sky box, with the existing viewing card.

Note that all the freesat channels are available on FreesatFromSky (FSFS) but freesat does not have all the channels on its EPG that FSFS has and cannot access the eight or so FTV channels (Channel 5HD, LFC TV, Viva, Motors TV< Sony TV, Sony TV +1, Sony Movies & Sony Movies +1) at all.

VisionMan

To all - a slip of the tongue, I meant Freesat (from Sky).

But I thought the card stopped working after 3-4 years, so access to a channel like, say, CH5 HD would no longer be possible without paying for a new card?

[Deleted User]

VisionMan wrote: »

I thought the card stopped working after 3-4 years, so access to a channel like, say, CH5 HD would no longer be possible without paying for a new card?

Sky do routinely replace their viewing cards at intervals , but at this point holders of non-subscription cards can purchase a Freesat-From-Sky card for a nominal fee.