Will bbc/itv set-top box work with sky dish

itgoodson

Does anyone know if, when bbc and itv launch their freesat system, I'll be able to simply buy a box from a high street store and plug it in to an existing sky dish? Will this work?

Reason I ask is that I've just moved in to a new house where freeview doesn't work. I'm thinking of subscribing to sky for a year, and then going on to the bbc/itv freesat. I'm hoping it will simply be a case of buying a box from curry's a ditching the sky box...

I'm assuming this will work because I guess a dish is just a dish, and the important bit all happens in the set-top box?

thanks all

colin79666

Why not just subscribe to Sky for a year then cancel the subscription and keep the Sky box and use freesat from it?

mcfisco

The new BBC/ITV Freesat project is not the same or anything to do with current Freeview or [so called] Freesat services
It is a totally new service offering up to 200 channels of HD as well as standard broadcasts

The Sky 'Digi' boxes are unlikely to work with it but as they haven't yet finalised the required specification, you never know
They may well decide to use another satellite too, which may mean a Sky dish would need re-pointing - although, there have been rumours that they will use Eurobird 28.5E - which would mean a Sky dish should be OK without re-pointing.

wonka

As mcfisco says, nobody knows for sure just yet, but you can discuss this (or follow discussions) on digitalspy.co.uk.

Here's a typical forum thread.

Phantom_Flan_Flinger

As above, why would you want to get rid of the Sky box after the year and get a different one?

Once you cancel with Sky after the year, your card will still work to get all the FreeSat channels.

Lakeuk

mcfisco wrote: »

The Sky 'Digi' boxes are unlikely to work with it but as they haven't yet finalised the required specification, you never know
They may well decide to use another satellite too, which may mean a Sky dish would need re-pointing - although, there have been rumours that they will use Eurobird 28.5E - which would mean a Sky dish should be OK without re-pointing.

This is incorrect, SkyDigi boxes will continue to broadcast fta channels that will makeup bbc/itvs freesat package when it starts next year. Everything up in the sky will stay the same, the only difference is that manufacters who currently make fta recievers will adher to the spec's that the freesat consortium will agree, namely EPG, Channel updates, HD & PVR specs (and maybe Interactive features)

If you've got a sky box there will be no change, carry on as normal with or without a sky subscription.
If you've got the dish which is ok, then you'll just need to buy the freesat box and plug it in.
If you don't have a dish then you'll buy a box + dish and pay someone to put the dish up or if you fancy DIY the dish