Leave Sky and go to Freesat - Any good?

[Deleted User]

almillar wrote: »

It definitely isn't! If you've got Sky and you stop subscribing, you end up with 'freesatfromsky'.

Not anymore. Anyone leaving Sky having had a Q decoder has to return it to Sky and ends up with no service at all. Only those with original Sky+HD (or earlier variants) get "FreesatfromSky"

almillar wrote: »

This isn't my understanding. I've got Freesat and Sky HD in my house, and a Quad LNB. One dish, one LNB, all pointing at the same place, serving out 4 outputs (2 to the Sky box, 2 to the Freesat box. Sky and Freesat come from the same satellite.

Correct. Both Sky and Freesat are pointed at exactly the same alignment.

almillar wrote: »

this is the new one. It has come along with Sky Q, which uses a different type of LNB

Correct. Sky Q uses a different LNB which is not compatible with Sky+HD and Freesat decoders.

almillar

Not anymore. Anyone leaving Sky having had a Q decoder has to return it to Sky and ends up with no service at all. Only those with original Sky+HD (or earlier variants) get "FreesatfromSky"

Ah yes, good point - Sky Q customers never own 'their' equipment, so they'll just be left with wires if they quit.

pma13

Hello

Apologies in advance total techno phobe here. I am currently in process buying house and trying to cut outgoings as close as possible. I currently have sky package tv variety bundle / multi room / phone / sky talk anytime / and sky fibre unlimited. Works out about £90 per month . We definitely need the Sky fibre and we need a phone line . So thinking need cut tv to be honest my son watch's nick toons and daughter her soaps. I mostly watch Netflix when I can get a bloody signal on what's supposed to be an internet tv. The tv in the lounge is not internet enabled but think must be free view. What I am thinking is if I cancelled tv package which accounts for 44 pound of Bill can I use the set top boxes as free view boxes as I have no tv aerial upstairs . I am thinking cutting the package won't be that simple as I am sure the deal us tied up with the tv / phone etc hope this makes sense

molerat

Yes it will work as a Freesat system. You will lose any recording and catch up abilities you had with your subscription / box. There may be some channels missing from this free option.
http://helpforum.sky.com/t5/Sky/Using-an-Old-Box-for-Freesat/td-p/2694410

knightstyle

Tell Sky you are leaving and do not want all those channels, we did and pay £28 a month for BB, line rental with "pay as you talk" and a basic freesat from Sky TV package called TV+ which gives us all the usual non-Sky TV channels with record, catch-up etc.

teddysmum

knightstyle wrote: »

Tell Sky you are leaving and do not want all those channels, we did and pay £28 a month for BB, line rental with "pay as you talk" and a basic freesat from Sky TV package called TV+ which gives us all the usual non-Sky TV channels with record, catch-up etc.

A Humax box or similar is a better option than paying for Sky+, as you own the box, which a year's fees would almost buy, depending on how sophisticated a machine you require.


The choice of Freeview or Freesat would depend on whether the new home has an aerial (for the former)or a dish (for the latter.)

Neil_Jones

Yeah the problem with Sky+ is if you don't cough up you can't record on it, and you'll also lose all the catch and ability to watch stuff in your planner that you don't have an active subscription for. Also I think it's £10 a month just for the Sky+ functionality - nice as it is it isn't worth it on its own just for that, you might as well just, as above, get a Freesat box.

Course the other option is Now TV which beats Sky+ price wise but isn't as flexible as its streaming down the internet. So for NickToons that's the Kids pass which is only £2.99 a month. Soaps wise, well if that's just the mainstream ones (EastEnders, Corrie, Emmerdale and Hollyoaks plus its "first look" on E4) they're all on Freeview anyway.

If you're having problems with the Wi-Fi assuming the TV and the internet are in different rooms you can get wireless boosters or you may be able to network the TV to the internet via network cable or HomePlug... There are solutions and I presume you're using the standard Sky router, the SR101 or SR102? They're both crap for wireless...

Alpha_5

If the OP has a Sky Q box it will need to be returned to Sky, as it remains their property.

[Deleted User]

pma13 wrote: »

I am thinking cutting the package won't be that simple as I am sure the deal us tied up with the tv / phone etc hope this makes sense

They're separate packages but of course it depends on whether you're out of minimum term for the TV part. If you're determined on leaving Sky for TV they will offer you a deal. If you are out of minimum term for the phone/LR/BB then it's worth seeing what else is available at your (new) location and what Sky can offer to match it.

qsk

molerat wrote: »

Yes it will work as a Freesat system. You will lose any recording and catch up abilities you had with your subscription / box. There may be some channels missing from this free option.
http://helpforum.sky.com/t5/Sky/Using-an-Old-Box-for-Freesat/td-p/2694410

Thanks for this. My Sky will be turned off tomorrow. Unless they offer me a deal soon after that, I'm moving to Freeset/Humax (for recording). Based on the listing there, there are two "free" types: one "free to air" and one "free to view". Anyone know if you can use the Sky card in Humax box for "free to view" channels such as "Sony Channels"?