Can I watch channels for free on Sony Bravia TV?

niftythrifty33

This may be a stupid question but here goes...

We want to cancel Sky due to cost, but want to keep the record and pause option which I refuse to pay £10 p/m for. We can't afford a freeview record box such as Humax (as others recommend).

We have a Sony Bravia tv which says it has digital TV. On the remote control it has all options for record, pause, rewind etc. I've tried using an HDMI cable from our modem. This doesn't work, although we can get internet, this isn't the same as freeview. On the set up manual it shows how the interface should look but doesn't mention anything about cables?

So what I need to know is can I use my TV as a freeview box? I also live rurally so not sure about an arial?

Thanks in advance

Heinz

Yes. Your TV will have a built-in Freeview receiver BUT that requires an external aerial aligned on your nearest terrestrial transmitter.

The remote 'pause' etc. buttons on the remote may not relate to your TV but may indicate that it is suitable to operate other Sony equipment.

However, some TVs have SD card and/or USB sockets to allow connection of an external recording medium. Check the manual.

In relation to your "can't afford a Humax PVR" comment, why not set aside half of the saving you're going to make on Sky subscriptions - that'll be at least £11/month. A year or so on, you'll be well on the way to having enough to pay cash for a PVR.

BTW, a modem does not have an HDMI socket so I don't know what you mean there.

macman

If you want PVR facilities but don't have an aerial, then your cheapest option will be a Humax Freesat PVR which uses the existing Sky dish, cabling and LNB. It's just a straight box swap.
As above, Sky is costing you at minimum £264 pa (and possibly much more), so terminating your sub will pay for a Freeview or Freesat PVR in a year or so,

teddysmum

We have Freeview and not Freesat Humax PVRs, but one was a refurb from Tesco Direct and only cost £70, early last year. I don't know whether they still stock refurbs, but they used to sell out very quickly.


Your Sony tv remote is like my Panasonic one, which used to work with our VHS recorder before getting an HD recorder.

teddysmum

teddysmum wrote: »

We have Freeview and not Freesat Humax PVRs, but one was a refurb from Tesco Direct and only cost £70, early last year. I don't know whether they still stock refurbs, but they used to sell out very quickly.

I've just checked and they haven't any, but they do have a Humax Freeview recorder (not Youview, though)for £169, which works out at £84.50 as it is in the Clubcard Boost offer (£10 muliples not needed for online orders).

JJ_Egan

Sony Bravia many can record to a USB hard drive .

macman

OP, what do you mean by 'we leave rurally so not sure about an aerial'?
You either have an external aerial or you don't, the location of the property is not relevant.

[Deleted User]

niftythrifty33 wrote: »

So what I need to know is can I use my TV as a freeview box? I also live rurally so not sure about an arial?

A roof aerial will give you Freeview via your Sony Bravia (and even the cheapest supermarket brand). You can check Freeview coverage for your area here:
http://www.freeview.co.uk/availability

98.5% of the UK can receive Freeview:
http://www.freeview.co.uk/articles/faq/living-with-freeview/aerials-and-reception

macman wrote: »

You either have an external aerial or you don't, the location of the property is not relevant.

I very much doubt even living "rurally" will stop the OP receiving Freeview once an external aerial is fitted.

[Deleted User]

Heinz wrote: »

The remote 'pause' etc. buttons on the remote may not relate to your TV but may indicate that it is suitable to operate other Sony equipment.

Yes, it's for controlling other Sony-branded equipment.

niftythrifty33

Thank you all so much for your replies. I've heard lots of people where we live say that aerials don't work here but that was a while ago.

We have tried using an aerial in the loft for our son who has free view built in but it only picked up a couple of channels now and again. Next door have a massive aerial outside so maybe we have to do the same?

My dh now says he wants bt infinity as you get a free sports channel but I think they're all a rip off!

Enterprise_1701C

You have the dish so freesat would be a good idea.

You can probably pick up a cheap hard disk recorder to use for recording channels.

Aerials in the loft do not work as well as rooftop aerials, they are only really any good where the signal is strong. A rooftop aerial pointed in the same direction as that of the neighbours would be more effective.

If you want to know what freeview channels you can get have a look on here

http://www.freeview.co.uk/availability