Convert 2nd Sky box to Freeview/Sat 21 October 2014 at 9:20PM in TV MoneySaving 11 replies 4K views

Muran

Hi
I am a Sky subscriber, I have Sky downstairs and have just cancelled Multiroom for upstairs (I have a second Sky Plus box upstairs).

I want to convert the second box to Freeview/FreeSat. MR has been cancelled, but cannot see any Freeview/Sat channels. Box is blank.

Not sure if having the MR/second box option has throws a spanner in the works.

Does anyone know if i can have Sky downstairs and Freeview/Sat upstairs.

If so how do I do this?
Many thanks in advance.

[Deleted User]

Muran wrote: »

MR has been cancelled, but cannot see any Freeview/Sat channels. Box is blank.

Your box should still be able to view all the free-to air-channels. Try re-booting the box by switching it off at the mains and then switching it on again a few minutes later.
If the box remains blank then there is something wrong with the box which your cancellation has done nothing to cause. You haven't removed the viewing card have you?

teddysmum

You can't watch Freeview on a Sky box, as it needs aerial feed.

Heinz

LEAVE THE OLD SUBSCRIPTION CARD IN.

Select a Free To Air channel such as 101, 102, 103, 501, 503, 650. Any of those should be visible and, although it's not necessary, the benefit of leaving the card in is that 101 and 103 will be your local region - as they were when your MR subscription was live.

You Sky box will get you all FTA non-subscription channels on the Sky EPG and, although not the same as Freesat, the channel line-up will be very similar. As teddysmum says though, it is not Freeview because that's the terrestrial service.

almillar

Do what Heinz says. What you then have is called 'freesatfromsky' - FreeSat is something else, free satellite is another thing, and Freeview is yet another thing, you need to choose your words carefully!
freesatfromsky means you can't record, and you'll also not be able to view anything scrambled that you've already recorded, maybe not even the non-scrambled (BBC etc) stuff. You can hand over £10 per month for this. By the time you've done this for a year, you might as well have bought a FreeSat box.
Freesatfromsky
http://www.sky.com/shop/freesat/home/
FreeSat
www.freesat.co.uk/

[Deleted User]

teddysmum wrote: »

You can't watch Freeview on a Sky box, as it needs aerial feed.

That's confusing to the OP, I do agree it's not Freeview-but it's basically Freesat (from Sky) which offers many of the same free-to air channels!


If the OP can't view any channels on his former Multi-room box then it's either faulty or the viewing card has been removed for some reason. The OP might also check the connections to the dish.

Muran

Hi, thanks for your replies.

It seems as though I was being impatient, I rebooted and tried looking again for the channels and there they were.

Very happy, got more channels than I was expecting.

Thanks for your help.

[Deleted User]

Muran wrote: »

I rebooted and tried looking again for the channels and there they were.

Yes, as I suggested at post #2.:T

Muran wrote: »

Very happy, got more channels than I was expecting.

Yes, many Sky subscribers do not realise exactly how many channels are in fact free.

sheep-ali

almillar wrote: »

Do what Heinz says. What you then have is called 'freesatfromsky' - FreeSat is something else, free satellite is another thing, and Freeview is yet another thing, you need to choose your words carefully!
freesatfromsky means you can't record, and you'll also not be able to view anything scrambled that you've already recorded, maybe not even the non-scrambled (BBC etc) stuff. You can hand over £10 per month for this. By the time you've done this for a year, you might as well have bought a FreeSat box.
Freesatfromsky
http://www.sky.com/shop/freesat/home/
FreeSat
www.freesat.co.uk/

I have had freesat from sky for years - I pay £20 or thereabouts for 5 years so it is by far the cheapest option for me.

[Deleted User]

sheep-ali wrote: »

I have had freesat from sky for years - I pay £20 or thereabouts for 5 years so it is by far the cheapest option for me.

Most people don't have to pay anything at all, of course. It's only when Sky routinely change their viewing cards(once every few years) that Freesat-From-Sky customers have to purchase a new card.

Inner_Zone

sheep-ali wrote: »

I have had freesat from sky for years - I pay £20 or thereabouts for 5 years so it is by far the cheapest option for me.

Currently £25 for the card and six channels it gives you extra over no card.

And one of them Motors TV is now FTA on Freeview with a suitable HD box, it is available 24/7 via IPTV and currently 24/7 on terrestrial but will be going overnight only in the future part from weekends.