Questions about life after Sky

kendalls_cave

I've just cancelled my sky TV package, didn't watch enough to warrant it . I'm staying with Sky for line rental and Broadband.
I've a few questions if OK. I'm guessing my Sky box in the living room on't work apart from to pick up freeview channels? So I will loose record/rewind/etc. If that's the case I'd like to get one of those boxes that records, etc,.. is it a Humax box? Which one would I need and how it is connected? I'm disabled and can't be climbing to connect things up.
Also I have a Sky box in my bedroom. I used to have multi room, but now it just picks up the free channels . When I loose my Sky TV package will the box still work.?

Thanks for your help

Moneymaker

No, it will receive "Freesat" not "Freeview". There is a difference.
(Text removed by MSE Forum Team)
There are various makes of Freesat PVRs but the most popular is indeed Humax.
The Sky Digibox will continue to receive "FreesatFromSky" and FTA programmes. Leave the card in the slot.

VisionMan

Hi, you need to look at Freesat recorder boxes. The top recommended and best is the Freetime from Freesat box, which Humax make.

http://www.richersounds.com/product/digital-set-top-boxes/humax/hdr1100s-500gb/huma-hdr-1100s-500gb

davidsuffolk

I have done the same and am very pleased with a Humax box. A few small wrinkles but nothing of consequence and for some reason the HD picture on the Humax seems far better than what I was getting with Sky.
Connecting the Humax box is dead easy. The two leads from the Sky box undo and go onto the Humax. The power supply even fits the voltage dropper that come with the Humax. Maybe 2 minutes from start to finish.

kendalls_cave

Thank you so much. Would you mind telling me which Humax box you got? Thanks again

davidsuffolk

Same one as the link in the link above. A Humax HDR-1100S.

They cost @ £180 for 500mb or £219 for 1Tb and are available from many sources. I chose JL because they give 2 year warranty. Humax direct also offer refurbed ones at about £40 less.

Only drawback I have found is the box goes onto standby as the TV goes off so it does take a few (maybe 30 ) seconds to come on again and always starts on the home page rather than the channel you were watching.

For me this is £32 a month saved every month and I haven't missed the Sky channels at all.

One big plus is the EPG goes backwards as well as forwards so if you miss something there is nothing difficult in finding it and watching.

almillar

No, it will receive "Freesat" not "Freeview". There is a difference.

No, it will receive 'freesatfromsky' not 'FreeSat' - there's another difference!

Yes, you lose recording, AND can't watch anything you've recorded (unless you pay them ~£10 per month).

A Freesat recorder will plug in where the Sky box was. 2 sat cables and HDMI should be it.

Your Sky box in the bedroom should stay the same.

Macc

I too am seriously considering cancelling Sky altogether and just going with the free channels. Will miss Prem League football but I can go back to my childhood and try and go through Saturday afternoon not finding out the scores then watch Match of the Day I guess!

Can any of you kind souls answer any of these....

- Do you still have access through the box to the catch up services like Iplayer/ITV HUb etc?

- Do the Sky+ features all stop or is it just recording (ie can you still pause/rewind what you are currently watching?)

- What are the HD channels? I've seen 11 mentioned but can't find a list of what they are.

- I'd like to be able to watch the Euro 2016 games in HD and preferably able to record them so I don't have to watch them live. Is that possible without a sky subscription or buying a PVR box?

jem16

Macc wrote: »

- Do you still have access through the box to the catch up services like Iplayer/ITV HUb etc?

No

- Do the Sky+ features all stop or is it just recording (ie can you still pause/rewind what you are currently watching?)

They all stop.

- What are the HD channels? I've seen 11 mentioned but can't find a list of what they are.

240 digital TV channels transmitted in Standard Definition (SD).
11 HDTV channels including BBC1 HD, BBC2 HD, BBC Three HD, BBC Four HD, ITV1 HD, Ch4 HD, BBC News HD, CBBC HD, CBeebies HD, NHK World HD & RT HD. Also includes 85 digital radio channels.

- I'd like to be able to watch the Euro 2016 games in HD and preferably able to record them so I don't have to watch them live. Is that possible without a sky subscription or buying a PVR box?

No it won't be possible unless you buy the likes of a Humax Freesat box. Their refurbished boxes are great value.

http://www.humaxdirect.co.uk/refurbished.html

[Deleted User]

BBC Three HD (Or SD) is no longer available.

bubblegun

kendalls_cave wrote: »

I've just cancelled my sky TV package, didn't watch enough to warrant it . I'm staying with Sky for line rental and Broadband.
I've a few questions if OK. I'm guessing my Sky box in the living room on't work apart from to pick up freeview channels? So I will loose record/rewind/etc. If that's the case I'd like to get one of those boxes that records, etc,.. is it a Humax box? Which one would I need and how it is connected? I'm disabled and can't be climbing to connect things up.
Also I have a Sky box in my bedroom. I used to have multi room, but now it just picks up the free channels . When I loose my Sky TV package will the box still work.?

Thanks for your help

You should have been offered "free" Sky+ for 12 months if keeping Telephone and Broadband when you cancelled TV this will give you Free Sky+ and Free broadband on a 12 month telephone and broadband contract.

This would help you judge if you could "cope" with just Freesat channels.

If you weren't you should call back and ask about it.