Freesat Upgrade

seven-day-weekend

Hi there, we have a static caravan which has TV via Freesat.

I note with the more expensive Freesat boxes you can get more channels, plus catch-up and search facilities.

My question is, do you need Broadband to operate these? We do not have broadband, and don't want to pay to have it installed.

Is there a way of 'upgrading' our Freesat without having Broadband?

Thanks!

AndyPK

I would have thought catch-up services require broadband

wongataa

To get catch up services you need broadband. They are delivered over the internet.

Anthorn

I have a Humax Freesat+ box and a Humax wi-fi dongle which enables me to connect to my local network wirelessly.

The box provides record, pause, rewind, fast forward on live channels as well as on demand services such as iPlayer and apps such as Netflix.

With this box you need internet access to set it up but this can be done temporarily with a network RJ45 cable but when it's disconnected from the internet you get nagged periodically. You also need internet access for on-demand including 7-day catch-up and the apps such as Netflix.

Broadband yes, fibre broadband not necessarily. But unlimited is advised.

seven-day-weekend

OK, thanks for your advice, didn't think it was possible really. There is some very slow broadband we can connect to, but it wouldn't do for this.

Thanks anyway!

EdwardB

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

Hi there, we have a static caravan which has TV via Freesat.

I note with the more expensive Freesat boxes you can get more channels, plus catch-up and search facilities.

My question is, do you need Broadband to operate these? We do not have broadband, and don't want to pay to have it installed.

Is there a way of 'upgrading' our Freesat without having Broadband?

Thanks!

There IS a way for you.

It is called a Freesat DVD Recorder, probably a Panasonic, like the Panasonic-DMR-XS350EBK or XS350 if you are searching on eBay.

They crop up on Freecycle from time to time or you can pay £150 and get one off ebay at the moment if you can collect from Welwyn, enter this number into ebay 371620582989

• [FONT=&quot]Black[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Dolby digital[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]250GB HDD with up to 169 Hrs. of HD Recording Time[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]2 SCART sockets[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]HDMI 1.3 with Deep Colour[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Up scales to 1080p[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]DV input[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]PAL progressive[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Full Function Remote Control[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Anti-theft security[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Programme timer events[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Programme timer 12 months[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]On screen display[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Auto setup[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Auto tuning[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Auto search tuning[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Widescreen recording and playback[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Slow motion[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Still frame[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]On screen menu[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Integrated Freesat+ HD Tuner[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]DVD Player and Recorder[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Sound system dolby digital[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Multi-Region DVD Playback Enabled [/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Dual layer support[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Playback compatibility DVD / DVD-RAM / DVD-R / DVD-RW / DVD+R / DVD+RW, CD, CD-R and CDR-RW.[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Photo playback DVD-RAM JPEG[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Recording capability DVD-RAM, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R and DVD+RW[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]Built-in digital HD Twin Freesat tuner - DVB-S[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]7 day electronic programme guide[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]1-sec Quick Start[/FONT]
• [FONT=&quot]500 Line LP Mode[/FONT]

I used one of these for a few years, was very happy with it, ended up lending it to a friend 4 years ago and never got it back. It has an ethernet port that you can plug into BB if and when you have it.

I would get an AC Wireless router that is capable of behaving as an access point, it can join wifi network as a client and then deliver broadband like a normal to it's own wifi users.

Depending on how far you are from a house that has broadband, if you are close enough to join then do so alternatively just ask them to plug your router into their own or connect wirelessly but position it in a room nearer your caravan. It then effectively acts as a repeater.

Of course you need a friendly soul to give you access to their wifi.

I had 5 households running off mine. If you have other people with their own caravans then you could get one person buy the broadband and the others pay a bit to them to share it.

System

Wi-fi or capped mobile broadband/ tethering would work.
Some of the on demand services will let you download and store.
Media using a USB or DNLA might be an option too.