Sky box

Senseicads

Hi everyone,


If we cancel our sky subscription, are we still able to get the freeview channels through our sky box? We pay a silly amount for sky and pretty much just watch the terrestrial channels alone, but we quite like being able to record stuff? Just wondering and hoping someone can help me out as I have found the internet to be a bit confusing. Some places say we may need a different viewing card?


thanks in advance.

AndyPix

My experience (albeit around 10 years ago) is that when my subscription ended i couldnt even view the freeview channels.


However i have also read conflicting info since then so times may have changed


edit : I realise this is no help whatsoever

Inner_Zone

You wont get Freeview that comes via an aerial. If you leave the card in the box (new card not currently required, see below) you will get Freesat from Sky (adds about six FTV (Free to view) channels, if you remove the card you will get a similar line up to Freesat.

Your current Sky card will continue to work for the FTV and regional channels (though some boxes remember them without a card), it will not allow you to record. About every five years or so Sky update the cards so if and when that happens a new Freesat from Sky card maybe required currently cost £25, but just wait until it happens and see if you need it.

If you want record using your Sky box you maybe able to pay Sky around £10 a month for the privilege or just by a Freesat recorder £150 to £250 which will pay for itself in less than two years.

Cornucopia

I had heard that the Freesat from Sky cards were no longer required, and that a standard set of free channels were supplied by Sky boxes irrespective of the presence of a non-sub card.

Whilst recording is turned off without a Sky sub, there is a recording subscription available (£10pm IIRC). Whether this beats the cost of a new Freesat recorder is open to debate...

System

Hi

http://www.freesat.co.uk/get-freesat/switch-from-sky
http://www.sky.com/shop/freesat/home/

Your TV is likely to be suitable for FreeView via an aerial connection, even possibly FreeSat via a dish connection.

So the type / model of TV is quite important in your OP, making any adaption / conversion, reasonably inexpensive compared to Sky.

Chrishazle

I have cancelled Sky and switched to BTTV, am currently in the 31 day cancellation period so subscription actually ends 2/3 March. Sky told me that once the subscription ends, my box will still function as a Freesat box but that it will not record anything and any programs previously recorded will be lost. However, I have also been told elsewhere that if I disconnect the box from the phone/internet I may still be able to access old recordings - there is some discussion on whether Sky still send a "kill code" to the box on cancellation, or whether they now instead send a code every few weeks/months to tell the box the subscription is still active. I do not know if this is done via the phone, wireless or satellite signal, but I guess I'll find out in a couple of weeks!

Inner_Zone

Cornucopia wrote: »

I had heard that the Freesat from Sky cards were no longer required, and that a standard set of free channels were supplied by Sky boxes irrespective of the presence of a non-sub card.

Still required for the FTV channels.

Cornucopia wrote: »

Whilst recording is turned off without a Sky sub, there is a recording subscription available (£10pm IIRC). Whether this beats the cost of a new Freesat recorder is open to debate...

Do the maths.

Inner_Zone

johndough wrote: »

Hi

http://www.freesat.co.uk/get-freesat/switch-from-sky
http://www.sky.com/shop/freesat/home/

Your TV is likely to be suitable for FreeView via an aerial connection, even possibly FreeSat via a dish connection.

So the type / model of TV is quite important in your OP, making any adaption / conversion, reasonably inexpensive compared to Sky.

How we know the OP has a Sky box!

Inner_Zone

Chrishazle wrote: »

I have cancelled Sky and switched to BTTV, am currently in the 31 day cancellation period so subscription actually ends 2/3 March. Sky told me that once the subscription ends, my box will still function as a Freesat box but that it will not record anything and any programs previously recorded will be lost. However, I have also been told elsewhere that if I disconnect the box from the phone/internet I may still be able to access old recordings - there is some discussion on whether Sky still send a "kill code" to the box on cancellation, or whether they now instead send a code every few weeks/months to tell the box the subscription is still active. I do not know if this is done via the phone, wireless or satellite signal, but I guess I'll find out in a couple of weeks!

They do send a 'kill' signal via satellite. how many days / weeks is anyone's guess.

Senseicads

johndough wrote: »

Hi

http://www.freesat.co.uk/get-freesat/switch-from-sky
http://www.sky.com/shop/freesat/home/

Your TV is likely to be suitable for FreeView via an aerial connection, even possibly FreeSat via a dish connection.

So the type / model of TV is quite important in your OP, making any adaption / conversion, reasonably inexpensive compared to Sky.

Thanks for all the responses guys!


I do have a sky dish and my tv has a built in FreeSat tuner. however I wanted to use the recorder on the sky box most of all. I read something in the manual about using a hard drive or usb key to record to, but no clue how this works, hence me thinking I could just carry on using the sky box. But if it doesn't record then its probably not the right way to go.

Cornucopia

Senseicads wrote: »

I read something in the manual about using a hard drive or usb key to record to, but no clue how this works...

Attach a hard drive or USB key to the USB socket on the back of the TV, and away you go. There will usually be a record button on the TV remote, and possibly a scheduler. These facilities are sometimes quite elaborate, and sometimes not - depends on the model.