Using Sky HD+ for Freesat

planforfuture

Hi,
I am leaving Sky TV in four weeks time as it's just far too expensive for my needs and have switched to BT TV instead. Since BT TV requires an aerial connection to the BT TV UHD box for receiving Freeview channels (which i think it's silly anyway) and my current rooftop tv aerial is either damaged or not working. So instead of spending £100+ to replace the TV aerial, i wonder if I am able to use the Sky HD+ box and satellite dish to receive the Freesat channels. There are two cables from the satellite dish going into the Sky box, am I right that they are compatible with Freesat setbox i.e. just plug-in and tune-in for free channels. I have read from somewhere else and some suggested that Sky will block the box from being used for Freesat (as viewing card etc) and recording will also be disabled (even it's possible)? I really don't want to replace the rooftop tv aerial or get a new satellite dish. And if there are any other not too costly options?

Neil_Jones

When your subscription lapses your Sky+HD box becomes Freesat from Sky, which is basic Freesat with a handful of extra channels.

You will not be able to make new recordings or play back existing recordings, or make use of Catch-Up.  The EPG will be available but I'm not sure if the reminders are still active (you can't record anyway so its probably moot).  You won't get access to the premium channels but you'll get the free to air channels, so BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and 5 and a load others.  You won't get access to your Local TV station on 117 but that's no great loss

knightstyle

You can pay for freesat from sky if you want to pause, record etc. on the Sky+ HD box

Neil_Jones

knightstyle said:

You can pay for freesat from sky if you want to pause, record etc. on the Sky+ HD box

Indeed, but at £10 a month (i presume its still £10 a month) that's £120 a year, and an actual reccordable Freesat box you can get for about £200 - with a wideband LNB (not as standard on a Sky+HD original installation but it can be replaced) you can record more than Sky+HD anyway.

MinuteNoodles

knightstyle said:

You can pay for freesat from sky if you want to pause, record etc. on the Sky+ HD box

If they're going to do that they may as well get someone to fix their TV antenna, it may be cheaper.

JJ_Egan

< Since BT TV requires an aerial connection to the BT TV UHD box for receiving Freeview channels (which i think it's silly anyway)>

You might find that setting up the BT TV box will allow you to tune in to the internet channels without Freeview connections ..

At present i have no OTA channel connections on my box .

planforfuture

So options so far are ;
1) Fix/replace the rooftop aerial and connect it to the BT TV UHD box and feed everything to the TV. This seems a cleaner approach but how about Freeview vs Freesat - quality, signals, features and investment protection?
2) Use the existing Sky satellite dish and connect it to a new  Freesat recordable box ard £200 (since I don't have a 4k TV yet (i.e. just HD 1080p) and wonder if there are cheaper recording Freesat setbox that are still good value) - which ones are compatible with the Sky dish with two cables? This way I will need to switch between Freesat (for free channels e.g. BBC etc) and BT TV (for BT TV and NOW TV etc).
3) Pay Sky £10/m just for the recording function on Sky HD+ box for the Freeview channels
4) Use the existing Sky HD+ box after the subscription expires without paying Sky the £10 p/m fee hence no pause and recording.

Neil_Jones

1) Freeview is free, its almost certainly built into your TV and you wouldn't need any new hardware, but you can enhance it with Freeview recorders (or feed it to your BT box which I dare say does the same job).  You get more channels on Freesat but realistically only you can answer whether you watch of most of what you have now.  If you only watch the channels that are on Freeview its pointless paying for any more on any platform.  Signal on both platforms depends on where you are, Freesat uses the same satellites as Sky, Freeview you need an aerial pointing in the right direction.  Investment protection, well you own the Sky box but without a subscription its just a very chunky piece of equipment that will constantly nag at you to sign back up to Sky to get the most out of it.

2) You don't need a 4k TV for a 4k box, there are no AFAIK 4k broadcasts free to air yet.  But when they do come along you'll be ready and you'd just need to replace the TV as and when.

3) This may not be effective long term and there will come a point where its more cost effective to knock this on the head and just fix the outdoor aerial.

4) It'll work and its yours.  But expect to get nagged at to "upgrade" to renable most of the features, especially when you find you want to see/do something that you can't do without a subscription.  The boxes are relatively nobbled feature wise without a subscription.

The most important question I would say is what do you watch channel wise?  As above if you only watch the BBC channels, ITV and a bit of CBS Reality, all those channels are on Freeview.

mobileron

You could get a firestick 4k all what you need is there for free,stick is £39 in amazon.As this is streaming you will need wifi.

planforfuture

Just had quotes for a new TV serial ranges btw £120 and £150 really!! As i don't need BT TV setbox to watch Now TV and I can just stream the contents to TV via my existing chromecast device anyway, so i am thinking of getting a Freesat recorder box (for about £200) and call it a day - but I need to be sure that my current Sky satellite dish ( with two cables) is compatible with Freesat boxes. Also, Sky News HD is available on Freesat but not Freeview?

neilmcl

planforfuture said:

Just had quotes for a new TV serial ranges btw £120 and £150 really!! As i don't need BT TV setbox to watch Now TV and I can just stream the contents to TV via my existing chromecast device anyway, so i am thinking of getting a Freesat recorder box (for about £200) and call it a day - but I need to be sure that my current Sky satellite dish ( with two cables) is compatible with Freesat boxes. Also, Sky News HD is available on Freesat but not Freeview?

As you originally had a Sky+ HD box then a Freesat recorder such as the Humax HDR-1100S, will work no problems and Sky News is available, all the available channels can be seen here - https://www.freesat.co.uk/channels.

To get the best of both worlds when I'm visiting my dad's house with only on Sky box I use the aforementioned Humax box in combination with a Roku streaming stick and tbh I find I use the Roku, which has access to Netflix, Amazon Prime and NowTV, the most of the time.

Be aware though Freesat does take a bit of getting used to and isn't as slick as Sky IMHO.