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Skybox

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I subscribed to Sky mainly for Sky Arts 1 & 2 and 3-D channels, but of these there's only Sky Arts left.  I have the variety pack, now costing £46 a month, but watch far more BBC than anything on Sky, and have only kept up the subscription because I like the Skybox.  BBC iPlayer is particularly useful.  Occasionally I visit Amazon Prime connected to the TV with a Firestick, mostly for music. If I stop the Sky subscription, can Skybox still be used?  Otherwise is there anything as good on the market?
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  • emmajones1976
    emmajones1976 Posts: 1,345 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 29 January 2022 at 10:03PM
    Yes a Sky box can be used as a FTA box but you will lose recording capability, as well as being able to pause, rewind etc.
  • cx6
    cx6 Posts: 1,176 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 29 January 2022 at 10:33PM
    buy a freesat pvr from eg amazon and connect it where the skybox goes. Humax is a good make.

    i believe sky arts is free ion freesat.
  • cx6 said:

    i believe sky arts is free ion freesat.
    Sky Arts is indeed free on Freesat.
  • J_B
    J_B Posts: 6,788 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Beebfan said:
     If I stop the Sky subscription, can Skybox still be used? 

    Yes is the simple answer - I've never paid a penny to Sky and we're on our third box now
  • Zandoni
    Zandoni Posts: 3,465 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    J_B said:
    Beebfan said:
     If I stop the Sky subscription, can Skybox still be used? 

    Yes is the simple answer - I've never paid a penny to Sky and we're on our third box now

    That's not really correct, it doesn't do the things a subscription does.

    Remove the card and you can see how it will behave.
  • J_B
    J_B Posts: 6,788 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Zandoni said:
    J_B said:
    Beebfan said:
     If I stop the Sky subscription, can Skybox still be used? 

    Yes is the simple answer - I've never paid a penny to Sky and we're on our third box now

    That's not really correct, it doesn't do the things a subscription does.

    Remove the card and you can see how it will behave.

    They asked <<can Skybox still be used?>> so, in what way is my answer "not really correct"?
  • Beebfan said:
    If I stop the Sky subscription, can Skybox still be used?  
    You can I have been doing this for years, but you can't access recordings and maybe one or two other things I have forgotten about. 
    It's acts like a freeview box where certain channels you can still access. I.e. bbc1/2, itv, channel 4/5, uk tv (i think), food channel, smithonian, certain music ones few other I can't think of.... Off the top my head around 40-50 channels work across 001-999.
  • cx6
    cx6 Posts: 1,176 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    @coffeekup is correct - it can be used to watch live TV on certain channels. Certainly not the full freeview / freesat range.

    Old recordings cannot be accessed and new ones cannot be made (in effect, the HDD is disabled)

    You used to be able to pay  £25/month to get the HDD functionality back (but not watch Sky channels of course) - not sure if that is still available but anyway it is much more cost-effective to buy a Humax pvr
  • J_B
    J_B Posts: 6,788 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    cx6 said:
    @coffeekup is correct - it can be used to watch live TV on certain channels. Certainly not the full freeview / freesat range.


    What channels aren't available that are on freeview/sat?
  • timjim
    timjim Posts: 115 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    "buy a Humax pvr"

    Humax no longer make Freesat pvrs, they are made by Arris and marketed by Freesat
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