Help please with TV options :)

firesidemaid

Hi all.

Currently with SKY for all TV & B/B - going to haggle, but this year will def leave if I cant get a deal!

So, options are limited as we don't have an external aerial and I need help with what will & won't work for us please.

What are my options without an aerial? Currently have an 8-10 yo TV and will have broadband with someone.

Do I just need a Smart TV to get Freeview (with no aerial)?

Is Freesat an option via the Sky Dish?

If I have Internet & a Smart TV, can I access ANY of the streaming services (free or paid for) or is there more to it?

All feedback gratefully accepted! Thanks in advance.

Rodders53

$ky Q or $ky HD+ ???  It matters because of the Wideband LNB vs the Universal LNB.

freesat 4k box can use the $ky Q lnb to the full (up to 4 recordings).  https://www.freesat.co.uk/get-freesat/set-top-boxes/recordable-4k-tv-box

Check out what your existing smart TV can stream now (i.e. not via your $ky box).. some streamers can access live or near live TV on some channels.  A streaming device (Fire TV, Apple TV, NVidia etc.,.) may be able to do that better. 

https://www.everyonetv.co.uk/news/press-release/new-streaming-service-freely-launches is a new service for streaming - but currently only on some new TYVs (and not the best quality/performing sets).  So a simple streaming box/stick may be preferable until then Freely offering improves?

firesidemaid

@Rodders53 it's a Sky Q box 👍

oldernonethewiser

Freeview needs an aeriel. 

Would a Firestick work for what you want to watch? 

WillPS

Presuming no aerial then your easiest option, by far, would be to get a Freesat 4K box (not a Manhattan or other ones). That'd be a drop in replacement for your Sky box with no additional faff.

Next easiest would be any other Freesat box, although you might have to change the LNB (the bit that sticks out on your dish) depending which model Sky installed.

If you want Freeview, then you'll need an aerial. Unfortunately Freely is probably the solution which would suit best but it's very immature currently - the channel line up has huge gaps and it's only supported on certain smart TVs. 

You could go cold turkey and just use TV apps but it's not an optimal situation if you are used to flicking between live channels.

firesidemaid

oldernonethewiser said:

Freeview needs an aeriel. 

Would a Firestick work for what you want to watch? 

OK, thank you 👍 so this is what I'm trying to work out... Freeview needs an aerial, so that's out for now.

So, what are all my (aerial-less) digital / Internet/ app-based options? As in, how do I get to access iplayer etc on a TV? Assume  it has to be a Smart TV? 

Can all TVs take a Firestick?? But willing to get a new Smart TV. Any pros / cons to this?

Can we use the X-box for TV purposes??

You wouldn't think I was a well-paid professional 🤦🏼‍♀️🤣

firesidemaid

@WillPS

This is all really helpful (and sort of what I had feared / accepted) that generally app-based means no live TV 😬 1st world problem I know.

So all, what about NOW TV as an option - have had it before (seemed live to me) but was in a different house that may have had an actual aerial 😅

wongataa

firesidemaid said:

OK, thank you 👍 so this is what I'm trying to work out... Freeview needs an aerial, so that's out for now.

So, what are all my (aerial-less) digital / Internet/ app-based options? As in, how do I get to access iplayer etc on a TV? Assume  it has to be a Smart TV? 

It is incredibly hard (if not practically impossible) to not get a smart TV. TVs will have iPlayer, ITVX, the Channel 4 & 5 streaming apps. iPlayer has live TV functionality.  Other streaming apps may vary.

Can all TVs take a Firestick?? But willing to get a new Smart TV. Any pros / cons to this?

Can we use the X-box for TV purposes??

Yes all TVs can take a Firestick.  All you need is a free HDMI port.  If you can install the streaming apps on the XBox then yes you could use it for TV.  I have no idea if that is possible.

Kildare

firesidemaid said:

@WillPS

This is all really helpful (and sort of what I had feared / accepted) that generally app-based means no live TV 😬 1st world problem I know.

So all, what about NOW TV as an option - have had it before (seemed live to me) but was in a different house that may have had an actual aerial 😅

A Smart TV or a Fire TV stick will allow you to use most TV apps incl. BBC iPlayer. Playstation also has a lot of apps, not sure about Xbox. We have a Samsung Smart TV that's about 4 years old and it has all the apps we need - we dropped Sky years ago and have Now TV, it's brilliant and I never pay full price (they always offer me a new deal if I sign up for another 6 months). With a lot of the paid apps such as Netflix they are also monthly so you can subscribe/cancel when there's nothing you want to watch 

Rodders53

LNB will need changing if you go for anything other than the freesat 4k box I linked to.
That comes with the basic PSB catchup apps and will likely do Live TV via them as well.
Check out forums such as AVForums where there will be detailed user review/threads.

I have a 10 year old TV that supports iPlayer still... so do check what your current TV does.  That costs nowt.
Fire stick etc.,. will work with any TV that has a spare working hdmi input.

Now TV is just an app / subscription streaming channel service from $ky that is an option if you want particular programmes.

$ky Stream is a paid for system that does exactly what you want but likely would be as cheap to keep $ky Q.

As I read it Xbox TV needs a USB tuner addon so probably can be discounted.

If you are buying a new TV then it all depends on your budget... The Freely sets from Vestel (Bush?) and Hisense may not be the 'top end' for picture and sound quality but may be as good as any other brand you can afford?

Barkin

firesidemaid said:

oldernonethewiser said:

Freeview needs an aeriel. 

Would a Firestick work for what you want to watch? 

 Freeview needs an aerial, so that's out for now.

What's the reception like where you are.?

Our Freeview TV works just dandy with a little 10-quid 'aerial' sat behind it.