Alternative to Sky

Marmalade21

Hi I wish to leave Sky as prices are a joke. Can anyone advise what is the best option for having as close a set up to Sky as poss. I have thier signature package and Netflix but donuse prime Disney etc. I was contemplating a Tivo Box but perhaps a new smart TV would be better as mine is 10yrs old. I do like being able to record and remind live TV but I guess I could adapt to not having it. I do love Sky being a customer for over 20 yrs so struggling  to decide. ANY advice welcome

Neil_Jones

Marmalade21 said:

Hi I wish to leave Sky as prices are a joke. Can anyone advise what is the best option for having as close a set up to Sky as poss. I have thier signature package and Netflix but donuse prime Disney etc. I was contemplating a Tivo Box but perhaps a new smart TV would be better as mine is 10yrs old. I do like being able to record and remind live TV but I guess I could adapt to not having it. I do love Sky being a customer for over 20 yrs so struggling  to decide. ANY advice welcome

You can get Freesat recordable boxes but the market is moving towards streaming and on demand.

Now (TV) might be an option, Sky on the cheap, but there is no recording but you'll get the core Sky vhannels including Atlantic.

Rodders53

Virgin and TiVo or their latest equivalent would out of pan into fire cf $ky. imho

What $ky box is it Q or an older HD+ ? 

Do you have a working UHF TV aerial?  So that you can use the Freeview tuner in the TV?

What budget for a new TV?  What make and model currently (no use recommending a cheap LCD TV if you currently watch a top end Plasma).  But most TVs can be made smart by use of a Fire TV stick/box or similar to do the streaming stuff for a relatively low outlay .

Freeview Play PVRs are a bit cheaper than the freesat 4k PVR... but need that UHF TV aerial.  
The new Freely TVs may be of interest if not wanting the top quality?

jbrassy

You could buy a Youview box off of Amazon: https://amzn.eu/d/06CJ1MSz

It gives you the ability to record live TV, and includes apps such as Netflix.

WillPS

jbrassy said:

You could buy a Youview box off of Amazon: https://amzn.eu/d/06CJ1MSz

It gives you the ability to record live TV, and includes apps such as Netflix.

Needs an aerial, and at £150 you'd be better off getting a Freeview Play box, like this new model from Manhattan:

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/3100000

I use a BT Youview box (the improved 'Pro' model), but I paid £50 for it and not £150. The biggest issue is that the Youview boxes don't support the IP delivered channels in the 200s.

jbrassy

WillPS said:

jbrassy said:

You could buy a Youview box off of Amazon: https://amzn.eu/d/06CJ1MSz

It gives you the ability to record live TV, and includes apps such as Netflix.

Needs an aerial, and at £150 you'd be better off getting a Freeview Play box, like this new model from Manhattan:

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/3100000

I use a BT Youview box (the improved 'Pro' model), but I paid £50 for it and not £150. The biggest issue is that the Youview boxes don't support the IP delivered channels in the 200s.

To be fair, that is a more up to date box and in that regard better than the Youview box. However, I don't think it has streaming apps for Netflix, Amazon, Disney+, etc. Therefore, it's probably worth buying a Chromecast alongside the box:

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/8834948

WillPS

jbrassy said:

WillPS said:

jbrassy said:

You could buy a Youview box off of Amazon: https://amzn.eu/d/06CJ1MSz

It gives you the ability to record live TV, and includes apps such as Netflix.

Needs an aerial, and at £150 you'd be better off getting a Freeview Play box, like this new model from Manhattan:

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/3100000

I use a BT Youview box (the improved 'Pro' model), but I paid £50 for it and not £150. The biggest issue is that the Youview boxes don't support the IP delivered channels in the 200s.

To be fair, that is a more up to date box and in that regard better than the Youview box. However, I don't think it has streaming apps for Netflix, Amazon, Disney+, etc. Therefore, it's probably worth buying a Chromecast alongside the box:

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/8834948

Fair point, I keep forgetting that not every TV has all those apps included within. Manhattan have said that YouTube is coming soon but there's no plans for Netflix or Prime.

Still, if spending £150+ I'd probably lean towards spending a tiny bit extra and getting the Manhattan (plus if neccessary something else to fill in the app gap).

A sub £100 option worth considering is the BT Pro box tho - which CEX sell used with a 2 year warranty for that price. The Humax 4K box is even cheaper but they're getting a bit long in the tooth now.

NotArobot24

Marmalade21 said:

Hi I wish to leave Sky as prices are a joke. Can anyone advise what is the best option for having as close a set up to Sky as poss. I have thier signature package and Netflix but donuse prime Disney etc. I was contemplating a Tivo Box but perhaps a new smart TV would be better as mine is 10yrs old. I do like being able to record and remind live TV but I guess I could adapt to not having it. I do love Sky being a customer for over 20 yrs so struggling  to decide. ANY advice welcome

Congratulations on a wise decision.

Their pricing has always been absurd but based on what members of my family tell me they are now ridiculous.

Base packages, charges for this, charges for that, no no no, get rid of it, in six months you will be so pleased you did.

I would advise a period of going cold turkey just so you realise you don't need any of it.  Radio is a good alternative, between our beloved BBC Radio, LBC and other commercial channels you will be entertained.

You only like being able to record live TV because you have it now.

Recording live TV means you need a TVL so why not jump the whole way and dump the BBC and changing your viewing habits to not watch any live broadcast TV.  

If you really like Sky then call them up and tell them you need to cancel as you have had a massive change in circumstances, do not let them try to upsell you, eventually you will get to a team that offer you six months at half price plus whatever the fee is for second boxes. In six months you actually cancel, I don't know if they will do it a second time, my cousin told me they did this for him but he dumped them anyway.