Sky Box Connection

velma106

Hi Guys

I just moved into a new flat and want some extra tv channels. I borrowed my friends freeview box and received precisely zero channels on it. Being on a communal aerial makes it a little tricky when it comes to aerial upgrades.

However the previous owner had sky, so I still have a dish outside. There is a white cable coming from it into the lounge, at the end of which is nothing - no connectors just wires.

I know I can buy secondhand sky boxes and get a freeview card from sky for £20. Basically what should be at the end of the white cable and is it possible for me to connect all this up and get it working. My only other option is to pay sky £150 to install freesat for me

Thanks

moneyuser

Would need an F-Connector, can get them at places like Maplin, can't find a link though.

Seems strange it hasn't got a connector on the end.

T4i

http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ModuleNo=10447&doy=1m7

kazd

I am thinking about cancelling our Sky subscription, its full of repeats and they are putting the price up again. I had wondered whether we would be able to use the sky box with the card for freeview. Having read the above post I see that we will need a card. Is the £20 a one off payment.

Thanks

brodev

kazd wrote:

I am thinking about cancelling our Sky subscription, its full of repeats and they are putting the price up again. I had wondered whether we would be able to use the sky box with the card for freeview. Having read the above post I see that we will need a card. Is the £20 a one off payment.

Thanks

If you cancel your $ky subscription then your card will automatically become a freeview card. DO NOT waste £20 on buying another one

kazd

Thanks for that brodev, will give it a try. Bit disappointed though, I thought the uktv channels were free to air, these and the discovery channels are the only one's I watch.

abc

kazd wrote:

Thanks for that brodev, will give it a try. Bit disappointed though, I thought the uktv channels were free to air, these and the discovery channels are the only one's I watch.

I assume if those are the channels you currently watch then you subscribe to the Family Pack at £19.50pm. Under the new pricing structure to receive all of the channels in the old Family Pack will be £21pm, but there are now 6 new themed mixes of channels costing £15pm for 2 mixes, £18pm for 4 mixes and £21pm for all 6 mixes.

To get all the Discovery & UKTV channels you would only need the £18pm package so you could save £1.50pm.

The new themed mix packages are explained on the link below

http://www.dtg.org.uk/news/news.php?class=&subclass=&id=960

You might find it worthwhile taking your card out for a few days, just to see how you could cope with watching the free channels that are left. There is certainly a better range of free channels than there used to be such as ITV3, Men & Motors (which now shows things like The Sweeney, The Professional & Men Behaving Badly). Just put your card back in if you want to watch ITV1, ITV2, Ch4 or Five as these are the other channels that you will get with a Free to View or cancelled subscription card that you won't get without any card.

kazd

abc wrote:

I assume if those are the channels you currently watch then you subscribe to the Family Pack at £19.50pm. Under the new pricing structure to receive all of the channels in the old Family Pack will be £21pm, but there are now 6 new themed mixes of channels costing £15pm for 2 mixes, £18pm for 4 mixes and £21pm for all 6 mixes.

To get all the Discovery & UKTV channels you would only need the £18pm package so you could save £1.50pm.

The new themed mix packages are explained on the link below

http://www.dtg.org.uk/news/news.php?class=&subclass=&id=960

You might find it worthwhile taking your card out for a few days, just to see how you could cope with watching the free channels that are left. There is certainly a better range of free channels than there used to be such as ITV3, Men & Motors (which now shows things like The Sweeney, The Professional & Men Behaving Badly). Just put your card back in if you want to watch ITV1, ITV2, Ch4 or Five as these are the other channels that you will get with a Free to View or cancelled subscription card that you won't get without any card.

Well took the bull by the horns today and cancelled as of 24th July which is good as we go away for three weeks on 25th.

Your information was very interesting I did wonder whether we would be able to view any of the freeview channels with just the set top box.

You are correct we currently have the family pack, when I said that we usually only watch uktv etc its usually because there is nothing else on. So I think I would rather cancel my sky and have a dvd rental pack in its place.

lemanie

Have been viewing free channels through Sky box since cancelling subscription. We only got Sky in first place to watch 'West Wing' on E4 so when last series finished, we cancelled. Have just seen advert saying E4 is now available on freeview, is this just terrestrial freeview or is there something I can do to make sky box receive it free?

abc

lemanie wrote:

Have been viewing free channels through Sky box since cancelling subscription. We only got Sky in first place to watch 'West Wing' on E4 so when last series finished, we cancelled. Have just seen advert saying E4 is now available on freeview, is this just terrestrial freeview or is there something I can do to make sky box receive it free?

E4 & E4+1 are only free on terrestrial Freeview, they are only available on Sky by subscription.

Other channels which are free on terrestrial Freeview which are subscription only channels on Sky include TMF, The Hits, UKTV History, UKTV Bright Ideas, Ftn, Sky Travel & Sky Sports News.

lemanie

abc wrote:

E4 & E4+1 are only free on terrestrial Freeview, they are only available on Sky by subscription.

Suspected as much but thanks for the reply anyway.