Freeview vs Sky FreeSat ?

dadrock

For Freeview I need a new aerial and freeview box.

For FreeSat I need a card (£20) and sky box (I have acquired a dish).

It looks like similar money, so does one offer anything better than the other?

There seems to be more channels on Sky FreeSat (although mostly rubbish) but I fear Sky may "decide" to cancel freesat in the near future in the hope that FreeSat users will cough up monthly subs.

Any views?

Thanks

Hunnymonster

All things being equal, it's easier to get a sustainably good picture on freesat than freeview in my experience. Interactive is generally fuller on freesat than freeview. Freeview has E4 for free, freesat doesn't.

dadrock

Thanks. Any recommendations for a cheap FreeSat box? They seem few and far between.

bunking_off

Ebay?
(I'm adding this second line because the MSE website won't let you have a reply of less than 10 characters!!!!)

michaels

For some reason my freeview seems to give a sharper picture than my sky even tho it is using the old 'ondigital' nokia box and old arial cf a new sky digibox...

paul_h

I would say that freeview offers better quality channels, but freesat offers quantity - most of which is rubbish, although there are a few gems worth having on freesat...

Why not both?

crankup

Interesting. You dont see much mentioned about FreeSat - I am about to upgrade our aerial, I will read up on FreeSat a bit more, may change my mind (as long as I dont have to stuff too much cash in Murdochs bank acct!).

andy88_2

https://www.freesatfromsky.com

A new way to get free digital satellite TV for a simple one off payment of £150

2nd hand box (trade price) about £100, so maybe you can find one for £50; their £150 deal doesn't look too bad in comparison

paul_h

crankup wrote:

Interesting. You dont see much mentioned about FreeSat - I am about to upgrade our aerial, I will read up on FreeSat a bit more, may change my mind (as long as I dont have to stuff too much cash in Murdochs bank acct!).

If I could only have one I'd have freeview definitely - there's no ITV2, E4, UK History or Sky Travel on freesat.

Plenty of cheap Sky digiboxes and dishes on eBay though...

blondie21

just bought a freeview yesterday.checked the freeview website and it is available in our area....but when trying to tune it in i double checked the website and it appears i need a new ariel as my existing one is for annalogue tv only.any idea how much this new one would cost ? or who would do it for me.? it seems a lot of ariel people have gone out of business with all the sky etc. i live in belfast area.thanks

bunking_off

paul_h wrote:

there's no ITV2, E4, UK History or Sky Travel on freesat.

? According to their website, ITV2 is available on freesat. You're correct that the others aren't, though....understand the logic of why Sky Travel & UK History are missing, but lack of E4 is a bit surprising.