Can I stop paying Sky and use my satellite receiver to get Freeview ?
Brian Butterworth published on UK Free TV Yes, but only "sort of".
Freeview is the name of the (BBC-backed) digital TV system that uses hilltop transmitters to rooftop aerials. It is run separately from the "Sky" satellite-to-dish service.
free-to-VIEW is a term for satellite channels that need a viewing card to watch, but not to collect a subscription. free-to-AIR channels are ones that can be received without needing a viewing card or subscription.
The free-to-AIR satelite service backed by the BBC and ITV is called Freesat. The free-to-VIEW service operated by Sky is called fSfS or Freesat from Sky.
As long as you have finished your first year, you can leave Sky when you want.
To do this just give Sky a call and tell them you don't want to subscribe any more.
If you stop subscribing you will be able to watch the hundred or so free-to-air channels listed on free channels list. This service is called Freesat from Sky (fSfS).
Some of the channels on the Freeview service are subscription only on satellite, specifically: 4Music, Challenge, Dave, Dave ja vu, Quest, VIVA and Yesterday . See these links to compare the TV channels on Freesat-from-Sky and Freeview, and to compare radio stations on Freeview and fSfS. Many homes have free satellite and Freeview to get the full range of channels.
You will still need to keep your Sky viewing card. If you stop subscribing on a Sky contract, you can keep using that card to watch 5USA, 5* and PICK TV, the so-called "free-to-view" channels. (All ITV channels are free-to-air).
It is not possible to plug an aerial into a Sky Digibox to receive Freeview channels because the boxes have not been designed this way.
You will continue to get the full Sky EPG listings; you just will not be able to watch subscription channels.
If you want to go for High Definition, HD, you can swap out your Sky box for a Freesat one very easily.
A card is not needed to watch BBC services, but it is needed to get the correct BBC ONE and BBC TWO regions on 101 and 102.
Another option is to disconnect your Sky Digibox altogether and Upgrade from Sky to Freesat - ukfree.tv. If you have an HD-Ready TV and a standard Sky box, this is a good option.
1:13 PM
I have a sky+ spare at my house...i intend to give my family the box and the sky viewing card. They have the ordinary sky dish....would they be able to use the sky+ dish and card which i gave them to subscribe like they intend to? thanks
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1:17 PM
and i mean would the sky+ work with the aerial which is working the ordinary sky?
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1:37 PM
Jake - They would likely need an upgrade to the cabling and the dish antenna LNB.ie:- another cable run and Quad output LNB to replace an existing single. Unless of course their is a quad LNB fitted to their dish.
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1:48 PM
Brian, I was almost tempted to write back using a different name I am so embarrassed! My brain was obviously selective and I only read "Freeview". I am now completely confused by the difference between the two.
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parsnip: Freeview uses an aerial to receive from transmitters on the ground.
Freesat uses a dish (the same as Sky) to receive signal from a satellite that orbits the earth above the DR Congo.
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3:57 PM
briantist I have sky HD in one room and sky + in the other. I have just purchased another sky HD box. Once I install the hdmi cable and plug the equipment in , will i be able to take my sky card out of my HD equipment and place it into the newly purchased sky hd box and be able to view HD, basically is it the machine or the card that allows you to view ?
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deano1113: The card provides access to encrypted channels you pay for.
You can view free-to-air HD channels without any card. To view the others you need a subscription card in an HD box, with a HD subscription payment attached to the card.
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7:42 PM
i have a free to air satelite box in my spare room as i cannot get freeview, i already had a sky dish on the wall so simply put the cable from the satelite through the wall and put a connector on the end, however the signal is very poor and so far i have only manged to get the sky channels that are scrambled but nothing like BBC 1 yet. Any ideas?
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Terry: You can't get Freeview from a dish. Freeview uses an aerial.
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8:16 PM
sorry i think im confusing you, i have a free to air satelite box which is connected to the sky dish, the problem seems to be that i cannot get any signal from the astra 2a 2b 2d satelite
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