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.
If I cancel my Sky Subscription with Sky + and just use the free to view service, will I still be able to record programmes on my existing sky box ?
| link to this comment |
1:09 PM
Michael Crewdson: No, you won't be able to record or play back anything on your Sky box once your subscription ends. You will still be able to watch all free to air (FTA) and free to view (FTV) channels.
| link to this comment |
8:30 PM
Michael Crewdson:
You could replace the Sky+ box with a Freesat PVR, which will enable you to view all the available Freesat channels and be able to record them. As your Sky box is a Plus type and not a Sky Q tpe, you would not need to do anything to your dish or LNB, merelt swap the boxes and then set up the Freesat box with your post code (to get the local news) and complete the required settings.
Good Freesat boxes are available but avoid the cheaper ones, they do not have a good reputation.
| link to this comment |
We have a sky dish and box,we don't have tv only broadband and phone can I still use the box and dish for other channels
| link to this comment |
10:33 PM
neil pickin: Your Sky box will receive all of the Free To Air (FTA) channels and if you have a viewing card inserted it will also get a few additional Free To View (FTV) channels (as well as the correct BBC, ITV & Channel 4/S4C region).
| link to this comment |
11:28 AM
Hi There,
I'm in a rented property and don't have a TV arial only a satellite dish, the previous tennants left the sky box and I can watch the basic channels through this. But I want to get broadband etc.. I don't want to go with Sky as I'll probably only be in the property for another 5 months and don't want to pay for a new dish to be installed at a new property. i have a freesat box but it doesn't seem to work. I'm guessing I need an arial for this? I'm very confused and I think the area I'm in hasn't got a very good signal? ANy suggestions would be great thanks, Kelly
| link to this comment |
3:02 PM
Kelly: Unless you've been left with a Sky Q box, you can just unscrew the dish cable from the back of the Sky box and connect it to your Freesat box (Freesat channels are broadcast from the same satellites as Sky and are received with the same dishes). Which broadband provider you choose to go with has no relevance. Are there any trees or other obstructions in front of the dish? Unless you have a dish or cabling fault, you should get a good satellite signal if there is nothing in the way (satellite signal comes from thousands of miles above the equator and has nothing to do with ground based transmitters).
| link to this comment |
5:21 PM
I am an sky q customer and am thinking of quiting and going to freesat from sky,can I do this and still use my q box to record,p.s I bought the q box outright
| link to this comment |
10:25 PM
Paul Purdon:
Unfortunately Sky will not allow your Q box to record anything.
Further, if you want to use Freesat, you will need to have the LNB on your dish changed as Sky Q uses a non-standard system to control the operation of the LNB. However, new conventional LNBs are relatively inexpensive. You can get then with 4 or 8 outputs so that you can use two or more satellite receivers at the same time and record programmes on them as well.
| link to this comment |
3:17 PM
Rich: I have just purchased a new sony tv and i am wanting to purchase a CA moduale. I would like to know if i am able to use my old sky card in the CA Moduale to receive fSfS channels?
I do have a freesat humax box, but for some reason the signal keeps being lost? I have checked the box, and all seems ok, i have also checked the sky dish cable with my old sky box but the same thing happens?
Luckily, i have 2 seperate sky dish cables to choose from, so if one loses signal, i can use the other. But now both have lost signal, in both sky & freesat boxes! This can't a coincidence right??
Are you as confused as i am??
I would ideally like my freesat box working again, what would be my best option here, a CA Module with a sub card, or an iptv service, & forget all the sky/freeview headace??
Any and all comment would be appreciated.
Ty.
| link to this comment |