Kyle T
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Registered: 11th Sep 04
Location: Selby, North Yorkshire
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My new place has a skydish and all the wiring already in place, so I looked into sky+ HD to take advantage of my new telly a little bit.
Then my Dad mentioned to me 'Freesat', it's nowhere near as good as Sky yet as far as channels are concerned - but damn it's cheaper.
http://www.freesat.co.uk/
I think i'm going to go for it, only 80 channels for now but it's gotta be an improvement over freeview, and watching the occasional HD program would be nice - but as far as I can gather - all I need to do is buy a set top box and an HDMI cable - is it that easy?
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5321588/Trail/searchtext%3EFREESAT.htm
I'm wondering also about external subscription channels - such as Setanta Sports. I'd be willing to pay the £9.99 a month for setanta IF I'm able to get it through my freesat box.
I did a bit of googling and found that by getting freesat through sky (200 channels instead of 80, but no HD from what I can find) I can subscribe to setanta normally - but no news other than the following link about through the freesat from BBC/ITV:
http://www.joinfreesat.co.uk/index.php/setanta-sport-in-discussion-with-freesat
Getting it free would be awesome, but as I said - i'm willing to pay for now!
It looks like a pretty good thing at the moment, and I suppose will only get better when more people chose it over Sky - any body using it at the moment or have any light to shed?
ta
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John
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Registered: 30th Jun 03
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It looks like quite a good deal but sky will eventually have to bring hd prices down, or give the hd channels free with the rest of the package.
I'd get one if I didn't have sky already though just for the HD channels.
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pow
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Registered: 11th Sep 06
Location: Hazlemere, Buckinghamshire
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I've been thinking about this, BBC and ITV HD would be nice.
But no Dave on the Freesat service?
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Kyle T
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Registered: 11th Sep 04
Location: Selby, North Yorkshire
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quote:
Originally posted by pow
I've been thinking about this, BBC and ITV HD would be nice.
But no Dave on the Freesat service?
Hmm yes, just noticed this. I suppose if I ever get a craving for old topgear I could just switch back to freeview, since it's built into my telly anyway 
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xa0s
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Registered: 4th Mar 08
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I pay for Sky HD, admittedly, but I could cancel and receive all the channels Freesat has anyway. But I do pay, and I receive all of Sky Movies and Sky Sports in HD.
Freesat has no PVR, and it can't do anything that Sky HD can't do.
Just buy a Sky HD box, and install the dish yourself. It'll work out the same price, and you have the classy Sky HD GUI and PVR. You don't even need the monthly subscription.
The only advantage is ITV HD (which Sky HD will get soon, anyway).
Nothing amazing, to be honest. It'll just attract the people with no money, no knowledge and no sense.
quote:
]BBC wrote:
Sky already offers a service that is also free to view once the equipment has been bought.
I can't see Freesat taking off. Anyone remember Ondigital? 
[Edited on 08-07-2008 by SRi Luke]
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Kyle T
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Registered: 11th Sep 04
Location: Selby, North Yorkshire
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Like I said I've already got the dish installed - and I Know that Sky is a much better choice overall, but it costs ALOT to get all the channels, hence I'm looking into a cheaper alternative
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Doug
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Registered: 8th Oct 03
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I think what luke is saying is buy a Sky HD box and connect it up to your dish. Then you will get all the freesat channels through the sky box with no subscription charges
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John
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Registered: 30th Jun 03
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quote:
Originally posted by SRi Luke
I pay for Sky HD, admittedly, but I could cancel and receive all the channels Freesat has anyway. But I do pay, and I receive all of Sky Movies and Sky Sports in HD.
Freesat has no PVR, and it can't do anything that Sky HD can't do.
Just buy a Sky HD box, and install the dish yourself. It'll work out the same price, and you have the classy Sky HD GUI and PVR. You don't even need the monthly subscription.
The only advantage is ITV HD (which Sky HD will get soon, anyway).
Nothing amazing, to be honest. It'll just attract the people with no money, no knowledge and no sense.
quote:
]BBC wrote:
Sky already offers a service that is also free to view once the equipment has been bought.
I can't see Freesat taking off. Anyone remember Ondigital?
[Edited on 08-07-2008 by SRi Luke]
Sky HD boxes aren't cheap, can you use the sky+ functions without a subscription?
I'm not sure about the longevity of freesat but if you had any knowledge you'd know ondigital failed as a subscription service because it could be so easily hacked, freeview is doing quite well from what I can see.
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Kyle T
Premium Member
Registered: 11th Sep 04
Location: Selby, North Yorkshire
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quote:
Originally posted by Doug
I think what luke is saying is buy a Sky HD box and connect it up to your dish. Then you will get all the freesat channels through the sky box with no subscription charges
Really?
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Andy_sxi
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Registered: 28th Aug 04
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You will only get the free to air channels, you can see which channels you would get on http://www.freesatfromsky.co.uk/
To get HD channels or to use the sky+ function you have to subscribe.
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John
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Registered: 30th Jun 03
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I knew you had to subscribe in the past for sky+ but wasn't sure if it had changed, I think freesat is a good idea tbh.
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Kyle T
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Registered: 11th Sep 04
Location: Selby, North Yorkshire
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I think i'll stick freesat over the non subscription sky, as I really want a couple of HD channels- just so I can use my HDMI port 
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Andy_sxi
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Registered: 28th Aug 04
Location: West Midlands Drives: 1.2 16v SXi
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Yeah it seems quite good. I wont get it until they release the receivers with pvr's built in. Humax are supposed to be bringing out a hd box with pvr, but dont know when. I will stay with skys freesat for time being.
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Andy_sxi
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Registered: 28th Aug 04
Location: West Midlands Drives: 1.2 16v SXi
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If I hadnt already got a sky box then I would go for the humax hd receiver.
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xa0s
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Registered: 4th Mar 08
Location: Dartford, Kent Car: Turbo'd Fabia vRS
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quote:
Originally posted by John
Sky HD boxes aren't cheap, can you use the sky+ functions without a subscription?
I'm not sure about the longevity of freesat but if you had any knowledge you'd know ondigital failed as a subscription service because it could be so easily hacked, freeview is doing quite well from what I can see.
Sky HD boxes are barely any more than a Freesat box, and the quality is so much better. It upscales SD channels and the GUI is superb. Also has the famous PVR. I think it costs £5 to use the PVR monthly but it's well worth it...
quote:
Originally posted by Andy_sxi
To get HD channels or to use the sky+ function you have to subscribe.
No, you don't -- HD channels (C4 HD and BBC HD) are free but I think it's £5 monthly for the Sky+ (PVR) function.
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stubbsy05
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Registered: 23rd Oct 02
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My House already had sky dish up when I bought it.
So I bought a Sky digibox off ebay for £40 and then phoned up freesat (from sky) and paid £20 for the viewing card.
I get E4, ITV4, ITV2, BBC3, BB4, some music channels etc.
Well worth the £60 I paid IMO.
Would love Sky+ as theres so much tele I miss, but I don't think I'd have the time to watch it all!
Any questions on channels I can get, drop me a U2U
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Robbo
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Registered: 6th Aug 02
Location: London
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I like Freesat because it means my Sky HD channels will be free soon
Better be anyhoo 
PS I think its a joke how thye got everyone to get freeview, and now its all about Freesat
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stubbsy05
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Registered: 23rd Oct 02
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Only reason I got freesat is beacause you cannot get freeview in my area.
Freesat have only just started offering E4 since the BBCs freesat started offering it. Before then we had to live without. E4 has always been available on freeview however!
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ash_corsa
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Registered: 15th Apr 04
Location: Shrewsbury
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You wont get HD channels through Sky freesat, you will have to pay the monthly subscription which is stupid money. also the record function wont work for free, you have to pay for that too, dont waste money on Sky HD its crap.
Wait another month, Freesat HD boxes with the PVR will be out then, which allows the exact same as Sky HD, pause rewind tv etc... and theyre about £200 with no subscription costs at all.
Sky is seriously starting to panic, have you noticed all the adverts and deals theyre doing lately? you cant pick up a magazine / paper without seeing a friggin Sky advert. more channels are being added to freesat all the time, five will be on there as soon as their contract with Sky is up.
[Edited on 09-07-2008 by ash_corsa]
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John
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Registered: 30th Jun 03
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If sky give the HD channels free I think I'll invest in an HD box.
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Robbo
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Registered: 6th Aug 02
Location: London
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How exactly is Sky HD crap 
I lvoe mine, am always watchign movies/sport/Discovery HD... frickin awesome if you watch enough telly
My box only cost £220 installed as well
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Robbo
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Registered: 6th Aug 02
Location: London
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quote:
Originally posted by John
If sky give the HD channels free I think I'll invest in an HD box.
They will, eventually... I remembner for a while payign £10 a mth for Sky+ 
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Tim
Site Administrator
Registered: 21st Apr 00
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Freesat is designed to replace Freeview. They finally realised they'd never have enough bandwidth to go HD, plus it reaches a much larger percentage of the population.
I just whacked a DVB-S2 card in my MediaCenter so I get all ~900 FTA channels (including BBC/ITV/Luxe HD).
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ash_corsa
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Registered: 15th Apr 04
Location: Shrewsbury
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quote:
Originally posted by Robbo
How exactly is Sky HD crap
Temperamental, boxes are full of faults, too expensive for what it is
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Robbo
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Registered: 6th Aug 02
Location: London
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quote:
Originally posted by ash_corsa
quote:
Originally posted by Robbo
How exactly is Sky HD crap
Temperamental, boxes are full of faults, too expensive for what it is
Right...
Well Ive had no problems with my box, and I personally watch enough to cover the cost so Im quite happy
My only concern is the fact that the box quite happily heats my living rrom during the winter months
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