I've just ditched Sky but still have the box connected. My TV also has a built in Freesat tuner. My question is, what are the differences in the two services? Is it worth my while hooking my TV up to the dish instead of the Sky box?
Not much in it. The Sky box will give you a few more channels, but mainly they're rubbish anyway.
The Freesat tuner will give you a much more logical EPG as it only shows the channels you can get and the PSB's have their channels (mostly) bunched together. You can also delete unwanted channels too.
Also it's one less remote and box if you use the tuner in the tv.
Best bet is to try it for a week. You can always change back.
Presumably you have 2 cables going into the Sky box?
If the TV only takes 1 (if you can't record from the Freesat), then put the Sky box into single feed mode (as you can no loner record from it), keep 1 cable connected to LNB1, and move the other one to the TV.
Best of both worlds then, use the TV, and then you can switch to Sky for the odd channels that aren't on Freesat if you wish.
Wonderful. All together with a terrible EPG which reminds you of all you cannot watch.
Twice the paging, twice the aggregation. No recording (once the current Sky cockup is cured),
Not much in it. The Sky box will give you a few more channels, but mainly they're rubbish anyway.
The Freesat tuner will give you a much more logical EPG as it only shows the channels you can get and the PSB's have their channels (mostly) bunched together. You can also delete unwanted channels too.
Also it's one less remote and box if you use the tuner in the tv.
Best bet is to try it for a week. You can always change back.
Indeed, Mickey_T, and the Freesat channels have their numbering based broadly on their genres plus, of course, there are no inaccessible channels with reminders to subscribe. I've used both the Sky and Freesat EPGs and I much prefer the latter.
One way around the EPG on Sky is to save favorites and then use the favorites section to see what is on!
Freesat from Sky also gives you a few extra channels such as Sony Entertainment TV and Sony Movie Channel
I don't know why you people are even discussing it "Freesat from Sky" is an horrendous offering. Designed solely to constantly remind you what channels you are not subscribed to. Offering a couple of extra channels with a minute audience.. I wonder how long they will bother.
Freesat from Sky has considerably more fta channels and ftv encrypted channels, Freesat on the other hand doesn't have quite as many fta channels, it just depends what you would like.
However if you don't want to go with either of those providers there are cheap generic free-to-air satellite receivers available connected to an existing minidish which will give you everything that's free-to-air (unencrypted) from both packages but when channels change frequency they do need retuning.
My Freesat PVR gives me access to all the FTA channels that a Sky box or a generic box would do. They may not have full EPG info but they are viewable and recordable (at no extra cost).
Keep sky box like i have even thougth i dont subscribe anymore i can still get a few music channels you wont get on freesat like kerrang and scuzz
To be fair, any free to air channel at 28.2*E can be added in non-Freesat mode with a Freesat box/PVR so enabling any Freesat viewer to access them. For example, I quite like travel, exploration and adventure documentaries and so it's very easy to add and watch the free to air Horse & Country, Holiday & Cruise and TV5 Monde channels, etc.
Presumably you have 2 cables going into the Sky box?
If the TV only takes 1 (if you can't record from the Freesat), then put the Sky box into single feed mode (as you can no loner record from it), keep 1 cable connected to LNB1, and move the other one to the TV.
Best of both worlds then, use the TV, and then you can switch to Sky for the odd channels that aren't on Freesat if you wish.
My Freesat PVR gives me access to all the FTA channels that a Sky box or a generic box would do. They may not have full EPG info but they are viewable and recordable (at no extra cost).
If you want to record and don't get free Sky+ functionality, Freesat is without doubt the way to go.
I cancelled Sky years ago after refusing to pay just to record, and now have Freesat+ which is excellent. Have since found I can record and playback using my Sky+ box with a old blue Sky card I bought (not the one which was mine). Only a minority of old cards will allow this so only buy from someone who will guarantee it. A separate white card allows me to watch free the Sony channels (great if you like the BBC spy series Spooks).
HTH
Comments
The Freesat tuner will give you a much more logical EPG as it only shows the channels you can get and the PSB's have their channels (mostly) bunched together. You can also delete unwanted channels too.
Also it's one less remote and box if you use the tuner in the tv.
Best bet is to try it for a week. You can always change back.
If the TV only takes 1 (if you can't record from the Freesat), then put the Sky box into single feed mode (as you can no loner record from it), keep 1 cable connected to LNB1, and move the other one to the TV.
Best of both worlds then, use the TV, and then you can switch to Sky for the odd channels that aren't on Freesat if you wish.
4Music, Motors TV, Sony TV, Sony TV +1, Sony Movie Channel, Sony Movie Channel +1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freesat_from_Sky
Wonderful. All together with a terrible EPG which reminds you of all you cannot watch.
Twice the paging, twice the aggregation. No recording (once the current Sky cockup is cured),
Indeed, Mickey_T, and the Freesat channels have their numbering based broadly on their genres plus, of course, there are no inaccessible channels with reminders to subscribe. I've used both the Sky and Freesat EPGs and I much prefer the latter.
Mikembe
Freesat from Sky also gives you a few extra channels such as Sony Entertainment TV and Sony Movie Channel
I don't know why you people are even discussing it "Freesat from Sky" is an horrendous offering. Designed solely to constantly remind you what channels you are not subscribed to. Offering a couple of extra channels with a minute audience.. I wonder how long they will bother.
There is no equivalent for FreesatFromSky in Ireland so it ceertainly will not be FTV and I believe is subscription only.
Here it says FTV but I cannot get Astra 2F europe but thinking of buying bigger dish if it adds me UTV Ireland.
http://www.tvforum.co.uk/tvhome/utv-ireland-40166/page-12
Anyway Channel4 IRELAND, STV Edinburgh and Glasgow, Notts TV, Made in... channels all open on UK FTV card (ex subscription).
However if you don't want to go with either of those providers there are cheap generic free-to-air satellite receivers available connected to an existing minidish which will give you everything that's free-to-air (unencrypted) from both packages but when channels change frequency they do need retuning.
To be fair, any free to air channel at 28.2*E can be added in non-Freesat mode with a Freesat box/PVR so enabling any Freesat viewer to access them. For example, I quite like travel, exploration and adventure documentaries and so it's very easy to add and watch the free to air Horse & Country, Holiday & Cruise and TV5 Monde channels, etc.
What a good idea!
I'm assuming that the TV also has a built in Freeview tuner. If so, I think that the OP can get 4Music and Motors TV via Freeview.
If you want to record and don't get free Sky+ functionality, Freesat is without doubt the way to go.
Undoubtedly - if you want to record, and only want the free channels, then there's nothing to even discuss - Freesat+ all the way.
HTH