Free satellite?

luckat · 08-03-2004 9:45am #1

I believe there's a satellite you can install that will get the English channels for free, and then you can use a VHF-UHF rabbit's ears aerial to get RTE1, Net2, TG4 and TV3.

Could some better informed person talk me through this option, please?

Marty · 08-03-2004 11:45am

You can install a satellite and a receiver with a card slot (digibox). Turned to astra 2D, with a UK deactivated sky card (the one with the yellow house on it), this will give you BBC 1 TO 4, CNN, Sky news, etc.. (Free to air channels) and ITV, CH4 & 5. ITV/CH4 & 5 are not free, this is what you need the sky card for. The ITV region will be dependant on where the sky card was originally activated in the UK, l think.
ITV may go free to air in september, if not the sky card should last until 2006
You can also run your aerial lead into the receiver for RTE/TV3 etc.. It won't improve your reception but will save on connectors into your telly.

You can buy the sky cards through e-bay in the UK, for about stg£70.00. If you have a problem getting one send me a pm.

watty · 08-03-2004 12:11pm

Or a free to Air Satellite receiever such as Palcom DSL4 , Strong, Humax etc will get about 22 BBC Channels, CNN, Sky News, ITV News but not ITV1, C4 or Five.

ITV might be free to air next September. Just a guess.

The Satellites that feed the Sky Digibox have about 60+ Free radio and over 120 Free TV channels. Performance, Classic FM TV, The Vault, Travel and Reality TV are some other free channels.

Most satellites have many free TV and Radio. Over 30 Satellites can be received in Ireland. A FTA (free to Air) Receiver like Palcom DSL4 (Euro 100) can use a Motor Drive (Also approx 100 Euro) to automatically move the dish for different satellites. A Sky Digibox, while it will work for free after the first year, can't control a motor or Switch as Sky don't want you to watch other services.

Ronan|Raven · 08-03-2004 12:33pm

Foolish question here but would a FTA card work in non $ky Reciever?

ShaneOC · 08-03-2004 12:47pm

Originally posted by Ronan|Raven
Foolish question here but would a FTA card work in non $ky Reciever?

No, Sky use a proprietary encryption system. It only works on their boxes.

watty · 08-03-2004 1:22pm

Grrrrr!

Once again, there is NO SUCH thing as a FTA card (Free To Air).

Only FTV Cards (Free To View), which are not easily obtainable, and when last obtainable cost £23.50. (For UK, other National FTV card schemes are running).

No kind of Sky Digibox card works in anything other than a Digibox or Sky+ box. No other providers card (FTV scheme, e.g. Netherlands, Switzerland or Pay TV, e.g. ABSAT, NoZap, Canal+ etc) will work at all in a Sky Digibox or Sky+ box.

A FTA receiver means there are NO card slots or CI slots (for module to take a card), for ANYBODY's Pay TV card or FTV Scheme card. FTA = Free To Air, no card needed, and nowhere to put one.

There ARE non-Sky recievers that take cards. While the Sky Digibox and Sky+ allows viewing of any SR22000 and SR27500 FTA channel, so do the non-Sky boxes that take cards.

A FTA receiver can only receive SKy and non-Sky channels that don't require a card as it has no place for a card.

A card is like a password key to unlock the encryption or scrambling of a Pay TV or FTV channel. Many kinds of key + encryption systems exist.

sharkboy · 08-03-2004 5:32pm

Yes free to air =no card needed. Free to view means you need a free to view card which you can only get in the UK to view Itv C4 and C5 BBC is free to air.

Ronan|Raven · 08-03-2004 5:50pm

Oh noe forgive meh for not saying FTV! damn these slights of the hand. I shall go spank myself

Still be nice if sky were forced to produce a Videoguard (nds) cam that would allow you to use their cards in a non sky reciever I assume this would work like the way you can have you Conax Cams , Irdeto, Seca etc.

watty · 08-03-2004 6:07pm

Yes, then you wouldn't have to pay Sky rental to record.

ITV + FTV card would work in a PC Satellite Card or a Humax or Topfield Satellite PVR.

You could use your Sky Sub Card in a Humax or Topfield Satellite PVR and pause Live Sky One or UK Gold, then the motor drive would automatically move to 19.2E and the box would switch to the other card slot for your Canal+ sub card.

Then when you watch / record Prima/Topchannel/Telstar12-MSNBC feed the Dish would move again.

Access to over 30 Satellites and what ever pay channels you want.

Of course for less than a years Sky Premium sub, you can simply add a second motorised, Dish, PVR Satellite receiver (twin tuners, Hard Dish and maybe DVD Writer).

I have Digibox, PC Satellite Receiver (Piped to living room, TV and IR remote), Palcom FTA Digital, and 3 analog Satellite Receivers as well as the four TV aerial channels.

It would be simpler for the "normal" inhabitants of the house if one box was DVD player/Recorder and every channel/Satellite Receiver.

Sometimes folks are confused as to how to get TV3 AM in the Morning if I was "feed hunting" late at night and left things in a state.

Ronan|Raven · 08-03-2004 8:10pm

Im more than happy to live without sky I already get more than what im able to watch at the moment between the satellites I pick up at the moment its just a shame that some people in the house would still like their utv and bloody channel 4! This is as a result then making one keep their chorus service when they really _dont_ need it.

Hi Everyone · 09-03-2004 8:03pm

Hey Marty

Could you please reply to my PM

Thanks

Marty · 09-03-2004 10:07pm

Replied

Hi Everyone · 09-03-2004 10:14pm

Hi Marty

me again

and if you have guessed it already theres another pm waiting for you

Free satellite?

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