Free-to-air Channels on Sky in the Republic???

randyandi

Hi,
I just got recently connected to Sky Digital. I live in the Republic of Ireland and expected to get with the cheapest Sky package all the Irish channels automatically (RTE, Network2, etc.).

However, this didn't work and I made at least 5 phone calls to Sky. They all said that they'll send a "signal" and it should work. Finally they send an engineer, who told me that everything is OK with the equipment and I would need an upgrade.

I thought that RTE, Network2, etc. are so-called "FREE-TO-AIR" channels, which every company has to provide by law for free.

Can anybody help, please. I'm sick of calling sky and explaining the same stuff all over again as you never talk to the same person.

Help highly appreciated!!!!

celticfc

You've posted this in the wrong place.
You should post it in the satelite forum

ShaneOC

The Irish terrestrial channels are only available on the family pack or higher. It is a major sore point on these forums.

The reason for this is that Sky did a deal with RTÉ to provide carriage on the satellite and positions in the EPG for free. This means that Sky can decide which package the channels are available on.

In the UK the terrestrial channels pay for their carriage and position on the EPG so they can decide what package they are available on. They have all been available for free (with a free to view card) up to recently but now that scheme has finished. Only the BBC are guaranteed to be free now as they have dropped all encryption. ITV may follow next year but there are no guarantees.

Nobody knows about Channel 4.

DMC

Welcome along, randyandi. Just to add to Shane's verse, if you want to watch RTÉ etc on any delivery system, cable or satellite, you have to pay NTL, Chorus or Sky a subscription fee to watch.

ShaneOC

Originally posted by DMC
Welcome along, randyandi. Just to add to Shane's verse, if you want to watch RTÉ etc on any delivery system, cable or satellite, you have to pay NTL, Chorus or Sky a subscription fee to watch.

Not sure about NTL, but here in Cork if you cancel chorus and disconnect the decoder box and then stick the cable into the tv/video you do get the Irish terrestrials unscrambled.

The above referrs to analog cable.

If you have chorus analog cable you can split the cable, send one path through the decoder, leave the other path alone and then combine the two cables. This allows you to watch a terrestrial channel and record another channel or vice versa.

Note this will not work for every decoder.

Lennoxschips

That's correct RTE1, NET2, TV3 and TG4 are all unscrambled on cable in Cork. TV5 and Eurosport are also often unscrambled. The picture is horrid however. Much better off getting the terrestrials by antenna from Spur Hill.

dmeehan

i have sky 1 free too, curtesy of chorus cork!

DMC

I forgot about ye Cork folk, yer special!

But its down to their incompetence that you still get RTÉ via a cancelled Chorus account. Continued enjoyment!

ShaneOC

Of course the picture quality is crap and it's all in glorious mono.

You'd get a better signal with a paper clip *

* slight exageration

celticfc

With NTL digital, If you take out your card, the only tv channel you can recieve is TV3.

watty

With Cable, technically they can charge you even for unscrambled channels if you connect up.

With "Sky" you do own everything except the card from Day one. There are lots of good genuinely free TV and Radio on Satellite.

When RTE first went on Satellite they were warned by many people about the illogic and dishonesty of the setup. (Irish viewers pay twice).

With BBC canges perhaps RTE is belatedly waking up to the issues and no longer regarding Satellite as a "wireless cable TV" which it isn't.

They can take away the decoder and or cable, but Free to Air Satellite really is free and you own all the gear.

It doesn't even have to point at the Sky Service.