Quick FTA/FTV Test

walsheliz

If I get an FTV card from the UK and go to my friends house who has a sky disk and subscription etc. can I remove his sky card, insert my new FTV card and then tune in all the FTA and FTV channels as a means of seeing all the channels that are available.

Is there one link I can visit that will show me how to do this?

IF I do this is there going to be a problem when I re-insert the Sky card? Will I have to re-tune all the sky channels again?

Will the EPG work?

Basically I want to do this to see what is available before I buy a satellite system.

Hope someone can answer these.
Thanks.

mburke

On the main page there is loads on info on the ftv card etc

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?threadid=121955


is the link

or follow this info...

Print this out is easiest.

here is the web site for info:

http://www.free2view.tv

Here is the process for ordering a card:

1) check the postal address you have with this web site

http://pol.royalmail.com/dda/af.asp

it is the royal mail website in the UK

Once you have confirmed that you have the correct post code etc then do the following

2) Ring free2view on 141 00 44 870 054 1800 - make sure to put the 141 in front of the number, it stops caller id so they don't know you are from Ireland.

Select option 3 which is to order a new card. Cost is £ 23.50.

Be prepared for any questions they may have, example why your number is not being displayed: Answer at work and you don't know why
If they ask anything regards the digibox you have then say something like, you bought it on ebay it is for your room in the attic, there is no telephone line there to connect to (in case they want to check by call back)... They normally don't ask any questions.

They will ask you for you name, address and credit card number and a UK phone number. The phone number is optional info but I just gave them one, they don't ring it or anything like that. If you don't want to give them a UK phone number they may ask for a mobile number.
There is no problem with an irish credit card they will only want to know is it mastercard or visa etc....

Thats the hard bit over.

3) It will be posted out within 2 days and then you get your contact to post it to you.

4) Once you receive it you should
- Disconnect Power from digibox and telephone cable if one is attached
- Wait 1 minute
- Insert new card
- Power back on the digibox (this is like doing a reset)

5) Ring free2view back (put 141 in front of number) and tell them you received the NEW card and it needs to be activated (They have to manually activate it for NEW cards)
They will ask you to confirm your Name / Address etc
Also they will ask for the serial number and other system info, press services on the sky remote and go to the system details section (only do this when the new card is in the box as you don't want to give info related to your Irish card)
They will then activate the card, they will tell you to leave the box on for 24 to 48 hours to receive the channels (normally takes 30 mins to receive the channels)

6) The way you know everything is working ok is that you see BBC 1 on 101, BBC 2 on 102 ITV on 103, CH4 on 104 and Ch5 on 105.

And that is it...

Sounds long winded but it is straight forward.

sergeant121

Originally posted by walsheliz
If I get an FTV card from the UK and go to my friends house who has a sky disk and subscription etc. can I remove his sky card, insert my new FTV card and then tune in all the FTA and FTV channels as a means of seeing all the channels that are available.

Why go to all that bother? THIS SITE shows all the channels you'll get.

watty

Put an upside down card in an Irish sub digibox.

Repower.

You'll will see all the FTA channels. Esp all the "Missing" BBC. They all work.


The FTV card ONLY adds
One ITV region at 103
The other ITV regions manually in "Other Channels"
One C4 Advertising region
"Five"

NOTHING ELSE other than stupid Sky Barker Channel.

No "free weekends" of Film Four or Disney etc work with a FTV card.

dil999

Originally posted by LurkingIconPut an upside down card in an Irish sub digibox.

What's an "upside down card" and how do I get one ??

mickeyboymel

Originally posted by dil999
What's an "upside down card" and how do I get one ??

LOL!!!!!!!

An upside down card is when you turn your sky viewing card (currently active or expired) upside down in the slot to bring up the default epg for the uk.
This displays the epg with all the bbc radio and telly channels in their correct positions as opposed to in the other channels section( IE: 101- BBC1 London, 102-BBC2 England, regions in the 900's etc etc)

Any card that fits in the Epg slot will achieve this (a bank card, a credit card, a medical card etc etc etc once it fits in the slot)

WARNING: Doing this with your active subscription card will cause you to loose all the channels in your "OTHER CHANNNELS" section and you will have to add them manually again

dil999

DOH !

But seriously,

Originally posted by mickeyboymel
WARNING: Doing this with your active subscription card will cause you to loose all the channels in your "OTHER CHANNNELS" section and you will have to add them manually again

I have put my Irish sub card (Sky+) in upside down on numerous occasions and never lost my manually added channels