FTV Card

glineli

Hi

I am thinking of getting a FTA Card from the following site

http://www.freesatcard.co.uk/

I was just wondering, if i buy it and put it into the sky box, where do i go to get the channel 4 and channel 5 options? Is it like UTV, into service, extra channels?

Sorry if this has been asked already.

Thanks

watty

I presume you mean FTV or Freesat from Sky, FTA doesn't need a card.
101 = BBC1*
102 = BBC2*
103 = ITV1*
104 = C4*
105 = Five*

*Region depends on postcode of address for card.

maninaskirt

No Mate, the EPG will show, 014 as channel4 and 105 as channel5, i hope this helps,

glineli

maninaskirt wrote:

No Mate, the EPG will show, 104 as channel4 and 105 as channel5, i hope this helps,

Thanks

So you have to take the normal sky card out everytime you want to watch Channel 4 or 5 is it? I only have the one receiver at the moment.

watty

Best to swap cards while in Interactive in Sky News.

The EPG listing has to change over which can take a minute or two.

glineli

watty wrote:

Best to swap cards while in Interactive in Sky News.

The EPG listing has to change over which can take a minute or two.

Nice one, thanks.

I have the 2 slots on the pace receiver. I was hoping you could just access Channel 4 and 5 through services etc but it appears not.

Thanks again

watty

The top slot is not for a viewing card. It is for type of Credit Card so you can spend lots and make Sky richer.

You HAVE to switch/swap cards.

JohnC.

Something related which I am curious about. Say I knew someone who was getting rid of Sky in the UK. If I got their card, would it work as an FTV card in my Sky box? I'm thinking it probably is just the same as all those ones you can buy online, but I'm not certain.

And is there any kind of time limit on how long the card can go unused. Like if they stopped using a card a year ago, would it still work, or would it have to have been still in use relativly recently?

watty

Yes it will work, may need up to a day in the box to get a fresh key. A cancelled UK sub card is essentially the same as a FTV card, except you can easily reactivate if you have the original account details! The oldest I have personally seen working was about 6 months out of use.

JohnC.

Cheers Watty. That's what I like to hear

Telefís

I can't seem to find anything here about it - what is this Freesat service that Sky are offering? Obviously it's the basic FTA package and they hope you'll eventually 'upgrade' to their services, but is the package they're offering available in Ireland?
And what is the package, presumably mainly installation etc...?

Thanks

Sponge Bob

Telef&#237 wrote: »

I can't seem to find anything here about it - what is this Freesat service

That is the Site one buys the FTV cards from for £20. They are hidden down the back. SKY try to offload s/h boxes and installs and cards for about £150 on that site as you can see.

You will not get an FTV card sent out save where the person apparently buying it is a paid up UK TV licence holder , they can order up to 4 each whether they have a SKY box or not.

The card will be localised for their region so if you had a mate in Wales order a card you will get S4C in position 104 and Harlech in 103

HTH

Telefís

Yes, thanks Sponge Bob. I came across that page, but I was wondering if Sky are offering an Irish equivalant - clearly not by the looks of things.

Is this going be to be like when Sky first launched digital in Ireland and they held back on the free box and dish offer available to all UK customers - i.e. they just can't be bothered with a FTA offer here?
I can see why really - their subscription base is still going through the roof in Ireland, now at around 370,000. No need to break that rise any time soon I suppose...

watty

The FTV system was orignally set up by BBC who did not want people to have to subscribe to Sky. Sky did not like the idea so charged millions for something that costs them nearly nothing. To add insult to injury, Sky claimed they had charge for it twice by charging for the cards about 4 times cost.

BBC paid 80% and C4 / Five about 20% of cost of the Call Centre managing the cards IN ADDITION to the encryption charges.

The Cards existed SOLELY to allow UK viewers to watch BBC, C4, Five and S4C~digidol for "free", and prevent anyone else watching.

At this stage BBC1NI and BBC2NI were not available to Irish subscribers on ANY package.

ITV joined Satellite later and refused to pay anything toward Call Centre. They had to pay huge charges for the encryption (which cost nothing).

Also later Sky paid BBC to include BBC1NI and BBC2NI to Irish Subscribers to compete better with Chorus and NTL, who existed originally solely to provide BBC and ITV.

Five was part owned by Sky at one stage and got reduction in encryption charges. C4 agreed deals with Sky regarding Film4 and E4 and got reduction in encryption charges.

ITV agreed to make ITV part of Sky package and not FTV and got small reduction in charges.

There never ever was any intention of FTV cards for Ireland. RTE realised they needed on Satellite and had falling out with Tara, that was on Sky and they part owned. It closed and a "secret" deal was done with Sky to allow Sky to decide package/price of RTE in exchange for free encryption AND free transponder space to transmit.

S4C~Digidol left the FTV card going FTA as was always intended. No-one took much notice.

BBC then left FTV card as had always been indended, though most people surprised. C4, Five and ITV refused to take up BBC's 80% contribution to call centre and thus Sky closed it.

No one could get FTV cards.

After various rows and questions in Parliament, the Card scheme was re-opened as an entirely Sky operation.

ITV started work to clear path for FTA. ITV added ITV3 and removed ITV2 from Sky package making it FTV or FTA acn't remember which.

Sky would not agree a big cut in rip off encryption charges so ITV had excuse to pay the extra costs in going FTA (which they no doubt prefer as no-one wants someone else in charge of their broadcasting).

The ITV announced it would join with BBC for a non-Sky satellite platform (we think it means a BBC/ITV branded FTA receiver with maybe custom SW for Interactive).

Sky then realised that FTV meant a Sky box and a possible subscriber and that FTA receiver meant no Sky customer.

So Sky suddenly embraced FTV wholeheartedly launcing marketing of the FTV card renamed "Freesat from Sky". As part of this they made the new Sky3 as a FTV channel rather than subscription.

It is now possible, impossible before ITV went FTA, that Sky MIGHT offer an Irish FTV card with RTE on it.


Sky3, recently added to Satellite has been found to work on a Cancelled ROI Sky card. No announcement. It might be policy or an oversight. But for now the only FTV channel on an Irish card is Sky3. You can't get an Irish card except by subscription from an ROI address.

Rumours:
C4 has been considering FTA, but Sky is responding with offering reduced encryption charges if E4 and Film four are FTV.

RTL has now most of Five. Sky having sold most of its shares. RTL has FTA, effectively FTV and also pay TV channels so we don't know what might happen to Five in the future.

Sponge Bob

watty wrote:

The FTV system was orignally set up by BBC who did not want people to have to subscribe to Sky. Sky did not like the idea so charged millions for something that costs them nearly nothing.

The reason it still exists is to keep Ofcom happy . FTV cards are an essential 'infill' for the digital terrestrial freeview system and will facilitate the cutover from analogue in rural areas of the UK where the freeview service may be ropey .

bush doctor

WRT that freesatcard website, if you get an ftv card sent to a UK address can the card be activated over here or does it need to be done by the person you get it set to in the UK?

Ta

watty

Yes it can be done my mobile phone call here, but best done in UK. The cards arn't "tied" to any box. In UK can be done by Digibox "automatically" over phone line (hidden menu: Services 4 0 1 Select, "new install" ) or by ringing sky.

There was a period when FTV cards where automatic or pre-activated. This may no longer be the case.

Rippy

I'm not sure if a new freesat card is paired to the box it was activated in, or if it can be used in any box. I know ex-subscription cards are not paired.

watty

No they are not paired at all since BBC went FTA.

JohnC.

Looks like the eBay route of getting an FTV card may be gone. They have closed auctions at the request of "the intellectual property rights owner," which I assume means Sky. It's because "the listing potentially infringes its copyright, trade mark or other rights." There are some new auctions up again, but they will probably go too. I wonder if they will go after other sites selling them directly, such as the one in the original post?

watty

yes. All the cards belong to Sky/NDS.
The only legitimate way for C4 / Five is a UK subscription or for FTV card at UK address. Neither of which is hard, just more effort than eBay.

Sponge Bob

when did ebay start this ?

JohnC.

Sponge Bob wrote:

when did ebay start this ?

Looks like it was just today/last night.

Sponge Bob

yeah they did it two years back for a while but gave up

peckerhead

I vote this for a sticky! (all bow before watty... )

Mossy Monk

what reason would there be to make this a sticky?

JohnC.

watty wrote:

yes. All the cards belong to Sky/NDS.
The only legitimate way for C4 / Five is a UK subscription or for FTV card at UK address. Neither of which is hard, just more effort than eBay.

I'm not sure I understand how getting someone in the UK to get a card for you is more legitimate than eBay or buying online? Aren't they basically the same thing? Someone in the UK gets a legit card and they send it over here?

watty

Not if you arn't "buying it" of a third party. Read the T&C on the card carrier. Also relevent/applicable Irish. UK and EU law.

I said NOTHING about "someone else" getting it. However the legal principle of "proxy" is well established so if you pay a reasonable fee to someone for doing ANY action on your behalf, then this also may be legal.

But selling the card obviously is not legal. The 3rd party seller does not own it.

It is a fine distinction. If anyone feels it is too fine a distinction, they ought to get the card personally.


P.S. Either "Peckerhead" has had too much coffe or his sarcasm is showing. All this is in stickies and ICDGopedia already.

Sponge Bob

been monitoring ebay, set up some 'watch this item' links they are not being as ruthless as they could be with ' them lads ' .

englander

When I have the freesat card and phone the number to activate the card/digibox what will they want to know ?

Can I give them all the information they need without being near my digibox.

Just I'll be in England for a few weeks and would like to get it activated while I am over there and wont be near the digibox.

Thanks.

Pal

englander wrote:

When I have the freesat card and phone the number to activate the card/digibox what will they want to know ?

Can I give them all the information they need without being near my digibox.

Just I'll be in England for a few weeks and would like to get it activated while I am over there and wont be near the digibox.

Thanks.

just stick the freesat card in. it should work. leave it overnight if neccessary but that's it.

givecredit

If you have purchased a FTV card direct from sky using a uk mates post address, you will need to phone to activate the card, you will need your mates address, the sky card no. your digibox serial and version no.

If you have not purchased your card yet, i suggest you buy from www.freesatcard.com . the card will come pre activated. you will not need to phone sky and its just £19 dearer then the sky route, well worth it i think. I purchased from this site with great success.