Old SkyBox - cancelling subscription and going FTA?

sbp

Hi all,

I am sky customer since 2003, and I am thinking of cancelling their subscription and going FTA.

I have tried to find the answers to my question in this section before posting this, but wasnt successful. So, if there is anyone kind enough and could explain the following to me, I would be grateful:

I have 5-yr old Sky digital receiver and dish installed. If I cancel the Sky subscritpion, what do I have to do to receive FTA channels? (I don't have a problem with fiddling around settings etc. for different channels etc)

I can see that some FTA channels are FTA-UK-only, does that mean they are encrypyted in IRE? (Like Channel 4 etc)?

Can I use this receiver to watch other satellite programmes (Like Astra 1 etc)?

Are there any solutions (or somebory could point a thread/forum/source of info) for extending the viewing capatibilities of my receiver? (By this I mean the "grey" zone of channel decryption etc) - I hope I didnt break any forum rules by this quetion, if so, please ignore it.

Thanks a million for your help,

P.S. As u can see from the above, I don't want to invest into "infrastructure" but just use/"extend" what I have at the moment if thats possible.

syboit

sbp wrote: »

Hi all,
I have 5-yr old Sky digital receiver and dish installed. If I cancel the Sky subscritpion, what do I have to do to receive FTA channels? (I don't have a problem with fiddling around settings etc. for different channels etc)

I can see that some FTA channels are FTA-UK-only, does that mean they are encrypyted in IRE? (Like Channel 4 etc)?

Can I use this receiver to watch other satellite programmes (Like Astra 1 etc)?

Are there any solutions (or somebory could point a thread/forum/source of info) for extending the viewing capatibilities of my receiver? (By this I mean the "grey" zone of channel decryption etc) - I hope I didnt break any forum rules by this quetion, if so, please ignore it.

To get the FTA channels, firstly you dont have to do anything as a lot of the FTA channels will still appear in the sky guide. i.e. men and motors

but some like bbc/itv4/cbeebies you have to go into "add other channels" and put in the correct frequencies etc and tune them in.

Yes, FTA-uk is only fta in the uk, like C4.

Other sats is a no-no, the sky box is really only setup for Astra2.

Grey area's, dunno but again I'd say another no-no.

TheDriver

you can replace the lnb on your dish with a quad and roll in 3 more wires and can buy fta/freesat boxes for rest of house

noby

syboit wrote: »

but some like bbc/itv4/cbeebies you have to go into "add other channels" and put in the correct frequencies etc and tune them in.

No you don't. As Watty said on another thread:

Go Sky News.
Press Interactive.
Wait till it loads
Pull out card and DO NOT REINSERT ANYTHING.
Press backup.
Browse channels. This is what you have for free.

Some people put in the old card upside down.

You should end up with BBC1 on channel101.
Channel 4 will have to be added on the other channels, but all the rest should be there.

John mac

+1 as above:D

watty

The upside down trick or simply powering up box with no card at all after unplugging only works with some models. The Sky News trick works with most.


That's 3 methods. At least one should work.

noby

I do the upside down/Sky news combo. I guess I never tried leaving the card out.

slemons

noby wrote: »

noby

Quote:
Go Sky News.
Press Interactive.
Wait till it loads
Pull out card and DO NOT REINSERT ANYTHING.
Press backup.
Browse channels. This is what you have for free.
Some people put in the old card upside down.

You should end up with BBC1 on channel101.
Channel 4 will have to be added on the other channels, but all the rest should be there.

Just to add to this, that pressing interactive didnt work for me.
But presing the red button did.

Exact same procedure, just press red button instead of active and wait for it to load, then put card in upside down, et voila fta channels on the epg.



The only thing is i can t get channel 4 on the epg. i can get all others '4' channels like e4 etc. i have to add is using other channels always and even then its only channel4+1 i see...

any advice?

Kensington

slemons wrote: »

The only thing is i can t get channel 4 on the epg. i can get all others '4' channels like e4 etc. i have to add is using other channels always and even then its only channel4+1 i see...

any advice?

To get Channel 4 (and Channel 5) on the SkyGuide without a subscription requires you to have a Freesatfromsky card (only posted to a UK address) or a de-activated UK sky subscription card. Otherwise, "Other Channels" menu is your only option.

noby

slemons wrote: »

Just to add to this, that pressing interactive didnt work for me.
But presing the red button did.

By 'interactive' I (or Watty, to be precise) meant the red button. Sorry for the confusion.

slemons wrote: »

The only thing is i can t get channel 4 on the epg. i can get all others '4' channels like e4 etc. i have to add is using other channels always and even then its only channel4+1 i see...

any advice?

You should be able to add C4 and C4+1 to your Other Channels. Try again, they should both be there.