Freesat - Other Channels?

Ger Roe

Hi,

I have been using an FTA box myself for the past five years and have no problem keeping up to date with re-scans when transponders change - all part of the fun. I have however set my sister up with a spare FTA box and she does not see the fun in trying to chase up channels when they 'move' or 'disappear'.

I am thinking that a freesat box may be the answer here - less maintanance and better epg info. One question springs to mind however - Can a freesat box also receive other FTA services (such as Sky News for example), i.e stations that are not on the Freesat service platform, but still available FTA from the Astra 2 position?

Regards,

Ger Roe.

Sonic_exyouth

Ger Roe wrote: »

Hi,

I have been using an FTA box myself for the past five years and have no problem keeping up to date with re-scans when transponders change - all part of the fun. I have however set my sister up with a spare FTA box and she does not see the fun in trying to chase up channels when they 'move' or 'disappear'.

I am thinking that a freesat box may be the answer here - less maintanance and better epg info. One question springs to mind however - Can a freesat box also receive other FTA services (such as Sky News for example), i.e stations that are not on the Freesat service platform, but still available FTA from the Astra 2 position?

Regards,

Ger Roe.

Ger,

yes, But your sis is going to have to tune them in manually, and then again if they move
Her Freesat Box will have an 'other channels section (usually gotten to by going to 101 BBC1, and going backwards)

Ger Roe

Thanks Sonic,

That's what I needed to know - as long as the non platform specific channels are available somewhere, all should be OK.

I think it's worth a look for her, even if only for the epg facility.

Cheers.

Trevord

Some non Freesat FTA channels are not available at present. There have been problems to date with some boxes when non FTA channels that are tuned in on the non-freesat menu actually join Freesat. The freesat menu fails to add these channels to its menu (the very reason you are thinking of opting for freesat).

Arguably with a freesat box the process of adding non freesat channels is as complicated (if not more so) and involves as much labour as is required in chasing channels that have moved location on an FTA box.

At the moment some non Freesat channels cannot store in the non Freesat channel list (effectively the transponder scan finds no channels). These include some of the music channels as well as the non sport related BBC interactive streams. This may be a deliberate feature of the software aimed at avoiding the problems encountered when non freesat channels join freesat.

Another annoyance is that there is no way to order the non-freesat TV and Radio channels. You end up with radio and TV channels mixed in with each other.

The above affects SD boxes made by Alba (Grundig, Goodmans, Bush). The epg is poor and continues to malfunction. "No Information" is frequently all that displays where the programme details should be.

Finally, there is no "Now and Next" info for non freesat channels which is a bit of an annoyance.

Conclusion: A Freesat box is an OK solution if you are happy watching freesat channels. If you want non freesat FTA channels also and dislike the work involved in maintaing an FTA box, then a Freesat box may not be the perfect solution.

Mike 1972

Can a feeesat box be used for non 28 East satellites ?

Used to be able to do this (albeit with some fiddling) with a $ky digibox until $ky decided to break my box with a software "upgrade"

watty

yes.

Much better.

Sonic_exyouth

Trevord wrote: »

Some non Freesat FTA channels are not available at present. There have been problems to date with some boxes when non FTA channels that are tuned in on the non-freesat menu actually join Freesat. The freesat menu fails to add these channels to its menu (the very reason you are thinking of opting for freesat).

Arguably with a freesat box the process of adding non freesat channels is as complicated (if not more so) and involves as much labour as is required in chasing channels that have moved location on an FTA box.

True, but, actual freesat channels change freq and location, and there is zero effort at all required - and most decent FTA channels are freesat.

Trevord wrote: »

At the moment some non Freesat channels cannot store in the non Freesat channel list (effectively the transponder scan finds no channels). These include some of the music channels as well as the non sport related BBC interactive streams. This may be a deliberate feature of the software aimed at avoiding the problems encountered when non freesat channels join freesat.

This hasn't happened to me.. that I'm aware of.. what channels are these?

Trevord wrote: »

Another annoyance is that there is no way to order the non-freesat TV and Radio channels. You end up with radio and TV channels mixed in with each other.

That is annoying, but, I just added them one at a time, in the order I wanted and the problem was solved. It is still fairly feckin annoying though.

Trevord wrote: »

The above affects SD boxes made by Alba (Grundig, Goodmans, Bush). The epg is poor and continues to malfunction. "No Information" is frequently all that displays where the programme details should be.

Finally, there is no "Now and Next" info for non freesat channels which is a bit of an annoyance.

Conclusion: A Freesat box is an OK solution if you are happy watching freesat channels. If you want non freesat FTA channels also and dislike the work involved in maintaing an FTA box, then a Freesat box may not be the perfect solution.

What exactly do you mean by that?
There is a now and next on Freesat.. and there is a full weeks EPG

Sonic_exyouth

Mike 1972 wrote: »

Can a feeesat box be used for non 28 East satellites ?

Used to be able to do this (albeit with some fiddling) with a $ky digibox until $ky decided to break my box with a software "upgrade"

Yeah, but your better off getting a non-freesat fta box.

mjsmyth

I have used my freesat box (Bush HD) to watch channels on 13 and 19.2e but my FTA box has to be used to control the motor. So yes, it is possible.

The channels that I know cannot be added are:

Flava
Bliss
Flaunt
NME TV

All are on 11642 V 27500. Also, as stated above, the non bbc sport streams also cannot be added.

I never thought that adding non freesat channels was complicated. In fact, compared to many boxes, it is quite easy. The only issue I have is only being able to scan one transponder at a time.

With regards to the EPG being poor and malfuntioning, I beg to differ. i find the EPG fine, it does exactly what I expect of an EPG. As for the No Information issue, I have seen it a couple of times, but quiting and starting the EPG seems to resolve the issue. It should also be noted that I has seen similar issues on Sky boxes.

I do wish that now and next information was available for the non freesat channels, it is a tad annoying.

For me, Freesat boxes offer a simpler and easier to use interface for the general public when compared to a FTA box. One bonus over the Sky EPG is the ability to delete channels from the EPG.

Things I would like to see on Freesat would be the other non sport streams being added to the BBC Red Button service. Likewise, it would be good to have Red Button services on other channels.

It would also be great if ITV improved its HD service, not so much a freesat issue as an ITV issue though.

In my dreams I would like to see access to the RTE Player, but that is never going to happen

Thats all I can think of at the moment.

MJ

Trevord

MJ

I agree that adding non-freesat channels is not complicated, but I guess that depends on who you are. Some people would have no desire to go looking up frequency info on lyngsat.

My point would be that it is possible to manage an FTA box without ever looking up frequency info on lyngsat. But because the Freesat boxes do not do a blind scan for non freesat channels you have to get this info from the web. Easy - but not everyone's cup of tea.

On the EPG my gripe would be that it takes ages to populate (lots of "no info available") and when you are flicking through channels there is the same problem of missing programme names and details in the now and next info.

I'll try your suggestion of quiting and restarting the EPG to get around this issue.

mjsmyth

Hi Trevor,

I take you point about adding in the channels and lyngsat. It is something that is second nature to me by now!

As for the EPG problem, i have only seen in 2 or 3 times since christmas and generally then it has only been on one channel. Its not something that I ever gave a second thought to really.


mj

Bertie Bassett

The above affects SD boxes made by Alba (Grundig, Goodmans, Bush). The epg is poor and continues to malfunction. "No Information" is frequently all that displays where the programme details should be.

Finally, there is no "Now and Next" info for non freesat channels which is a bit of an annoyance.

I got Freesat a few months ago and while I am very happy with it in general, I have a Grundig box and I would say that "no information available" comes up on the EPG for at least 50% of the programmes whenever I bring up the EPG and also when I flick through the stations. Quitting and restarting the EPG makes no difference. I would not recommend Grundig Freesat box for this reason.

cjt156

Could this be caused by signal quality issues? I have the Grundig box too &, while I have seen the occasional hole in the EPG info, its usually spot on.

Bertie Bassett

No, The signal strength bars are nearly always completely orange (it does not give %) which afaik means full signal strength

Sonic_exyouth

Bertie Bassett wrote: »

No, The signal strength bars are nearly always completely orange (it does not give %) which afaik means full signal strength

I thought green was full stength