The €5 a Month RTE TG4 only Sky Sub

STB

zerks wrote: »

A friend of mine got a new tv which is DTT compatible-he rang me about it confused,when I explained he simply didn't care as he had Sky which is a microcosm of the general population-he simply bought a new tv and didn't know or care about saorview.

All true. People have become slaves to Sky boxes. Even using them afterwards for the FTA even though they cant get the Irish stations on them and have to use a box with messages about encrypted services.

When the Saorview/Saorsat Combo HD Box is released in stores it will cause a stir because it is an official product and it will in people faces the stations they receive on it. This will most certainly appeal to those:

1. With no jobs
2. Who couldnt be bothered with Sky Sports subs
3. Existing people in 4 channel analogue land who want a little more for free.
4. Watch mainly soaps.
5. Who Are thrifty.

daithi2011

My house had an aerial when I moved in.
I got sky straight away when i moved in and never used the aerial.
A couple of years ago I got a Humax HDR and got freesat. Got rid of sky straight away. At least once a month they are calling with all sorts of offers.
I never missed Sky and wasnt bothered with RTE.

The other day I stuck the aerial cable into the TV for the craic.
What do you know, all the RTE, TV2 Irish difital channels just appeared.
So now I got a small TV with MPEG4 for the kitchen too and using the other point in there.

I had full TV all the time, and never tried it out.
I havent for a few years now, and I will never pay sky another penny ever again.

And if I want to watch the Sky channels I use the Sky player using my Dads Sky account

boomslang

Canceling tomorrow and even if they offer were not going to take it.
Looking at FTA and freesat options now HD a must. Any recomendations welcome.

Cantona's Collars

boomslang wrote: »

Canceling tomorrow and even if they offer were not going to take it.
Looking at FTA and freesat options now HD a must. Any recomendations welcome.

If you have a HD box get your hands on a FTV card from Sky.Access to more HD content than freesat. Get a relative in England to get you one as they're not available for Ireland,there is a way around this but can't find the link.

Mr McBoatface

zerks wrote: »

If you have a HD box get your hands on a FTV card from Sky.Access to more HD content than freesat. Get a relative in England to get you one as they're not available for Ireland,there is a way around this but can't find the link.

Linky

boomslang

Thanks

Widescreen

STB wrote: »

All true. People have become slaves to Sky boxes. Even using them afterwards for the FTA even though they cant get the Irish stations on them and have to use a box with messages about encrypted services.

When the Saorview/Saorsat Combo HD Box is released in stores it will cause a stir because it is an official product and it will in people faces the stations they receive on it. This will most certainly appeal to those:

1. With no jobs
2. Who couldnt be bothered with Sky Sports subs
3. Existing people in 4 channel analogue land who want a little more for free.
4. Watch mainly soaps.
5. Who Are thrifty.

It will interest people as long as the price isn't geared to rip off the punters as is usually the case here. At the end of the day its only the 4 irish channels plus the repeated news we are getting.

I reckon €175 and I might be interested. And i am not joking...

Minstrel27

3e is there too.

JDxtra

A €5/month package is very reasonable and would be attractive to many. I’m not a lover of the way Sky operate, but you have to consider the following advantages as an existing Sky+/Sky+ HD customer:

• Familiarity: Customers are familiar with the technology, the remote and the all-important EPG.
• Same hardware: No initial outlay for new hardware. Check out the price of an official DM8000 Dreambox, or a Freesat HD and Freeview HD receiver.
• Simplicity: The same box gives you access to all the main Irish and UK channels you already had. No switching between boxes.
• 7- day guide: The same full 7 day guide, with series link.
• Support: Full Sky 24x7 customer support.
• Upgrade easily: Want more channels? Need Sky Sports for a few months? Not a problem.
• No re-tuning: Channels come and go, move transponder etc. Not an issue for a Sky box.
• Auto updates: Sky are in for the long haul - the EPG software on Sky boxes will be automatically supported. Can the same be said for some of the combo box manufacturers, or groups of enthusiasts writing firmware for Linux based boxes?

Average Joe doesn’t care or want to know about firmware updates, transponders, MPEG4, USB DTT sticks - he wants simple TV with the channels he knows at a reasonable cost with support if things go wrong.

boomslang

We cancelled today and were offered no end of offers and not once did they mention €5 deal.
Now saving €45 a month. But will use sky box for now and watch whatever is available for free. May then get a freesat box and rescue the hdd from the skybox and archive the equipment to the attic.

56lcd

JDxtra wrote: »

A €5/month package is very reasonable and would be attractive to many. I’m not a lover of the way Sky operate, but you have to consider the following advantages as an existing Sky+/Sky+ HD customer:

• Familiarity: Customers are familiar with the technology, the remote and the all-important EPG.
• Same hardware: No initial outlay for new hardware. Check out the price of an official DM8000 Dreambox, or a Freesat HD and Freeview HD receiver.
• Simplicity: The same box gives you access to all the main Irish and UK channels you already had. No switching between boxes.
• 7- day guide: The same full 7 day guide, with series link.
• Support: Full Sky 24x7 customer support.
• Upgrade easily: Want more channels? Need Sky Sports for a few months? Not a problem.
• No re-tuning: Channels come and go, move transponder etc. Not an issue for a Sky box.
• Auto updates: Sky are in for the long haul - the EPG software on Sky boxes will be automatically supported. Can the same be said for some of the combo box manufacturers, or groups of enthusiasts writing firmware for Linux based boxes?

Average Joe doesn’t care or want to know about firmware updates, transponders, MPEG4, USB DTT sticks - he wants simple TV with the channels he knows at a reasonable cost with support if things go wrong.

Anyone with a HD tv would not want to pay to watch the pathetic picture quality on Sky.
Saorview is free and RTE 2 is broadcasting in superb quality HD.
As more people become aware of the Saorview we will see the end of Sky TV in Ireland.
I can't understand why anyone pays €23+ per month for the channels they get for free on Freesat and in better quality definition on Saorview.
Do sky even broadcast TG4?
TG4 broadcasts a lot of good movies and sport

JDxtra

56lcd wrote: »

Anyone with a HD tv would not want to pay to watch the pathetic picture quality on Sky.
Saorview is free and RTE 2 is broadcasting in superb quality HD.
As more people become aware of the Saorview we will see the end of Sky TV in Ireland.
I can't understand why anyone pays €23+ per month for the channels they get for free on Freesat and in better quality definition on Saorview.
Do sky even broadcast TG4?
TG4 broadcasts a lot of good movies and sport

RTE2 on Saorview is upscaled, so not really HD. RTE1 on Saorview is poor, probably even worse than Sky.

TG4 is of course on Sky.

watty

RTE1 isn't poor on Saorview here.

RTE2 will have HD content soon. Part time.

56lcd

JDxtra wrote: »

RTE2 on Saorview is upscaled, so not really HD. RTE1 on Saorview is poor, probably even worse than Sky.

TG4 is of course on Sky.

Your statement as highlighted in red is completely untrue and disingenuous.
The free RTE1 on Saorview is light years ahead of RTE that you pay for on SKY,
The channels on Saorview fill my 56" 21.9 HD TV screen without picture quality loss where as the pathetic picture on the Sky channels have black bars on the side, furthermore you get the excellent MHEG5 teletext on the Saorview which is of course free.
I simply do not understand why people want to pay €23 for an inferior product when they can get a superior product for free.
Only those that have a vested interest in supporting sky tv would advise people to waste their money paying for it.

Manc-Red

JDxtra wrote: »

RTE1 on Saorview is poor, probably even worse than Sky.

Nope you'd be way of the mark there.

Widescreen

56lcd wrote: »

Your statement as highlighted in red is completely untrue and disingenuous.
The free RTE1 on Saorview is light years ahead of RTE that you pay for on SKY,
The channels on Saorview fill my 56" 21.9 HD TV screen without picture quality loss where as the pathetic picture on the Sky channels have black bars on the side, furthermore you get the excellent MHEG5 teletext on the Saorview which is of course free.
I simply do not understand why people want to pay €23 for an inferior product when they can get a superior product for free.
Only those that have a vested interest in supporting sky tv would advise people to waste their money paying for it.

You could well be getting the black bars on RTE through Sky because you have the picture size on your digibox set to 4:3 whereas it should be 16:9.

I prefer the old text to the MHEG but we all have our own preferences!

56lcd

Widescreen wrote: »

You could well be getting the black bars on RTE through Sky because you have the picture size on your digibox set to 4:3 whereas it should be 16:9.

I prefer the old text to the MHEG but we all have our own preferences!

My TV is 21:9 and Saorview can cope with it where as SKY's 16:9 can not fill the screen.
Some people are nostalgic about old technology

JDxtra

watty wrote: »

RTE1 isn't poor on Saorview here.

RTE2 will have HD content soon. Part time.

Ok, on further inspection it's actually pretty good. Picture is a little soft for my liking, but overall quite good. Maybe I was comparing it too much to RTE2 - which is excellent.

JDxtra

56lcd wrote: »

My TV is 21:9 and Saorview can cope with it where as SKY's 16:9 can not fill the screen.
Some people are nostalgic about old technology

Widescreen channels are broadcast in 16:9. The only way to fill a 16:9 image onto a 21:9 screen is to either crop the top and bottom, or let your TV do a "smart" stretch (basically warps the edges). Neither will produce desirable results.

The fact that your Sky box does not fill your 21:9 screen is due to a setting difference on the AV channel being used or a setting on your set top box. It's nothing to do with the broadcast from Sky.

OldRio

"I simply do not understand why people want to pay €23 for an inferior product when they can get a superior product for free.
Only those that have a vested interest in supporting sky tv would advise people to waste their money paying for it."

I think you hit the nail on the head. Fair play to ya.

watty

Only Ben Hur will nearly "fill" a 21:9 screen. Get used to black bars. No matter WHAT shape TV you have.

Cinema: 1.25:1 approx, 1.33:1 approx (Academy Format) , 1.66:1, 1.85, 2.35/2.4:1, 2.7:1 etc..

TV: 1.33:1 (4:3) or 14:9 mask in 4:3 image (1.33:1, 16:9 and 4:3 masked into 16:9 image (1.85:1)

A 21:9 TV (3.0:1) is designed to ALWAYS have bars at the side that vary. Unless you chopping or stretching the picture, which is terrible.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Original_aspect_ratio

Cantona's Collars

OldRio wrote: »

"I simply do not understand why people want to pay €23 for an inferior product when they can get a superior product for free.
Only those that have a vested interest in supporting sky tv would advise people to waste their money paying for it."

I think you hit the nail on the head. Fair play to ya.

A superior product? 6 channels max on saorview,at least freeview in the UK give a decent selection of channels on DTT.

So it's better cos it's free isn't always the case,there's a lot more to pay tv than Sky One and the sport if you cared to look.Nothing against free tv but the way some of the arguments are put forward here by it's advocates is borderline fanatical. "Cancel Sky,cancel UPC-Free tv is great",lets all watch the soaps and the late late together.Quality stuff (but it's free;))

boomslang

We canceled because we just can't afford it anymore.
So free tv or nothing for us. To get a freesat box will take three or four months saving maybe longer. Sky box fta until then.

Cantona's Collars

boomslang wrote: »

We canceled because we just can't afford it anymore.
So free tv or nothing for us. To get a freesat box will take three or four months saving maybe longer. Sky box fta until then.

That's a genuine reason for cancelling,some posters seem to get a rush from hearing about people cancelling pay tv. They even complain when people state they don't mind paying a fiver a month for something they're familiar and comfortable with.
I use sky boxes for fta in a couple of rooms as they are easy to use,even my toddler can manage it.Trust me, I tried a different box and that got the boot as the missus hated it.
If you have a HD box just keep using that for fta and save your money instead of splashing out on a freesat one (get a ftv card for access to even more hd channels that freesat doesn't have)

Mr McBoatface

@ boomslang :- Like zerks I'd recommend the Free To View card also. Also what is your current TV, if it's a fairly new big brand TV there is a decent chance it's Saorview compatible so you might get RTE etc on it too.

Cantona's Collars

jobyrne30 wrote: »

@ boomslang :- Like zerks I'd recommend the Free To View card also. Also what is your current TV, if it's a fairly new big brand TV there is a decent chance it's Saorview compatible so you might get RTE etc on it too.

Even if the tv isn't compatible,hold off buying a saorview box until all the messing about with certification is sorted plus early adopters pay more for equipment.Prices of boxes will drop dramatically.

BostonB

OldRio wrote: »

"I simply do not understand why people want to pay €23 for an inferior product when they can get a superior product for free.
Only those that have a vested interest in supporting sky tv would advise people to waste their money paying for it."

I think you hit the nail on the head. Fair play to ya.

Say I have a CRT and UPC. How do I get Saoview for "free" ie without spending any money?

STB

BostonB wrote: »

Say I have a CRT and UPC. How do I get Saoview for "free" ie without spending any money?

Stop paying UPC €25+ a month. Thats what say... €300 pa

Buy a HD combo box and connect it up to an aerial and satellite dish. It should cover the costs you would have paid to UPC anyway. Oh yeah all three are now yours to keep and you will have no further bills.

BostonB

That doesn't sound "free"....

Is there a combo freesat/DTT with integrated EPG yet?

boomslang

New TV last year but not dtt. As we get zero reception via ariel.
Will use the fta for now. Might get the sky card via brother in UK but might just live with the current channels to be honest.