Replacing NTL with free sat - set up and channels question

thirtythirty

Howdy all,

My parents are looking to replace their current analog NTL tv with *something*.

For the amount of tv they watch, Sky digital (+ multiroom) is too expensive and ntl digitial isn't much better. So what they're thinking is that they'll get Free Sat which can distribute the signal around the house up to 8 ways for free.

The problem though is that two important channels, sky one and national geographic, aren't available on free sat. So now they're saying that they might get free sat, and also one basic sky digital box.

Now i think that kind of defeats the purpose of the whole exercise! If they're spending €1000 - €1500 on a free sat dish + distributer setup, only to get sky digital anyway, that doesn't seem very cost effective!

Are there any other options? Perhaps should they go with the free sat option, but continue receiving the analog ntl for the 2 or 3 extra channels not available on free sat? What happens then when analog is turned off?

PyeContinental

I agree with what you say about the pointlessness of spending money to have cables run for a satellite distribution system only to have sky installed.
If they have to have Sky1 and National Geographic, then there's no point in getting Freesat. They might as well get whichever is the cheapest of Sky multiroom or UPC/NTL/whatever cable is the equivalent.

There is no solution other than to decide whether those two channels are really so important that they necessitate paying for a whole pay-tv service just for them. Some people realise that they only watch a particular channel for one or two series that they enjoy and decide to simply buy the box-set of the series instead. Maybe if they did an "audit" of what they watch Sky1 and Nat Geo for, it could work out that buying a couple of box sets would make a subscription to these channels redundant?

Sonic_exyouth

If they want to wait for DTT.. Sky one is due to be on a paid-for multiplex?

thirtythirty

Sonic_exyouth wrote: »

If they want to wait for DTT.. Sky one is due to be on a paid-for multiplex?

Is DTT digitial terrestrial tv? I have zero idea when that's coming / how you get it / any details!

Could you enlighten please? Thanks.

thirtythirty

craoltoir wrote: »

Got to the terrestrial forum.

Cheers :rolleyes:

I'm busy in work just dipping in here trying to get some information on options on a satellite question. I don't have time to read other forums.

thirtythirty

They've been quoted ~€2700 for a dish, splitter, 4 or 5 boxes, and set up.

That seems like a crazy amount to me, or is that normal?

Tony

I'm not totally impartial but that does seem expenisve. Was that price given after the property was surveyed? Just wondering were there particular installation problems

thirtythirty

That was after the property was surveyed alright, but there was no mention of problems or anything. He just said he'd come "back to them with a quote" and then a letter arrived in the post listing the pieces for the installation, but no prices opposite anything.

I thought it was a bit excessive alright. Like, €1000 euro too exessive.

What are the options? Where are you based?

Tony

spottyelephant wrote: »

What are the options? Where are you based?

I'm sorry I cannot answer as commercial interaction is not allowed here.

thirtythirty

Oh ye, didn't think of that!

Well i'll certainly pass on the information to the 'rents anyway.

Tony

spottyelephant wrote: »

Oh ye, didn't think of that!

Well i'll certainly pass on the information to the 'rents anyway.

Good luck with it. You might consider going with sky multi room on a low package for the first year and then change over to freesat although you need to make sure all the cables are available at a common location in case you wat to add a mutiswitch later to accomodate freesat and RTE from an aerial.