Need some help ditching Sky!

nellocono

Hi All,
I have a few questions which I could do with some help on..

Firstly, my friend recently got a a guy to install the free sat for him and he got rid of Sky. However, I think the menu on the box for surfing channels is not very good.
Which freesat box is the most recommended that has a good look and feel to it?

Also, not sure here, but can I simply take the cable from my Sky box and plug into the new free sat box and off I go?

Lastly, my question is on RTE...I would have to have RTE channels on my TV..Anytime I plug an aerial into the back of my telly the quality is pretty bad...is there some better way of getting crystal clear RTE tv?

Sorry if these questions have been asked before but I cannot find them..

Thanks in advance,

Nell

ftakeith

get combo satellite/ terrestrial to connect to your satellite and get an outdoor tv aerial you would 36 decent uk fta tv channels on the satellite, from possibly by the end of the october 2010 the 4 irish tv channels in digital and other future irish channels such as 3e, irish film channel and oireachtas

nellocono wrote: »

Hi All,
I have a few questions which I could do with some help on..

Firstly, my friend recently got a a guy to install the free sat for him and he got rid of Sky. However, I think the menu on the box for surfing channels is not very good.
Which freesat box is the most recommended that has a good look and feel to it?

Also, not sure here, but can I simply take the cable from my Sky box and plug into the new free sat box and off I go?

Lastly, my question is on RTE...I would have to have RTE channels on my TV..Anytime I plug an aerial into the back of my telly the quality is pretty bad...is there some better way of getting crystal clear RTE tv?

Sorry if these questions have been asked before but I cannot find them..

Thanks in advance,

Nell

ricman

Get an uhf aerial with a booster unit,around 20 euro.Put the aerial on a window sill, move it round until the picture gets better.

MartyM

nellocono wrote: »

Which freesat box is the most recommended that has a good look and feel to it?

The Humax FOXSAT-HDR is by far the most popular:

http://www.humaxdigital.com/global/products/product_stb_satellite_foxsat-hdr.asp

As it's a Freesat box, you get a 7 day EPG, you also have recording functionality like Sky+ and it's HD.

If you like the Sky Menus, etc, just cancel your subscription and keep using your Sky box...remove your card, power cycle and get the English EPG. You could also try and get a "Freesat from Sky" card (White Card) for your Sky box which will give you a few more FTV channels such as Sky 3, Fiver, etc...not sold to Irish addresses though!

nellocono wrote: »

Also, not sure here, but can I simply take the cable from my Sky box and plug into the new free sat box and off I go?

Yes, ideally (for the Humax above) you would need 2 cables (like Sky+) to get the full recording functionality, i.e. watch one channel, record another and possibly for "series link" to work also??

nellocono wrote: »

Lastly, my question is on RTE...I would have to have RTE channels on my TV..Anytime I plug an aerial into the back of my telly the quality is pretty bad...is there some better way of getting crystal clear RTE tv?

Via an aerial or a Sky subscription is the only way to receive RTE. Get someone to check the aerial on your roof and while their at it ask them will it suffice for DTT.

The Sat/Terrestrial combo boxes are not Freesat, therefore most (if not all) do not have the 7 day EPG and most (if not all) need to be manually rescanned for channel updates. Sky and Freesat do this automatically.

The benefit of the combo box is that you get FTA and DTT (when it eventually launches) on the one box. However, if you cannot receive a good analog signal now, you may not be able to receive DTT??? Experts on here would know more...

JDxtra

Or, before you buy anything ring Sky and say you are thinking of leaving. They brought my pack down to €10.50 per month. Not a bad deal I think.

Sam Russell

One draw back of the Freesat box, like the Foxsat PVR, is that you cannot record Irish tv on it. It will only record from the satellite, not from the scart or other input. Other than that, freesat+ is a brilliant service. If you live in a strong signal area, almost anything will work as an aerial.

I use a splitter/combiner to bring the aerial and sat signal down one cable, (I have 2 cables fed to the Humax).

As for post code, I use SW1 1AA, which works as it is a legal post code, but I do not know where it is, except it is in London SW1.

MACHEAD

Sam Russell wrote: »

As for post code, I use SW1 1AA, which works as it is a legal post code, but I do not know where it is, except it is in London SW1.

I think I recognise that one, if memory serves me correctly it's BBC Broadcasting House in London.

Sam Russell

MACHEAD wrote: »

I think I recognise that one, if memory serves me correctly it's BBC Broadcasting House in London.

I think you are right. If I need a post code, I use BT1 1AA for Norn Iron, or SW1 1AA for London. Easy to remember.:)