Head Wrecked

BigFish75

Hi all,

I have full UPC availability i.e. the new cable with broadband etc and have an old legacy standard Go Digital Max Pack account with them for just €33.75 per month which gives me a digital box in one room with the basic/standard channels and an analogue feed to 3 other TV's around the house. (I pay for Eircom Broadband seperately but that's going to change)

I wanted to add more channels including HD channels and PVR capability but didn't want to commit to a long term monthly bill of +/- €90 with UPC so went for a HD+ Freesat Satellite system a few weeks ago but I think I've made a mistake as the kids really like the kids channels on UPC and I miss RTE, Sky News and some of the other channels avaiable on my bog standard UPC package but not available on FreeSat. (I thought the channel selection on Freesat would be much wider than it is, my fault I know!)

The problem I now have is what do I do to fix the situation? I have a FreeSat system which doesn't give me what I want and I'm still paying the UPC standard package which also doesn't give me what I want.

What do people recommend? If UPC had Sky Sports HD I'd probably cut the kids food budget (joking!) and go for the full 9 yards of the Fibre Ultimate HD Pakage with Sky Movies and 2 multi room subscriptions which would total €115 a month. The alternative is to use my new dish for a Sky subscription for the Kids Pack + Sports 1&2 and Movies 1&2 + HD Pack + one Multi Room which would equal €85 a month but I'd then have to get broadband from UPC which would bring the total cost back up the equivalent €115 for the all in UPC option.

I seriously can't get my head around what I should do and very much hope someone here can put me straight!!

It seems to me having re-read what I've just posted that I actually wasted €400 putting in a FreeSat system trying to avoid a monthly bill for TV but the reality is without the Irish Channels (and I don't want a seperate Ariel or DTT) and without the kids channels FreeSat doesn't cut the mustard and I should just bite the bullet and somehow re-jig the family budget to afford the full €115 UPC package.

Have I reached the right conclusion? Is there any other alternative?

See, my head is completely wrecked by this!!!

Please please please put me out of my misery.

Fish

BigFish75

C'mon fellow Boardsies!! 49 Views and zero feedback.

Is the problem too complex to comment on or is the solution so obvious no one can be bothered commenting?

I was hoping to be out of my misery by now

Fish

Finne1993

No, no other alternative if you need the channels you're talking about; Sports, Movies and Kids. There is no other way round paying a subscription unless you go the motorised route and pick up foreign satellites but can be too costly and complicated and not the simplest to set up and use. On top of that you still wont get RTE that way either. You may make your mind up between Sky and UPC.

BigFish75

Finne1993,

Thanks for taking the time to confirm that. I guess it is obvious when you think about it.

If I slash the kids Santa budget in half and skip the family holiday I should be fine!!

Fish