free to air, freesat, free view....

Cath86

hi all,

i was wondering cud some one tel me the difference between free to air, freesat etc... i am looking to get a box but have no idea which one to get, dont want anything too expensive, i already have saorview built into tv and is working perfectly for me, just want to get a box so id have a bit more choice, but do not want the monthly payments of sky!!

any info/views on this wud be much appreciated!!

Digifriendly

Freesat is joint BBC/ITV venture and has over 200 FTA channels with a 7 day EPG which makes recording easy especially if you're using a Freesat PVR. There are generic FTA boxes but they only have now and next epg. If I were living in the ROI I would definitely go down the Freesat route as almost all main UK FTA channels are available and can be accessed and recorded from directly e.g. all BBC/ITV/Five and most of their associates.

timesnap

Cath86 wrote: »

hi all,

i was wondering cud some one tel me the difference between free to air, freesat etc... i am looking to get a box but have no idea which one to get, dont want anything too expensive, i already have saorview built into tv and is working perfectly for me, just want to get a box so id have a bit more choice, but do not want the monthly payments of sky!!

any info/views on this wud be much appreciated!!

HiCath86,i see you are new to boards,there is lot of answers to your questions on stickies and previous posts on the broadcasting,satellite and terrestrial forums all come under the tech option sub-forums option.
takes a while to figure were to look.:)

usually FTA= channels that are broadcast without any form of encryption.
FTV requires a card even an expired card will add them to your list of channels without payment.(switch off receiver,remove card and reboot)
for Irish viewers withdrawing even an expired card will bring the FTV UK channels in as FTA as all but the latest Sky box's revert to the UK list of channels.
there is a card available called freesatfromsky that costs about £20 but is all but redundant now.
all above refer to the use of a sky supplied box and dish.

A Freesat kit is an alternative to using sky at all,it is a joint venture between BBC and ITV and has a great selection of channels including free HD ones.
many people are now going for this option combined with Saorview for the the Irish channels.

here is a link to the owner of satellites.ie website Tony.
he posts here in very helpful ways and i see he and others have been giving safety warnings to people wanting to try their own systems,fair play to them!
the link shows just one option of subscription free tv with seven day guides and even recording shows like a Sky/UPC+box do.

http://www.satellite.ie/acatalog/HD_Ariva_120_Combo_Box.html

Soz digifriendly as often happens with me i start a reply and get interrupted before i can finish it,you have made much the same points i see

icdg

Essentially the following is the explanation:

Free-to-air: Non-subscription satellite TV (or indeed, non subscription TV on any platform). Can refer to any of thousands of channels that broadcast via satellite. However in an Irish context normally will refer to free-to-air channels broadcast at 28.8 degrees east on the Astra family of satellites, where UK stations are broadcast. Other European countries have free to air channels and if you point your satellite dish at the right satellite you can pick them up too.

Freesat: A brand name used in the UK for free to air satellite programming on Astra, usually marketed as if it were a "service" but in reality is a particular specification for free-to-air satellite receivers, most notably featuring a proprietary EPG similar to but not exactly the same as the Sky EPG. Promoted by the BBC and ITV.

Freeview: The UK digital terrestrial television service, basically their equivalent to Saorview but with many, many more channels. You need an aerial and to be within range of a UK transmitter to receive this. Only of interest if you live in or near the border with Northern Ireland or along the east coast.

Cath86

icdg wrote: »

Essentially the following is the explanation:

Free-to-air: Non-subscription satellite TV (or indeed, non subscription TV on any platform). Can refer to any of thousands of channels that broadcast via satellite. However in an Irish context normally will refer to free-to-air channels broadcast at 28.8 degrees east on the Astra family of satellites, where UK stations are broadcast. Other European countries have free to air channels and if you point your satellite dish at the right satellite you can pick them up too.

Freesat: A brand name used in the UK for free to air satellite programming on Astra, usually marketed as if it were a "service" but in reality is a particular specification for free-to-air satellite receivers, most notably featuring a proprietary EPG similar to but not exactly the same as the Sky EPG. Promoted by the BBC and ITV.

Freeview: The UK digital terrestrial television service, basically their equivalent to Saorview but with many, many more channels. You need an aerial and to be within range of a UK transmitter to receive this. Only of interest if you live in or near the border with Northern Ireland or along the east coast.

Thanks for that, really clarified it for me, much appreciated!! :-)

Cath86

Any suggestions on wat wud be the best box to get, as ther is so many diff ones on the market....?

Souriau

Cath86 wrote: »

Any suggestions on wat wud be the best box to get, as ther is so many diff ones on the market....?

I go for the Freesat+ system and get a Humax FOXSAT-HDR Freesat+.
but then is what you prefer and afford to get

Cath86

Souriau wrote: »

Cath86 wrote: »

Any suggestions on wat wud be the best box to get, as ther is so many diff ones on the market....?

I go for the Freesat+ system and get a Humax FOXSAT-HDR Freesat+.
but then is what you prefer and afford to get

How much roughly does that retail at, and wher is it available?

The Cush

Cath86 wrote: »

How much roughly does that retail at, and wher is it available?

A few examples
http://www.tvtrade.ie/satellite-receivers/freesat.html
http://satellite.ie/acatalog/Freesat_and_Free_to_Air_receivers.html
http://www.freesat.ie/index.php?cat=Freesat_receivers&ActinicSID=984162c9bb391652f6e272c48b947349
http://www.satellitetv.ie/freesat_uk_receivers

http://www.joinfreesat.co.uk/

t c

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Humax-500GB-Satellite-Receiver-Recorder/dp/B0039J42LM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1330685152&sr=8-1

Usually includes postage if over £50.

Great box, had mine for about six months and no problems. Searched e-bay and got new one delivered for €230. Only has the smaller (320gb) hard drive, but I do have a life..........

Buy the buy, no one mentioned that for Freesat you need a satellite dish and if you want the Irish stations you will need an aerial and a Saorview compatible receiver. I believe there is a Free to Air receiver with both tuners on board, but I do not think it has in-built recording facilities, you cannot record one watch another nor does it have the 7 day Electronic Programme Guide.

TC

Cath86

t c wrote: »

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Humax-500GB-Satellite-Receiver-Recorder/dp/B0039J42LM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1330685152&sr=8-1

Usually includes postage if over £50.

Great box, had mine for about six months and no problems. Searched e-bay and got new one delivered for €230. Only has the smaller (320gb) hard drive, but I do have a life.

Cheers but im not lookin to spend anywher near that amount

St Senan

Cath86 wrote: »

Cheers but im not lookin to spend anywher near that amount

Hi Cath86 what is your budget for a freesat box. someone here can point you in the right direction.

Cath86

scaller wrote: »

Cath86 wrote: »

Cheers but im not lookin to spend anywher near that amount

Hi Cath86 what is your budget for a freesat box. someone here can point you in the right direction.

Wel I dont watch an awful lot or tv but its just to have a choice of something to watch, I have saorview on the tv already, so maybe to spend less than 100 euro if possible....?

Cath86

Any other suggestions??

St Senan

Cath86 wrote: »

Wel I dont watch an awful lot or tv but its just to have a choice of something to watch, I have saorview on the tv already, so maybe to spend less than 100 euro if possible....?

Cath86 you wont get a Freesat and a dish installed for less than €100
The average price for a new Freesat SD and dish system installed is €240
Example of it is here http://www.freesat.ie/index.php?cat=Freesat&ActinicSID=fb02416c4e0c0f7dea23aca3e8349710

Cath86

i already have a dish, just need a box as i keep sayin, so ur not really helping me!!

St Senan

Cath86 wrote: »

i already have a dish, just need a box as i keep sayin, so ur not really helping me!!

Cath86 You never said in any of your posts until now that you have a dish. A little bit more info from you on that would have been HELPFUL to us guys who are trying to help you.
It has been suggested to you from other posters here to get Freesat. And to get a Freesat box you will need to spend more than €100. Have a Look here http://www.satellite.ie/acatalog/Freesat_and_Free_to_Air_receivers.html

St Senan

Could 1 of the Moderators here move this thread to Satellite.
This is the Terrestrial threads.

Cath86

well i did state that i was lookin for a box, i didnt state that i was lookin for a whole package incl dish etc....so when i only said box i assumed u wud know that i was only lookin for a box??...

St Senan

Cath86 wrote: »

well i did state that i was lookin for a box, i didnt state that i was lookin for a whole package incl dish etc....so when i only said box i assumed u wud know that i was only lookin for a box??...

Cath86
If you look at the links that were posted you will get prices on Freesat Boxes. It was told to you already that you wont get a decent Freesat box for less than €100. If you dont want to spend more than that then go to your local TV shop or Xtravision and buy a Budget FTA box but bear in mind that FTA boxes need constant reprogramming.

Cath86

thanks for ur help, its ben great....

Cantona's Collars

NorNor wrote: »

does anyone have recommendations on what is best box to get now for free to air sat tv...hear saorview only gets irish channels?

There's a thread here on a combi box which does both satellite & saorview and it's certified

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056557642

icdg

Given that this thread seems to have moved mainly to discussing satellite, I think its probably the best place for it.

Souriau

Cath86 wrote: »

well i did state that i was lookin for a box, i didnt state that i was lookin for a whole package incl dish etc....so when i only said box i assumed u wud know that i was only lookin for a box??...

If you can travel to Argos in NI then you can get this
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5321557/Trail/searchtext%3EFREESAT.htm
the cheapest Freesat SD box.

watty

Freesat SD and Freeview SD are both a waste of money even if you don't have an HDTV. They are obsolete and for all content (even without an HDTV) you need "Freeview HD" in NI/Border areas and "Freesat HD" elsewhere. I suspect the non-HD boxes are being "dumped" on the market.

Souriau

Thanks Watty,
I had already made my suggestion on post 7 above.
I prefer a FreeSat+, which is a HD Freesat recorder STB but the OP wanted a cheaper system.

Talking of new HD recorder, does anyone know of the new G2 system from Humax?

watty

Sometimes people need to either pay more for decent kit or do without rather than wasting money on a "half baked" solution.

Mr. Rabbit

Cath86 wrote: »

thanks for ur help, its ben great....

Don't forget about the LNB on your dish Cath.

If you want a Freesat HD PVR(recorder) you need at least a dual LNB (two feeds) to enable the box to record. LNBs can have up to 8 feeds (an octo LNB) depending on how many boxes/PVRs you have.

irish homer

im new here sorryif im posting in the wrong thread. i have a question i need help with if someone has the time to reply. I just want to know if my tv already has saorview buildin do i still need a free view combo hd box to watch the irish tv stations and uk hd stations on the one box without switching back and forth etc? im new to technical stuff im sorry if i left some things out

paultf

irish homer wrote: »

im new here sorryif im posting in the wrong thread. i have a question i need help with if someone has the time to reply. I just want to know if my tv already has saorview buildin do i still need a free view combo hd box to watch the irish tv stations and uk hd stations on the one box without switching back and forth etc? im new to technical stuff im sorry if i left some things out

Yes, if your TV already has Saorview, then you'll have to use a satellite receiver to get the UK channels e.g. the Humax freesat is supposed to be good. So as you said you'll have to use 2 remotes to go between the Saorview and the UK channels.

Saorview combo boxes have only just come on the market but they haven't been fully tested. They'll be further improvements and better boxes in the future. With these boxes you only need 1 remote for both the Saorview and UK channels.

One box just out is the Triax 114:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056557642

irish homer

thanks for taking your time to answer mate much apperciated