Saorview - Combi box & Satelite

legendary.xix

Has anyone tried out the combi box and satelite. It sounds a good investment from what I've read. More or less €350 has to be spent on the box and getting a satelite installed. With UPC TV & internet €70 a month, and internet on it's own €40 a month, that would equate to €360 a year on tv.

The combi box sounds a far better option, naturally depending on what people watch. Is it too good to be true? Are their any reported problems with the combi box/satelite or is it a good move?

zg3409

Here is what channels you would get:
http://www.tvtrade.ie/free-to-air-tv-channels.html

You won't get premium movies or sports.

If you have UPC at the moment you will lose the likes of Discovery, MTV etc. UPC Also change a downgrade charge. They also charge a "no TV" charge if you only have broadband. the trick is to get the phone but never use it. They you don't have to pay the "no TV" charge.


The general downsides of combi boxes is most do not have 7 day guide on the UK satellite channels. Also recording is a bit less easy than a UPC plus box. Most combos do not have 7 day guide for recording on UK channels. They also do not have series link. This means recording is back to the old setting timers etc.

Also most combos only have one tuner for Satellite and one for Saorview. Thus if you are recording a satellite channel normally you can only watch what you are currently recording and nothing else or else an Irish channel (depends on the box)

For best recording I recommend paying a bit extra and using two boxes, one for UK channels and one for Irish.

Connect the dish to a FreeSAT + HD box. This will allow recording, series link, watching while recording of UK channels.
http://www.freesat.co.uk/products/freesat-box-range

Then use a TV with inbuilt Saorivew or a Saorview box for the Irish channels. At the moment series link is not available on the Irish channels via Saorview but by X-mas there should be a box that allows that.

If you are on UPC and like series linking the Irish channels I would wait until X-mas and the new box to be out before switching.

If you never record and buy a TV guide then a combo box with now and next on the UK channels is fine. If you only record once in a blue moon then you can attach a hard drive and record using a timer.

Make sure to get aq few quotes and compare the features/faults of the different makes of combo boxes.

Any questions please ask.

legendary.xix

zg3409 wrote: »

Here is what channels you would get:
http://www.tvtrade.ie/free-to-air-tv-channels.html

You won't get premium movies or sports.

If you have UPC at the moment you will lose the likes of Discovery, MTV etc. UPC Also change a downgrade charge. They also charge a "no TV" charge if you only have broadband. the trick is to get the phone but never use it. They you don't have to pay the "no TV" charge.

I don't have UPC at the moment. I think if I go with internet only, the package is €40 a month, €45 installation fee and a standalone charge of €7.88 which is charged once I believe?

Thanks for your insight on combi-boxes! You've given plenty food for thought

legendary.xix

zg3409 wrote: »

Here is what channels you would get:
http://www.tvtrade.ie/free-to-air-tv-channels.html

You won't get premium movies or sports.

If you have UPC at the moment you will lose the likes of Discovery, MTV etc. UPC Also change a downgrade charge. They also charge a "no TV" charge if you only have broadband. the trick is to get the phone but never use it. They you don't have to pay the "no TV" charge.

You were 100% correct regards "no TV or phone charge". I'm not sure I can just get a phone and never use it. It seems the best option is to get a phone package added for an extra €5 a month unless I've missed something?