Is it worth getting Saorview + Freeview if you already have basic UPC ?

J0hnick

Half of my old TV Aerial got blown off my roof when we had the bad winds a while back, I have to get it removed for safety reasons, but seeing as someone will have to go up there anyway is it worth getting a new Aerial for Saorview or even the freeview channels as well ?.

I don't watch much TV, but the misses does (especially the bleedin kardashians ) . Whilst she is happy enough for now she has been on to me about how much she would rather have Sky then UPC, but UPC put me on a reduced package after I got let go from my last Job and told them I wanted to cancel, so they gave me their basic TV with the DVR box for next to nothing. Sky would cost twice as much for less so Im not preared to shell out for it.

Ive got 2 Samsung HDTV's, 1 is 720p Saorview approved and the other one is 1080p and has a compatible tuner, and I wouldn't mind having a few HD channels. Ive also got a DVD recorder that's gathering dust. Other then the HD channels is there much point in getting Saorview + Freeview if you already have a basic UPC TV package ?.

I'm a total noob to this so thanks in advance.

Peter Rhea

Freeview is the UK terrestrial service & you'll only get decent reliable reception in very limited areas in ROI, most of which wouldn't be served by UPC, so you're probably not in an area where such an installation would match satellite for reliability, if it worked at all.

Post your location, along with the make & model of the tvs, as some tvs have integrated satellite tuners, although you'd probably already be aware if this was the case.

icdg

Saorview no, unless you've got TV's with no UPC connection that you intend to use it for. Every channel on Saorview other than the Aertel Digital service and the RTÉ Gold audio channel is also on UPC.

Freeview's only an option if you live near the Border or certain parts of the east coast. Even then, most of the channels are on UPC - the main additions you'd be getting would be the Channel 5 stations.

championc

I assume you have broadband on your UPC so look at the cost of Broadband (and Phone ??) against the price you pay now, assuming you would only cancel the TV package. Then it may be a no-brainer to keep UPC.

And given that you talk about UPC, then I assume you mean you are looking at Saorview + Freesat - and so you'll need to install a dish but then you won't get Sky unless you take out a contract with them

zg3409

Without spending much money, adding just Saorivew and freeview would not give you much extra.

Even with basic UPC DVR freesat would not add many channels, so I would say no, if you are happy to pay UPC, then you already have most of the free channels anyway.

Sky is a better system, but very expensive for even the basics, min 27 per month, and 33 a month for even basic channels (such as discovery, national geographic) etc.

If I was short of cash I would not sign up for Sky. It would be very hard to go back to lesser system afterwards.

recyclebin

Freesat would be a decent addition assuming you currently have UPC basic TV package with just the 55 channels.

I would keep the UPC and maybe add Freesat. Freesat would involve a one off cost of a dish and box. You would get BBC1, BBC2, ITV, Channel 4 and a few news channels in HD for free.

See the websites and see what the options are and if extra channels are of any interest.

UPC: http://www.upc.ie/television/

Freesat/Free to air via satellite dish: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_free-to-air_channels_at_28%C2%B0E