Freesat, whats available

cerastes

Im looking for suggestions for freesat box
Not sure what is available or where to get it, I have no idea whats available
I have sky but plan to cancel it, although going by what Ive read they might try persuade me to stay, I'm willing to call their bluff, but I'd like to have something ready to go.

What boxes are recommended,
Can I still use the same dish and get a new LNB? and how many LNB's can be used per dish? What channels can you get? are boxes recordable?

A relative has freesat, but I didnt ask what channels they have, I didnt think it was too many, Im wondering if there are other channels that can be tuned into legitimately that are available, also the instal looked a bit untidy, wires run through holes in the walls, no connections, just straight from the dish/aerial.
Whatever they got, its there a few years so reckon it has saved them few euro.

Fresh Pots

cerastes wrote: »

Im looking for suggestions for freesat box
Not sure what is available or where to get it, I have no idea whats available
I have sky but plan to cancel it, although going by what Ive read they might try persuade me to stay, I'm willing to call their bluff, but I'd like to have something ready to go.

What boxes are recommended,
Can I still use the same dish and get a new LNB? and how many LNB's can be used per dish? What channels can you get? are boxes recordable?

A relative has freesat, but I didnt ask what channels they have, I didnt think it was too many, Im wondering if there are other channels that can be tuned into legitimately that are available, also the instal looked a bit untidy, wires run through holes in the walls, no connections, just straight from the dish/aerial.
Whatever they got, its there a few years so reckon it has saved them few euro.

Tuning guide sticky has a full list of the channels you'll get, as for box, what is your budget?

cerastes

TheTechGuy wrote: »

Tuning guide sticky has a full list of the channels you'll get, as for box, what is your budget?

I was hoping for 250-300 max, I saw an advert somewhere you could spread the payment for a certain installer, but I was wondering if I could use my exisiting dish and instal it myself.

The Cush

http://www.freesat.co.uk/get-freesat

http://www.joinfreesat.co.uk/ - list of Freesat receivers can be seen on the rh column

The Freesat+ receivers are twin-tuner recorders that record one/watch one or record two/playback one, 7 day epg, series link, subtitles, red button, digital text etc.

The Humax Freesat+ receivers are highly recommended but not cheap. The Manhattan Plaza is a recommended receiver also and cheaper than the Humax.

The Sky dish, LNB and cabling can be used no problem, basically plug and play, you can DIY.

1 LNB per dish, the LNB can be a twin (2 outputs), quad (4 outputs) or octo (8 outputs) depending on how many receivers you have in the house. A Freesat+ PVR (recorder), like a Sky+ PVR, requires 2 feeds from the LNB. A standard Freesat zapper box (non-recorder) requires a single feed from the LNB.

Freesat channels - http://www.channelwiki.org/wiki/List_of_channels_on_Freesat_(UK)

The Irish channels aren't available thru Freesat, a separate Saorview TV or STB or Saorview+ PVR connected to an aerial will be required - http://www.saorview.ie/what-is-saorview/make-the-switch/

Fresh Pots

cerastes wrote: »

I was hoping for 250-300 max, I saw an advert somewhere you could spread the payment for a certain installer, but I was wondering if I could use my exisiting dish and instal it myself.

If you have a dish already for sky then you won't need to get an installer out. It's just a matter of swapping over the boxes. Not actually too up to date on whether the best boxes are at the moment so I'll let someone else answer that question for ya.

cerastes

TheTechGuy wrote: »

If you have a dish already for sky then you won't need to get an installer out. It's just a matter of swapping over the boxes. Not actually too up to date on whether the best boxes are at the moment so I'll let someone else answer that question for ya.

Thanks for the advice, I will look up all the info you provided,
Id heard about an Amica box? and saw some mention of it on boards, but it was more technical stuff.

I should ask, is the sky wiring useable, it has a twin cable, Im thinking with multiple LNB, I wasnt even aware there were twin LNB's, I could have cables going to different rooms, any special crimper tools needed for making up the cable ends?

cerastes

The Cush wrote: »

http://www.freesat.co.uk/get-freesat

http://www.joinfreesat.co.uk/ - list of Freesat receivers can be seen on the rh column

The Freesat+ receivers are twin-tuner recorders that record one/watch one or record two/playback one, 7 day epg, series link, subtitles, red button, digital text etc.

The Humax Freesat+ receivers are highly recommended but not cheap. The Manhattan Plaza is a recommended receiver also and cheaper than the Humax.

The Sky dish, LNB and cabling can be used no problem, basically plug and play, you can DIY.

1 LNB per dish, the LNB can be a twin (2 outputs), quad (4 outputs) or octo (8 outputs) depending on how many receivers you have in the house. A Freesat+ PVR (recorder), like a Sky+ PVR, requires 2 feeds from the LNB. A standard Freesat zapper box (non-recorder) requires a single feed from the LNB.

Freesat channels - http://www.channelwiki.org/wiki/List_of_channels_on_Freesat_(UK)

The Irish channels aren't available thru Freesat, a separate Saorview TV or STB or Saorview+ PVR connected to an aerial will be required - http://www.saorview.ie/what-is-saorview/make-the-switch/

Thanks for the info too,
Can the boxes you mentioned be gotten here in Ireland?

So seperate box for the saorview is needed

The Cush

cerastes wrote: »

Id heard about an Amica box? and saw some mention of it on boards, but it was more technical stuff.

I should ask, is the sky wiring useable, it has a twin cable, Im thinking with multiple LNB, I wasnt even aware there were twin LNB's, I could have cables going to different rooms, any special crimper tools needed for making up the cable ends?

Don't know anything about an Amica box, it would be a FTA satellite receiver - not Freesat.

As I posted above the Sky dish, LNB and cabling can be used no problem, basically plug and play, you can DIY.

The type of LNB required will depend on how many receivers you plan to use, an Octo LNB can feed 4 Freesat+ receivers or 8 single zapper boxes.

To feed other rooms satellite grade co-ax cable and screw-on F-connectors will be required.

The Cush

cerastes wrote: »

Can the boxes you mentioned be gotten here in Ireland?

So seperate box for the saorview is needed

Yes, do a goole search. Might be cheaper to buy online or in NI.

Yes, separate STB or Saorview TV required for the Irish channels.

Another option is a non-Freesat Saorview combi box that includes both a Saorview tuner and FTA satellite tuner, not a PVR, no 7 day guide for the sat channels, no text etc. - http://www.tvtrade.ie/satellite-receivers/combined-digital-receivers.html

winston_1

You don't need to buy a box at all. Your Sky box will get free to air channels after cancellation.

mike65

Can't record though.

cerastes

winston_1 wrote: »

You don't need to buy a box at all. Your Sky box will get free to air channels after cancellation.

mike65 wrote: »

Can't record though.

Thanks for that advice, I came across that elsewhere on boards, that the sky box will get free to air, Im assuming UK and Irish? Is that correct?

I know I wont be able to record but its not important, I dont know where I was thinking of my 250-300 budget, its not realistic, its meant to be an idea to save money now as thats the main issue. Thanks for the advice and I hope I didnt waste the time of people that provided replies and detailed information.

If Im going the sky box route as free to air, I had wanted to chuck the lot and save tv licence too but she refuses, can I just use one cable? I heard the second is needed for recording (PVR?), which one? can I get an extension of this? the connections are called dish input 1 and dish input 2,

Also on a side not, my sky box only seems to work connected by scart, when I disconnect it, I get nothing from the connected Hdmi? can anyone tell me what Im doing wrong, I thought scart wasnt needed?

The Cush

cerastes wrote: »

Thanks for that advice, I came across that elsewhere on boards, that the sky box will get free to air, Im assuming UK and Irish? Is that correct?

....

If Im going the sky box route as free to air, I had wanted to chuck the lot and save tv licence too but she refuses, can I just use one cable? I heard the second is needed for recording (PVR?), which one? can I get an extension of this? the connections are called dish input 1 and dish input 2,

A Sky box without a sub will not get the Irish channels, they are encrypted on satellite due to rights issues. A Saorview TV or STB with aerial will be required.

A single cable to input 1 will do and the cable can be extended.

cerastes

The Cush wrote: »

A Sky box without a sub will not get the Irish channels, they are encrypted on satellite due to rights issues. A Saorview TV or STB with aerial will be required.

A single cable to input 1 will do and the cable can be extended.

Ok, I dont think my tv is Saorview enabled or had it available, it was bought in 2008, its a flat screen, I'll look up the other links to see if I can see a cheap set top box but I dont use the Irish channels anyway.

I might try squeeze something out of sky first by cancelling which i plan to do anyway, As Im willing to cut it off anyway, Im prepared to sit it out for calling their bluff, if they ring back good, if not then Im not concerned.

But I would like to go to free to air as even my relative that has had theirs something like 2 years or more, which flew in, they have it well paid off in the first year

The Cush

cerastes wrote: »

Ok, I dont think my tv is Saorview enabled or had it available, it was bought in 2008, its a flat screen, I'll look up the other links to see if I can see a cheap set top box but I dont use the Irish channels anyway.

I purchased a TV in early 2008 which works OK with Saorview but at the time I did make sure that I was buying a TV with the correct digital decoder for the future Irish DTT service. Post the model no. of the TV and someone here may be able to check it out for you.

This Alba Saorview STB from Argos is one of the cheapest on the market at the moment, €50 - http://www.argos.ie/static/Browse/ID72/14419633/c_1/1%7Ccategory_root%7CHome+entertainment+and+sat+nav%7C14419512/c_2/2%7C14419512%7CDigital+boxes+and+services%7C14419633/r_001/4%7CBrands%7CAlba%7C1.htm

cerastes

The Cush wrote: »

I purchased a TV in early 2008 which works OK with Saorview but at the time I did make sure that I was buying a TV with the correct digital decoder for the future Irish DTT service. Post the model no. of the TV and someone here may be able to check it out for you.

This Alba Saorview STB from Argos is one of the cheapest on the market at the moment, €50 - http://www.argos.ie/static/Browse/ID72/14419633/c_1/1%7Ccategory_root%7CHome+entertainment+and+sat+nav%7C14419512/c_2/2%7C14419512%7CDigital+boxes+and+services%7C14419633/r_001/4%7CBrands%7CAlba%7C1.htm

I cant see a model number from a quick look, Ill try find if its compatible with saorview online with google, but if I dont I'll post it here when I get the model number, presumably I could see Irish freeview without anything to do?

cerastes

Turns out, the old 2008 tv isn't compatible with saorview