Sky and Freeview Recorder

DonegalMan

I have a basic Sky subscription which gives me the extra channels for BBC, ITV, etc. but only as "other Channels" which means I can't record them. I'm living along the border and get perfect Freeview reception. If I bought a Freeview recorder would I be able to use it along with my Sky box? If so, how would I wire them up?

same ol sh1te

DonegalMan wrote: »

I have a basic Sky subscription which gives me the extra channels for BBC, ITV, etc. but only as "other Channels" which means I can't record them. I'm living along the border and get perfect Freeview reception. If I bought a Freeview recorder would I be able to use it along with my Sky box? If so, how would I wire them up?

Freeview requires an antenna

muffler

same ol sh1te wrote: »

Freeview requires an antenna

When he says he's getting a perfect picture I think its safe to assume that he has an aerial

same ol sh1te

muffler wrote: »

When he says he's getting a perfect picture I think its safe to assume that he has an aerial

Well then how is there any difference to the setup they have

muffler

same ol sh1te wrote: »

Well then how is there any difference to the setup they have

I think he's asking about recording Freeview as opposed to watching it directly on the telly

muffler

DonegalMan wrote: »

I have a basic Sky subscription which gives me the extra channels for BBC, ITV, etc. but only as "other Channels" which means I can't record them. I'm living along the border and get perfect Freeview reception. If I bought a Freeview recorder would I be able to use it along with my Sky box? If so, how would I wire them up?

You need to decide what type of Freeview recorder you want first. You can geta basic one without the bells and whistles or a Freeview+ or Freeview+ HD. They work along the same lines as the Sky box in that you can view and record HD channels if you get a HD box or record 2 programmes at the same time with the plus feature etc etc.

The HD reorders would be connected directly to the TV with a HDMI cable. Non HD boxes use a scart lead so just check the telly to see that you have spare ports. They are basically plug and play so easy to set up.

Argos have a good selection or even Asda. Here's a pretty reasonable one for the money in Argos.

So make that 10 minute trip down to Strabane

RED L4 0TH

DonegalMan wrote: »

I have a basic Sky subscription which gives me the extra channels for BBC, ITV, etc. but only as "other Channels" which means I can't record them. I'm living along the border and get perfect Freeview reception. If I bought a Freeview recorder would I be able to use it along with my Sky box? If so, how would I wire them up?

Does your TV give you the HD versions of BBC1 etc? If it does, then buy a Freeview HD recorder so you could record these channels.

If you do buy one, put the cable that currently runs to the TV socket from the wall socket (if that is how your reception for Freeview is currently set up) into the 'RF IN' socket of the recorder, and then run another cable from the 'RF OUT' socket of this box to the TV's socket. This allows continued Freeview reception to your TV. Also connect via the HDMI and/or SCART sockets of your TV to view playback of recorded programmes.

DonegalMan

muffler wrote: »

I think he's asking about recording Freeview as opposed to watching it directly on the telly

Exactly, muffler

DonegalMan

RED L4 0TH wrote: »

Does your TV give you the HD versions of BBC1 etc?

Yes

RED wrote:

If you do buy one, put the cable that currently runs to the TV socket from the wall socket (if that is how your reception for Freeview is currently set up) into the 'RF IN' socket of the recorder, and then run another cable from the 'RF OUT' socket of this box to the TV's socket. This allows continued Freeview reception to your TV. Also connect via the HDMI and/or SCART sockets of your TV to view playback of recorded programmes.

You've missed out on the SKY box. At the moment, my aerial goes into the SKY box, and back out to a distribution box which feeds my various TVs around the house. That allows each of them to get Sky as well as the antenna feed.

What I'd ideally like to do is to take the antenna into the Freeview recorder then out to the SKY box as present. I'm hoping that would allow me to view stuff recorded on any TV in the house as well as the current SKY + antenna options.

Would that work?

RED L4 0TH

DonegalMan wrote: »

Yes

You've missed out on the SKY box. At the moment, my aerial goes into the SKY box, and back out to a distribution box which feeds my various TVs around the house. That allows each of them to get Sky as well as the antenna feed.

Apologies. I was guessing your setup as you didn't mention this in your first post.

What I'd ideally like to do is to take the antenna into the Freeview recorder then out to the SKY box as present. I'm hoping that would allow me to view stuff recorded on any TV in the house as well as the current SKY + antenna options.

Would that work?

The Sky box has it's own internal RF modulator, plus the magic eye, which allows you to send your Sky channels, plus recordings, via a UHF signal to the distribution amp and then on to all the TVs in the house. The loop through facility in the Sky box sends your Freeview signals from the aerial to the amp too.

No Freeview recording box (that I'm aware of) has a similar internal modulator, plus magic eye setup, that can do this. It merely has a loop through facility to allow a signal through to a TV. An RF modulator is needed to send the output, including any recordings, from the Freeview box to your system, as the Sky box can do now.

Something like this may work:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/TRI-LINK-Control-Freesat-Freeview-around/dp/B002R634DU/ref=sr_1_2/277-6912655-8605059?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1405182534&sr=1-2&keywords=rf+modulator+freeview+box

Diagram: www.triax.co.uk/upload/tri-link_aug_2010.pdf

Video on it here at the tvtrade.ie website: http://www.tvtrade.ie/triax-trilink-kit.html

It also has a magic eye included to allow remote operation of a set top box.