Getting started with free to air and soarview?

subscriber

I currently have sky but am not making the use of it and so will be downgrading to free to air.

I was told by a local installer that i can use the existing sky dish on the house to receive free to air channels but that I will need a new box of some description.

I`m very uncertain about what exactly I need to get free to air (including UK channels) and soarview up and running in the house. I also have a soarview box sitting in the house but it`s not connected up to anything..Its just lying in a drawer.

Any help on the essentials appreciated....

Gerry Wicklow

Ok you have several choices depending on budget and techie know-how. First off your existing Sky box may get you the basic FTA channels. Remove the Sky card and reboot to see what happens. It will not record without a sub.
A FreeSat branded box is the easiest straight swap for Sky as it gives a 7day EPG and auto tuning etc. Dearer models also record.
Neither of the above will give you the Irish (Saorview) channels. It's possible your existing TV is suitable for Saorview or you can use your existing Saorview box. In either case you will need a conventional aerial for Saorview. This also means several remotes and switching between inputs on the TV.
The next option is a Combo (satellite and Saorview) box. Basic ones only give now/next EPG for the satellite channels and limited recording. More advanced Linux based boxes give full 7 day EPG for all channels with advanced recording options, record one while watching another, live pause etc etc. All channels merged into one list etc so only 1 remote. The downside is they need a bit of setting up and maintenance. No problem if you are anyway techie.
There is a rumour of a 'FreeSat' and Saorview box coming but ...

Thurston?

subscriber wrote: »

... I also have a soarview box sitting in the house but it`s not connected up to anything..Its just lying in a drawer.

Presumably it's a terrestrial-only model?

richieg

I'm in the same boat and considering dropping sky.

What box do you recommend that can view and record soar view and free to air channels? Where do you recommend buying from?

amikoalien2

richieg wrote: »

I'm in the same boat and considering dropping sky.

What box do you recommend that can view and record soar view and free to air channels? Where do you recommend buying from?

Boils down to budget

a lot of free to air combo boxes will record using just a simple usb key but this is not ideal
I initally bought an Amiko alien 2 and used a usb powered hard drive this gave a lot of trouble but in fairness it was a old used hard drive

If you want to be able to record a sat station while watching another sat station
Or record 2 sat stations while watching rte
you would be as well to get a triple tuner box like the edission os3 or a technomate or vu+
Try to get one that takes an internal hard drive
I picked up a vu+duo 2 and removed the hard drive from the old sky box and stuck that in and have had 0 issues since

I initally bought my alien 2 from tvtrade.ie for around €140 or so
the Vu+Duo 2 was closer to € 350

subscriber

Thurston? wrote: »

Presumably it's a terrestrial-only model?

I`d need an explanation on what you mean by terrestrial-only model to answer your question but presumably you mean it will give Irish terrestrial channels such as rte 1 and 2 along with tv3 and tv4 yes??

subscriber

Would any generic combi tuner box do the trick if I wasn't interested in the record function? I see this website has some as low as 58 euros: http://www.freetv.ie/saorview/boxes/combos.html

Also, will one of these combi tuner boxes just plug and play as a receiver on it`s own or will I need to connect it to my external sky dish on the side wall of my house? Will I need an installation company to come to the house or could I self install after buying a combi box?

Gerry Wicklow

subscriber wrote: »

I`d need an explanation on what you mean by terrestrial-only model to answer your question but presumably you mean it will give Irish terrestrial channels such as rte 1 and 2 along with tv3 and tv4 yes??

subscriber wrote: »

Would any generic combi tuner box do the trick if I wasn't interested in the record function? I see this website has some as low as 58 euros: http://www.freetv.ie/saorview/boxes/combos.html

Also, will one of these combi tuner boxes just plug and play as a receiver on it`s own or will I need to connect it to my external sky dish on the side wall of my house? Will I need an installation company to come to the house or could I self install after buying a combi box?

Terrestrial means it uses a conventional aerial and will only get the Irish (Saorview) channels unless you are near the border or some parts of the East coast.
Basic, generic combo boxes need a connection to both a conventional aerial AND a satellite dish. They will only show now/next info for the satellite channels. They are not 'plug and play' and will need to be tuned/configured to suit your location.
BTW the prices you were looking at do not include VAT.

amikoalien2

subscriber wrote: »

Would any generic combi tuner box do the trick if I wasn't interested in the record function? I see this website has some as low as 58 euros: http://www.freetv.ie/saorview/boxes/combos.html

Also, will one of these combi tuner boxes just plug and play as a receiver on it`s own or will I need to connect it to my external sky dish on the side wall of my house? Will I need an installation company to come to the house or could I self install after buying a combi box?

just to add that you can get free tv.ie to preconfigure the box for the satellite stations
and nothing stopping you doing the self install / terrestial install
just be careful up the ladder :-)
the sat cables can just be unscrewed from the sky box and put straight onto a combi box

Thurston?

subscriber wrote: »

I`d need an explanation on what you mean by terrestrial-only model to answer your question

One that isn't a combi. Might seem like a silly question but I'm sure people have bought 'Saorview boxes' with onboard satellite tuners, & probably don't have it explained properly.

'Terrestrial' ultimately refers to the earth-based transmitting stations, as opposed to satellites.

Wabbit Ears

I have a LG TV and My dad has a sony and both have dual aerial and satellite tuners. Aerial lead and sat lead just run into the back of the TV and no external box needed. Slight downside is no combined EPG but thats really no biggie.

Dad used to have a XORO combi box from TVtrade, now freetv.ie and its a grand, if basic, bit of sat/aerial combining kit with a single epg.

subscriber

I`m gonna have a better look at this saorview box I have at home tonight and post some information about it tomorrow to see if I can gauge a reaction from ye on what it`s capable or not capable of doing...

After that.. Ill have to price around some local installers to see what it would set me back for a combi-box if needed with installation.

Alpha Delta

subscriber wrote: »

I`m gonna have a better look at this saorview box I have at home tonight and post some information about it tomorrow to see if I can gauge a reaction from ye on what it`s capable or not capable of doing...

After that.. Ill have to price around some local installers to see what it would set me back for a combi-box if needed with installation.

From what i have been reading and the fact you said you have sky, most if the combi boxes dont require much installation. Just disconnect the sky box, plug the connections into the combi box and fire it up. Some of the boxes will tune the channels from there and you're laughing.

I'm moving house and hoping to ditch Sky then and go freesat and Netflix. The house I'm buying has a dish so hopefully there wont be too much messing about.

subscriber

Haven't had a chance to post in a while but below is the picture of the soarview box I mentioned I have at home. I'm fairly certain it's a terrestrial box.

I also removed a sky viewing card from the sky box and figured out that I've over 150 channels coming through the sky box for free with the card removed which really begs the question of whether it's worth investing in a combi box. Even with the annoyance of having to possibly switch cables back and forth to switch between the sky box and the soarview box it may be worth it if it means saving 100 cash or more.

I'll need to price around.

decor58

Subscriber, what is the model number of your TV, it may be saorview,in which case you just need an aerial. Your sky remote could be used for both sky box and TV. Check your model online or post it here.

Gerry Wicklow

subscriber wrote: »

Haven't had a chance to post in a while but below is the picture of the soarview box I mentioned I have at home. I'm fairly certain it's a terrestrial box.

I also removed a sky viewing card from the sky box and figured out that I've over 150 channels coming through the sky box for free with the card removed which really begs the question of whether it's worth investing in a combi box. Even with the annoyance of having to possibly switch cables back and forth to switch between the sky box and the soarview box it may be worth it if it means saving 100 cash or more.

I'll need to price around.

You're dead right, that is a terrestrial only box. Satellite uses screw on "F" connectors. AFAIK the main disadvantages of using an out-of-sub Sky box are
1. No recording and
2. The channels are intermixed with sub only channels although I believe you can add some to a favourites list.

subscriber

Back again....Still haven't committed to anything yet as just been to busy lately. Got a quote from a local installer that will cost between 250-300 which seems high to me. The combi box they are offering costs 109 euros and I reckon I could save here by buying online.

http://www.freetv.ie/combo-receiver.html

Wondering what you guys think of the box in the above link? Don`t need anything fancy at all. Just the ability to view soarview and free to air channels...not chasing the record function or 7 day EPG or anything like that.
Only thing I have to find out next now is if the installer will do the install off a box that I have bought online myself.

Also...Have any of you dealt with the above company "freetv.ie"?

Thurston?

subscriber wrote: »

... Don`t need anything fancy at all. Just the ability to view soarview and free to air channels...not chasing the record function or 7 day EPG or anything like that.

I think it was asked already, but what's the make & model of your TV? Would already cover the above, if it has a satellite tuner, not exactly uncommon.

subscriber

Thurston? wrote: »

I think it was asked already, but what's the make & model of your TV? Would already cover the above, if it has a satellite tuner, not exactly uncommon.

It`s a Blaupunkt TV. Model number is long but it`s 32/122I-GB-3B2-HBKUP-EU.

It`s probably worth mentioning that I have attempted to get program the sky remote to control the tv several times over the past two years with no success. Have been in touch with the manufacturer and sky in an attempt to this with no success so I don`t know does that say something about the TV`s ability to broadcast free to air without a combi box as mentioned?

Carawaystick

Where are you based in relation to a transmission mast for tv?

check http://coverage.rtenl.ie/RTENLcoveragechecker.php


What you need is an Aerial to get rté.
You have a working dish for free to air satellite channels.

if you want to get an aerial setup, the dtt box you have will let you tune in terrestrial, and use the sky box for now.
then you can switch to a combi box after.

Carawaystick

Where are you based in relation to a transmission mast for tv?

check http://coverage.rtenl.ie/RTENLcoveragechecker.php


What you need is an Aerial to get rté.
You have a working dish for free to air satellite channels.

if you want to get an aerial setup, the dtt box you have will let you tune in terrestrial, and use the sky box for now.
then you can switch to a combi box after.

joebloggs32

Buy a uk sky free to air card on ebay. Will cost less than a tenner. Stick it in the sky box and it will reconfigure your box. A new easier to use epg with all the free uk stations like bbc and itv will appear from 101 up.

subscriber

joebloggs32 wrote: »

Buy a uk sky free to air card on ebay. Will cost less than a tenner. Stick it in the sky box and it will reconfigure your box. A new easier to use epg with all the free uk stations like bbc and itv will appear from 101 up.

Will the free to air channels still be mixed in with subscription channels or will it only show free to air channels oonce the new UK card goes into it? Also...I presume no access to Irish terrestrial channels through this?

Thurston?

subscriber wrote: »

It`s a Blaupunkt TV. Model number is long but it`s 32/122I-GB-3B2-HBKUP-EU.

Can't find specs. for that exact model but, what I can find would suggest it doesn't have a satellite tuner.

It should work with Saorview though, & also record programmes via its USB port.

decor58

subscriber wrote:

Will the free to air channels still be mixed in with subscription channels or will it only show free to air channels oonce the new UK card goes into it? Also...I presume no access to Irish terrestrial channels through this?

Yes, it will show the full EPG, just put the free ones on the favourites list.

joebloggs32

subscriber wrote: »

Will the free to air channels still be mixed in with subscription channels or will it only show free to air channels oonce the new UK card goes into it? Also...I presume no access to Irish terrestrial channels through this?

Correct, no access to Irish channels, but if you don't want to spend much cash, you could do it this way along with your saorview box.
The paid channels will still be mixed in but if you want to see the order the epg will be just take out your sky card today and then power off and on your box and the uk epg will appear. Not all the free to air channels will appear today as nowadays sky have some kind of a block on some of them without a card, bit if you buy one of the uk sky fta cards you will be ok.
By the way I ditched sky last year. I have 3 tvs. All have saorview and sat tuners. I bought an aerial from an installer and got him to hook it all up , using the existing sky dish. Cost about €200 all in.
One smart Tv for Netflix. Also have an android tv box. I now can see MORE than ever at a fraction of the cost.