Looking for freesat channels in HD -sky HD box?

mikeybrennan

I want to get the BBC channels etc in HD

I'm just wondering if I buy a used sky HD box will it do the job or is there any pitfalls?

I have all the dish setup as there was a satellite box installed previously

Thanks

The Cush

If you just want the free channels a Freesat box is the best option, 7 day guide, auto channels update etc. The recorder option gives you twin tuners for watching/recording, series linking.

https://www.freesat.co.uk/get-freesat/all-boxes
https://www.tvchannellists.com/List_of_channels_on_Freesat_(UK)

Johnboy1951

IMO, buying a Sky+HD box for FTA/Freesat channels is a waste of money and an exercise to test your patience and perseverance.

As above, get a Freesat STB, or at minimum get a FTA Satellite STB.
Having to re-tune a few channels every now and again (not necessary on a Freesat box) is a small price to pay compared with the frustration of using a Sky+HD box for FTA.

mikeybrennan

Thanks

What about a regular sky box for SD channels?

Are they suitsd to that

decor58

mikeybrennan wrote:

I'm just wondering if I buy a used sky HD box will it do the job or is there any pitfalls?

Having been down the road with the Sky box, the Freesat box is the way to go. If the Sky hd box was used on a subscription in Ireland it will put Rte first and Bbc way down the list. You can get an ex sub uk sky card on adverts and that will put BBC1 on 101 but then you can't record and still have the noise of the hdd. As you want the hd channels, the smaller box (drx595), doesn't have a hard disc but the channels are still in sky's order, ie all the non fta channels are still there, you can put the fta channels on a favourite list. The bog standard sd box, not the sky+, is OK as a fta receiver but then no hd.

Johnboy1951

mikeybrennan wrote: »

Thanks

What about a regular sky box for SD channels?

Are they suitsd to that

All Sky boxes are built for a subscription service.
Without a subscription they are seriously lacking compared to almost all other STBs.

If you get one delivered to your door for zero cost then it will do as a 'stop-gap' ..... but that is all it will ever be except for one use that I know of ....... if you are an eir customer then you can get a Sky/eir card and have the eir sports channels on a Sky+HD box for zero cost.
No other STB will do for this.

Other than that a used Freesat or FTA STB is better than a used Sky STB without a subscription.

muffler

The only thing wrong with a Sky HD or regular box is that the EPG is not very user friendly. So if you dont mind inputting a 3 digit number on the remote control or scrolling through quite a few pages every time you wish to view a different channel then I would have no problem in recommending it.

The pluses outweigh the negatives as far as Im concerned.

jca

Just put the channels you watch on the favourites.

mackersdublin

Another plus for a Sky HD box is the option of adding the eir sport pack and channel numbers rarely change compared to changing their frequency

If you're not bothered about recording and series link, a Sky box is far cheaper than a Freesat one

mikeybrennan

i had a sky sd box before and it was fine for the english channels

does the HD box work differently or is it very similar in what to expect?

i dont want to spend a 100 euro for the channels

Johnboy1951

muffler wrote: »

The only thing wrong with a Sky HD or regular box is that the EPG is not very user friendly. So if you dont mind inputting a 3 digit number on the remote control or scrolling through quite a few pages every time you wish to view a different channel then I would have no problem in recommending it.

The pluses outweigh the negatives as far as Im concerned.

Only?

Either you jest or you have no experience of comparing a non-subscribed Sky+HD box with even a FTA STB, not to mention a Freesat STB.

The user experience is absolutely horrible with such a Sky box ..... multiple key presses for a simple channel choice, no ability to arrange the channels to one's own preference, having to make special arrangements for channels that Sky do not list, no ability to use the built in HDD to record ...... and more.

Maybe you would list these 'pluses' of which you speak?

I certainly cannot find any of note ...... and I have both a non-subscribed Sky+HD box here in use for Eir Sports, and other FTA Satellite STBs as well as other systems.

The Sky box is the only frustrating device I use ..... and I use it only because I cannot receive eir sports without it!

jca wrote:

Just put the channels you watch on the favourites.

Yes, do that, and now try changing the channel using the channel up and down button, to see if you get the next channel from your favourites list.
You won't!
It will go to the next numbered channel that Sky has programmed and the user cannot change.

So to see the favourite channel list in order to select a different channel I make multiple key presses .....
backup
backup to get to All Channels
left to get to Fav heading
scroll down to the required channel

If there is a simpler way to do this please let me know as I have not found it.

Johnboy1951

mikeybrennan wrote: »

i had a sky sd box before and it was fine for the english channels

does the HD box work differently or is it very similar in what to expect?

i dont want to spend a 100 euro for the channels

No need to spend €100
You can get a NEW FTA Satellite receiver for about €40 upwards.
http://www.freetv.ie/?subcats=Y&pcode_from_q=Y&pshort=Y&pfull=Y&pname=Y&pkeywords=Y&search_performed=Y&q=satellite+receiver&dispatch=products.search

jca

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

Only?

Either you jest or you have no experience of comparing a non-subscribed Sky+HD box with even a FTA STB, not to mention a Freesat STB.

The user experience is absolutely horrible with such a Sky box ..... multiple key presses for a simple channel choice, no ability to arrange the channels to one's own preference, having to make special arrangements for channels that Sky do not list, no ability to use the built in HDD to record ...... and more.

Maybe you would list these 'pluses' of which you speak?

I certainly cannot find any of note ...... and I have both a non-subscribed Sky+HD box here in use for Eir Sports, and other FTA Satellite STBs as well as other systems.

The Sky box is the only frustrating device I use ..... and I use it only because I cannot receive eir sports without it!




Yes, do that, and now try changing the channel using the channel up and down button, to see if you get the next channel from your favourites list.
You won't!
It will go to the next numbered channel that Sky has programmed and the user cannot change.

So to see the favourite channel list in order to select a different channel I make multiple key presses .....
backup
backup to get to All Channels
left to get to Fav heading
select to bring up the list
scroll down to the required channel

If there is a simpler way to do this please let me know as I have not found it.

Just press the blue button and it cycles through your favourites, once you have them stored of course. I think it's the blue button (the one on the right)

muffler

mikeybrennan wrote: »

i had a sky sd box before and it was fine for the english channels

does the HD box work differently or is it very similar in what to expect?

Its exactly the same except you get the available HD FTA channels in HD obviously

Johnboy1951

jca wrote: »

Just press the blue button and it cycles through your favourites, once you have them stored of course. I think it's the blue button (the one on the right)

I had tried that and it actually takes more button presses for a lot of the channel choices than the long way I described.

jonnygee

press tv guide and press the blue button twice to get into favourites list.
Scroll through list one page at a time by pressing the channel up/down button

Johnboy1951

jonnygee wrote: »

press tv guide and press the blue button twice to get into favourites list.
Scroll through list one page at a time by pressing the channel up/down button

Thanks ... that does it also ...... similar number of key presses to the other method.

jca

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

Thanks ... that does it also ...... similar number of key presses to the other method.

You've an answer for each reply, we get it, you don't like sky boxes. Hopefully some of our replies will be useful to the OP who wants to use a sky box for FTA.

Johnboy1951

jca wrote: »

You've an answer for each reply, we get it, you don't like sky boxes. Hopefully some of our replies will be useful to the OP who wants to use a sky box for FTA.

Hehehehehe .......... if it was an improvement on my present method then I would have been delighted.

Of course I have an answer ...... it is the same rigmarole I described to select a favourite channel!

What else did you expect when the suggestion is not an improvement?

Yes I seriously dislike the user experience of this Sky+HD box for all the reasons I posted and more.
You might like that horrible experience but I don't and I don't mind saying so and warning others about how bad it is when compared to other STBs.

It even has a HDD that cannot be used!

jca

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

Hehehehehe .......... if it was an improvement on my present method then I would have been delighted.

Of course I have an answer ...... it is the same rigmarole I described to select a favourite channel!

What else did you expect when you suggested something that is not an improvement?

Yes I seriously dislike the user experience of this Sky+HD box for all the reasons I posted and more.
You might like that horrible experience but I don't and I don't mind saying so and warning others about how bad it is when compared to other STBs.

It even has a HDD that cannot be used!

The op wasn't looking for any improvements he just wanted to know if he could use a sky box for FTA.

Johnboy1951

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

Hehehehehe .......... if it was an improvement on my present method then I would have been delighted.

Of course I have an answer ...... it is the same rigmarole I described to select a favourite channel!

What else did you expect when the suggestion is not an improvement?

Yes I seriously dislike the user experience of this Sky+HD box for all the reasons I posted and more.
You might like that horrible experience but I don't and I don't mind saying so and warning others about how bad it is when compared to other STBs.

It even has a HDD that cannot be used!

jca wrote: »

The op wasn't looking for any improvements he just wanted to know if he could use a sky box for FTA.

Hehehehehehe ....

I see ...... so you would like everyone to withhold comments and let others buy without knowing the behaviour of their proposed purchase.

Not very helpful attitude to take ....... and one I hope no one follows.
Most of us would like to be forewarned before purchasing a device and would be glad of suggestions for better alternatives.

muffler

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

Not very helpful attitude to take ....... and one I hope no one follows.

Hehehehehehe ....

Once again you are dragging the thread off topic with your constant moaning and bitching about Sky boxes.

We've heard it all before, numerous times so why not give it a rest?

Johnboy1951

muffler wrote: »

Hehehehehehe ....

Once again you are dragging the thread off topic with your constant moaning and bitching about Sky boxes.

We've heard it all before, numerous times so why not give it a rest?

Yours is the most off topic post in this thread so far.
In responding to it I suppose I am also doing so.

Would you care to explain where I was dragging this thread off topic?

My previous comments have all been on topic ...... the topic being Sky STB for use without subscription.

If people need to ask about this use of a Sky STB then they deserve to be informed about its shortcomings.

If you don't want to read the same information multiple times then you have options ..... but telling me not to inform people is hardly a reasonable means of saving you from reading the same information multiple times.

You had ample opportunity to help the OP by providing your opinion of the 'pluses' you perceive, but declined, even after your were asked to do so.

The way some people seem to want to 'defend' Sky boxes against criticism is really weird.
I have not noticed this tendency with other STBs.
It makes me wonder why.

jca

And on that note it's time to unfollow...

muffler

jca wrote: »

And on that note it's time to unfollow...

Ditto

r3nu4l

Mikey Brennan, do you want the ability to record and series link?

If answer = yes, then Skybox = no
If answer = no, then Skybox = yes

My personal preference is a Freesat box. I can't see why you would bother with an option that won't allow you to record but each to their own.

Deep Thought

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

Hehehehehe ..........  if it was an improvement on my present method then I would have been delighted.

Of course I have an answer ......  it is the same rigmarole I described to select a favourite channel!

What else did you expect when the suggestion is not an improvement?

Yes I seriously dislike the user experience of this Sky+HD box for all the reasons I posted and more.
You might like that horrible experience but I don't and I don't mind saying so and warning others about how bad it is when compared to other STBs.

It even has a HDD that cannot be used!

jca wrote: »

The op wasn't looking for any improvements he just wanted to know if he could use a sky box for FTA.

Hehehehehehe ....

I see ......  so you would like everyone to withhold comments and let others buy without knowing the behaviour of their proposed purchase.

Not very helpful attitude to take .......  and one I hope no one follows.
Most of us would like to be forewarned before purchasing a device and would be glad of suggestions for better alternatives.

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

jca wrote: »

You've an answer for each reply, we get it, you don't like sky boxes. Hopefully some of our replies will be useful to the OP who wants to use a sky box for FTA.

Hehehehehe ..........  if it was an improvement on my present method then I would have been delighted.

Of course I have an answer ......  it is the same rigmarole I described to select a favourite channel!

What else did you expect when the suggestion is not an improvement?

Yes I seriously dislike the user experience of this Sky+HD box for all the reasons I posted and more.
You might like that horrible experience but I don't and I don't mind saying so and warning others about how bad it is when compared to other STBs.

It even has a HDD that cannot be used!

you culd 

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

jonnygee wrote: »

press tv guide and press the blue button twice to get into favourites list.
Scroll through list one page at a time by pressing the channel up/down button

Thanks ... that does it also ...... similar number of key presses to the other method.

if pressing buttons is very taxing, just hire someone to do it for you

Johnboy1951

Deep Thought wrote: »

you culd 

if pressing buttons is very taxing, just hire someone to do it for you

Thank you.
Very helpful. :rolleyes:

But there is a less costly solution ...... use a STB that does not have that requirement or most of the other problems outlined in this thread.

But maybe you did not consider that.

jca

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

Thank you.
Very helpful. :rolleyes:

But there is a less costly solution ...... use a STB that does not have that requirement or most of the other problems outlined in this thread.

But maybe you did not consider that.

You forgot heheheh..

Johnboy1951

jca wrote: »

You forgot heheheh..

Seems you forgot you had unfollowed this thread

icdg

Enough you two. I'm closing the thread but if the OP wants it reopened he can make representations.