Sky Free Sat

Troy McClure

I have sky at the moment but we are in the notice period on canceling it. I have read stuff on here about getting a free sat cards from sky, and people seemed to be going to all kinds of rounds to get them from the UK.

Why are people doing this? Are they not available from Sky Ireland to their customers here?
The threads about this stuff on here seem to be really old or not 'ethical' toward sky.

I have a sky+ box and would like to know if I can use it as a free sat box here to get channels (Not just a few).
I have a Setanta BT sport annual subscription which I am told I wont be able to access if I go out and buy another freesat system. I would also like to be able to record content like sky+.

Johnboy1951

The eir sports satellite card will only work in a Sky box.

I have a Sky +HD box for eir sports channels (and Sony Channel) and use other devices for viewing all Free To Air channels.

For me having to switch TV inputs for the sports channels is preferable to putting up with the Sky box limitations for general FTA use.
Other seem fine with it.

STB.

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

The eir sports satellite card will only work in a Sky box.

I have a Sky +HD box for eir sports channels (and Sony Channel) and use other devices for viewing all Free To Air channels.

For me having to switch TV inputs for the sports channels is preferable to putting up with the Sky box limitations for general FTA use.
Other seem fine with it.

This is actually untrue. They can be read using a softcam. And I am not going to get myself banned telling you how here.

Johnboy1951

STB. wrote: »

This is actually untrue. They can be read using a softcam. And I am not going to get myself banned telling you how here.

Acknowledged

icdg

Indeed, so lets not go down that route

The reason all the threads on this are really old is that in the early days of Sky Digital, the UK terrestrial channels were broadcast "free to view". What free to view means is that the channels are encrypted but will be decoded by any active Sky viewing card (or one with the correct post code) regardless of the status of the Sky subscription (or none) attached to that viewing card. But times have moved on. A number of years ago the BBC decided that it would no longer pay Sky for encryption services and the other UK terrestrials followed suit. Only a few FTV channels remian. The main purpose now of such a card (from a UK customers point of view) is to get the correct EPG for their region.

What then for an Irish person? Unless you want Eir Sport's quite minimal FTV content (and you would need the lesser known Irish FTV card - which Eir Sport used to be able to order for you, but does not give a U.K. EPG) I would not go with the FTV card solution. As others will tell you, importing a Freesat HD box (or you might be able to pick one up at Malpin) is your best solution. Or a generic FTA receiver, if you're up to the task of setting it up and tuning it. Or a lot of modern TV's have a satellite tuner - check the inputs on the back of your TV.

I wouldn't use a Sky box as a FTA satellite receiver on any more than a short term stop gap basis.

Tigerandahalf

I have a amiko mini combo with a card reader.
Would it read the eir sports card?

bluemachaveli

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

The eir sports satellite card will only work in a Sky box.

I have a Sky +HD box for eir sports channels (and Sony Channel) and use other devices for viewing all Free To Air channels.

For me having to switch TV inputs for the sports channels is preferable to putting up with the Sky box limitations for general FTA use.
Other seem fine with it.

Any idea how I can get one of these? Have an old skybox and wouldn't mind having it on the TV.

icdg

Tigerandahalf I'll give you the benefit of the doubt because you posted so soon after me, but next person going down that road gets a warning

Johnboy1951

icdg wrote: »

Indeed, so lets not go down that route

The reason all the threads on this are really old is that in the early days of Sky Digital, the UK terrestrial channels were broadcast "free to view". What free to view means is that the channels are encrypted but will be decoded by any active Sky viewing card (or one with the correct post code) regardless of the status of the Sky subscription (or none) attached to that viewing card. But times have moved on. A number of years ago the BBC decided that it would no longer pay Sky for encryption services and the other UK terrestrials followed suit. Only a few FTV channels remian. The main purpose now of such a card (from a UK customers point of view) is to get the correct EPG for their region.

What then for an Irish person? Unless you want Eir Sport's quite minimal FTV content (and you would need the lesser known Irish FTV card - which Eir Sport used to be able to order for you, but does not give a U.K. EPG) I would not go with the FTV card solution. As others will tell you, importing a Freesat HD box (or you might be able to pick one up at Malpin) is your best solution. Or a generic FTA receiver, if you're up to the task of setting it up and tuning it. Or a lot of modern TV's have a satellite tuner - check the inputs on the back of your TV.

I wouldn't use a Sky box as a FTA satellite receiver on any more than a short term stop gap basis.

I would add that there are suppliers of FTA boxes that do the set up and tuning for the customer for a very small charge.
If I am allowed I would provide this link as an example
http://www.freetv.ie/combo-box/
See ...

Programmed
 Programmed w/ Auto Updates (+€1.00)
 No Channels or Auto Updates

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

I have a amiko mini combo with a card reader.
Would it read the eir sports card?

As far as I am aware there is no alternative STB to the Sky one for the reception of eir sports channels.

Troy McClure

icdg wrote: »

Indeed, so lets not go down that route

The reason all the threads on this are really old is that in the early days of Sky Digital, the UK terrestrial channels were broadcast "free to view". What free to view means is that the channels are encrypted but will be decoded by any active Sky viewing card (or one with the correct post code) regardless of the status of the Sky subscription (or none) attached to that viewing card. But times have moved on. A number of years ago the BBC decided that it would no longer pay Sky for encryption services and the other UK terrestrials followed suit. Only a few FTV channels remian. The main purpose now of such a card (from a UK customers point of view) is to get the correct EPG for their region.

What then for an Irish person? Unless you want Eir Sport's quite minimal FTV content (and you would need the lesser known Irish FTV card - which Eir Sport used to be able to order for you, but does not give a U.K. EPG) I would not go with the FTV card solution. As others will tell you, importing a Freesat HD box (or you might be able to pick one up at Malpin) is your best solution. Or a generic FTA receiver, if you're up to the task of setting it up and tuning it. Or a lot of modern TV's have a satellite tuner - check the inputs on the back of your TV.

I wouldn't use a Sky box as a FTA satellite receiver on any more than a short term stop gap basis.

I have no clue in relation to any of this stuff I am afraid. Coming back to my question. I have an annual subscription to Setanta (BT Sport). Are you saying I have to use the sky FTA to access this?? I spoke to a company in Tallaght that supply boxes for FTA SAT, but they said I would lose the BT Sport on their system.
If I do use the SKY FTA system what are the problems with doing that? What are the issues for me? Why do people want a UK EPG and going to such rounds to get it? If I get a box in Maplins will I be able to access my BT subscription?
Apologies for my ignorance on this stuff folks.. It's algebra to me! I don't even understand why the Mod is giving out and warning the other poster!! (Grrrr!)

Johnboy1951

bluemachaveli wrote: »

Any idea how I can get one of these? Have an old skybox and wouldn't mind having it on the TV.

https://my.eir.ie/login

You set up your myeir account and ask eir ..... I am not certain of the procedure as I had an old card, but I saw posts where eir issued cards to customers to receive the Satellite channels.

lawred2

Do not bother with your sky box just go get a freesat box...

muffler

lawred2 wrote: »

Do not bother with your sky box just go get a freesat box...

But can he get Eir and BT Sports using a Freesat box?

Johnboy1951

Troy McClure wrote: »

I have no clue in relation to any of this stuff I am afraid. Coming back to my question. I have an annual subscription to Setanta (BT Sport). Are you saying I have to use the sky FTA to access this?? I spoke to a company in Tallaght that supply boxes for FTA SAT, but they said I would lose the BT Sport on their system.
If I do use the SKY FTA system what are the problems with doing that? What are the issues for me? Why do people want a UK EPG and going to such rounds to get it? If I get a box in Maplins will I be able to access my BT subscription?
Apologies for my ignorance on this stuff folks.. It's algebra to me! I don't even understand why the Mod is giving out and warning the other poster!! (Grrrr!)

If you want to be sure of receiving the sports channels via that 'Sky' card then you need a Sky Set top Box ..... preferably a Sky HD box.

Troy McClure

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

If you want to be sure of receiving the sports channels via that 'Sky' card then you need a Sky Set top Box ..... preferably a Sky HD box.

I have a sky+HD box. All is explained in the first post..

lawred2

muffler wrote: »

But can he get Eir and BT Sports using a Freesat box?

I'd prefer to switch between the two sources than using the sky epg with encrypted channels everywhere.

But if the op doesn't want another box then a sky box it is. Fairly sure the recording functionality is killed as soon as your sub is up though even if you want to record on free to air channels.

Troy McClure

How do you physically switch between the 2 sources then? sounds like a hassle. Will I need some sort of SKY card to access them?

BTW I am not an Eir customer. An annual subscription to Setanta is not the same, although it does include the Eir channels.

Johnboy1951

Troy McClure wrote: »

I have a sky+HD box. All is explained in the first post..

You will be able to get the FTA Sat channels on a Sky box without a subscription to Sky.
You will also be able to receive the BT sports channels on the same box with the card inserted.

I doubt you will be able to record anything on the Sky box without a Sky subscription. I cannot using the eir sports on a Sky card.

Troy McClure

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

You will be able to get the FTA Sat channels on a Sky box without a subscription to Sky.
You will also be able to receive the BT sports channels on the same box with the card inserted.

I doubt you will be able to record anything on the Sky box without a Sky subscription. I cannot using the eir sports on a Sky card.

I guess I can get a dvd player with a hard drive and run it through that for recording?
Why is there all the stuff about people getting cards from the UK if I can just do what your saying and use the card that's in it, with our subscription expiring shortly?

Johnboy1951

Troy McClure wrote: »

How do you physically switch between the 2 sources then? sounds like a hassle. Will I need some sort of SKY card to access them?

The Sky card is needed in the Sky box to receive the eir/BT sports channels.
You can get the FTA channels on this box also, but cannot arrange the channels to suit your use, so it is a bit of a hassle selecting FTA channels from amongst the Sky encrypted channels.

For two sources usually two TV inputs are used, and the TV is switched between the two.

BTW I am not an Eir customer. An annual subscription to Setanta is not the same, although it does include the Eir channels.

As eir bought Setanta Ireland and has rebranded it as eir sports, it seems to be the same thing.

icdg

Troy McClure wrote: »

I guess I can get a dvd player with a hard drive and run it through that for recording?
Why is there all the stuff about people getting cards from the UK if I can just do what your saying and use the card that's in it, with our subscription expiring shortly?

There isn't. It was something that some people did more than ten years ago when the UK channels weren't free to air. You are looking at outdated information and thinking it reflects the current situation. It is an absolutely perfect example of why we have the rule against dragging up old threads. The move to free to air means there is a material change in the situation.

If you want to continue to receive the Eir Sport pack via satellite there is no need to anything. Your current viewing card will continue to function for Eir Sport and also allow you to receive the few FTV channels (the Sony ones are about all that's left. )You'll need a different solution if you want the BBC channels at the top of your EPG or want to record them (which you can't do on a Sky digibox without a Sky subscription anyway) or don't want to use "Other Channels" to receive FTA channels not on the Irish EPG.

Either way, you'll be able to receive the FTA channels in some shape or form. You do not need a viewing card for this.

Troy McClure

icdg wrote: »

There isn't. It was something that some people did more than ten years ago when the UK channels weren't free to air. You are looking at outdated information and thinking it reflects the current situation. It is an absolutely perfect example of why we have the rule against dragging up old threads. The move to free to air means there is a material change in the situation.

If you want to continue to receive the Eir Sport pack via satellite there is no need to anything. Your current viewing card will continue to function for Eir Sport and also allow you to receive the few FTV channels (the Sony ones are about all that's left. )You'll need a different solution if you want the BBC channels at the top of your EPG or want to record them (which you can't do on a Sky digibox without a Sky subscription anyway) or don't want to use "Other Channels" to receive FTA channels not on the Irish EPG.

Either way, you'll be able to receive the FTA channels in some shape or form. You do not need a viewing card for this.

Thanks. I get it now. That explains why I couldn't find a thread on this stuff less than 6 years old.
Why can't you tailor the EPG with all the channels on freesat saved to your favorites? Are the channels on freesat with sky limited? Do you get more if you buy your own box?

Seve OB

OP. This might help you. I'm kinda similar position without the Eir sports.

When your sky sub is up, leave your card in and you will still get all the free stations except the Sony ones I think. You will also still have access to your sports. However a lot of the stations such as ITV etc are hidden in other channels. It's a pain. I'm not sure exactly what the current state of affairs the EPG is in as I haven't had mine that way for well over a year now.

You will not be able to record without the sky sub.

Now if you have a real old sky box it used to be the case you could just whip out your Irish viewing card and 101 would become BBC1, 103 becomes ITV etc. etc. Newer boxes don't seem to work like this. Test it anytime even before your sub is up. Just turn it off completely, whip the card out and power her up again, then you will know.

So if that works you will have a decent EPG but you will not have your sports. You can always shove your card in again when you want to watch the sports though. Again, you will not be able to record.

Now my situation. I have a newer box, but when I take my card out it was still the same crappy EPG with RTE getting top billing at 101. So my cousin in London had got rid if his sky so I "borrowed" his expired card and what that gives me is a UK EPG with all the free stations on the EPG and I don't have to go into other channels at all. There really is a hell if a lot of stations.

The bonus is all of a sudden I realised my recording function works. And I get all the players, All4, BBC iplayer, ITV player and channel 5 player amongst others I think.

I have UPC for broadband so get 20 or so analogue stations from them with all the Irish stuff. I also have a saorview aerial.

If you get a similar White UK sky card it may work for you and you would just need to swap the cards when you want to watch your Eir Sports.

Also, satellite tvs are great and you can get them with hard drives built in for recording. They are the best way to go in my opinion as you can set your own EPG up the way you like it

Hope this helps

Johnboy1951

Troy McClure wrote: »

Thanks. I get it now. That explains why I couldn't find a thread on this stuff less than 6 years old.
Why can't you tailor the EPG with all the channels on freesat saved to your favorites? Are the channels on freesat with sky limited? Do you get more if you buy your own box?

You can add your selected channels to the favourites ...... but they will be listed according to the channel number that Sky assigns to them.

winston_1

I have sky at the moment but we are in the notice period on canceling it. I have read stuff on here about getting a free sat cards from sky, and people seemed to be going to all kinds of rounds to get them from the UK.

Why are people doing this? Are they not available from Sky Ireland to their customers here? 

No they are not available from Sky Ireland.

lawred2

Seve OB wrote: »

OP. This might help you. I'm kinda similar position without the Eir sports.

When your sky sub is up, leave your card in and you will still get all the free stations except the Sony ones I think. You will also still have access to your sports. However a lot of the stations such as ITV etc are hidden in other channels. It's a pain. I'm not sure exactly what the current state of affairs the EPG is in as I haven't had mine that way for well over a year now.

You will not be able to record without the sky sub.

Now if you have a real old sky box it used to be the case you could just whip out your Irish viewing card and 101 would become BBC1, 103 becomes ITV etc. etc. Newer boxes don't seem to work like this. Test it anytime even before your sub is up. Just turn it off completely, whip the card out and power her up again, then you will know.

So if that works you will have a decent EPG but you will not have your sports. You can always shove your card in again when you want to watch the sports though. Again, you will not be able to record.

Now my situation. I have a newer box, but when I take my card out it was still the same crappy EPG with RTE getting top billing at 101. So my cousin in London had got rid if his sky so I "borrowed" his expired card and what that gives me is a UK EPG with all the free stations on the EPG and I don't have to go into other channels at all. There really is a hell if a lot of stations.

The bonus is all of a sudden I realised my recording function works. And I get all the players, All4, BBC iplayer, ITV player and channel 5 player amongst others I think.

I have UPC for broadband so get 20 or so analogue stations from them with all the Irish stuff. I also have a saorview aerial.

If you get a similar White UK sky card it may work for you and you would just need to swap the cards when you want to watch your Eir Sports.

Also, satellite tvs are great and you can get them with hard drives built in for recording. They are the best way to go in my opinion as you can set your own EPG up the way you like it

Hope this helps

I am very surprised at that. The recording function is usually only enabled with valid sub.

Troy McClure

Does the sky FTA give the same channels or same amount of the key channels as the boxes you buy?

Is there another way to do recording if you use sky?

Are the sky cards in the UK discontinued then? or only not available here?

johnner64

lawred2 wrote: »

I am very surprised at that. The recording function is usually only enabled with valid sub.

Before the new red cards (not sure what the situation is with the red cards) an expired sub card could still record (and playback) recordings from FTA channels, once the original kill signal was missed.

You'd be astonished how many channels people pay for that are actually FTA - and more and more are going that route.

The reason why the card works on FTA channels is that it checks subscription status, which is why it won't playback recordings from channels that are encrypted.

And in answer to another query, people still chase cards from the UK so that they can receive ITV, Channel 4 HD and Channel 5 on their EPG, not to mention having the BBCs at the top of the EPG. Unfortunately, though, an Eir subscription - even if it's processed on a UK card - would revert the card to an Irish EPG.

Seve OB

Troy McClure wrote: »

Does the sky FTA give the same channels or same amount of the key channels as the boxes you buy?

Is there another way to do recording if you use sky?

Are the sky cards in the UK discontinued then? or only not available here?

As far as I'm aware, free channels are free channels and no matter what box you use, you will get the same stations. Exception being for the Sony Channels and possibly one or 2 others such as London Live, which I think can only be gotten with the Sky box & relevant card.

Johnner said it all there, I was surprised that my recordings worked but they do and there are cards that are sold on Adverts which do the same, I believe for about €50. Honestly, with the recording function, I'm happy the way I am. If we didn't have recording, we would probably have looked at an alternative a long time ago.


I think really the best way is if you are ever buying a new TV, make sure it has a satellite tuner and a hard drive, or at least an option to plug in a hard drive. then no boxes required.

Johnboy1951

johnner64 wrote: »

Before the new red cards (not sure what the situation is with the red cards) an expired sub card could still record (and playback recordings from FTA channels, once the original kill signal was missed.

How does that happen with some cards and not with others?
What prevents this 'kill signal' being applied once you start using the card?

Troy McClure

The TV we have has a satellite tuner but no Hard drive. It's about 5 years old. I tried using it before about 3 years ago without finding much and found the whole thing confusing.

johnner64

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

How does that happen with some cards and not with others?
What prevents this 'kill signal' being applied once you start using the card?

They send out a channel subscription deactivation signal a few times over a few months. However, the Sky+ subscription kill signal is (or was) only sent once.

So, remove your card as soon as you cancel Sky. Leave it out for a few days then put it back in. You may see your old subscription channels for a few hours but they will eventually go. But the recording feature stays (or stayed) active.

Did this with a couple of my own cards plus cards from relatives for extra boxes.

As I said I imagine things have changed with the newer cards.

As an aside, and seeing how we're harking back to the days that the UK terrestrials required a FTV card, I bought a couple of those cards from a UK dealer. A couple of months after buying, one of them lit up with every channel bar the premiums. I got about 18 months out of that card before they killed it!

Seve OB

Troy McClure wrote: »

The TV we have has a satellite tuner but no Hard drive. It's about 5 years old. I tried using it before about 3 years ago without finding much and found the whole thing confusing.

Might be confusing because the EPG is different to what you are used to. If you have a fmaily member/friend who might be tech savy at all, get them to give you a hand set it up. Google/You Tube it for help.

I have a similar TV, but what mine also has is a USB input that I can plug in a flash drive/external HD. You might have a similar option on your TV which could be a very simple and cheap solution for you.

swoofer

If you say make and model of tv we can google it and tell you more.