An alternative to Sky and the setup costs ?

Fr Tod Umptious

I'm looking for an alternative to Sky

What I like about Sky is the functionality rater than the content.

The pause and rewind
The recording of any two stations concurrently on one box
The series link
The On Demand
The offer of half price sports and movies at Christmas time
The Sky Go app.

Is there anything out there that would give me similar functionality without the full cost of a sky subscription and how much would the setup cost be ?

Firstly a combo box for Irish + UK channels
Is there any out there that will let me record on sat while watching sat or record on saoirview while watching saoirview or can one only record one input while watching another

Can I record more than one show on the same input at the same time ?

I already have the Sky dish so that part is easy
But I would need either an external or attic antenna for Saoirview
How much do thinks like that cost to buy and install (I could try the install myself if using an attic one)
I have good LOS to a transmitter so I think the attic would work.

Other devices
I'd look at getting Amazon prime or Netflix as a supplementary option to the combo box.
Which is best these days because I have heard that Netflix has gone to hell ?
Which is best for kids content ?
And are they best used via an Android box with a HDMI to the TV or run off a regular phone/tablet and using Chromecast ?
And does Amazon prime actually work with a Chromecast (without a hack) or is a Fire stick required ?

Cost
How much would it all cost and how long would i be before I make back the cost of Sky subs ?

1. Combo box (good one) e150
2. HDD e70
3. Antenna - no idea ?
4. Antenna installation - no idea ?
5. Good android box e50/100

Sorry for all the questions/rambling

Johnboy1951

There is no 'system' available that will do all you want.

Without a subscription and using FTA satellite and Saorviews terrestrial signals .....

You can certainly set up a distributed system which will provide full functions for Live TV and recorded media on mobile devices.

For multiple users you should have two Saorview tuners so all channels are available simultaneously.
Two tuners allow both muxes to be available permanently.

The same situation applies to satellite transponders. Each tuner will lock to one transponder when a channel is being watched.
All other channels on THAT transponder will be available from that same tuner.
Another tuner will be required for a channel not on the first transponder, and so on for others.
So you decide how many tuners you require for your needs.

If you are technically competent, and have a good home network in place, then the majority of what you want could be done for about €800 I reckon ..... but do not hold me to that ....... but for On Demand and specific Sports you will again be dealing with subscriptions of some sort.

Have a look through the HTPC section of Boards to get some ideas about distributed setups.

smelly sock

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

There is no 'system' available that will do all you want.

Without a subscription and using FTA satellite and Saorviews terrestrial signals .....

You can certainly set up a distributed system which will provide full functions for Live TV and recorded media on mobile devices.

For multiple users you should have two Saorview tuners so all channels are available simultaneously.
Two tuners allow both muxes to be available permanently.

The same situation applies to satellite transponders. Each tuner will lock to one transponder when a channel is being watched.
All other channels on THAT transponder will be available from that same tuner.
Another tuner will be required for a channel not on the first transponder, and so on for others.
So you decide how many tuners you require for your needs.

If you are technically competent, and have a good home network in place, then the majority of what you want could be done for about €800 I reckon ..... but do not hold me to that ....... but for On Demand and specific Sports you will again be dealing with subscriptions of some sort.

Have a look through the HTPC section of Boards to get some ideas about distributed setups.

800? How many months of sky with the q box and basic pack with all the FTA and sky one etc is that. Im guessing with the current deals in place its nigh on 3-4 years. A long time to go before you realize your investment. Mad stiff.

Johnboy1951

smelly sock wrote: »

800? How many months of sky with the q box and basic pack with all the FTA and sky one etc is that. Im guessing with the current deals in place its nigh on 3-4 years. A long time to go before you realize your investment. Mad stiff.

Have you ever built your own HTPC device? I would guess not!

Does that Sky price include unlimited multiroom, and the other requirements mentioned?

Does that include owning the hardware? - nope you send it back when out of sub.

The J Stands for Jay

If you could stomach 2 separate boxes, a Freesat box gives most of the functionality of sky (works better in my opinion). The Saorview box will do the job in a workmanlike manner. Ariel can be cheap enough (€30?) if you can put it in the attic.

smelly sock

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

Have you ever built your own HTPC device? I would guess not!

Does that Sky price include unlimited multiroom, and the other requirements mentioned?

Does that include owning the hardware? - nope you send it back when out of sub.

Its still a far superior product though.

smelly sock

In theory you could do both. Scale back on your own system and get sky in on your main tv.

Johnboy1951

smelly sock wrote: »

Its still a far superior product though.

Superior to what?

OK, I get it you are locked into Sky and like the experience, but what are you comparing this with?

I certainly have a better system here than my daughter's Sky Q.

smelly sock

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

Superior to what?

OK, I get it you are locked into Sky and like the experience, but what are you comparing this with?

I certainly have a better system here than my daughter's Sky Q.

I dont have sky....

Johnboy1951

McGaggs wrote: »

If you could stomach 2 separate boxes, a Freesat box gives most of the functionality of sky (works better in my opinion). The Saorview box will do the job in a workmanlike manner. Ariel can be cheap enough (€30?) if you can put it in the attic.

Yes, but what of multiple users wishing to watch different channels or recording a number of channels ...... maybe setting the recording while out ..... and so on.

The implication in the OP is that such might be required, so two sat tuners won't suffice.

Maybe a better description of how the system would be used and by how many people/devices concurrently, as well as concurrent recordings, would be helpful.

Maybe I read more into the first post than was intended

The J Stands for Jay

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

Yes, but what of multiple users wishing to watch different channels or recording a number of channels ...... maybe setting the recording while out ..... and so on.

The implication in the OP is that such might be required, so two sat tuners won't suffice.

Maybe a better description of how the system would be used and by how many people/devices concurrently, as well as concurrent recordings, would be helpful.

Maybe I read more into the first post than was intended

You've probably done a more thorough job then me of reading the OP. I didn't twig multiple users (presumably on separate TVs).

The Freesat box does have an app that allows recordings to be set.

Fr Tod Umptious

Thanks for the replies.

Just to clarify I'm not looking for a multi room setup.

With regard to recording this is what I am trying to explain.

With sky I can watch any channel while recording another.

Can I get that with a combo box ?

E.g. Record RTE 1 while watching RTE 2 ?
Watch BBC1 while recording Tiny Pop ?

I don't think I can.

Now I'm sure how often the above situation actually happens so I'm not sure how big a deal it is.

Gerry Wicklow

A triple tuner combo box can watch/record 3 HD channels at once. The exception is with the Saorview terrestrial channels. RTÉ use two different frequencies (muxes) for RTÉ1 and 2 meaning you could only watch/record one or the other. However you can also use your TVs own tuner to watch a Saorview channel while the box records the other mux. With satellite this isn't an issue because you have 2 tuners just like a Sky or FreeSat box.

Johnboy1951

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

Thanks for the replies.

Just to clarify I'm not looking for a multi room setup.

With regard to recording this is what I am trying to explain.

With sky I can watch any channel while recording another.

Can I get that with a combo box ?

E.g. Record RTE 1 while watching RTE 2 ?
Watch BBC1 while recording Tiny Pop ?

I don't think I can.

Now I'm sure how often the above situation actually happens so I'm not sure how big a deal it is.

For Satellite channels yes you can, because there are combi-boxes with two satellite tuners available.
Those boxes normally have a single terrestrial (DVB-T/2) tuner, so you could not do as you ask, because the channels are on two different muxes as explained above.

Some of the combi-boxes available have the facility to use a USB DVB-T dongle of certain types, so with that addition it would be possible.

Whether those boxes will be able to accommodate all your other requirements or not is another question.

dball

Im in a very similar position to the OP

I emailed a similar query to a chap in FreeTv last week, Please see below my correspondence and his reply.
I think these are very similar requests and if mods feel this is inappropriate please delete - I have no connection with FreeTV:

Hi dball,
I fear you will be with sky for ever more if you want subscription channels - but if you can go free - then read on
The Humax Freesat+ range of boxes are simply brilliant. They offer sky+ like features on all the Free UK satellite channels:
Key features are

7 day epg on satellite,
series link
Automatic on demand services
ability to link into your WiFi system
reliable – they work much better than any other PVR set top box on the market

All the Humax models found in:

http://www.freetv.ie/satellite/receivers/freesat/
have the above features
the new 1100s has a built in wifi dongle which allows connect directly onto your WiFi network
http://www.freetv.ie/humax-hdr-1100s/

What equipment do I need ?

Part 1:Satellite dish & accessories
If you have an existing sky dish which gives good reception then most likely you will not need a new dish.
Otherwise go with:
Dish and LNB Quad unit: http://www.freetv.ie/sky-satellite-dish-and-quad-lnb/
humax boxes use 2 outputs this lnb has 4 so you still have 2 more for other rooms/boxes
Part 2: Set top box
see range of options:

500GB: http://www.freetv.ie/humax-hdr-1100s/
1TB: http://www.freetv.ie/humax-1100s/
Video guide tab
Humax HDR 1100S Freesat+ Box - Overview
Humax HDR 1100S Freesat+ Box - First Time Installation
Humax HDR 1100S Freesat+ Box - Factory Reset & Change Default Region
Humax HDR 1100S Freesat+ Box - Subtitles & Teletext
Humax HDR 1100S Freesat+ Box - How to Add Non-Freesat Channels
Humax HDR 1100S Freesat+ Box - How to Perform Software Update
Humax HDR 1100S Freesat+ Box - Recording Live TV
Humax HDR 1100S Freesat+ Box - Series Link & EPG Recording
Humax HDR 1100S Freesat+ Box - Play Back TV Recordings
Humax HDR 1100S Freesat+ Box - Pause & Rewind Live TV

Part 3: Irish Channels ?

for this you will need 2 things

TV Aerial Kit
http://www.freetv.ie/outdoor-uhf-tv-aerial-kit/
this will kit will work well and can be mounted on chimney or wall
Saorview set top box
your TV may be saorivew approved which can do the job for you
If not go with a saorview box (which also will allow you to use its media player, have 7 day epg and record if you add a USB stick)
http://www.freetv.ie/digital-tv/
If you want to record add in a hard drive
http://www.freetv.ie/320gb-external-hard-drive/

On 22/08/2018 09:30, FreeTV.ie wrote:
Contact Information
Email: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Name: x
Phone: xxxxxxxxxx
Message
Subject: New set up
Body: Hi FreeTV.ie,
I'm a Sky customer for the past 15 years and (again) i'm out of contract.
Before I ring them and get offered some discount ( I do this every year or 2 - i'm sure you have heard this millions of times) I want to look at other options.

My main criteria are as follows.
1: TV pause, rewind & record shows (pref with series Link) and at daughters request - I want access to nickelodian, Disney and other crap US channels.

2: Probably need some storage options too.

3: Not that particular about it being HD - But as that's the current trend its probably standard at this stage - Or does this cost more ?


I'm not looking for sports channels just an intro package and someone to explain whet I need - set top boxes, new dish?/ Saor tv?


I have a sony smart tv and a sky satellite dish/
x
Any help or advise please, many thanks

Can you give me a quotation for a very basic starter set up -

ShaneOC

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

Can I get that with a combo box ?

E.g. Record RTE 1 while watching RTE 2 ?
Watch BBC1 while recording Tiny Pop ?

I don't think I can.

It depends on the number of tuners that you get in the box. Ideally you want a box with two satellite tuners and two terrestrial tuners. That would allow you to do both of your examples and more.

With two terrestrial tuners you could record all of the saorview channels simultaneously and still watch any saorview channel (or satellite channel) at the same time.

With two satellite tuners you can watch one sat channel while recording another (exactly the same as the Sky+ box). Additionally if you are recording two satellite channels at the same time you can watch a limited number of other satellite channels (e.g. you can record BBC1 HD & ITV HD and watch BBC2 HD all at the same time). When recording two satellite channels you can also continue to watch any saorview channel.

I am using a VU+ Duo2 box for the last three years and it is excellent. A bit pricier than some other boxes that are available and it did take a bit of setting up but once it's working the experience is very similar to Sky except for the bills. With this box I set it up initially for use with my main TV and used saorview on other TVs in the house. Since then I have added to the system with a VU+ Zero box and an Edision Mini box. These connect to the main box over the home network and can view all channels and recordings from the main box.

Your only regret will be that you did not do it earlier.

The high horse brigade

dball wrote: »

Im in a very similar position to the OP

I emailed a similar query to a chap in FreeTv last week, Please see below my correspondence and his reply.
I think these are very similar requests and if mods feel this is inappropriate please delete - I have no connection with FreeTV:

Hi dball,
I fear you will be with sky for ever more if you want subscription channels - but if you can go free - then read on
The Humax Freesat+ range of boxes are simply brilliant. They offer sky+ like features on all the Free UK satellite channels:
Key features are

7 day epg on satellite,
series link
Automatic on demand services
ability to link into your WiFi system
reliable – they work much better than any other PVR set top box on the market

All the Humax models found in:

http://www.freetv.ie/satellite/receivers/freesat/
have the above features
the new 1100s has a built in wifi dongle which allows connect directly onto your WiFi network
http://www.freetv.ie/humax-hdr-1100s/

What equipment do I need ?

Part 1:Satellite dish & accessories
If you have an existing sky dish which gives good reception then most likely you will not need a new dish.
Otherwise go with:
Dish and LNB Quad unit: http://www.freetv.ie/sky-satellite-dish-and-quad-lnb/
humax boxes use 2 outputs this lnb has 4 so you still have 2 more for other rooms/boxes
Part 2: Set top box
see range of options:

500GB: http://www.freetv.ie/humax-hdr-1100s/
1TB: http://www.freetv.ie/humax-1100s/
Video guide tab
Humax HDR 1100S Freesat+ Box - Overview
Humax HDR 1100S Freesat+ Box - First Time Installation
Humax HDR 1100S Freesat+ Box - Factory Reset & Change Default Region
Humax HDR 1100S Freesat+ Box - Subtitles & Teletext
Humax HDR 1100S Freesat+ Box - How to Add Non-Freesat Channels
Humax HDR 1100S Freesat+ Box - How to Perform Software Update
Humax HDR 1100S Freesat+ Box - Recording Live TV
Humax HDR 1100S Freesat+ Box - Series Link & EPG Recording
Humax HDR 1100S Freesat+ Box - Play Back TV Recordings
Humax HDR 1100S Freesat+ Box - Pause & Rewind Live TV

Part 3: Irish Channels ?

for this you will need 2 things

TV Aerial Kit
http://www.freetv.ie/outdoor-uhf-tv-aerial-kit/
this will kit will work well and can be mounted on chimney or wall
Saorview set top box
your TV may be saorivew approved which can do the job for you
If not go with a saorview box (which also will allow you to use its media player, have 7 day epg and record if you add a USB stick)
http://www.freetv.ie/digital-tv/
If you want to record add in a hard drive
http://www.freetv.ie/320gb-external-hard-drive/

On 22/08/2018 09:30, FreeTV.ie wrote:
Contact Information
Email: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Name: x
Phone: xxxxxxxxxx
Message
Subject: New set up
Body: Hi FreeTV.ie,
I'm a Sky customer for the past 15 years and (again) i'm out of contract.
Before I ring them and get offered some discount ( I do this every year or 2 - i'm sure you have heard this millions of times) I want to look at other options.

My main criteria are as follows.
1: TV pause, rewind & record shows (pref with series Link) and at daughters request - I want access to nickelodian, Disney and other crap US channels.

2: Probably need some storage options too.

3: Not that particular about it being HD - But as that's the current trend its probably standard at this stage - Or does this cost more ?


I'm not looking for sports channels just an intro package and someone to explain whet I need - set top boxes, new dish?/ Saor tv?


I have a sony smart tv and a sky satellite dish/
x
Any help or advise please, many thanks

Can you give me a quotation for a very basic starter set up -

Save your money and buy a Tiviar triple tuner combo linux box, add a hard drive. Combine Freesat and Saorview in one box. All the instructions to getting it setup are in this thread
https://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057827739/1
https://www.world-of-satellite.co.uk/tiviar-alpha-plus

Sleeper12

smelly sock wrote:

800? How many months of sky with the q box and basic pack with all the FTA and sky one etc is that. Im guessing with the current deals in place its nigh on 3-4 years. A long time to go before you realize your investment. Mad stiff.

I pay over 1000 euros per year and I don't even have sports

ei9go

The simplest way to do this is to get a multi switch and you run your sat dish with a quattro lnb into it and also the saorview aerial. Then you will have sat and saorview in any room you connect a cable from. You use a diplexer plate at the room end to separate the tv and sat signals.
In the sample order this can run 12 satellite boxes or six recorders. 5X12 means five inputs, 4 sat cables and an aerial and 12 means 12 outputs.

Here's a recent order I did while setting up a system.

300mm Steel Wall Mount (Heavy Duty)
CODE: 300-50S
1 €12.49 €2.87 €12.49
5x12 Satellite & Terrestrial Multiswitch
CODE: MSG512
1 €67.07 €15.43 €67.07
78cm Triax Satellite Dish (TD78) Non Rust
CODE: TD78
Options: Colour: Dark grey 1 €40.15 €9.23 €40.15
EVO Quattro LNB
CODE: EVO-Q
1 €17.99 €4.14 €17.99
Subtotal: €137.70
Taxes:
VAT 23% (IE3212257BH): €31.67
Shipping cost: €0.00
Total cost: €169.37

Why would you be buying saorview boxes when it's built into every TV?

smelly sock

ei9go wrote: »

The simplest way to do this is to get a multi switch and you run your sat dish with a quattro lnb into it and also the saorview aerial. Then you will have sat and saorview in any room you connect a cable from. You use a diplexer plate at the room end to separate the tv and sat signals.
In the sample order this can run 12 satellite boxes or six recorders. 5X12 means five inputs, 4 sat cables and an aerial and 12 means 12 outputs.

Here's a recent order I did while setting up a system.

300mm Steel Wall Mount (Heavy Duty)
CODE: 300-50S
1 €12.49 €2.87 €12.49
5x12 Satellite & Terrestrial Multiswitch
CODE: MSG512
1 €67.07 €15.43 €67.07
78cm Triax Satellite Dish (TD78) Non Rust
CODE: TD78
Options: Colour: Dark grey 1 €40.15 €9.23 €40.15
EVO Quattro LNB
CODE: EVO-Q
1 €17.99 €4.14 €17.99
Subtotal: €137.70
Taxes:
VAT 23% (IE3212257BH): €31.67
Shipping cost: €0.00
Total cost: €169.37

Why would you be buying saorview boxes when it's built into every TV?

Possibly looking at combi boxes as 99 per cent of the content on saorveiw is dire.

Fr Tod Umptious

The high horse brigade wrote: »

Save your money and buy a Tiviar triple tuner combo linux box, add a hard drive. Combine Freesat and Saorview in one box. All the instructions to getting it setup are in this thread
https://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057827739/1
https://www.world-of-satellite.co.uk/tiviar-alpha-plus

That seems to be the kind of thing I'm looking for

But tell me this, what is the difference been a Linux box and any a regular triple tuner combo box, or is there any ?

I'd be fairly good at the aul Linux myself so the setup and config would not phase me, but at the same time I don't what something that needs constant tweaking and troubleshooting to work, my wife and kids would go mad.

The high horse brigade

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

That seems to be the kind of thing I'm looking for

But tell me this, what is the difference been a Linux box and any a regular triple tuner combo box, or is there any ?

I'd be fairly good at the aul Linux myself so the setup and config would not phase me, but at the same time I don't what something that needs constant tweaking and troubleshooting to work, my wife and kids would go mad.

Linux boxes have many plugins and scripts that allow you to more. You can set them up to auto update channel frequencies when they change, pull down the 7 day EPG and save it locally, autotimers (series links) and IPTV (dodgy streams)

Fr Tod Umptious

The high horse brigade wrote: »

Linux boxes have many plugins and scripts that allow you to more. You can set them up to auto update channel frequencies when they change, pull down the 7 day EPG and save it locally, autotimers (series links) and IPTV (dodgy streams)

Ok tanks for that

I take it that the Linux box may have plugins for legitimate IPTV applications like Netflix, Amazon and YouTube also.

Are these relatively stable ?

STB.

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

Ok tanks for that

I take it that the Linux box may have plugins for legitimate IPTV applications like Netflix, Amazon and YouTube also.

Are these relatively stable ?

Netflix is not available for the E2 platform.

Youtube yes.

Fr Tod Umptious

Just an update on this

I got my hands on an Edision Optimuss OS3 Plus and it seems to do the trick

I had a small “rabbit ears” antenna knocking around the house so I went to the attic and found the cable that terminated in the main TV room and connected the antenna to that.
I was able to tune about 5 or 6 Saoirview channels with that. I reckon I can’t get any more stations because of the small antenna, for the channels I am getting the SNR of around 20%. So I think I’ll have to go with a proper antenna mounted in the attic to get the full set of Saoirview channels
Even though the Edision Optimuss OS3 Plus is a Linux box with the ability to install extensions and plugins I think I’ll just buy a Android TV box for thinks like Android, RTE Player and other not necessarily “official” applications

What sort of spec is a good spec for an Android TV box ?
And what sort of prices are they?
I’d rather not buy a piece of s**t

Edit : Actually can a Amazon Firestick support Amazon Prime, Netflix and a whole range of other application that one would find on a Android OS ?

STB.

@ Fr Tod Umptious. Your Edision box. What image is loaded on that when you got it ? The latest version of E2 is here



http://images.mynonpublic.com/openatv/current/index.php?open=optimussos3plus


You know how to combine channels in the one list, change skins, picons etc ?

Fr Tod Umptious

STB. wrote: »

@ Fr Tod Umptious. Your Edision box. What image is loaded on that when you got it ? The latest version of E2 is here



http://images.mynonpublic.com/openatv/current/index.php?open=optimussos3plus


You know how to combine channels in the one list, change skins, picons etc ?

Hi
The person I got it from had the original image from freetv.ie on it but had tweaked it a good bit

So I backup up that image and installed the image again from freetv.ie, it's over 3 years old but gave me a starting point

Thanks for the link, I'll try the latest image.

I'm just figuring out the box as I go but by bit, all channels, both sat and saoirview on one list from 1 to x would be handy.