Sky Q - Free to Air HD Channels

Sean9015

OK, first you can all have a laugh. I still have a 2007 model Sky non HD, non + box which works perfectly well. I'm not interested in recording stuff (everything is repeated sometime!), and not interested in HD per se. However, as an expat Brit I do watch UK channels, including my old "local" ITV station.

My issue is that virtually all ITV channels have now gone HD (apart from Channel Islands and ITV3+1). As a result, I can no longer receive them. I am looking therefore at Sky Q, but they want €12 per month for HD, which I assume is for their HD content. My question is, can a Sky Q box without the HD subscription be tuned to receive and watch free HD channels in the manual tuning setup?

Thanks in advance.

Sean

Gerry Wicklow

Unless you specifically want Sky channels, why pay good money for free channels? Invest in a free to air box and it will pay for itself in a few months. Remember too that you never own a Sky Q box only rent it.

FullyComp

ITV 2,3,4 are not HD on FTA anymore - I think you need sky for these

ELM327

Sky isnt the be all and end all. Indeed there's better FTA solutions out there.

chrisire

This is all you need,just enter the UK postcode for the area you want,no need to pay Sky

Manhattan™ Freesat Box On Sale at Best Online Prices | Free Delivery (freetv.ie)

Sean9015

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117640886#Comment_117640886

I do watch subscription channels, I just want access to the UK channels not in the EPG which are HD only.

Sean9015

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117640982#Comment_117640982

As I understand it, ONLY HD is available now for ITV as they have switched SD off - the SD channels are now unavailable. All ITV channels are FTA, but not available on the Sky Ireland EPG.

brandonviewer

Just substitute a sky HD box for your old one.they are freely available. Stick a uk viewing card into it and you should have all your channels back

Gerry Wicklow

If it's of any help 10891 H 22000 5/6 DVB-S QPSK still carries

ITV1 Sd for London, Granada, Meridian, Scotland, UTV & Wales

10906 V 22000 5/6 DVB-S QPSK has Central West

butwhynot

As I understand it, ONLY HD is available now for ITV as they have switched SD off - the SD channels are now unavailable.

ITV2, 3, 4 & CITV are still in SD.

ITV Central West, Channel, Border Scot, Granada, London, Meridian East & Wales are still in SD.

can a Sky Q box without the HD subscription be tuned to receive and watch free HD channels in the manual tuning setup?

Yes

icdg

Look, I think there’s sometimes a bit of “free to air evangelism” on the forum - sometimes to the point where Sky subscribers are treated as somehow a bit mad - and an assumption was made by virtually all the posters above that the OP used his Sky box as a FTA box only, which the OP clarified wasn’t the case. It took 10 replies to give the OP a straight yes/no answer to his query. There are reasons people may prefer subscription TV, and it’s a perfectly valid choice to make. I’m just saying this by way of a general comment on how this thread progressed and perhaps posters might consider just answering the question before proposing alternatives.

Sean9015

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117641320#Comment_117641320

Many thanks. I'll have to revisit ITV3 - I can get ITV3+1, but ITV3 is showing as no signal and went at the time the ITV channels (typically, I want Central East!). However, my understanding is that all SDs will be switched off in the coming months so there is an element of future proofing.

Sean

Sean9015

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117641354#Comment_117641354

Thanks. As someone interested in photography, I'm used to someone asking for advice on forums for items within a budget being given recommendations for top top of the line stuff, different systems etc, so I sort of expected it :-) I did get the answer I needed for my information to find a way forward, so all's good.

Sean

athlone573

It may or may not bother you, but :

When you get your sky q box (which I presume they will give you for free as a loyal customer) they will install a new "LNB" on the dish. This makes it more difficult to dump Sky in case you ever wish to do so.

I'm also not completely sure if sky q requires the HD pack... Skipping the HD pack would seem to me like driving a sports car without alloy wheels.

As an alternative you could get a Sky HD box from Dunne Deals. That way you don't need to mess with anything at the dish end. You've done well to keep the same box for 14 years, very environment friendly, congrats.

marclt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117642329#Comment_117642329

Another reason not to go for Sky Q… getting to the manually added channels is not easy. It’s enough of a faff on an old school SD/HD box.

PureIsle

OK, first you can all have a laugh. I still have a 2007 model Sky non HD, non + box which works perfectly well. I'm not interested in recording stuff (everything is repeated sometime!), and not interested in HD per se. However, as an expat Brit I do watch UK channels, including my old "local" ITV station.

My issue is that virtually all ITV channels have now gone HD (apart from Channel Islands and ITV3+1). As a result, I can no longer receive them. I am looking therefore at Sky Q, but they want €12 per month for HD, which I assume is for their HD content. My question is, can a Sky Q box without the HD subscription be tuned to receive and watch free HD channels in the manual tuning setup?

**********************************************

While I am unfamiliar with the various Sky boxes and their limitations, I would point out that the ITV channels are available in SD, and the HD channels are encrypted for Sky.

So if it is possible to tune in extra channels on the old Sky box, then it will be possible to tune in the SD ITV channels which are Free to Air.

Gerry Wicklow

This is a list of the current ITV frequencies. https://en.kingofsat.net/find.php?&standard=All&ordre=freq&question=ITV&filtre=Clear

Ignore the first and last entry as they are non UK

Sean9015

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117767734#Comment_117767734

Thanks. Sadly ITV Central East, which is the one I want, is HD only.

Sean9015

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117767885#Comment_117767885

Thanks - that list confirms Central East (the one I'm interested in) is HD only.