getting rid of sky subscription

philologos

If I get rid of my sky subscription and keep my digibox will I be able to still recieve free to air channels it and watch RTE and BBC channels and perhaps even MTV??

daveg

RTE only if you have a terrestrial Aeriel (RTE is not FTA - don't get me started). BBC - yes, MTV - no. Mtv is not FTA.

Have a look below to find exactly what you'll get FTA (note some are FTV and will need a FTV card):

http://www.wickonline.com/fta.htm

Mossy Monk

pull out your viewing card and see what you get. include all the BBC channels you have what you get for free

philologos

does the digiguide alter to free to air only channels

watty

You lose the Irish channels but can get MORE BBC

Better test:
Go 501 (Sky News)
Press REd.
Wait for Interactive to load
Put in the card upside down, OR ANY plain plastic card (old cheque card).
press Sky to exit interactive.

WAIT, don't touch card.

Press "backup" if error occures.

Now you have the UK epg. All the BBC work. From 1st Nov all ITV too.

POP, Tiny POP, Vault, Chart Hits, U , Fizz are FTA pop channels, MTV and VH1 are not.

Add the 20 best FTA on the purple button favorites in System Setup Favorites.

The box will revert to Irsh EPG (less FTA channels) if you pull card out or put in Irish card the correct way up, after the sub is cancelled leave it as described.

The EPG either is UK or Ireland and shows ALL the pay channels. You can turn off the Adult channels in the EPG.

Get Aerial(s) for RTE/TG4/TV3

philologos

edit: didnt work lol still have Irish EPG

watty

Try again carefully. Make sure card fully in before exit the Interactive.

Don't touch card.

It will say "searching for listings" then the UK EPG will be loaded.

It works on every box I have ever tried....

As soon as you pull out card again it reverts to Irish EPG.

Anyway, with card upside down, none of the pay channels work, so you can see which channels still work, on Irish or UK EPG. Main difference is UK EPG has BBC3/CBBC, BBC4/Cbeebies, BBC News24, BBC Parliament, The other 3 BBC "nations" and the rest of the BBC1 regions, also all 12 or so BBC radio.

These all work in "other channels" or in UK EPG.

philologos

tried it again and it worked this time with BBC London being channel 101
but can I recieve the UK ITV channels and C4 on this from Nov 1st

kaizersoze

Jakkass wrote:

tried it again and it worked this time with BBC London being channel 101
but can I recieve the UK ITV channels and C4 on this from Nov 1st

At the moment you'll get ITV3 (Ch. 119) but you won't get C4 or any of the C4 family. ITV4 is launching on Nov 1st but won't be available on Sky digital until Nov 7th. By this time it is expected that all the ITV channels will be available FTA.

philologos

nice, this would give me more reason to get rid of it and use the box

watty

Yes 103 will work, ITV2 (forget number will work), all the others as they are when you try them with the dummy-card-UK-epg-mode today.

No C4 or Five, except with a once-off-fee £21 FTV card (need UK address).

watty

ITVi with William road testcard is FTA today.

philologos

ITV is FTA now??

kaizersoze

watty wrote:

Yes 103 will work, ITV2 (forget number will work), all the others as they are when you try them with the dummy-card-UK-epg-mode today.

ATM, 103 (ITV1 London) and 118 (ITV2) will not work for me without my FTV card.

watty

I ment that ITV1 & ITV2 will work "soon" maybe from Tue evening. Everything else will be as it was when you tried it...