Freesat V FreesatfromSky

[jacton]

Okay I have my 1.9 dish and am very happy with the picture quality. I am using an old Grundig (Silver) Sky digibox, but it is sowing signs of age (bit like me), do I get another Sky box and continue using my freesat from sky card or go for a Freesat box?

I am not sure of the benefits or pitfalls for changing to Freesat. I do have an HD ready television but its not full HD.

But I will need to replace my existing box sooner rather than later so am looking for some advice as to which way to go

any help will be appreciated

many thanks

[satandpcguy]

Freesat HD has BBC HD and ITV HD. But is has FIVE but only for the same time as BBC2.

Freesatfromsky has FIVE, FIVER, FIVE US, ITV (on 12402 frequency), C4 (on 12480 frequency), and a few more channels than Freesat.

Personally if you are thinking of going for a Freesat HD, wait for a few weeks when the Freesat+ (or Humax Foxsat Freesat+ ie hard drive inside) is launched - some other sites have claimed it is already available but that is the Humax Foxsat+ NON FREESAT version! - watch one channels and record another at the same time - ie all the functionslaity of the SkyHD + box with no subscritpion.

[jacton]

If I go for the freesat HD+ would I need to do anything to the dish or will it work as it is with either Freesat HD or freesatfromSky?

[satandpcguy]

freesat and freesatfromsky and sky channels all come from the same 5 satellites, so you will not have to move your dish.

but if you upgrade from basic sky to sky+, skyhd+ or to freesat hd+, you will need to run another cable from the dish (assuming you have at least a twin output LNB) to the receiver, so that it allows you to watch one channel at he same time as receording another - it uses the two cables one for each feed.

[jacton]

Sorry to sound thick (probably I am ) although I do have a twin LNB one cable goes to my neighbour and one to my system. But if I get an HD box and only use the existing cable to connect will it still work without the facility to record a different channel to the one I am watching?

At the moment I really can't see the need for me to every record a program whilst watching another, so not sure if I really want to connect anymore cables into my lounge than I already have.

In fact I had a VCR for years and just cannot every remember recording anything to watch at a later time. I can't stand watching live events after they have happened, and so many programs are now available as repeats or on +1 hour channels that I still can't see me ever needing to record any program for future viewing. But this is just me of course each to their own.

[satandpcguy]

any satellite receiver will work with one single cable from the dish.

if you go for any satellite Personal Video Recorder (PVR) like Sky+, Sky HD+ and Freesat+ then you will need your LNB upgrading from a twin to a four output LNB, and a second cable from the LNB to your receiver, the PVR will use one cable for the channel you are recording and the other for the channel you are watching.

There is no real point in getting a Sky HD box unless you are subbing to Sky where the record and playback functions are included in the price of the sub, and the HD (not BBC hd or C4 HD as these are free channels) channels are available for a further £10 per month

[mac222]

i told you that i bought the grundig box out to spain and the technomate as well.
i am back in the uk at the moment and had an old dish in the garage got a new lnb of e bay and reinstated the old dish just under my little sky dish.
i went to comet and bought the humax in the week 149 pounds and set up to my little logic tv in the kitchen.
i can,t keep of it the bbc hd its so good i can,t praise it enough the programs are fantastic only when there on the main channels ie bbc1 or 2 do they overide the rest of the programming on hd.
i have sat up past midnight twice this week can,t walk away its just so good.
and to top it all the footy last night on itv in high def totally different than standard.
so far very impressed with the freesat service and the free air to ground technomate as well.

[satandpcguy]

i too was shocked as to how good the ITV football was - normally ITV HD football is worse than the SD version....probably due to the HD pictures being done by the germans...