Freesat if old Sky box is playing up?

Thanks so much, this is so helpful. I will print this all off and take with me to try all the different options - but wont for now buy any boxes or cards!

Jo

I've looked at all the message exchanges in April 2009.  We're now at end 2010 and I would welcome opinions which are up to date about the pros and cons of   a Freesat box    v   a  Skybox (free viewing).   Box to be bought in south Spain (Marbella area)  or ordered online from UK.

I was advised to buy a Freesat box  but see that  a Skybox might be be better   - and more expensive.

Its not so much Freesat vs Sky, its Freesat, Freesat HD or Freesat HD+ (hard drive recording) vs, Sky box, Sky+ box (sub required for hard drive recording), or Sky HD (sub required for hard drive recording).

Not much point in going for a standard Freesat bx - go for a sky box with a freesatfromsky card (non subscription card)- 10or so  more channels.

A Freesat HD box gets BBC1HD, BBC HD and ITV1 HD.

A Sky HD box with no viewing card  gets the same.

A Sky HD box with a viewing card  ( a freesatfromsky card (non subscription card) -  gets in addition 4HD and Five HD.

A Freesat HD+ box allow you to record to hard drive for free.

A Sky+ or Sky HD+ box needs a subscription to record to the hard drive.

Not all channels are onthe freesat EPG, but you have to put the box into NONfreesat mode and scan for other channels. (Sky news being one example of a channel not on Freesat, but in Nonfreesat!)

So at the end of the day it depends:

do you want Fiver, Five USA, Sky3, - sky card / sky box

HD? which HD channels - just BBC and ITV - either freesat hd or sky hd, Four HD and Five HD - sky hd box and sky card

recording - free: freesat or a generic receiver, or if you have a sky sub: sky+ or skyhd+

 This question is slightly off the main point of this thread. Could anyone tell me if a Sony 40" TV with a freeview tuner, 3 years old, work in Spain or would I need to plug in a TDT box? I'm based near Torrevieja. Thank you in advance. Kevin

Well, obviously using a Freeview receiver in Spain will NOT get you BBC and other UK TV channels via your TV aerial.

But it will, generally, get the TDT channels.

Most TVs have "country settings" option in their menu system. This is useful as, for example, most of Europe use frequency 69 for digital channels, the UK does not. So if you do a scan on "UK" settings, you may miss out channels that are on "Europe" frequencies that are not used in the UK.

And most TVs with Freeview, also have "generic" digital TV tuners also, and so should work OK in other countries.

Although, if you post the full model number (usually on the back of the TV) perhaps someone has that model and can check.

 Thanks for your reply. The TV is a Sony KDL40S2510.  I was thinking of upgrading our TV in the UK and hoped this one would work in Spain picking up Spanish TV. Thanks Kevin

Thank you  satandpcguy.

Am reflecting on your info.

Hi Satandpcguy

Thanks, you offer some great info on here, a real help to many

In April you wrote

on a sky box got o services, 4, add channels, input the frequency of 12408, v 27.5 2/3 and find channels, press yellow (puts a tick) nect to an ITV and press select - the new itv channels is in your "other channels" list in the services menu.

I tried this yesterday but didn't find any new channels, is this info know out of date?

S

Hi

The frequency is 12402, but 12408 is close enough to also work, snd still brings up some encryopted ITV1 regional variations channels, that require a sky card.

As do the ITV1 on 11973 (where you also can access ITV1HD with a HD box and sky card)

Irish varitaions of C4 are on 12480 - also requireing a sky card.

In many cases these channels / frequencies do not need a "big dish", infact a smaller say 80cm to 100cm dish should do for most of Spain....the ITV1s on 11973 can even be picked up on a 60cm dish, and even a UK sky minidish I have here.