Freeview HD isnt available where I live and wont be till next year. I need a new Freeview STB. I would like to hear from anyone who uses Freesat or has a Freeview HD STB. I dont want to buy a new TV and have heard bad things about the very expensive Humax Freeview HD STB - particularly audio. I believe that there is a Bush Freeview HD STB available from Argos. Anyone got any recommendations based on actual practical experience?
Freesat or Freeview HD
- Thread starter chelps
- Start date
Soldato
- Joined
- 17 Mar 2004
- Posts
- 8,259
Freesat is very limited for channels. Providing you have good reception for freeview get this 
Freesat is very limited for channels. Providing you have good reception for freeview get this
Gotta agree with this.
We've got both Freesat and Freeview in our living room (Freeview coming through a HTPC) and the channels available on Freesat is abysmal. The quality of Freeview is noticeably better as well, you have a much clearer viewing experience - the only advantage of Freesat is BBC HD and ITV HD, though I only watch them for football.
Having seen them side by side where I work, Freesat's HD channels tend to look a bit clearer (although it could just be that the sagem is a better stb than the humax), but for the channels freeview isn't bad. I can never remember if you get bbc iplayer with freeview hd, but that might be worth taking into account if it doesn't. I'd wait for a better selection of freeview hd stb's to come out before I went with the humax, if only for a better price range from competition. Next time I'm at work I'll turn the sound up and see how it compares to the sagem freesat next to it.
Thanks for the feedback. What card do you use in your HTPC? Does it support Freeview HD?
Associate
- Joined
- 14 Apr 2008
- Posts
- 1,230
- Location
- Manchester
Both if you can!
I had plan old freeview in my HTPC for ages (2x DVB-T tuners), then i added a DVB-S2 card (future proofing) and initially i could only get BBC HD, but ITV HD has now been added as i'm sure more will in the future.
I'll be adding a DVB-T2 card as soon as one is available at a reasonable price.
Today i spent some time re-organising the channels (correctly merging, removing and adding listings) the sat stuff cost about £150.
Might seem expensive for two channels, however, it is nice to be able to get stuff in HD (and more is becoming available).
I had plan old freeview in my HTPC for ages (2x DVB-T tuners), then i added a DVB-S2 card (future proofing) and initially i could only get BBC HD, but ITV HD has now been added as i'm sure more will in the future.
I'll be adding a DVB-T2 card as soon as one is available at a reasonable price.
Today i spent some time re-organising the channels (correctly merging, removing and adding listings) the sat stuff cost about £150.
Might seem expensive for two channels, however, it is nice to be able to get stuff in HD (and more is becoming available).
What channels do you lose with Freesat over Free View? Thinking about dropping Sky for a Humax Freesat HD PVR to save some cash in the long run.
Also from what I understand Freeview HD is pretty limited in coverage so if you are not near a big city that might be an issue.
Also from what I understand Freeview HD is pretty limited in coverage so if you are not near a big city that might be an issue.
You lose both dave channels,sky 3 , virgin, fiver an five us, but you do gain lots of odd channels, for a company that only has 26 employees freesat isn't to bad.
I find the picture better than freeview, though I would like 4hd now it works here, freeview hd will only ever get 4 hd channels free potentialy has room for more.
Im not sure how you check what channels are available on Freesat as compared to Freeview, I guess that you would need to look at the appropriate Freesat & Freeview pages. You can certainly check when Freeview HD will be available at http://www.freeview.co.uk/availability/main/index/landing. I think that Freesat is available all over the country, even out in the wilds and particularly in the valleys and near hills where Freeview may not always be available.