Freesat advice

sgavan · 26 Jul 2016 at 13:37

Hi, I am thinking of getting rid of my virgin media package and going freesat, used it several years ago and just wanted to check if there are any issues with it.

I already have a satellite but not a TV aerial so it would be cheaper and from what I can tell the satellite is more reliable than an aerial.

cornyfeet · 28 Jul 2016 at 18:02

I don't think there are any major issues, just one minor thing:

bbc hd channels cant broadcast your local areas content (such as local news), so you would have to watch this in standard def.

hope this helps

sgavan · 28 Jul 2016 at 18:39

Thanks for that, the BBC HD is the same on virgin media so that's ok. I think I may swap over and look for a new broadband service as well.

Thanks

easyrider · 28 Jul 2016 at 19:10

Free sat here...ditched sky years ago...rip off and never looked back.

gothic_hobbit · 29 Jul 2016 at 00:40

easyrider said:
Free sat here...ditched sky years ago...rip off and never looked back.

I concur.

Freesat is underrated IMO.

Blackjack Davy · 29 Jul 2016 at 00:51

More channels than Freeview I think and a higher bitrate on the transmissions (look better)

BBC, ITV etc look great in HD. I've had it for years here don't even bother with Freeview.

jpaul · 29 Jul 2016 at 09:07

Interesting, just checked although ITV hd has 40day avg 8.4Mb/s versus 4.4Mb/s sat/dtt WOW
bbc one hd is little better on sat 4.7 vs 4.1. Sky Atlantic hd is 6.8, to compare

More HD choice on sat is attractive though (would have like to see Tour de France on sat with itv4 hd, assuming feed was not limiting, film4 hd too - these are genuinely freesat yes ?)

Still a lot of channels only sd (like the local stations as mentioned) where having a good upscale becomes essential; here I had found foxsat hdr poor; for dtt inbuilt tuners, a modern fhd panasonic tv poor, best was an older sharp FHD, both ~40" ..... do not know what the answer is - more hd
[never seen a sd feed on a 60" fhd/4k miserable ??? baiting sorry ]

Sp00n · 29 Jul 2016 at 09:12

Less HD choice than Sky but it's a one off cost for the box (and dish if need be) which is nice and they are releasing more channels all the time and the odd HD one too (5 went HD recently).

I have a Humax hdr-1000s, it's generally pretty good, they do release the occasional firmware update that messes things up for a while but it usually gets sorted.

Clearcut · 29 Jul 2016 at 09:23

Really impressed with the HD quality of Channel 5 on Freesat.

sgavan · 29 Jul 2016 at 09:33

Thanks for all the info I think freesat is the way to go for me I like the look of the humax hdr-1000 as well.

easyrider · 1 Aug 2016 at 02:37

I've got the Humax mentioned...no issues with it.

TripleT · 1 Aug 2016 at 12:33

Please do not hint at selling outside of the MM - Kol

I used it and loved it. Only switched to Virgin TV as they basically paying me to take TV on top of broadband I already had.

sgavan · 1 Aug 2016 at 12:45

Thanks for the offer, I have purchased a freesat box already

LoadsaMoney · 1 Aug 2016 at 21:32

Ive had Freesat for a good few years now (after ditching Sky), used to have it through the Tv, but now got a new Tv that doesn't have it, so got the Humax 1100s Freesat box to go with it, and can't fault it at all.

Only use the Freeview when i want to watch something else, while im recording on my Freesat box, as only got the one feed.

EDIT: Just noticed the Olympic HD channels have come on now, theres 8 of em.

zom247 · 2 Aug 2016 at 07:13

I've been on Freesat for years now and never looked back at Sky, paying for all those channels I was never going to watch. I've got the Humax 1100s and the only bugbear I have with it is the time it takes to switch on but I've learned to live with that. I also miss some of the music channels, they recently removed Vintage which I used to love having on in the background.

Maundie · 2 Aug 2016 at 13:06

Quick question, is it simply just a case of uncoupling the sky box and then connecting the FreeSat box to the same cables and Robert's married your Auntie?

Was always thinking of replacing the Sky package with FreeSat but never plunged (aerial blew down many moons ago and it's £160 to have a new one put up).

Schizo · 2 Aug 2016 at 13:08

Maundie said:
Quick question, is it simply just a case of uncoupling the sky box and then connecting the FreeSat box to the same cables and Robert's married your Auntie?

Was always thinking of replacing the Sky package with FreeSat but never plunged (aerial blew down many moons ago and it's £160 to have a new one put up).

Yes,it's as easy as that.

sgavan · 2 Aug 2016 at 13:09

Maundie said:
Quick question, is it simply just a case of uncoupling the sky box and then connecting the FreeSat box to the same cables and Robert's married your Auntie?

Was always thinking of replacing the Sky package with FreeSat but never plunged (aerial blew down many moons ago and it's £160 to have a new one put up).

Yes pretty much. My box is coming today so should be up and running in no time.

Maundie · 2 Aug 2016 at 13:17

Thanks a lot, may have to bite the bullet and cancel Sky, paying £70 a month and the missus only watches Eastenders, Hollyoaks and Casualty which are on normal telly

sgavan · 2 Aug 2016 at 13:19

If you want to record and watch two channel you would need a dual LNB on the satellite as the box requires two cables but I think it should work fine with just the one cable unless I am mistaken?