Can I stop paying Sky and use my satellite receiver to get Freeview ?
Yes, but only "sort of".
Freeview is the name of the (BBC-backed) digital TV system that uses hilltop transmitters to rooftop aerials. It is run separately from the "Sky" satellite-to-dish service.
free-to-VIEW is a term for satellite channels that need a viewing card to watch, but not to collect a subscription. free-to-AIR channels are ones that can be received without needing a viewing card or subscription.
The free-to-AIR satelite service backed by the BBC and ITV is called Freesat. The free-to-VIEW service operated by Sky is called fSfS or Freesat from Sky.
As long as you have finished your first year, you can leave Sky when you want.
To do this just give Sky a call and tell them you don't want to subscribe any more.
If you stop subscribing you will be able to watch the hundred or so free-to-air channels listed on free channels list. This service is called Freesat from Sky (fSfS).
Some of the channels on the Freeview service are subscription only on satellite, specifically: 4Music, Challenge, Dave, Dave ja vu, Quest, VIVA and Yesterday . See these links to compare the TV channels on Freesat-from-Sky and Freeview, and to compare radio stations on Freeview and fSfS. Many homes have free satellite and Freeview to get the full range of channels.
You will still need to keep your Sky viewing card. If you stop subscribing on a Sky contract, you can keep using that card to watch 5USA, 5* and PICK TV, the so-called "free-to-view" channels. (All ITV channels are free-to-air).
It is not possible to plug an aerial into a Sky Digibox to receive Freeview channels because the boxes have not been designed this way.
You will continue to get the full Sky EPG listings; you just will not be able to watch subscription channels.
If you want to go for High Definition, HD, you can swap out your Sky box for a Freesat one very easily.
A card is not needed to watch BBC services, but it is needed to get the correct BBC ONE and BBC TWO regions on 101 and 102.
Another option is to disconnect your Sky Digibox altogether and Upgrade from Sky to Freesat - ukfree.tv. If you have an HD-Ready TV and a standard Sky box, this is a good option.
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normMonday 14 March 2011 1:51PM
Blackburn i forgot to mention in previous post we are on a communal aerielMike DimmickMonday 14 March 2011 4:03PM
Reading norm: the transmissions are the same whether you're using Sky, 'Freesat from Sky' or BBC/ITV Freesat.
Channels are broadcast either unscrambled - 'free-to-air' - or scrambled using Sky's Videocrypt system. To descramble, you need a viewing card. Channels may have a unique descrambling key, or may use a 'free-to-view' key, which doesn't change very often, and which still works even after you cancel your subscription.
If the free-to-view key changes, Sky charge £25 for a new card.
BBC/ITV Freesat only offers free-to-air channels.
Sky Sports on satellite requires a basic entertainment pack subscription (£19.50 per month) plus the sports pack (£20.25 per month extra). Or, you can buy only Sky Sports 1 or Sky Sports 2 rather than the sports pack at £12.25 per channel per month.
You can get Sky Sports 1 & 2 (not HD) through an aerial if you get either Top Up TV or BT Vision. Your region has already switched over and you have a choice of transmitters providing the full service - either Winter Hill or Pendle Forest. Top Up TV don't require a subscription to their main service, but you do need one of their boxes rather than just a regular Freeview box.normMonday 14 March 2011 6:53PM
Blackburn mike just had email back from sky saying exactly what you have about having to buy FREESAT VIEWING CARD and that i would have to take a seperate package for sky sports ,but whhat i wanna know is could i receive the sky sports on the freesat card or woul i need a different sky card ? ,,,,Norm
keith hewsonThursday 17 March 2011 9:22PM
Hi all , i've been with sky for the last 9 years , and still have the old type box ,do you think they would give me a + box and change the lnb for free ??? Thanks Anna SargentMonday 21 March 2011 9:28PM
Hi there,
I have an ex-Sky satellite and bought a TV and a Humax digisat box so that I can get channels without subscribing to Sky.
However the two satellite cables sticking out of the wall have thin copper wires coming out of them which don't fit in the back of the Humax box.
I bought a male to male coaxial lead and a converter (which has a hole one end and a thin metal pin the other side) but they don't work, I think the sizes are wrong.
Please can you suggest what type of converter/ attachment I need to go onto the thin copper wire bit to make it connect to the Humax box?
Hope this makes sense, I don't know how to describe it better. Any advice would be gratefully received.
Thanks in advance.
AnnaChrisMonday 21 March 2011 11:07PM
Hyde I have a TV with built in freeview and it picks all the channels up well. I have just bought a Humax 9300 recorder but when i connect it to my tv via scart it cannot pick up any channels. It just says "no or bad signal"
Does it use anything different than the tv to pick up the signals?
My postcode for signal is SK14 4BL
Dont know if i'm doing anything wrongTom FletcherTuesday 22 March 2011 2:38PM
Anna sargent
The cable is called shotgun cable or double sky cable, the connectors {F connectors}are a bit smaller than the standard connectors, you wont find them in any of the sheds, you will have to go to an aerial satellite specialist for them. .Tom Fletcher Alpha Aerials Sheffield. Tom FletcherTuesday 22 March 2011 2:55PM
Chris
The aerial has to go striate into the humax box, male connection in, then you have an RF lead that has a male/female connection that goes to the TV,scart the humax box to Av 1 input connection on the TV, switch on the humax box,select AV 1 on your TV using your TV remote control, and you should get a menu telling you what to do next. Tom Fletcher Alpha Aerials Sheffield. LutonFanTuesday 22 March 2011 8:18PM
Hyde Chris- If you have not tried already, use the 'Default setting' scan instead of a simple auto-tune.
Hope this works.mike collisterWednesday 23 March 2011 9:27PM
I live in the south of the Isle of Man. Currently BBC channels are intermittent.
Also when receiving "normally" the picture keeps freezing & jumping. My installation is all top quality. Any answers to this annoying problem welcomed.mike collisterWednesday 23 March 2011 9:28PM
Further to last post....this refers to freeview only.Anna SargentWednesday 23 March 2011 11:05PM
Tom Fletcher,
Thanks for your help. So I'm guessing I can't get them on Amazon?
Best wishes
Anna
ChrisSunday 27 March 2011 9:03PM
Hyde Hi
Thanks for the advice. The problem seemed to be that on the screen it said i was in East Anglia when I am in Cheshire. After going to the default setting it all reloaded and seems to be fine now.
I did buy this from somebody so it mustve been where they lived i guess
Thanks again
ChrisJPTuesday 29 March 2011 9:12AM
So to clarify, if I cancel sky subscription I won't be able to watch Pay per view channels? specifically the big boxing events ?
Many Thanks, great blog..Les NicolTuesday 29 March 2011 10:06AM
JP - Yes - To watch SKY Sports you are required to to take out an entertainment package. - See Mike Dimmick's reply to Norm's post 14th and 15th March by scrolling back. JPTuesday 29 March 2011 10:30AM
Thanks Les..doesn't quite answer my question though.
I have a basic sky package, don't have sky sports but am still able to purchse the PPV and showtime events, the one night only events..a David Haye fight for example.
My concern is I cancel my basic Sky package and then I'm not able to purchase the one off PPVs.
Thanks in advanceLes NicolTuesday 29 March 2011 11:06AM
JP If you cancel your SKY basic package then you won't be able to purchase the one night only events as your no longer subscribing.JPTuesday 29 March 2011 11:37AM
Thanks Les
Damn it..sounds like they've got me by the short and curlies.Ron RogersonWednesday 30 March 2011 12:04PM
I bought an Amstrad 160gb Sky+ box from eBay. This box has no card (and only 1 slot, for the interactive card). I wasn't expecting the recording function to still be there, but not only is that working, the box is receiving most of the subscription channels.
I can only think this means the subscription hasn't been cancelled - so that I can expect both the extra channels and the recording function to disappear soon, if I leave it plugged in.
Grateful for any other explanationTom FletcherWednesday 30 March 2011 1:38PM
Ron Rogerson
Lots Of people are dumping sky,think its got to costly,that card will stop on for a while, but sky will switch it off as soon as they don't get there money for the subscriptions. Ron RogersonThursday 31 March 2011 5:24PM
But there's no card in the box. So how does the box know which channels (other than the default FTA ones) it's allowed to receive?Ron Rogerson: A Sky box is unable to do the things you say without a card. Are you sure it's not behind a "flap" and you are looking at the "interactive slot"? tyroneSaturday 2 April 2011 7:58AM
have not got sat tv at all what is the cheapest way to get started would like sky sports for the forth coming golf us mastersLes NicolSaturday 2 April 2011 9:26AM
tyrone - To subscribe to a SKY sports package sees you having to take on a basic subscription package first. A minimum 12months contract is required but you do get your self a receiver from SKY.supposedly free which if you un-scribe from after the initial 12 months contract is yours to keep. However if it's a SKY Plus box with recording capability then this is disabled at the point you cease your contract. If you have an HD package this adds a further £10. per month to any other packages you have contracted for.
The cheapest entry into Satellite television is to buy your own freesat or FTA (free to air receiver) but you won't get the range of Sports packages you do get with SKY who basically have a monopoly here, Protected sports packages are available via the BBC and ITV on Satellite and Terrestrial TV.
A basic SKY package (Required) with an additional Sports package and HD could be around £40 to £50 per month. "Freesat" or an FTA receiver will cost you the price of the receiver and dish indtallation but no monthly payments.
BT Vision or Cable will give you some of the basic SKY sports packages ie:- Sports 1 and 2 where their subscription prices are cheaper but are of course not a satellite service.tyroneSaturday 2 April 2011 12:33PM
thanks for the advice les will check it outj green Saturday 2 April 2011 7:14PM
Alfreton i am cancelling my sky subsciption and buying a freeview x box how do i set it up ?joSaturday 2 April 2011 7:15PM
Hello , we are going to cancel our sky package as it is too expensive - I have read elsewhere that we would be able to cancel our subscription with sky but purchase a freesat card from them for around £19-£25 and continue using our sky+ HD box is this right ?????? It also stated that we could continue using the recording part of the box for £10 a month. Any clarification would be gratefully received. Jo James HarrisonSaturday 2 April 2011 8:29PM
Jo
It's called "Freesat from sky" - I think they will want to charge you £175 for a box and installation, but if you explain the situation you can just get the card. However, note that most of the channels on this service are unencrypted so may not need it (it used to only be the channel 4 channels that needed the card), so please research - its a couple of years since I had this service.
I believe you can retain the sky+ facilities with a £10 pcm surcharge - maybe think about just keeping the minimum entertainment pack for £15 pcm instead?
Alternatively if you can afford to invest in a freesat (not from sky) box then for a small investment you will be free from them. Your current dish will work just the same - freesat uses the same signals from the same satelites after all!rockinromSunday 3 April 2011 1:34AM
Jo:(QUOTE)Hello , we are going to cancel our sky package as it is too expensive - I have read elsewhere that we would be able to cancel our subscription with sky but purchase a freesat card from them for around £19-£25 and continue using our sky+ HD box is this right ?????? It also stated that we could continue using the recording part of the box for £10 a month. Any clarification would be gratefully received. Jo)
Hello Jo, you won't have to "Buy" a freesat card from Sky. Just call them and cancel your subs, but ask them to leave you with "Free-sat from Sky" (They will probably ask if that's what you want anyway), you can then get all BBC,ITV,Channel 4,and channel 5, and Five's sister channels (Five U.S.and Five*)all on your HD box. This will include any HD programmes that are transmitted by these providers. You will no longer get ANY HD programmes from Sky.
While you are on the phone, ask if you can still use the record facility for £10.per month, if that's what you want, get them to add it at the same time. It' a good idea to get them to reset your pin, if you have forgotten it! This can be done in minutes whilst you are talking to them.
To get ANY Sky HD channels you HAVE to pay the minimum sub of around £19.+ £10.per month for HD.
Hope this helps,
Rom.rockinromSunday 3 April 2011 2:01AM
To Jo, again,
Forgot to mention that if you subscribe to one of the minimum entertainment packs at around £19. This will automatically give your recordability back. To sum up, the cheapest you can do this is: Around £29.00 will give you the Family pack of your choice + recording + HD on the HD channels included in your package.
Regards, Rom.ArthurSunday 3 April 2011 11:13AM
Hi. I have just cancelled mny Sky+ subscription because I only watch the basic channels.
1.I believe I can continue watching the basic Free to Air channels without paying sky anything so long as I keep the viewing card and don't detroy it as they advised.
2. I do however have lots of programs recorded (from the basic stations only). Will I still be able to view these once Sky activate my cancelation or should I start planning a viewing fest now!
3. I presume I won't be able to record any more on Sky+ once I'm no longer paying Sky for the privilege. I don't want to pay them any more; I'm going to buy a Humax box.
4. Can I 'feed' the Humax and old Sky+ boxes in different from the same satellite dish?ArthurSunday 3 April 2011 11:15AM
Sorry.. point 4. should have read
Can I 'feed' the Humax and old Sky+ boxes in different ROOMS from the same satellite dish?Tom FletcherSunday 3 April 2011 2:01PM
Arthur
Sky will tell you anything to try and keep your subs going,the best way is to get a Humax recordable freesat box in your main room, and put the old sky box in a different room,if you have had Sky+ you will have had a quad LNB dish fitted at one time, so you should have two spare outputs from your dish to use.
Tom Fletcher.Alpha Aerials Sheffield.
Mike DimmickSunday 3 April 2011 6:46PM
Reading Arthur: Yes, you need to have a viewing fest. Sky disable the recording, timeshift and playback functions unless you keep paying for a basic subscription.
You can feed as many boxes as you like from one satellite dish, as long as they're using independent outputs on the LNB. You can't split cables, because the box sends signals back up the cable to control the LNB. You need two cables from a recorder (Sky+ or Freesat+) to the dish so that it can select different modes for the channel being watched, and the channel being recorded (or for the two channels being recorded).
If there are no spare outputs on the LNB, it's possible to just buy a replacement LNB rather than a whole new dish.
The Humax FOXSAT-HDR does have an 'LNB 1 OUT' socket on it, which you could plug the Sky box into. However, if the Humax is on, or recording two channels, you would only be able to watch some of the channels on the Sky box - those which have the same mode. It's really recommended to connect directly to the LNB.ArthurSunday 3 April 2011 9:33PM
Norwich Thank you so much for your comments Mike & Tom. It is heartening to know there are genuine folk out there with a social conscience willing to help the ill-informed and needy!
I think I have a number of options now if I have understood you both correctly.
1a. Replace the Sky+ box in my main room with the Humax and then buy 2 more cables to connect to the dish (if I have a quad LNB?) and connect them to the old Sky+ box in a different room.
1b. If I don't have a quad LNB, then buy one to add to the dish.
2. Feed the Sky+ box with a cable fitted to the Humax 'LNB 1 OUT'.
In the interim, if I were to connect the Humax to the Sky+ "LNB OUT', could I copy what I have recorded on the Sky+ box to the Humax?Jen BolterMonday 4 April 2011 3:31PM
Hi just put in a freesat box all ok until went on BBC News then it froze now can only change channel using box not remote? done the obvious changed battery etc red light flashes on remote but no connection to box any ideas why? thanks JenMike DimmickMonday 4 April 2011 5:47PM
Arthur:
1a: Since you won't be recording on the Sky+ box, you can get away with only running one cable and plugging it into LNB 1 IN.
1b: The quad LNB is a LNB with four outputs on it rather than just two. It replaces the existing LNB - the device on the end of the arm that points at the dish. It might be hard to see how many outputs the existing LNB has, because they should be weather-proofed.
You can run the cables yourself but you do need the right sort of cable, be able to drill holes through brickwork, and know how to assemble the connectors so you get a reliable connection. Try 
F and TV plugs and leads connectors and see SKY+ Freesat+ and Replacing your minidish LNB for information on replacing the LNB.
2: This is a poorer option because if there are arguments over which channel to watch (or record), and you need both boxes on at once, you might not be able to select the channels that you want on the second box. If the lounge box will always be on standby when you're watching the bedroom box, no problem.
Unfortunately, the boxes are only designed to record signals directly from the satellite. The boxes cannot regenerate the satellite signal, and the Humax won't record from SCART or HDMI. The Sky box won't let you copy programmes to an external hard disk. (The Humax will, but they're scrambled so that only the Humax can play them back - a condition of High Definition copy protection.) A video cassette recorder is actually about your only option! (RG47SH) Mike DimmickMonday 4 April 2011 5:50PM
Reading Jen Bolter: Try cleaning the window on the end of the remote where the infra-red beam leaves, and the window on the box where the infra-red sensor is. Also check that there's nothing in front of the sensor. Some remotes have an exposed LED rather than it being enclosed.
Otherwise it sounds like the sensor has broken, but that's usually a very rare occurrence. You might need to take it back.barrywMonday 4 April 2011 8:49PM
Hi,
At present I have a basic Sky package using a Sky + box,but I intend to cancel my Sky subscription ASAP as I now only require the freeview channels.
After cancellation,will I still be able to use the Sky + box to record non-HD programs as before,with rewind and fastforward,etc,or will I need other equipment?
I am not technically minded in any way on this,so thanks for your comments.GrahamTuesday 5 April 2011 11:09AM
i have a sky digital hd box downstairs connected by sky and this works fine. however when first moving into my new house i was given a sky digital box by my sister in law and told i could watch the freeview channels on it which i did- brilliant. i now have a tv upstairs in my bedroom also and wondered if it was possible to connect this old sky box to the tv and watch the freeview channels up there is there anything specific i need to do as it says there is no signal being recieved?
i have it plugged in and an old sky card in there and tv aerial point the same as when it was downstairs.
Any ideas???
thanksrockinromWednesday 6 April 2011 3:16AM
Graham,
I only see mention of an aerial, not a dish.
I assume you have the digi-box connected to a dish,as well as an aerial,if you need RF out?
Rom.reethyWednesday 6 April 2011 8:11PM
We are out of sky but we are viewing freeview channels through it.Now suddenly we are gettting the error 29:No signal received.unplug ur main frm the box.We tried all the ways like rebooting,tighten up and checking all the connections.But we couldnt seeit.Can you help us?
rockinromThursday 7 April 2011 10:32PM
reethy,
From what you say, I assume you are using your sky digi-box, and your dish, to watch the free to air channels.
If NOTHING has changed,ie: high winds, dish alignment, broken cable etc. And you get NO channels, (you should get Sky News and BBC news channel on a piece of damp string in the UK). Then, maybe, the problem lies with digi-box itself. I would do no more than you have already, reboot, check connections etc. Then, perhaps ask a friend or neighbour, if you could borrow their box for 30 minutes, and connect it the exact same way as your box is connected. If their box boots up and works, then that is your problem, and you'll have to source another box. Maybe a Samsung HD box (easily the best) from Ebay, for about £40-£60.
Hope this helps,
Rom.
simoneSaturday 9 April 2011 8:23PM
I have a sky + box and and i am thinking of cancelling my subscribtion with sky will i be able to watch the programs and films that i have recorded on it, (i know you cant record once cancelled).Karl lusbySunday 10 April 2011 7:31AM
The other day my skydigibox told me to turn off box for 5mins then reboot did this and everything ok yesterday box made popping sound now doesnt work tried another box no luck whats happened
Tom FletcherSunday 10 April 2011 9:25AM
Simone
No sky will switch the card of if you cancel you subs, you will only be able to watch the Free channels . Tom FletcherSunday 10 April 2011 9:37AM
Karl Lusby
I need a bit more information to correctly diagnose your fault,when you say not working,is the standby light on? or is it just not getting channels is there any messages being displayed,ie no signal or something like that. simoneSunday 10 April 2011 12:32PM
thanks for the reply tom, just to clarify i wont be able to watch the recorded programs if i cancel?
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