Freesat vs Freeview (1 Viewer)

Jul 24, 2009
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I believe that you can suscribe to the Sky Freeview service costing about £30 for 2 or 3 years. Strictly speaking you should'nt move the box and card from your home address but I understand that if you do you get the news local to where you register the card even if you are abroad.
Does the same apply with Freesat or is their system different?
 

Geoffers

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Freesat only works in the Uk , and yes you just enter your postcode,
Free to air gives all local stations UK & abroad.
Sky , freeview card £20, as you say register it to get your local stations, some sky boxes (i.e.Javlin 12v model) needs no card to get freeview:thumb:
 

hilldweller

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I believe that you can suscribe to the Sky Freeview

Freesat is free, if Sky charge for more or less the same channels go buy a freesat box for a bit more cash and stick two fingers up to Sky.

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JeanLuc

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Not sure I understand the question (but then I'm not a Sky subscriber).

Freeview is a UK-only terrestrial broadcast bundle of channels including all the FTA public service broadcasters. In fact it was the BBC that prompted its establishment a few years ago. Now it is mostly digital. You receive it via a normal aerial and do not need a dish - it is a DTT broadcast.
Freesat is the satellite-based equivalent of Freeview and again is free, but unless you have a new TV with a FTA satellite decoder built in, you need to buy a digibox. It is a DVB broadcast and there is no subscription.
Various Sky options require payment.

In a motorhome, you can watch Freeview with a terrestrial aerial (UK only); free Satellite with any FTA digibox enabling you to watch all the normal GB public service channels; FreeSat with a dedicated FTA digibox (this will provide you with the full programme guide which the previous solution will not); or a Sky subscription-based service, provided you take your Sky box with you. Satellite solutions will enable you to watch in the UK and partly in Europe.
We have option 2 - Sat dish with generic digibox (Zhender). This provides all unencrypted channels on Astra 1, 2 A,B,D Hotbird, Eurobird etc. - in fact pretty much anything you can get in Europe that does not need a smart card to decrypt.
 
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magicsurfbus

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Freesat is like Freeview but with about 200 additional channels of crap available. Much of it is the same channel repeated on numerous different frequencies. The additional channels include men in turbans chanting, shopping for tat, DIY 'til you drop, and bored-looking tarts in bikinis holding telephones.

Some of the extra News channels are OK, and you can pick up every BBC and ITV region should you wish to gloat at the fact that it's peeing it down at home while you're getting sunburnt on the Cote d'Azur.
 

Scout

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freesat can be set by postcode to deliver your regional programs early on the listing, other regional programs will still be availbe elsewhere in the listings.

I use a humax freesat recorder (great bit of kit) I have used it with a portable maxview dish on a tripod both in the uk and (northern) france

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Scout

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Freesat is like Freeview but with about 200 additional channels of crap available. Much of it is the same channel repeated on numerous different frequencies. The additional channels include men in turbans chanting, shopping for tat, DIY 'til you drop, and bored-looking tarts in bikinis holding telephones.

Some of the extra News channels are OK, and you can pick up every BBC and ITV region should you wish to gloat at the fact that it's peeing it down at home while you're getting sunburnt on the Cote d'Azur.


mostly true there is a lot of crXp, but the same could be said for all the broadcasting compaines sky virgin et al, but there are good pionts the free HD channels etc and with the right box you can acess iplayer if you can connect it to your network
 
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TheTwoOfUs
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I probably should have mentioned that I was particularly interested in the options available when abroad. As I said, I believe that strictly speaking the Sky box should'nt be used away from home and I also understand that if you don't use it for long periods of time, the box will drop the signal and it will default to the factory setting i.e. London news. You then have to ring them up and ask for a signal to be sent to your box. Not very convenient if you are abroad.
So one of the things I wanted to know is, does this also apply to Freesat boxes? Looking at your replies it looks as though you can get all the regions and you just select the one you want.
As a supplementary question, which Freesat boxes are 12V (either direct or through a mains transformer)?
 

Scout

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I probably should have mentioned that I was particularly interested in the options available when abroad. As I said, I believe that strictly speaking the Sky box should'nt be used away from home and I also understand that if you don't use it for long periods of time, the box will drop the signal and it will default to the factory setting i.e. London news. You then have to ring them up and ask for a signal to be sent to your box. Not very convenient if you are abroad.
So one of the things I wanted to know is, does this also apply to Freesat boxes? Looking at your replies it looks as though you can get all the regions and you just select the one you want.
As a supplementary question, which Freesat boxes are 12V (either direct or through a mains transformer)?

my humax units are 240volts into the box, you could use a inverter or 12volt modle at maplin here

Link Removed

whoops thats 240volt

12volt one here
Broken Link Removed

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magicsurfbus

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As a supplementary question, which Freesat boxes are 12V (either direct or through a mains transformer)?

We've recently fitted a Maxview Free To Air 12v/230v satellite receiver - it cost a bit below £100 and it worked fine in central France at Easter in conjunction with their crank-up satellite dish.

If you get one, don't bother buying one of their additional satellite finder gadget boxes for an extra £25 - the receiver has a built-in signal strength and quality display.
 

Geoffers

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I think there is some confusion here between Freesat & Free To Air,
FTA is available almost anywhere in Europe, but Freesat is UK only.
Thinks thats right if not someone will be along shortly with another answer!:Eeek:
 
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:thumb:Hi, i use my sky card all the time in the van in and out of uk. but have just purchased from sky afreeview card the cost is £25. when you initiate the car it regionalises it for you. we use a 12v sky box in the van we bought on FLEEBAY..

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Scout

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I think there is some confusion here between Freesat & Free To Air,
FTA is available almost anywhere in Europe, but Freesat is UK only.
Thinks thats right if not someone will be along shortly with another answer!:Eeek:

sorry incorrect,
 

Geoffers

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sorry incorrect,
could you be a little more specific, which part is wrong ,thanks:Eeek:

Just thought yes I am wrong, what I ment to say freesat is only English channels, but free to air is just about any non encrypted channels i.ie. Sky.
think I am right this time !!!!!!!!!!!
 
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Satandpcguy

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I think there is some confusion here between Freesat & Free To Air,
FTA is available almost anywhere in Europe, but Freesat is UK only.
Thinks thats right if not someone will be along shortly with another answer!:Eeek:

Freesat is Free to air!!
Freesat carries a limited number of Free to air channels.
Freesat does not carry ALL free to air channels
There are many more free to air channels available than on Freesat - just pop your Freesat box into Non freesat mode and see.

Free to air channels are those channels that require no viewing card to watch.
Freesat is a brand of receiver and EPG sopftware that allows access to a number of free to air channels.

For example, BBC Channels are Free to air, available on Freessat and other satellite receiver, in the UK and in Europe, where a suitabl sized dish is requried for reception.

Freeview is a UK ONLY digital service received by a TV Aerial
Use a Freeview box in another country and you will reiceve that countries digital signals.

Sky boxes with no card will receive the free to air channels - and all the channels on a Freesat box.

A Sky card will regionalise 101, 102, 103, 104 and 105 - depending on the postcode of the sky card

All BBC channels are on the SKy and Freesat guide already
Not all ITV1 regions are on SKy or freesat boxes.
Sky boxes you manually add the one you want to your "other channels" list
Freesat boxes you change the postcode int he install wizard.

There is no "Sky Freeview" card.
There is a Sky "Free to view" card.
This allows access to channels that are free, require no subscription, but are encrypted.
Not many channels now - Five HD, Sony TV, Motors TV, LFCTV..


I probably should have mentioned that I was particularly interested in the options available when abroad. As I said, I believe that strictly speaking the Sky box should'nt be used away from home.
The only restriction is if your box is under the first year of a sky installation agreement or if the box is aprt of a sky multiroom contract.
If not then its your box and you can di with it what you wnt.
The CARD is SKy property at all times, and thats what is restricted by the T&Cs of your contract.

and I also understand that if you don't use it for long periods of time, the box will drop the signal and it will default to the factory setting i.e. London news. You then have to ring them up and ask for a signal to be sent to your box. Not very convenient if you are abroad.
A Sky box with no card normally boots with default regions - BBC Londona dn ITV1 central. introduce a card and the regionalisation will be determined by the postcode of the sky cards uk address.

The cards require signals from the satellite constantly. They can go for 4 weeks without a signal.
Then they "go to sleep".
They can be reawoke automatically if they are placed in a receiver that is getting a signal.
Or by calling sky to reactivate the card.
Its all done via the card.
Sky have no real control over the boxes - apart from blacklisting boxes by serial number.


So one of the things I wanted to know is, does this also apply to Freesat boxes? Looking at your replies it looks as though you can get all the regions and you just select the one you want.

Freesat boxes regionalisation of 101, 102,103,104 and 105 is all determined by the post code you enter when fdoing the Freesat install process.
All BBC regions are on the freesat guide already.
For ITV1 regions, either change the postcode, or pop the box into non freesat mode where it will receive ALL free to air channels, noit just those on the Freesat guide....

In fact they will now pick up PICK TV and Challenge TV. Theya re not on Freesat, but are now Free to air....so will be received by Sky boxes with no card, Freesat boxes in non freesat mode, and other "genernic " boxes.

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Scout

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Freesat is Free to air!!
Freesat carries a limited number of Free to air channels.
Freesat does not carry ALL free to air channels
There are many more free to air channels available than on Freesat - just pop your Freesat box into Non freesat mode and see.

Free to air channels are those channels that require no viewing card to watch.
Freesat is a brand of receiver and EPG sopftware that allows access to a number of free to air channels.

For example, BBC Channels are Free to air, available on Freessat and other satellite receiver, in the UK and in Europe, where a suitabl sized dish is requried for reception.

Freeview is a UK ONLY digital service received by a TV Aerial
Use a Freeview box in another country and you will reiceve that countries digital signals.

Sky boxes with no card will receive the free to air channels - and all the channels on a Freesat box.

A Sky card will regionalise 101, 102, 103, 104 and 105 - depending on the postcode of the sky card

All BBC channels are on the SKy and Freesat guide already
Not all ITV1 regions are on SKy or freesat boxes.
Sky boxes you manually add the one you want to your "other channels" list
Freesat boxes you change the postcode int he install wizard.

There is no "Sky Freeview" card.
There is a Sky "Free to view" card.
This allows access to channels that are free, require no subscription, but are encrypted.
Not many channels now - Five HD, Sony TV, Motors TV, LFCTV..



The only restriction is if your box is under the first year of a sky installation agreement or if the box is aprt of a sky multiroom contract.
If not then its your box and you can di with it what you wnt.
The CARD is SKy property at all times, and thats what is restricted by the T&Cs of your contract.


A Sky box with no card normally boots with default regions - BBC Londona dn ITV1 central. introduce a card and the regionalisation will be determined by the postcode of the sky cards uk address.

The cards require signals from the satellite constantly. They can go for 4 weeks without a signal.
Then they "go to sleep".
They can be reawoke automatically if they are placed in a receiver that is getting a signal.
Or by calling sky to reactivate the card.
Its all done via the card.
Sky have no real control over the boxes - apart from blacklisting boxes by serial number.




Freesat boxes regionalisation of 101, 102,103,104 and 105 is all determined by the post code you enter when fdoing the Freesat install process.
All BBC regions are on the freesat guide already.
For ITV1 regions, either change the postcode, or pop the box into non freesat mode where it will receive ALL free to air channels, noit just those on the Freesat guide....

In fact they will now pick up PICK TV and Challenge TV. Theya re not on Freesat, but are now Free to air....so will be received by Sky boxes with no card, Freesat boxes in non freesat mode, and other "genernic " boxes.


should be made a sticky post, very informitive thanks
 
Apr 23, 2010
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Hi
We use a Humax (FREESAT) Satellite receiver box and have just returned from a 3week trip to Europe.....Calais,Brugge,Rothenburg ab der Tauber,Koblenz,Munich,Lake Constance and then back through France and received all the FREESAT channels including PCNE thats the chinese channel for the Girls(Jinxia & Yingying.
The Humax box is 240v but I just use a 150v inverter plugged into the 12v system.:thumb:
 

Scout

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Hi
We use a Humax (FREESAT) Satellite receiver box and have just returned from a 3week trip to Europe.....Calais,Brugge,Rothenburg ab der Tauber,Koblenz,Munich,Lake Constance and then back through France and received all the FREESAT channels including PCNE thats the chinese channel for the Girls(Jinxia & Yingying.
The Humax box is 240v but I just use a 150v inverter plugged into the 12v system.:thumb:

thats interesting, what type of inverter is it a pure sine wave or the cheaper type

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