Alternative to Sky? (1 Viewer)

[Touchwood]

Not actually for the MH, but for our home TV - I'm fed up of paying the exorbitant Sky subscriptions, and am looking for a non-subscription alternative. We watch almost exclusively just the normal "terrestrial" channels (BBC1, BBC2, ITV etc.) so our requirements are pretty basic: -

HD TV (channels as above, others nice but not a must)
Ability to record two channels
Ability to pause and rewind live TV

I understand there are "boxes" that will do this (Humax) We have built in freeview on our TV, so it's really just the recording facility we need.

Is it as simple as buying a Humax (or similar) box and plugging it into our existing Sky dish and the TV? Or is there more to it?

Advice gratefully received.

 

[GJH]

Funny you should ask that today Mike.

We had a wander round Currys this morning and ended up buying a new TV and Freeview Recorder - .. No satellite required as it receives Freeview through the aerial and plugs into the TV via supplied hdmi cable.

Early days yet and we haven't tried the Pause/Rewind but it seems OK.

 

[ShiftZZ]

I use one of these..

[ame="http://www.amazon.co.uk/EchoStar-HDS-600RS-SlingLoaded-Anywhere-recorder/dp/B004S9OT92"]EchoStar HDS-600RS SlingLoaded TV Anywhere Freesat+ HD digital TV recorder: Amazon.co.uk: TV[/ame]


Also has sling!!

I also use this...

http://www.roku.com/uk

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[Xoxoc]

Yes, if you buy a 'box' such as a Humax Foxsat unit you just connect it in place of your sky box and it's done.

 

[pablomc]

If you are wanting to still use your dish then you would need a freesat box with PVR function.

Other options are a freeview box (requires an aerial) with PVR function.

You could use your existing sky+ box and pay Sky ~£20 for freesat as a one off charge, but then you have to pay them ~£10 PM to use the PVR function.

 

[Viennese]

Do any of these

incorporate a DVD player/recorder??

Catherine

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[canopus]

You could buy a Megasat LED TV from Auto Mate who are a first class company.

The Megasat TV's have built in satellite receivers and DVD players and receive all the normal UK stuff plus 100's of foreign channels as well :thumb: wink wink nudge nudge

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[GJH]

incorporate a DVD player/recorder??

Catherine

No, according to the guy we spoke to in Currys. He also told us that there are now fewer and fewer TVs with built in DVD players as the popularity of DVDs is falling so much - witness HMV I suppose.

 

[tofo]

Not actually for the MH, but for our home TV - I'm fed up of paying the exorbitant Sky subscriptions, and am looking for a non-subscription alternative. We watch almost exclusively just the normal "terrestrial" channels (BBC1, BBC2, ITV etc.) so our requirements are pretty basic: -

HD TV (channels as above, others nice but not a must)
Ability to record two channels
Ability to pause and rewind live TV

I understand there are "boxes" that will do this (Humax) We have built in freeview on our TV, so it's really just the recording facility we need.

Is it as simple as buying a Humax (or similar) box and plugging it into our existing Sky dish and the TV? Or is there more to it?

Advice gratefully received.

you can get freesat box with twin recorder to replace a sky box

.
:thumb::thumb::thumb:

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[Gooney]

I've just upgraded to Talktalk TV plus, £15.50 per month, recorder/pause/rewind free view box with all the iPlayer channels, unlimited broadband, unlimited anytime phone calls plus pay line rental 12 months in advance works out £9.50 per month instead of BT line rental of £14.50 pm.:thumb:

 

[Terry]

I've just upgraded to Talktalk TV plus, £15.50 per month, recorder/pause/rewind free view box with all the iPlayer channels, unlimited broadband, unlimited anytime phone calls plus pay line rental 12 months in advance works out £9.50 per month instead of BT line rental of £14.50 pm.:thumb:

Can anyone get this or do you have to be a talk talk customer?
Terry
edit My mate has just brought me a ZOTAC Z BOX TO play with -wiil report later after he connects it all up for me

 

[Snowbird]

If you are computer literate and would like to extend your viewing then a Dreambox may suit your needs. Be warned that they are not a plug and play system but more for the serious hobbyist.

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[joner8888]

I had a humax hd recorder for over a year--i cancelled sky for a year so it payed for its self.
But, the Humax box was a bit of a pain to try to operate after using sky+ box.
I also missed the discovery/ Nat geographic / variety of music channels.
I know i got to pay again, but it is nice

 

[Colinyellowspanner]

TV Box

We have a Panasonic tv with Freesat built in, the Dish downlead just plugs into rear of set - simples! BUT wanted facility to rew/pause/rec live tv onto hard disc. I wanted a Panasonic unit so 1 remote worked it all. Have bought their PWT 520. Can now watch 1 channel & rec 2 others onto hard disc SD card or dvd. It's also WiFi so it will talk to my laptop to view Video, photos. or music, as its online it's set up for BBC iplayer etc too, oh yes its a bluray player as well! Absolutely brilliant! HD pic quality, good sound, easy to use prog guide 1 happy bunny.riving2:

 

[dave newell]

I have a Panasonic Freesat twin channel recorder with 500GB HD and blu ray recorder/player built in. With Freeview on the TV we can even watch one channel and record two other (possibly HD) channels at any time. Timer recordings are simplicity itself to set up, go to the EPG andscroll through to the prog you wish to record and press OK, if its also available on a HD channel it will tell you and give the optiion to record the HD channel, select OK and job done. It also does series record and if a prog gets delayed or its timing altered it automatically sorts it out. It also incorporates a SD card reader and USB socket as well as wired ethernet via which you can access the BBC/ITV/CH4/CH5 Iplayers.

D.

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[Gooney]

Can anyone get this or do you have to be a talk talk customer?
Terry
edit My mate has just brought me a ZOTAC Z BOX TO play with -wiil report later after he connects it all up for me

Yes Terry you sign up as TT customer and as I said, unlimited anytime phone calls, unlimited broadband and the box, Google Talktalk for full info.:thumb:

 

[Techno]

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[Touchwood]

Too many choices! oh:

Seriously, thanks to all - it's obvious that there are a good many options, so I'll have to do some research to determine what's best for us.

One further question - it looks as though one basic decision will be whether to use the existing Sky dish or the normal roof aerial. To slightly complicate things I am a bit puzzled regarding the latter, as we don't have one, it fell down months ago - BUT - we still get a perfectly good picture on all freeview channels when we tune to normal TV (as opposed to Sky) We do this when we are recording two Sky channels and want to watch a third channel.

Any guesses/thoughts as to what's happening here? And advice on the pros/cons of using the Sky dish or our (non-existent but apparently still working) roof aerial?

Cheers,

Mike

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[tofo]

i believe when annolouge telly was turned off


we only have digital broadcasts now
and at the same time the signal was increased
meaning a rubbish aerial now works better
thats my understanding any way

:thumb::thumb::thumb:

 

[Satandpcguy]

UK TV via TV aerial - Freeview
UK TV via satellite - Freesat
Not all Channels on Freeview are on Freesat - "Dave" for example.

For a choice of freesat boxes and the best deals look atthe right hand side of joinfreesat.co.uk
The new "freetime" boxes are designed to be more "internet / VOD" freindly and have the ability for "backwards" EPG.

 

[Touchwood]

UK TV via TV aerial - Freeview
UK TV via satellite - Freesat
Not all Channels on Freeview are on Freesat - "Dave" for example.

For a choice of freesat boxes and the best deals look atthe right hand side of joinfreesat.co.uk
The new "freetime" boxes are designed to be more "internet / VOD" freindly and have the ability for "backwards" EPG.

Errrm - "VOD"? "EPG"?

(It seems like every day there are more things about which I know nothing)

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[joner8888]

You would be better off staying with sky-
I had just preview and freesat for a year- i found there 50 channels of drivlle ,boring soaps from all over the planet, it just made me go to sleep.

It is nice to be back on sky again with some interesting documentary channels.
Sky are going to have to make things interesting otherwise everyone will go freebe

 

[Touchwood]

You would be better off staying with sky-
I had just preview and freesat for a year- i found there 50 channels of drivlle ,boring soaps from all over the planet, it just made me go to sleep.

It is nice to be back on sky again with some interesting documentary channels.
Sky are going to have to make things interesting otherwise everyone will go freebe

I take your point, and we do occasionally watch the discovery channel on Sky, but I'd guess well over 90% of our viewing is restricted to the "terrestrial" channels, so I doubt if we'd find much difference in fact.

 

[pablomc]

If you speak to Sky and tell them you are leaving they normally try and reduce you monthly payment for the package you are on, just to retain your custom.

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[Wildbill]

Too many choices! oh:

Seriously, thanks to all - it's obvious that there are a good many options, so I'll have to do some research to determine what's best for us.

One further question - it looks as though one basic decision will be whether to use the existing Sky dish or the normal roof aerial. To slightly complicate things I am a bit puzzled regarding the latter, as we don't have one, it fell down months ago - BUT - we still get a perfectly good picture on all freeview channels when we tune to normal TV (as opposed to Sky) We do this when we are recording two Sky channels and want to watch a third channel.

Any guesses/thoughts as to what's happening here? And advice on the pros/cons of using the Sky dish or our (non-existent but apparently still working) roof aerial?

Cheers,

Mike

when i moved in to my new house their was a storm and a big crash looked out side and the aerial was in the garden not a flicker on the TV found out the aerial was in the Attic

 

[Satandpcguy]

Errrm - "VOD"? "EPG"?

(It seems like every day there are more things about which I know nothing)

VOD - Video on Demand
EPG - Electronic Programme Guide
And yes, sky always "do deals" - like 50% off for 6 months of packages, free movies or sport for 3 months (but remember to call them after 2 months to give 31 days novice of package reduction).