Freesat - is it any good?

[wiggy]

I am being made redundant and I have decided to invest some of my pay-off in a new telly.

I want to make use of the HD without going for Sky, and have been looking at various freesat boxes. There is already a satellite dish here left by previous owners.

Is Freesat any good?

Should it be as simple as plugging the freesat box into the cables coming into the house off of the satellite dish?

Cheers

[flammableBen]

I'm not really sure how it all works, but isn't the expansion of HD on Freeview going to eventually make Freesat a bit redundant?

[wiggy]

Maybe - I get frustrated with Freeview as we seem to be inbetween transmitters, and every time we rescan we end up with all the local news for Plymouth - I am assuming Freesat wouldn't have this problem.

[pauld]

A technology that was obsolete before it was launched

[wiggy]

Not worth it then?

[pauld]

I'm usually wrong about these things but it seems to me it was a stopgap until Freeview HD rolled out. But it was late itself and didn't really take hold. Now Freeview HD is rolling out, it's not going to get much more takeup and I don't see it being around in a couple of years. But like I say, I'm usually wrong

[stfcinbmth]

Get a TV along the lines of the one Barry has just got, Freesat and Freeview built in
Good luck getting another job

Oh and yes it should be as simple as plugging it in, as long as the dish, cable and LNB are in good condition it should be fine

[@MacPhlea]

I'm not really sure how it all works, but isn't the expansion of HD on Freeview going to eventually make Freesat a bit redundant?

Only if you can receive freeview...  I cant so hopefully freesat HD will be around for a while yet!

[wiggy]

Get a TV along the lines of the one Barry has just got, Freesat and Freeview built in
Good luck getting another job

Oh and yes it should be as simple as plugging it in, as long as the dish, cable and LNB are in good condition it should be fine

OK - I will re-read the thread about Barrys new tv.

I applied for voluntary redundancy from Wiltshire Council - it will give me the opportunity to set up my own business - something I have wanted to do for a while but was just coasting along.

[Batch]

I think a sky HD box  (with an expired Sky viewing card  or a £25 freesatfromsky - which is different from freesat) viewing card is the best bet for "Free" HD. This should get you BBC1 HD, BBC HD, ITV HD C4HD and C5 HD. I think. More costly though as second hand HD box are £60-70 on ebay (on average).

Freesat only offers BBC1 HD, BBC HD, ITV HD. The reason you cant get C4 or C5 is that they are free to view (encrypted and need a card), not free to air.

Freeview HD seems marginally better in my area, it adds C4 HD.

Obviously if you go for the integrated solution make sure any TV is freeview HD or Freesat HD compatible. Not all are HD.

Good lick in the job hunt.

[Samdy Gray]

I think a sky HD box  (with an expired Sky viewing card  or a £25 freesatfromsky - which is different from freesat) viewing card is the best bet for "Free" HD. This should get you BBC1 HD, BBC HD, ITV HD C4HD and C5 HD. I think.

Yep, you get all them channels. I have a Sky HD box with an expired care in. Can't get the new ITV 2, 3 and 4 HD channels though.

IPTV is the future though. Youview should be launching next year.

[Batch]

IPTV is the future though. Youview should be launching next year.

Until ISPs realise they can't provide the bandwidth

[Barry Scott]

I haven't tried freesat yet, but have Freeview HD setup and surprisingly find it very good and I only get channels Batch mentioned. I'd connect up the freesat and have a butchers for you, but the cable doesn't reach the tv.

[Arriba]

freesat is ok if you only want to pay for a box with no monthly fees.
as long as the dish and wires are ok it's as simple as connecting the box and turning it on.

i have it in my sons room and you get the 3 free hd channels as mentioned on top of the other non hd channels.

[jayohaitchenn]

Yeah what Arriba said.