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There are now many ways to get the Digital TV service and as the Analogue service has been switched off it’s even more important to get the right one. So here is a quick guide to the available services.
Freeview
Being the most common and cheapest of the Digital methods for getting TV, Freeview is a digital box which takes the signal from your standard Ariel and allows you to watch all the digital channels in the same way you would with analogue. Freeview is found integrated in most modern HDTV sets but to record from some TVs on to a DVD or Hard Drive you may need an external box.
Freeview boxes come in several flavours:
Standard Freeview – just the channels, no recording facility (as with Freeview on TVs).
Freeview + - Freeview plus a hard drive for recording programmes
Freeview + and DVD Recorder – Lets you record to HDD or DVD
At the moment Freeview does not have the HD channels, though some boxes have been built to take it when the HD channels arrive (possibly for the end of this year).
Sky
Sky offers both subscription and freesat services for their boxes, and these also come in several different packages:
Sky Freesat – Using a standard Sky box this service is free, but go up to a Sky+ box to record and you need to pay £10 a month. You will also need a card which costs £25 from Sky.
Sky – Standard box with no recording but subscription based channels. A lot of channels to choose from and you can mix and match what you like.
Sky + - Sky box with recording functions. Again, subscription based and the Sky Anytime function gives you access to some of the best programmes of the week (or coming up) straight away. Sky + is pretty good and the user interface is excellent but you pay for it.
Sky HD – Basically Sky+ with HD, the HD channels are good and contain a lot of exclusive channels like the movies, sport and National Geographic but the service costs another £10 a month. Sky HD does have the most HD channels of all of the options here, though, so many people are happy to pay for the privilege.
Sky + and HD can record 2 channels at once while letting you watch a recorded programme. It cannot record 2 channels and let you watch a live channel though.
Installing
Sky needs to be installed by a Sky installer and you will either get this free or will have to pay a fee depending on what package you choose. It's worth phoning though as you can often cut a deal with the sales reps to get the installation for free anyway.
When you update your box to Sky+ or HD you may need to get the installer in again to add LNB feeds as the basic Sky dish only has one.
Freesat
This is a newer system than Freeview and ideal for those who have or have had Sky in the past. Freesat uses a standard satellite dish and LMB connections as with Sky, so all Sky dishes are compatible and installation is just a matter of plugging in the existing cables to your new box.
As with Freeview there are several flavours of Freesat box,
Standard ones that don’t record, smaller boxes and also some Panasonic and LG TVs on the market which take a direct feed from the cable.
Freesat with HDD. The only HDD on the market at this time is the Humax Foxsat PVR, which has proved very popular as it has the same recording features as Sky but with free HD.
Freesat with HDD and Blu-ray recording (Panasonic only at the moment).
more details can be found Here
Freesat boxes with Ethernet should begin to support iPlayer (and possibly Youtube) in the autumn and the BBC have already released the specs that the manufacturers need to add to their firmware updates.
Freesat PVRs can record 2 channels or 1 channel and let you watch a second and with the Humax you can watch a third programme while recording 2 others as long as the third programme is on the same transponder as one of those being recorded.
HD channels at present are limited to BBC1 HD and ITV Red Button HD, but BET HD was added specifically for the BET Awards and more channels are vying for HD space on the airwaves as I type this. Freesat are pushing HD so expect to see more channels soon.
The benefits over Freeview are that the signal is stronger and the HD channels are available now. Freesat doesn’t have as many SD channels as Freeview, though. The channels will grow as the service matures.
Installing
Freesat requires a satellite dish, so if you don't already have Sky rhen you'll need to put one up. Installation by a professional is recommended as it can be tricky to put the dish up and align it, but B&Q and some other stores do sell dishes which will work well.
A standard Zone 1 dish will pick up all Freesat and Free to air channels, but if you go for a Zone 2 dish you will also be able to get other foreign channels too (bear in mind that you will most likely need a motor to rotate the dish to line up with the other satellite, since they are in different positions).
Virgin
Similar to Sky+ HD the V box is pretty good and actually hosts some Sky channels as well. Again, it’s a subscription based service. Virgin can also be used via Cable connections so is only available in certain areas.
Unlike Sky the V+ box can record 2 channels and let you watch a third.
The V+ Box can also play HD content with a channels selection of MTV, National Geographic, ESPN (free with XL package) BBC HD and the movies on demand service offers HD movies
Installing
Virgin Cable requires an installer to come around and fit the box/connect the cable. They will often do the broadband at the same time should you take the package.
My thoughts
Having tried out Freeview, Freesat and Sky I can say I prefer Freesat using the Humax Foxsat PVR to Sky. Freeview has a good channel line up but is too dependant on a good Ariel signal and I’ve had problems with artifacts (the blocky images which appear when your signal is weak or interrupted).
Sky has the best menu system and is very easy to use but does have ongoing technical problems for many people, with Sky + and HD boxes freezing quite often when the hard drive gets full. Freesat isn’t immune to this either but for a free service it’s not so bad as when you have to pay.
Having only limited experience with Virgin’s V+ box I can see that it’s a good service but relies on you being in their capture area for cable.
(note: I previously wrote this guide for a site on the internet but have updated it here with more details and opinion)
Freeview
Being the most common and cheapest of the Digital methods for getting TV, Freeview is a digital box which takes the signal from your standard Ariel and allows you to watch all the digital channels in the same way you would with analogue. Freeview is found integrated in most modern HDTV sets but to record from some TVs on to a DVD or Hard Drive you may need an external box.
Freeview boxes come in several flavours:
Standard Freeview – just the channels, no recording facility (as with Freeview on TVs).
Freeview + - Freeview plus a hard drive for recording programmes
Freeview + and DVD Recorder – Lets you record to HDD or DVD
At the moment Freeview does not have the HD channels, though some boxes have been built to take it when the HD channels arrive (possibly for the end of this year).
Sky
Sky offers both subscription and freesat services for their boxes, and these also come in several different packages:
Sky Freesat – Using a standard Sky box this service is free, but go up to a Sky+ box to record and you need to pay £10 a month. You will also need a card which costs £25 from Sky.
Sky – Standard box with no recording but subscription based channels. A lot of channels to choose from and you can mix and match what you like.
Sky + - Sky box with recording functions. Again, subscription based and the Sky Anytime function gives you access to some of the best programmes of the week (or coming up) straight away. Sky + is pretty good and the user interface is excellent but you pay for it.
Sky HD – Basically Sky+ with HD, the HD channels are good and contain a lot of exclusive channels like the movies, sport and National Geographic but the service costs another £10 a month. Sky HD does have the most HD channels of all of the options here, though, so many people are happy to pay for the privilege.
Sky + and HD can record 2 channels at once while letting you watch a recorded programme. It cannot record 2 channels and let you watch a live channel though.
Installing
Sky needs to be installed by a Sky installer and you will either get this free or will have to pay a fee depending on what package you choose. It's worth phoning though as you can often cut a deal with the sales reps to get the installation for free anyway.
When you update your box to Sky+ or HD you may need to get the installer in again to add LNB feeds as the basic Sky dish only has one.
Freesat
This is a newer system than Freeview and ideal for those who have or have had Sky in the past. Freesat uses a standard satellite dish and LMB connections as with Sky, so all Sky dishes are compatible and installation is just a matter of plugging in the existing cables to your new box.
As with Freeview there are several flavours of Freesat box,
Standard ones that don’t record, smaller boxes and also some Panasonic and LG TVs on the market which take a direct feed from the cable.
Freesat with HDD. The only HDD on the market at this time is the Humax Foxsat PVR, which has proved very popular as it has the same recording features as Sky but with free HD.
Freesat with HDD and Blu-ray recording (Panasonic only at the moment).
more details can be found Here
Freesat boxes with Ethernet should begin to support iPlayer (and possibly Youtube) in the autumn and the BBC have already released the specs that the manufacturers need to add to their firmware updates.
Freesat PVRs can record 2 channels or 1 channel and let you watch a second and with the Humax you can watch a third programme while recording 2 others as long as the third programme is on the same transponder as one of those being recorded.
HD channels at present are limited to BBC1 HD and ITV Red Button HD, but BET HD was added specifically for the BET Awards and more channels are vying for HD space on the airwaves as I type this. Freesat are pushing HD so expect to see more channels soon.
The benefits over Freeview are that the signal is stronger and the HD channels are available now. Freesat doesn’t have as many SD channels as Freeview, though. The channels will grow as the service matures.
Installing
Freesat requires a satellite dish, so if you don't already have Sky rhen you'll need to put one up. Installation by a professional is recommended as it can be tricky to put the dish up and align it, but B&Q and some other stores do sell dishes which will work well.
A standard Zone 1 dish will pick up all Freesat and Free to air channels, but if you go for a Zone 2 dish you will also be able to get other foreign channels too (bear in mind that you will most likely need a motor to rotate the dish to line up with the other satellite, since they are in different positions).
Virgin
Similar to Sky+ HD the V box is pretty good and actually hosts some Sky channels as well. Again, it’s a subscription based service. Virgin can also be used via Cable connections so is only available in certain areas.
Unlike Sky the V+ box can record 2 channels and let you watch a third.
The V+ Box can also play HD content with a channels selection of MTV, National Geographic, ESPN (free with XL package) BBC HD and the movies on demand service offers HD movies
Installing
Virgin Cable requires an installer to come around and fit the box/connect the cable. They will often do the broadband at the same time should you take the package.
My thoughts
Having tried out Freeview, Freesat and Sky I can say I prefer Freesat using the Humax Foxsat PVR to Sky. Freeview has a good channel line up but is too dependant on a good Ariel signal and I’ve had problems with artifacts (the blocky images which appear when your signal is weak or interrupted).
Sky has the best menu system and is very easy to use but does have ongoing technical problems for many people, with Sky + and HD boxes freezing quite often when the hard drive gets full. Freesat isn’t immune to this either but for a free service it’s not so bad as when you have to pay.
Having only limited experience with Virgin’s V+ box I can see that it’s a good service but relies on you being in their capture area for cable.
(note: I previously wrote this guide for a site on the internet but have updated it here with more details and opinion)
Page:
We have the Humax Freesat box and to be honest its not the best, it freezes often and is fine in freesat mode, but when you tune for non freesat mode it takes ages to scan and save
Freesat offers many channels free that Sky charge for! ie BBC HD
Digi
Hmmm... wrote:
> Hi pb,
> I've recently been looking at TV options for my Dad.
> Couple of observations after reading your post...
>
> Might be worth adding some useful links?
> i.e the official Freesat site is a good starting point:
> www.freesat.co.uk
>
> Freesat: Panasonic and LG make TV's with built in Freesat these
> days. Also looks like Panasonic have a range of recorders.
>
> To me it looks like the Humax Freesat PVR only has two receivers
> not 3?
>
>
> Might be worth mentioning that you need to be in a Virgin 'area'
> to get their services! i.e. Have cable in your street.
>
>
>
>
> Certainly a lot of options :¬)
>
>
>
Freesat offers many channels free that Sky charge for! ie BBC HD
Digi
Hmmm... wrote:
> Hi pb,
> I've recently been looking at TV options for my Dad.
> Couple of observations after reading your post...
>
> Might be worth adding some useful links?
> i.e the official Freesat site is a good starting point:
> www.freesat.co.uk
>
> Freesat: Panasonic and LG make TV's with built in Freesat these
> days. Also looks like Panasonic have a range of recorders.
>
> To me it looks like the Humax Freesat PVR only has two receivers
> not 3?
>
>
> Might be worth mentioning that you need to be in a Virgin 'area'
> to get their services! i.e. Have cable in your street.
>
>
>
>
> Certainly a lot of options :¬)
>
>
>
[s]Hmmm...[/s]
Updated Humax details again:
"you can watch a third programme while recording 2 others as long as the third programme is on the same transponder as one of those being recorded"
There are still bugs (as there still are with Sky + boxes) that Humax are ironing out with the next firmware update.
"you can watch a third programme while recording 2 others as long as the third programme is on the same transponder as one of those being recorded"
There are still bugs (as there still are with Sky + boxes) that Humax are ironing out with the next firmware update.
Page: