Use a Sky box without card for freesat?

[cjs]

NiceCupOfTea said:

Puggit said:

NiceCupOfTea said:

How do you get Freesat from Sky as opposed to Freesat - do you need a special box or is it a card?

Special card - which still needs to be activated in the box. One of fee of something like £20

http://www.freesatfromsky.co.uk/freesat.aspx

Hmmmm, no mention of the card that I can see there.

So in theory could I get the card, use it in my sky box for the freesat from sky stuff, then pull the card out and get the normal freesat stuff?

Ring them up for a card, they don't publicise it as they would rather sell you a system and a subscription. Look in the FAQ on the website.

Freesat from Sky and Freesat are two different services so you will need a Freesat box to get the new Freesat service, this does not need a card.

[NiceCupOfTea]

Thanks for all the help guys.

Plugged in the Sky box without a card and seems to work but it just says it can't detect a satellite signal. I guess something's knackered with the dish.

[Ellis456]

NiceCupOfTea said:

Thanks for all the help guys.

Plugged in the Sky box without a card and seems to work but it just says it can't detect a satellite signal. I guess something's knackered with the dish.

Might need aligning or something blocking it like a tree or the cable is knackered, buy one of those satellite finders, it beeps when you lock onto a satellite,

[Puggit]

It's a great way of getting UK TV in France (allegedly)

[Ozzie Osmond]

Trying to catch up with the thread so far, have I got it right that,

1. FreeSat is not the same as free Sky

2. FreeSat has more channels than free sky.

3. FreeSat costs you the price of the box but that's all. Free Sky will cost you a box plus one-off £20 for the card.

4. Both are broadcast from the same satellite so can use the same dish. You'd need a dual (or quad) LNB to run two boxes.

5. The tuner boxes are different and not compatible.

6. FreeSat can give you free HD but free Sky won't.

QUESTIONS

i) Is either of them the same channel selection as terrestrial Freeview?

ii) Is HD available on Freeview (if so, how) or only on satellite receivers?

iii) If you want your own multiroom Sky availability at best quality sound and picture WITHOUT subscribing for Sky Multi-room (at £10 a month) the solution is to get a second Sky box, dual/quad LNB and a £20 card for the free channels. Then just swap the cards over if and when you want the full range of Sky channels on a different TV?

1v) Does anything broadcast in 5.1 sound or is digital stereo the best you can get?

Note: At present I have one Sky box in the attic and the RF output is routed round the house. This gives maximum convenience (see or change channel from any room) but modest picture and sound quality.