menuMENU    UK Free TV logo Freesat

 

 

Click to see updates

Upgrading from Sky+HD to Freesat+HD

What to do if you want to stop subscribing to Sky+HD but do wish to record/pause/play free HD television.

What to do if you want to stop subscribing to Sky+HD but do wis
published on UK Free TV

You might get a glossy magazine every month, but what do Sky really think of your custom?

"Give me a f**king name on a direct debit and it's mine for life,"
- Sam Chisholm, former boss of BSkyB.


Perhaps you responded to an offer like the one blow that promised a gratis Sky+HD box (for new customers taking their first Sky+HD package) with free standard set-up



But you were so excited with the thought of a £50 M&S voucher that you didn't think to follow each of the little daggers and little stars to quite read all the terms and conditions:



So, your twelve months of commitment are over and, for reasons of budget (or politics) you have decided you want to keep all the features of Sky+ - live pause, high definition, extended electronic programme guide, series record, and recording two programmes at once whilst you watch another - but don't want to fork out every month on top of your TV Licence - and you still get hundreds of free TV channels

Here's what you can do.

First you need to buy a Freesat+HD box. There are many on the market, and can be bought from Argos, Currys DIGITAL, John Lewis, Comet and online at Amazon, as well as other stores.

When you use a Freesat+HD box NO SUBSCRIPTION HAS TO BE PAID. NONE. NOT A PENNY TO ANYONE.

Installing

This will take no more than ten minutes. First you will need to disconnect the Sky+HD box mains from the wall socket.

Then you will need to disconnect the cables from the back of the Sky+HD box.

Pull out the mains power connection (1), carefully unscrew the satellite dish links (2) and (3), and then take out the HDMI lead (4) to your HDTV. If you have an "surround sound" amplifier, you may also have a digital audio connection (5).

Remove the Sky+HD box and put the Freesat+HD box back in the same position.



Then reconnect the cables: the mains power cable (1) - but not to the wall just yet, screw the two satellite dish links (2) and (3) and connect the HDMI cable (4) to your HDTV. If you had one, reconnect the digital audio connection (5).

If you have an Ethernet router, you can connect it to the Freesat+HD box at this point (5).

With everything in place, turn on the mains power and power up the Freesat+HD box.

The TV screen first displays the box's logo



The first set-up screen allows you to select the TV type, widescreen mode and resolution:



Next the box checks for the satellite signal:



Then there is a check for updated software:



Then you enter your postcode and the box checks it:



The next step is a scan for channels. This takes about 30 seconds:



And that's it. You can now view channels, like 108 for BBC HD:



Or press the GUIDE button for the EPG:



And that's it.

Help with Free satellite?
What can I do when my Sky Digibox says 'No Signal' or 'Technical fau1
Can I receive UK TV in Ghana?2
What is a CA module?3
My box says "No Satellite signal being received"4
Is there any way I can get free channels via satellite and have the kind of hard5
In this section
Freesat adds a plethora of new channels in time for Christmas including channel 1
A tale of a two Freesat boxes2
Yesterday, Drama and Really joining Freesat this month3
PBS America joins Freesat for Halloween4
Fixing the Freesat Freetime internet connection problem5
Satellite TV operators FRANSAT, TIVUSAT and our Freesat launch FreeTV Alliance 6

Comments
Monday, 25 April 2011
Jmpy
12:59 AM

Hi, I would be interested in programming my box to record a programme whilst I am abroad, therefore over an Internet connection (like Sky+ I believe although I have never had it).
The only box I found to do that is the echostar that actually contains slingbox software (£350). Is there a cheaper option?

link to this comment
Jmpy's 1 post FR flag
Briantist
sentiment_very_satisfiedOwner

5:34 AM

Jmpy: You can buy a Slingbox as a separate device to use with any bit of equipment you like.

link to this comment
Briantist's 38,915 posts GB flag
Tuesday, 26 April 2011
C
Chris Perratt
9:04 AM

Can you help me? ive just got a HD TV with built in freeview HD. i did have sky+, but have ended the contract and retained the dish outside for the new tv. i went to connect the wire from the sky dish to the back of my tv and discovered the wire is split in to 2 sections? can i take one of these sections and put a aerial connection on and connect to the tv or do i need to replace the full length of the wire?

link to this comment
Chris Perratt's 1 post GB flag
Briantist
sentiment_very_satisfiedOwner

9:32 AM

Chris Perratt: basically, no. You can't atach FreeVIEW to a dish, it uses an aerial.

link to this comment
Briantist's 38,915 posts GB flag
M
Mick
6:46 PM

hello,
i do have sky HD(black box with 160gb)
and regular one (white)
and sky dish.
what do i need to do to stop pay my subcription and still be able to watch tv channels?
thank you! :).

link to this comment
Mick's 3 posts GB flag
M
Mick
7:27 PM

hello,
i do have sky HD(black box with 160gb)
and regular one (white one)
what do i have to do to watch sky for free?
thank you :).

link to this comment
Mick's 3 posts GB flag
M
Mick
7:30 PM

what do i have to do to watch it for free?
msg bugged -.-

link to this comment
Mick's 3 posts GB flag
Briantist
sentiment_very_satisfiedOwner

7:45 PM

Mick: Please read the above article.

link to this comment
Briantist's 38,915 posts GB flag
Wednesday, 27 April 2011
M
mike
9:22 AM
Bury St. Edmunds

Hi all.
I just moved to a house with Sky dish on the ground floor. It is a new house and has TV-out on the other floors but no antenna for freeview. I wonder if I buy a freeview decoder box (or freesat decoder box) and connect it on the other floors to the TV-out, should I expect to receive any channels?
Thanks.
Mike

link to this comment
mike's 3 posts GB flag
mike's: mapM's Freeview map terrainM's terrain plot wavesM's frequency data M's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Briantist
sentiment_very_satisfiedOwner

9:25 AM

mike: I really don't know what you mean by a " TV-out".

link to this comment
Briantist's 38,915 posts GB flag
Select more comments

Your comment please
Please post a question, answer or commentUK Free TV is here to help people. If you are rude or disrespectful all of your posts will be deleted and you will be banned.







Privacy policy: UK Free Privacy policy.