Freesat or Youview?

Veni Vidi Vici

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I did post before but I think I posted it in the wrong part of the forum but I was more asking about Freesat on that occasion. I have a Sony XH9505 TV (2020 model) which has Youview built in. I am in the process of cancelling Sky Q so I will have a dish. I only really want the ability to record, pause, series link so I was considering buying a Freesat box until someone mentioned using my aerial for the free to air channels. So if I went for the Youview option what do I need to record etc? Is it better just to buy a Freesat box or am I just wasting money. Is there any downside to not having a Freesat box? Less channels, poorer quality etc? Apologies this is all new, I've read a few other posts but still not sure what to do. Thank you.
 
Original thread, for others reading this one... Moving to freesat advice

NB You need a working UHF TV aerial first of all. Which you should connect to your TV and tune in to evaluate reception on it.

Your TV has twin UHF TV tuners built in and with the addition of a USB hard drive should be able to record to/play back from that HDD.
If you have an old spare drive it's worth trying it? But some TVs don't do PVR functions all that well.

TV also has two satellite inputs and I think supports the freesat EPG (??? or app in Sony speak ??? https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/support/articles/00183238 ).
It will need the Q LNB swapping for a normal legacy/universal LNB to work (you can also get LNBs with 2xQ wideband and four legacy outputs that fit your dish, would need extra cables run to use either). Then the TV sat inputs could also be used to record.

(Worth a read the TV manual, and maybe any Sony threads about this PVR facility?).

Channel line up depends on location for Freeview transmitter received. Use the postcode checker Freeview | All your favourite TV shows, all in one place and all for free to see the channels predicted for you. Click on 'detailed channel view' link for information on the transmitter and other technical info. I get 137 channels from the Sandy Heath transmitter.

Channels List & On-Demand Players | Freesat has the list for freesat.

Choice of Freeview PVRs is wider than freesat (only one in current production). But the freesat 4k box will work with Q and allow 4 tuners simultaneously.
 
Choice of Freeview PVRs is wider than freesat (only one in current production). But the freesat 4k box will work

Thank you. I'm wondering if its just easier to buy a freesat box otherwise I would need to get someone in to do the cabling and LNB swapping as I have no idea what I'm doing and then I would still need to buy a freeview PVR box anyway, unless I'm reading this wrong? So in terms of freesat or freeview there isn't a huge difference?
 
Receive and record Freeview on your TV?
 
Depends on your TV reception via the UHF TV aerial you have. The TV has two UHF digital tuners and can be set to record onto a USB hard disk drive so will act as a PVR. How well (cf $ky especially) is another matter.

You mention it has You View so that (Freeview) EPG allows scheduling recordings and can go 'backwards' (assuming TV is connected to your internet) to get catch up via the same interface. Except I found this on the Sony forums
that suggests You View disables HDD recordings... :eek:

You'll need to try it with a suitable USB drive and find out the hard way?

Your TV's satellite inputs could also allow the same PVR functionality as the UHF input for freesat... but will need the LNB replaced first.

NB You View has been superseded by Freeview Play on the latest TVs and PVRs that does similar and has more recent software support (for HbbTV).

Good Luck!
 

Ok thank you. I will just go for freesat I think as I can't really see what extra benefit freeview has and it also seems to be more fiddly to setup.
 
Freeview does not need an additional "box" and needs almost no setting up.
 
A drive connected by USB.
 
A drive connected by USB.

I guess what I mean is I would need to pay someone to alter the cabling anyway for freeview and I'd still need to buy a USB stick and aerial lead so price wise there doesn't appear to be a lot in it. Is there much advantage with freeview with choice of channels or improved picture quality?
 
So you don't have a UHF TV aerial?
Or you do have an aerial but not routed to this TV's location and needs a major new wiring run, perhaps splitters etc installing?
Or there's a TV socket near the TV but you need a fly lead from it to the TV?
Or?

A 1TB hard drive (preferably, not a usb stick) is £45 or thereabouts. If it's a simple fly lead needed a few quid from a pound shop.

But the freesat 4k box will be simple to swap with the Q box. NB the 4k HDR issue with the freesat 4k box by Arris, so set it to output 1080p only.
 
So you don't have a UHF TV aerial?
Or you do have an aerial but not routed to this TV's location and needs a major new wiring run, perhaps splitters etc installing?
Or there's a TV socket near the TV but you need a fly lead from it to the TV?
Or?

A 1TB hard drive (preferably, not a usb stick) is £45 or thereabouts. If it's a simple fly lead needed a few quid from a pound shop.

But the freesat 4k box will be simple to swap with the Q box. NB the 4k HDR issue with the freesat 4k box by Arris, so set it to output 1080p only.

There is an aerial on the roof but I've never used it and the TV is near the aerial connection in the living room, I could buy a aerial lead and try it. I'm not bothered about 4K or having another box. I'm just unsure what the major benefit of freeview is apart from maybe saving a bit of money initially to set it up, otherwise aren't they pretty much the same thing?
 
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They both carry the free channels. FV does not need a box, FS needs one IF the TV doesn't have it.
 

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