Sky HD, Freesat HD

[Bryce Curdy]

Apologies in advance - I've not been following the recent Freesat thing, and having spent half an hour looking around hereI'm little the wiser. If there's a quick link to a good article/discussion feel free.

Have I got it right?

You will need another set top box and another satellite dish. This gets you a number of HD channels, including ITV HD which will, at least at first, be exclusive to Freesat. What other HD channels will there be? Will any of the others be unavailable on Sky HD. If so are any of them any good? Are BBC HD and Channel4 HD and the other current non-Sky HD channels remaining on Sky HD? What SD channels will be on Freesat?

Many thanks for your patience.

 

[BrianMc]

You will need another set top box and another satellite dish. This gets you a number of HD channels, including ITV HD which will, at least at first, be exclusive to Freesat. What other HD channels will there be? Will any of the others be unavailable on Sky HD. If so are any of them any good? Are BBC HD and Channel4 HD and the other current non-Sky HD channels remaining on Sky HD? What SD channels will be on Freesat?

Many thanks for your patience.

No! you need another STB but it is the same dish (and the same channels!!) as are received by a Sky STB.

As there is no smartcard Freesat receivers will only receive non-encrypted (FTA) channels - for example not, currently, the Channel5 ("Five") group.

For HD a Freesat STB will receive BBCHD, ITVHD and (possibly) Luxe HD only. C4HD (which is available on a SkyHD receiver) will be added later in the year. ITVHD has not started yet and is the only Freesat channels not on SkyHD - it is expected that this situation will not last for too long!

SkyHD has, for a £10/month subscription, up to 16 HD channels which are not available on Freesat.

Not all SD FTA channels on the Sky EPG have yet payed Freesat for a separate listing in the Freesat one.

 

[malcom]

Won't the dish need another LNB feed fitted to the freesat reciever!!!!!!!!!If so could this affect the Sky signal strength. Also one has to have a spare HDMI connection on the TV for HD viewing.Yes!!!!!!

 

[fredsie]

Won't the dish need another LNB feed fitted to the freesat reciever!!!!!!!!!If so could this affect the Sky signal strength.

I think most LNBs supplied for Sky HD are already quads.

Also one has to have a spare HDMI connection on the TV for HD viewing.Yes!!!!!!

Or an HDMI switch.