SKY with non SKY box

[Steve_B]

Hi All,

I am sure this has been covered to death, and have read many posts but nothing really answers the question for me... so here goes...

Looking to drop my SKY subs as I rarely watch any of the non Free to air channels; and am lothed to pay SKY £10pm just to be able to record.

Is there a non SKY box which can receive and record the SKY freesat channels (with my existing viewing card I guess) inc ITV1 HD,BBC HD ,C4 HD and C5 HD and have a half decent EPG like SKY ( probably a long shot I know!)

Having read a few posts I think a Dreambox 800HD will do the job is this correct? Anything better?

Really needs to have good pic quality also

Happy to take recommendation \ suggesions from the experts being a real nooooob here!

cheers
-Steve

[Robbo]

Yes, I think you are just left with one of the HD Linux based machines, and possibly a lot of work to get it all up and running.

If it wasn't for the encrypted channels you are after (Ch4 HD and CH5 HD), a Freesat PVR would have done the job.

Actually, is CH5 HD availble on a Sky FTV card?

(ITV HD and BBC HD are free channels and available on any HD sat receiver, inc of course a Freesat one)

[Rick]

Yep, Robbo's right, just the linux recievers. And to be able to watch 1 channel and record another like sky you'll need a twin tuner which won't come cheap.

TBH they aren't as hard to setup as they used to be, but can still be quite a challenge. I wouldn't run out and buy one without atleast reading a couple of guides from around the net on how to do it.

[Steve_B]

Many thanks for the replies!

I am not sure if CH5-HD is or not, will need to check.

Not affaid of technology so a linux based unit isn't any kind of worry to me, as long as it does require compiling of images then I should be ok... like a challenge. Could you point me at any of the guides?

When you say it won't be cheap for a twin tuner box - what sort of money are we talking? does the Dreambox 800 not come with 2? Happy to invest in hardware rather than lining Sly's pockets.

Is there a box which can utilise more than 2 tuners, say 2 x Sat + Freeview TV for instance?

sorry for all the questions.

ta,
-steve

[Rick]

The AZBox premium plus is twin tuner at around the £380 mark, the Vu+ Duo is also well worth looking at for similar money and the Dreambox 8000 for a top end machine. The DM800 is only a single tuner box.

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