What type of reciever?

[Dogsbelly]

Currently using Sky FTV. Its so easy. I tell my wife that with a little effort so much more is there for the taking. She ain't playing and I haven't convinced myself.

Next [seems to be] FTA recievers. They all get the free channels from any satellite that offers them [Sky is just Astra?] This seems great until you realise the electronic programme guide -EPG covers the next two hours rather than the next two weeks that SKY does. I'm guessing here but I reckon I would seriously miffed if I didn't have a few days on screen - you can look at the newspaper each day but anything after the main four channels needs a microscope!. Then - we have patching - don't understand it but it seems to be something for nothing. Thats good but it seems you have to be 'on the ball' each day to change what you put into your reciever yesterday.

Finally we have Dreambox - this does tempt me as you can do FTA with no more effort than items from the previous paragraph but can do mega things if you can make any sense of the nerd-on-nerd forums that abound.

So.... thats why I am here. This is just how I see things - I may be completely wrong - its no problem.

[BGonaSTICK]

Well, none of that is wrong per se.

Sky has an enviable EPG, that's for sure. That's one of the things you pay up to £50 a month for.

If you want tons of free programming, then it's not going to come 'on a silver platter', more 'in a take-away carton'.

No real EPG to speak of. Much of it not in English. Some with foreign subtitles all over the screen.

If on the other hand, you're prepared to put in a little effort, your wife can be suitably impressed.

You just need to decide whether you want to take the plunge. Both the FTA and cardreader/CI receivers are a great way to gain wife-buy-in.

If you want to have a sneaky peek in your geek-pit of a den, then you can do it all for peanuts with a Skystar2 card. The only evidence will be an extra dish and a motor. With the skystar, you can do everything a £450 Dreambox can do for tenth of the price.

If you want the armchair version, then a straight FTA setup is the way to go. Minimal ongoing effort but plenty of fun.

Patching, Dreamboxing, cards and CAM's are a lot of work. Real hobbyist stuff. A lot to take in, a lot of frustration, and a lot of enjoyment - but only if you're the committed hobby type.

I have a Dreambox, but I can't remember the last time I sat down and watched more than three programmes in a week.

You can take this to whatever level you want. My advice is to start basic, let yourself become hooked, then upgrade.

If you get stuck in too far too quickly, you'll likely get frustrated and disillusioned, and be selling your kit the next week.

Read the threads in this beginner section to get some advice on what to buy if you're a newcomer.

If you have any questions, just ask. None of here speak nerd, only plain English

P.S. there are plenty of week-long TV guides on the Internet for just about any channel or package you care to imagine. You'll just have to push your linguistic skills if they're not in a language you can read.

STICK