FTA & Sky - Techwatch: Satellite TV forums, FTA, Cable, Hardware, & Tech forums

brianl007 · 04-01-07, 02:03 PM

Hello all.

Am just getting in to this satellite stuff and hoping for some help.

Basically, I have just finished my contract with Sky so have my Sky dish outside and my Sky+ box inside. I have been looking at the Technomate recievers as I have been told that they work with the existing Sky dish.

I have two questions really.

1. Will I be able to pick up many english channels using this configuration (Technomate and existing Sky dish)

2. Is there any way of geting freeview as well as FTA (the new series of 24 starts on Sky One soon!!)

Would be grateful of any help.

Thanks in advance.

BGonaSTICK · 04-01-07, 02:37 PM

Hi Brian, welcome to the forum

The Technomate won't do much more than your Sky+ setup now your subscription is up.

Hang onto your card though, because it will still open Channel4, FIVE and Sky Three.

Unfortunately, the only way to get Sky One on satellite is with a subscription.

The advanced functions of your Sky+ box will also cease with your subscription, but it will allow you to watch the FTA & FTV channels like a regular digibox (see www.ftasat.co.uk for a full list).

You could realign your Sky dish, but then you'd lose all the English channels on 28.2E, and your old Sky card would stop working altogether.

Is there any way you could put up another small dish? That way, you can still take advantage of all the programming you currently enjoy, and add some more interesting content from other satellites on a Technomate-based system?

STICK

brianl007 · 04-01-07, 02:47 PM

Hi Stick,

Thanks for the info.

My thinking behind looking into this is that I am currently paying £42 a month to Sky for all the channels (including sports & movies) and I really want to reduce that.

I was hoping to find something where I could get some sports channels (to pick up the premiership) and some other bits and pieces. I'm presuming this isnt an option on FTA.

If I got the basic Sky package (£15 per month), Im presuming I wouldnt then be able to get FTA on the same box?

I am a bit aprehensive about putting up a second dish at the minute.

I would like to get in to this a lot more but the immediate thing is to try and save some money but keep as many channels as I can (anyone know when the next flight to the ideal world leaves???)

Bri

Analoguesat · 04-01-07, 03:15 PM

Theres no chnace of fta Prem football - its all been locked out for 3 years (with occasional rare exceptions)

If you drop down to the 21 quid month package you will get all the channels except the Sky Sports and Sky Movies channels.. The 15 quid option will give you a choice of 2 of the 6 mini packages. The current line up of each of the mini packages can be found on the www.sky.com website. You will still get all the fta channels even if you cancel completely - so all the BBC, ITV, shopping, radio, religious, dating, and numerous others. Your card would revert to a ftv card so you would also still get C4 C5 5Life 5US and Sky 3.

BGonaSTICK · 04-01-07, 03:37 PM

If you want Premiership football, then a subscription to ART is a cheap way to do it - but you'll either need:

1) A second dish
2) A larger dish than you have (i.e. to replace your Sky one) with multiple LNBs
3) A motorised setup

I currently subscribe to Sky for one of the basic packages (£18 a month) and then have an ART card for the football. The card cost me £70 for a year.

It's not 100% clear whether Premiership football will be available on ART for next season, but it definitely covers this season. There are 6m cards available too.

Is it not possible for you to mount a second dish at ground level? They don't have to be up high. You can mount one on a simple patio stand or even have a semi-temporary dish sitting on a tripod (or car tyre).

STICK

brianl007 · 04-01-07, 04:08 PM

Well I have just checked and premiership football is not available on ART next year.

Not quite sure what to do really.

Using the Sky car I have now could be good as I am sure 24 will be repeated on Sky 3 so that would take care of that. And there are always those online video rental people who could sort out the movie channels I dont have anymore.

What is the story with freeview boxes? (As they have E4 and the like)

Could I use the sky box for FTA and FTV and also use a freeview box?

Would mean I didnt have the sports but I could always camp out in the pub for matches!!

Bri

BGonaSTICK · 04-01-07, 04:16 PM

ART have just bought the rights to Premiere League from Showtime Arabia, but we're not sure which satellite that's for yet

DigitAlb also have the rights, as do Nova, Setanta and several others, so Sky do not have the blanket monopoly they pretend to have (and legally do have in the UK).

All of these other cards are way cheaper than Sky. You can also watch all the Premiership free on the Technomate at the moment via a patch. Truckloads of movies too. Premiere is currently open, as is TPS/Multivision, and even Digital+ was open last night/this morning too.

Freeview comes from your TV aerial, and is not available via a dish, so yes, you can easily incorporate that as well

STICK

brianl007 · 04-01-07, 04:31 PM

Alright then - I think we may be getting close to a solution here!!!

So I had a look at DigitAlb and I can get a card for about £235 which would give me all the sport. If I get freeview then I will have the E4's and Sky 3's.

The big question is will my Sky dish pick up the satellite for DigitAlb?

nanochickin · 04-01-07, 05:31 PM

Quote:

The big question is will my Sky dish pick up the satellite for DigitAlb?

Not a chance mate

You will need at least a 90cm dish to get a decent signal although 1m would be better.

I have managed to get most of the transponders on 16e with an 80cm dish although its a bit hit and miss. Since i went upto a 90cm i haven't had any problems.

Quote:

ART have just bought the rights to Premiere League from Showtime Arabia, but we're not sure which satellite that's for yet

I have heard that you can get 13e with a zone 1 Sky minidish in certain parts of the country.

Mind you it all depends if they broadcast the games on 13e next year to decide if you want to realign the dish :?

Nano

Mship · 04-01-07, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nanochickin

Quote:

ART have just bought the rights to Premiere League from Showtime Arabia, but we're not sure which satellite that's for yet

I have heard that you can get 13e with a zone 1 Sky minidish in certain parts of the country.

Mind you it all depends if they broadcast the games on 13e next year to decide if you want to realign the dish :?

Nano

I can pick up 13E on a minidish up here in Cumbria

Although a decent downpour soon puts paid to it >

Kev.

04-01-07, 02:03 PM	#1 (permalink)
brianl007 Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 4 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	FTA & Sky Hello all. Am just getting in to this satellite stuff and hoping for some help. Basically, I have just finished my contract with Sky so have my Sky dish outside and my Sky+ box inside. I have been looking at the Technomate recievers as I have been told that they work with the existing Sky dish. I have two questions really. 1. Will I be able to pick up many english channels using this configuration (Technomate and existing Sky dish) 2. Is there any way of geting freeview as well as FTA (the new series of 24 starts on Sky One soon!!) Would be grateful of any help. Thanks in advance.

04-01-07, 02:37 PM	#2 (permalink)
BGonaSTICK Super Murderator Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Brighton Posts: 10,633 Thanks: 3 Thanked 64 Times in 37 Posts	Re: FTA & Sky Hi Brian, welcome to the forum The Technomate won't do much more than your Sky+ setup now your subscription is up. Hang onto your card though, because it will still open Channel4, FIVE and Sky Three. Unfortunately, the only way to get Sky One on satellite is with a subscription. The advanced functions of your Sky+ box will also cease with your subscription, but it will allow you to watch the FTA & FTV channels like a regular digibox (see www.ftasat.co.uk for a full list). You could realign your Sky dish, but then you'd lose all the English channels on 28.2E, and your old Sky card would stop working altogether. Is there any way you could put up another small dish? That way, you can still take advantage of all the programming you currently enjoy, and add some more interesting content from other satellites on a Technomate-based system? STICK __________________ Dreambox 7000, Skystar2 PCI, Skystar USB, Fibo 90cm on Moteck SG2100, Triax TD110 multi-LNB. Sky + ART cards. 45.0°E - 58.0°W

04-01-07, 02:47 PM	#3 (permalink)
brianl007 Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 4 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: FTA & Sky Hi Stick, Thanks for the info. My thinking behind looking into this is that I am currently paying £42 a month to Sky for all the channels (including sports & movies) and I really want to reduce that. I was hoping to find something where I could get some sports channels (to pick up the premiership) and some other bits and pieces. I'm presuming this isnt an option on FTA. If I got the basic Sky package (£15 per month), Im presuming I wouldnt then be able to get FTA on the same box? I am a bit aprehensive about putting up a second dish at the minute. I would like to get in to this a lot more but the immediate thing is to try and save some money but keep as many channels as I can (anyone know when the next flight to the ideal world leaves???) Bri

04-01-07, 03:15 PM	#4 (permalink)
Analoguesat satellite expert Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Scottish Borders Posts: 8,334 Thanks: 10 Thanked 270 Times in 242 Posts	Re: FTA & Sky Theres no chnace of fta Prem football - its all been locked out for 3 years (with occasional rare exceptions) If you drop down to the 21 quid month package you will get all the channels except the Sky Sports and Sky Movies channels.. The 15 quid option will give you a choice of 2 of the 6 mini packages. The current line up of each of the mini packages can be found on the www.sky.com website. You will still get all the fta channels even if you cancel completely - so all the BBC, ITV, shopping, radio, religious, dating, and numerous others. Your card would revert to a ftv card so you would also still get C4 C5 5Life 5US and Sky 3. __________________ To all the cable boys - do not post: keys of any sort firmware for receivers links to sites carrying files, keys or fixes Read the rules before you post - click here to read them

04-01-07, 03:37 PM	#5 (permalink)
BGonaSTICK Super Murderator Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Brighton Posts: 10,633 Thanks: 3 Thanked 64 Times in 37 Posts	Re: FTA & Sky If you want Premiership football, then a subscription to ART is a cheap way to do it - but you'll either need: 1) A second dish 2) A larger dish than you have (i.e. to replace your Sky one) with multiple LNBs 3) A motorised setup I currently subscribe to Sky for one of the basic packages (£18 a month) and then have an ART card for the football. The card cost me £70 for a year. It's not 100% clear whether Premiership football will be available on ART for next season, but it definitely covers this season. There are 6m cards available too. Is it not possible for you to mount a second dish at ground level? They don't have to be up high. You can mount one on a simple patio stand or even have a semi-temporary dish sitting on a tripod (or car tyre). STICK __________________ Dreambox 7000, Skystar2 PCI, Skystar USB, Fibo 90cm on Moteck SG2100, Triax TD110 multi-LNB. Sky + ART cards. 45.0°E - 58.0°W


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04-01-07, 04:08 PM	#6 (permalink)
brianl007 Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 4 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: FTA & Sky Well I have just checked and premiership football is not available on ART next year. Not quite sure what to do really. Using the Sky car I have now could be good as I am sure 24 will be repeated on Sky 3 so that would take care of that. And there are always those online video rental people who could sort out the movie channels I dont have anymore. What is the story with freeview boxes? (As they have E4 and the like) Could I use the sky box for FTA and FTV and also use a freeview box? Would mean I didnt have the sports but I could always camp out in the pub for matches!! Bri

04-01-07, 04:16 PM	#7 (permalink)
BGonaSTICK Super Murderator Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Brighton Posts: 10,633 Thanks: 3 Thanked 64 Times in 37 Posts	Re: FTA & Sky ART have just bought the rights to Premiere League from Showtime Arabia, but we're not sure which satellite that's for yet DigitAlb also have the rights, as do Nova, Setanta and several others, so Sky do not have the blanket monopoly they pretend to have (and legally do have in the UK). All of these other cards are way cheaper than Sky. You can also watch all the Premiership free on the Technomate at the moment via a patch. Truckloads of movies too. Premiere is currently open, as is TPS/Multivision, and even Digital+ was open last night/this morning too. Freeview comes from your TV aerial, and is not available via a dish, so yes, you can easily incorporate that as well STICK __________________ Dreambox 7000, Skystar2 PCI, Skystar USB, Fibo 90cm on Moteck SG2100, Triax TD110 multi-LNB. Sky + ART cards. 45.0°E - 58.0°W

04-01-07, 04:31 PM	#8 (permalink)
brianl007 Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 4 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: FTA & Sky Alright then - I think we may be getting close to a solution here!!! So I had a look at DigitAlb and I can get a card for about £235 which would give me all the sport. If I get freeview then I will have the E4's and Sky 3's. The big question is will my Sky dish pick up the satellite for DigitAlb?