Can someone point me in the right direction please?

[theSman]

Hi guys,

Well I'm new to all this satellite stuff but have been reading more and more about it and have decided to get myself started.

I really would appreciate your help and advice on what to get / do to get the most out of Sly

First off, I do not have a Sly subscription, just Freeview.

Second. I have a fixed Sly dish on the outside of my apartment. This is a 'communal' dish that serves several other properties and I have to use this. The landlord will not allow me to put my own dish up

So I basically would like some input on what to buy so that I can get the most channels possible (ie football, movies etc)

Do I get a Dreambox or a Technomate? Which model would be best for me? What's the difference between CAM and Smart Cards?

Any help / advice would be great as you all seem pretty clued up on this stuff!

Thank you.

S.

[Yorks]

Hello theSman,

Unfortunately if you are limited to a fixed 'Sky' dish pointing at 28E your hands are pretty much tied. Your only option if you want Sports and Movies is to subscribe to Sky. To access anything else you need a bigger dish pointing at a different satellite - or for more scope a motorised dish.

On a positive note Sky do seem to have some decent offers on atm where they will throw in a free Sky+ box and free internet, if you sign up to a basic package for 12 months, although personally I'm not a customer.

Regards,

Yorks

[theSman]

Thanks Yorks.

So if I was to buy a box, say a Technomate, then I could maybe get the normal channels that are broadcast?

To be honest I really don't want to subscribe to Sky cos they are one of the worst companies in the UK. The customer service offered by them is pi55 poor to say the least!

What card / CAMS would I need to get these channels?

[southernsatellite]

If you buy a Technomate you will only receive the free to air channels, you won't at the moment get C5 as this is still encrypted on a Sky card. If you are on this satellite only and have an HD tv why don't you invest in a Freesat Humax HD receiver this way the channels will be in order and you will get BBC HD and ITV HD and the use of the Freesat 7 day Electronic Programme Guide where on the Technomate you only get whats on now or next. Alternative to all this just get a second hand Sky digibox and £20 Sky Freesat card giving you access to CH5 etc

[Yorks]

As you already have freeview then without a subscription your will not get much more from the satellite free to air stuff on 28e. Just a few hundred more shopping channels.

As southernsatellite says, if you have an HDTV then you could buy a Freesat box to receive the free HD channels on satellite which won't be available on Freeview until 2009 at the earliest, and will require an HD Freeview box.

Yorks

[theSman]

Thanks for your advice guys, much appreciated.

Looks like the only option I have is to go down the Freesat route (gutted really as I was looking forward to messing about with a dish and decoder and seeing what can been done).

So, I have one final question (sorry to be a pain!).

I'm going to get a Humax box but does anyone know if the Foxsat box is the only one that will receive Freesat? It's just I've seen the Humax HDCI-2000 on Ebay for a fair price and that box has card slots.
Welcome to HUMAX [Global Website]


If I got that box then I could receive Freesat but then if I also wanted to get a Sky card I could watch Sky as well? Does that make sense?

If that's not the case and the Foxsat box is the only one that works with Freesat do you think it's worth waiting for the HDD version? Anyone know when it's likely to be out?

(that's actually more than one question!)

[nvingo]

The point about the Humax Freesat/HD receiver over the alternatives from Goodmans/Grundig etc, is that it CAN be used with a motorised dish or multiple LNBs - it has both modes of operation.
A receiver such as the HDCI-2000 marketed abroad will not contain the correct decryption circuit for Sky so will not work with FTV Five etc or a Sky card. (sorry I dont know if it has CAM slot for a modular decrypter or card slots for specific systems). And not being a "Freesat" receiver it will still only have the now/next info for UK channels.

The release of the Humax Freesat HD PVR has been delayed but is currently expected around end2008/start2009.

Edit: Humax Freesat PVR announced today for release mid/end Nov 2008