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Sky TV... Freeview... is there a solution for me please?


Zayna

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As I'm not quite a liveaboard, I don't watch much TV on our boat and when I do it's either a DVD or whatever channels I can pick up on Freeview.

 

However. As a landlubber, I simply do ADORE my Sky+. I love being able to record things without having to programme a video recorder (remember those? biggrin.png ), and I love being able to rewind live TV.

 

So is there an equivalent? Because one of these days I won't be a landlubber and I'll be looking to wave ta-ta to Sky TV which in my humble opinion is grossly overpriced anyway....

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Argos seem to have some Freeview boxes that do the job... anybody got one? Do they actually work?

I had a FreeSat+ box for a while about five years ago. They may have improved but as far as user friendliness goes Sky+ HD beats it hands down.

Edited by MJG
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Argos seem to have some Freeview boxes that do the job... anybody got one? Do they actually work?

 

Yes of course they work, but obviously:

 

1) The range of channels available on Freeview is different to the range of channels on Sky

2) To successfully record a programme, the box would need to be powered (I've only ever seen mains powered ones), and be tuned in and able to receive the channel (ie the aerial would need to be aligned, etc etc)

 

If you were moored and had the aerial up, and the inverter on, no worries. If you were cruising at the time then moored later to watch a pre-recorded show, I doubt that the reception would have been good enough during cruising to record it perfectly.

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We have a sky plus box on the boat for which we pay a subscription which allows us to watch the free view channels as well as the ones we subscribe to. In addition the facilities of record, suspend viewing for 20 mins or so to answer phone etc. then resume viewing and fast forward through recorded adverts are also available. If you use a sky plus box without the paid for subscription the only channels you have are the free view channels and all other facilities are disabled.

 

We are CCing throughout the summer period and have to try and set up the dish every evening though not every mooring enjoys a good line of sight view to the Astra satellite.

 

We also have an aerial for normal terrestial TV viewing which also varies in the number of channels received.

 

Cheers

 

David

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Yes of course they work, but obviously:

 

1) The range of channels available on Freeview is different to the range of channels on Sky

2) To successfully record a programme, the box would need to be powered (I've only ever seen mains powered ones), and be tuned in and able to receive the channel (ie the aerial would need to be aligned, etc etc)

 

If you were moored and had the aerial up, and the inverter on, no worries. If you were cruising at the time then moored later to watch a pre-recorded show, I doubt that the reception would have been good enough during cruising to record it perfectly.

 

For the geeky, there are non-mains powered freeview solutions involving a Raspberry Pi, USB DVB-T stick, USB hard drive (or USB memory stick) and wifi. Mine pulls 0.5A (but I've got two receivers and a hard drive connected).

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Thanks for your input folks.

 

I'd not be recording if we were cruising, I'm one of these who pauses a show while I do something else then come back to it, or record a show while I'm down the pub so I can watch it when I get in. I can live without Sky movies, I'm ashamed to say I like Coronation Street and Can't Pay, Take it Away. Oh, and Destroyed in Seconds, but to be honest when you've seen one power boat flip over, you've seen them all..

 

fatigue.gif

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I have a good book, a most accommodating glass of red, and the crackle of my woodburner. Can rewind or fast forward the book any time I want by the flick of a finger.

How so very 'highbrow'. ..... :rolleyes:

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Indubitably

Go and watch your CoronationFarmEnders coffee.gif

I think you may find there are alternatives to the soaps available on TV.

 

Some of it is actually quite informative, highbrow even if you sift out the dross.

 

That is why I like Sky+ as it makes it cinch to record the good stuff and watch at a time to suit, though some of the catch up services are equally good for this too.

Edited by MJG
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See... I like the soaps. Well only the one really, Corrie. Not everyone's cup of tea but it's like chicken soup for my poor exhausted brain after a trying day at work. I can just sit and stare at it for half an hour and not have to think very hard.

 

Not that anyone should have to justify why they like TV.

 

I do what I like. Not what everybody else thinks I should like.

  • Greenie 1
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See... I like the soaps. Well only the one really, Corrie. Not everyone's cup of tea but it's like chicken soup for my poor exhausted brain after a trying day at work. I can just sit and stare at it for half an hour and not have to think very hard.

 

Not that anyone should have to justify why they like TV.

 

I do what I like. Not what everybody else thinks I should like.

+1

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You can have Freeview or sky on a boat, you just have to work a little harder than in a house, dishes/aerials need pointing to the source each time you moor up, plus you need to take power into account.

 

I rarely watch TV but do have Freeview, I even have one of those boxes that record but have never plugged it in since leaving the marina in April, some areas I struggle with Freeview but at the minute the aerial is fixed, I do plan to get it on a pole but then as I dont watch much TV its not a priority.

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Thanks for your input folks.

 

I'd not be recording if we were cruising, I'm one of these who pauses a show while I do something else then come back to it, or record a show while I'm down the pub so I can watch it when I get in. I can live without Sky movies, I'm ashamed to say I like Coronation Street and Can't Pay, Take it Away. Oh, and Destroyed in Seconds, but to be honest when you've seen one power boat flip over, you've seen them all..

 

fatigue.gif

You get all those for free. At home we have a Humax, watch one channel and record another. 7 day timer. but its mains powered. I don't know how long the memory will hold the recording requests without the mains, it manages for when we get power cuts. Ours is older than this http://www.expertreviews.co.uk/humax/humax-hdr-1100s

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As far as I am aware, all TVs are freeview digital these days - there is no longer an analogue signal in the uk. A lot of digital TVs have a USB socket which can be used to record programmes on a memory stick (suggest 32-64Gb). Only limitation is that it records the channel you are watching, but it allows you to record a programme while you are away, if that is what you need.

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We have a Freesat box a Humax HDR1100S. It does everything a sky box does. It even does some things better the tv menu lets you select 7 days past tv but you would need a internet connection for that...Had a terrible time trying to extricate myslf from the clutches of sky.. They ended up threatening me with court action because i refused to pay them for services they were not providing after I cancelled my subscription in the end i told them to go ahead as i was sure the judge would appreciate the waste of court time!!

 

I will never go near them again.... Freesat does have less choice but no contract no subs no hassle...its a no brainer

  • Greenie 2
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I don't watch an awful lot of TV but you can get good 4G/LTE deals nowadays. I have a 64GB data only plan with EE for £28 a month which would be suitable for a few hours streaming per day. (not HD) For me this means no messing around with satellite dishes!

Streaming is arguably the future of TV so it may be worth considering but do check the coverage in your area if you decide to go down that route.

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Smart TV connected to a phone/tablet. Stream the TV from the internet.

I use smartphone plugged into the TV, reasons are is that I have unlimited internet on the phone but also the Apps on the phone are much more upto date and the decent ones have variable bandwidth depending on your connection. Some of the apps also allow downloading which the TV doesn't so if you have wifi access it can be useful.

Edited by Robbo
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I haven't got one but for streaming if you have unlimited data the Kodi box I've heard is very good.

There is also plenty of jailbroken ones on eBay like this

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/131857611090

Where most of your Sky channels are included without subscription! I'm uncertain how legal they are but as eBay don't pull the ads down I'm led to believe it's ok to own and use one but the chaps building them are wide of what is strictly legal. But don't take my word for it.

But morally speaking if to many people had them you would be robbing the company of income to produce or buy what you want to watch!

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