Headlines - Freesat: BBC and ITV launch free HD service

[directhex]

the freesat alliance has just killed component support from freesat STBs. Satellite - News - Flag kills Freesat HD component output - Digital Spy

[baius]

Originally Posted by directhex

the freesat alliance has just killed component support from freesat STBs. Satellite - News - Flag kills Freesat HD component output - Digital Spy

Would this kind of "trend" affect people - like my nice self - who wish to have recordings on their PC that they can play back at a later time? (That's been my idea all along with this, much like how I record FreeView today.)

[directhex]

Originally Posted by baius

Would this kind of "trend" affect people - like my nice self - who wish to have recordings on their PC that they can play back at a later time? (That's been my idea all along with this, much like how I record FreeView today.)

if you wanted to capture from a set-top box (using a device like a hauppauge hd-pvr), then yes

if you wanted to use a dvb-s card, then no change - but i'm suddenly very suspicious of the getting-less-freesat alliance

[baius]

Originally Posted by directhex

if you wanted to capture from a set-top box (using a device like a hauppauge hd-pvr), then yes

if you wanted to use a dvb-s card, then no change - but i'm suddenly very suspicious of the getting-less-freesat alliance

Thanks for the clarification. Nice to have someone knowledgeable round 'ere.

[AirComet]

I currently have Sky+ connected via two cables to my sky dish. Yesterday I had two more cables attached to it by a local satellite engineer (approx £50 per cable run).

One of the new cables went downstairs so I have a Humax Foxsat HD attached to that there and the other cable goes upstairs.
My thinking is that, until the Humax PVR/DTR comes out, I will continue to use Sky+ and the HD box.

Once the new recorder is launched then I will move the Humax HD upstairs and install the recorder downstairs and drop Sky+ on to Ebay or something.

So in answer to your question, yes you can definately use your Sky dish and in theory as I have done (at the same time as receiving Sky) if you wanted to.

Hope this helps.

Originally Posted by Bob Crabtree

This is GREAT info!

Now all we need is feedback from someone who's actually connected one of these new BBC/ITV freesat boxes to a Sky dish!

[Bob Crabtree]

AirComet.

Thanks!

Cheers

Bob

[Funkstar]

Anyone got any idea how much a basic Freeview installation would cost?

I'm not in the UK so can't phone up any local installers and none of them seem to have email addresses.

Thanks

[baius]

Originally Posted by Funkstar

Anyone got any idea how much a basic Freeview installation would cost?

I'm not in the UK so can't phone up any local installers and none of them seem to have email addresses.

Thanks

Even I should be able to answer that. To be able to get FreeView, you need a BBC license - £120/year (iirc).

Following that, you need to get a way of streaming content into your home. I was quoted for a digital-capable aerial to be installed about a year ago, and was given a figure of about £170. However, as I had my own (DAT-75) Aerial, that I'd bought seperately, we were able to get it done for £120. (Aerial cost £50 from eBay, so total cost was the same, but Aerial was better than installers would have supplied.)

You then need something to receive the broadcasts on. A FreeView capable TV , that has an integrated FreeView/Digital/DVBt "Tuner, would be all you need. (Note: 26" LCD, w/FreeView about £299, atm.)

However, If you already have a TV without a Digital Tuner, (even if it has an analogue (1,2,3,4,5) Tuner,) you'll need to buy a FreeView "box" (£20+) and a "SCART Cable" to go between your "Box" and your TV, costing anywhere from £1 - £30, dependant on the quality desired.

To summarise:

1. TV License: £120 (per year)
2. Aerial & installation: £170
3. Television: £299
4. FreeView Box: £20
5. SCART Cable: £1

(4 and 5 may not be needed, depending on spec of 3.)

Hope this helps. Hope (also) that DirectHEX won't pick too many holes in it. Meant to be simple...

[Funkstar]

Thanks for that Baius. Shame I wrote Freeview in my post and not Freesat though

Licence fee i have (obviously), and there are a couple of options for a DVB-S tuner I'm looking at.

What I couldn't find was how much it would cost to install a Freesat/Sky dish. I know you can pick them up cheap (especially if you don't need a STB), but it's the installation I don't know.