New Freesat service

With the launch of the new Freesat service on Astra 2d confirmed for May, I
wondered if it is worth pre-empting the launch by getting one of the 'Sky
free for life' packs from Dixons @£75, as then one of the new Freesat
receivers could simpy be swapped for the Sky box?
Prices for the Freesat receivers are yet to be confirmed but look like:
Freesat non-HD (box only) £35
Freesat HD (box only) £99
Freesat HD PVR (box only) £149
The cost of the dish and installation is rumoured to be £50, which seems a
good deal, but the uncertainty is if you get a Sky free to view card
included in these prices, as at present that's the only way to get channel 4
and 5. If not included the £75 Sky package looks a good deal, as you get the
card too....
Any thoughts?

GTS wrote:
: Freesat non-HD (box only) ?35
: Freesat HD (box only) ?99
: Freesat HD PVR (box only) ?149

I have also seen - but disbelieve totally!! - these rumours! I will be
astonished if the HD-PVR, in particular, is much less than £299.

"GTS" wrote in message
...
With the launch of the new Freesat service on Astra 2d confirmed for May,
I wondered if it is worth pre-empting the launch by getting one of the
'Sky free for life' packs from Dixons @£75, as then one of the new Freesat
receivers could simpy be swapped for the Sky box?
Prices for the Freesat receivers are yet to be confirmed but look like:
Freesat non-HD (box only) £35
Freesat HD (box only) £99
Freesat HD PVR (box only) £149
The cost of the dish and installation is rumoured to be £50, which seems a
good deal, but the uncertainty is if you get a Sky free to view card
included in these prices, as at present that's the only way to get channel
4 and 5. If not included the £75 Sky package looks a good deal, as you get
the card too....
Any thoughts?


Yes, get the Sky £75 one as it includes a card it will get Ch4 and Five, but
remember after a few months unless you cancel there is a subscription to pay
for the subscription stations to continue. Surely this is a better deal
than your £35 + £50.

--
Regards,
David

Please reply to News Group

On 28/03/2008 20:02, GTS wrote:

With the launch of the new Freesat service on Astra 2d confirmed for May, I
wondered if it is worth pre-empting the launch by getting one of the 'Sky
free for life' packs from Dixons @£75, as then one of the new Freesat
receivers could simpy be swapped for the Sky box?

Eh? why do you want to buy sky, then a few weeks later buy freesat?

the uncertainty is if you get a Sky free to view card
included in these prices,

No uncertainty at all, you will only get FTA channels on a freesat box,
not FTV (c4/c5/sky3) and not encrypted ones, I doubt it'll even *have* a
card slot.

On 28/03/2008 20:18, Andy Burns wrote:

not FTV (c4/c5/sky3)

I should have mentioned, it's widely expected the c4/e4/m4 channels will
change to FTA later in the year, less clear if/when Five channels will
do the same.

"Andy Burns" wrote in message
...
On 28/03/2008 20:02, GTS wrote:

With the launch of the new Freesat service on Astra 2d confirmed for May,
I wondered if it is worth pre-empting the launch by getting one of the
'Sky free for life' packs from Dixons @£75, as then one of the new Freesat
receivers could simpy be swapped for the Sky box?

Eh? why do you want to buy sky, then a few weeks later buy freesat?



presumably he wants sky to fit the dish for free and then be able to swap
when ready.


--
Gareth.

That fly... is your magic wand.

"GTS" wrote in message
...
With the launch of the new Freesat service on Astra 2d confirmed for May,
I wondered if it is worth pre-empting the launch by getting one of the
'Sky free for life' packs from Dixons @£75, as then one of the new Freesat
receivers could simpy be swapped for the Sky box?
Prices for the Freesat receivers are yet to be confirmed but look like:
Freesat non-HD (box only) £35
Freesat HD (box only) £99
Freesat HD PVR (box only) £149
The cost of the dish and installation is rumoured to be £50, which seems a
good deal, but the uncertainty is if you get a Sky free to view card
included in these prices, as at present that's the only way to get channel
4 and 5. If not included the £75 Sky package looks a good deal, as you get
the card too....
Any thoughts?


I think it depends on your DIY skills. Installing a satellite dish is not
difficult, and can be done without special equipment though a cheap meter
may help.

I am a fan of twin tuner PVRs. For these you need a twin ouput LNB which you
likely would not get with a standard Sky install.
I would budget at least £300 for such a PVR.

--
Michael Chare

Yes, get the Sky £75 one as it includes a card it will get Ch4 and Five,
but remember after a few months unless you cancel there is a subscription
to pay for the subscription stations to continue. Surely this is a better
deal than your £35 + £50.

Ah, but I am only interested in Freesat 'cos of the HD channels - at last,
HD with no subscriptions.
It should start with BBC1, Channel 4, ITV1, and later Channel 5 HD. So I
would get one of the HD PVR's....

I think it depends on your DIY skills. Installing a satellite dish is not
difficult, and can be done without special equipment though a cheap meter
may help.

I am a fan of twin tuner PVRs. For these you need a twin ouput LNB which
you likely would not get with a standard Sky install.
I would budget at least £300 for such a PVR.

--
Well the guidance price is £149 for a HD twin-tuner PVR, and £50 for the
install. But it will be left to the retailers to decide. Seeing as standard
vestel clone twin-tuner Freeview PVR's retail for £99 then £149 does not
sound too crazy. Humax are meant to be doing Freesat PVR, a upgraded
version of their 9002 PVR (9003?) and this is meant to retail nearer to the
£299 mark...

Eh? why do you want to buy sky, then a few weeks later buy freesat?



presumably he wants sky to fit the dish for free and then be able to swap
when ready.

Exactly. If the prices are anything like the mooted £149 for a HD PVR, then
there would be such a rush that I am concerned you could wait ages for a
Freesat installer...
Gareth.

That fly... is your magic wand.