Freesat...

[where did my id go?]

Really?

Unencrypted?

Now yer talking...

Good God! I thought the giant lizards already knew how to get past that piffly encryption stuff....

I think that there is an issue with sky boxes in that they are limited to a signal rate of 27500 for SD and 29500 for HD, most of the dvb-s receivers will handle far more - of course that probably doesnt matter for the purposes of freesat. Also issues about channel lists/menus.

I've been using technomate boxes for a few years
plenty of cheap boxes on the market - look at the linux based ones for most 'functionality'

[oracleslave]

Mum complained to me

Did the old man at least stand you a couple of pints

[KathyWoolfe]

I've heard of something called a D-box which means you can get ALL the sky channels without having to have a dish installed - is this right?

If so it would be a boon to us as we live in a block of flats which has banned all satellite dishes

[expat]

I've heard of something called a D-box which means you can get ALL the sky channels without having to have a dish installed - is this right?

If so it would be a boon to us as we live in a block of flats which has banned all satellite dishes

Are they allowed to do that, when there are channels that you can not get otherwise?

[where did my id go?]

Nope. You need a sat dish - the dbox/dreambox/technomates/etc/etc all have software add ons to break the encryption - you still need to get the signal.

And of course the building owners can say no dishes. Depending on where it is it might not even be their call. planning etc.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Sky boxes do unencrypted stuff just fine (otherwise you wouldn't be able to watch the BBC, ITV etc.). Pull your card out if you don't believe me.

I assume what's actually new is they're now doing their own EPG - that's the channel numbers and programme information etc., which the new boxes will use. If you get Sky Freesat with a Sky box, you'll get all the Sky channels listed most of which you won't be able to see. Broadcasters have to pay money to Sky to be on the Sky EPG, so maybe some free channels will decide not to do that and only appear on the new freesat, but you can bet they'll only be scraping the bottom of the barrel shopping channels.

All a bit confusing for the consumer. But an old Sky box will be 99% as good.

Good points, well made. I don't pay for Sky but do have an old box and card and noticed the other day that it worked without the card so I should've known this.

[pisces]

Freesat?

Some people here are clearly not as rich as they pretend.

[Board Game Geek]

It's beyond ridiculous now.

How many boxes do you need these days so you can wallow in every channel imaginable serving up the same trash ?

Sky, then Freeview, then Llord knows what else...

I think the answer, if someone hasn't done it already, is to ask Farmer Jethro if you can have an acre, buy every flipping dish and decoder you can possible get, and then offer an internet streaming service to punters.

It's got to be more attractive than having 17 blimming boxes and 5 dishes for each property.

[HairyArsedBloke]

Freesat?

Some people here are clearly not as rich as they pretend.

I'm poor, very very poor.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.