Freeview in Ireland (Donegal Area)

[Neish]

My parents have been asking me about getting sky installed back at home, but they only reallly want the channel 4 stations and some news channels so I,ve been told freeview would be better as 90% of the channels on sky/ digital they would not use

Can anyone advise on this. And does anyone know any companies that can supply freeview in Donegal area.?

Thanks in advance

[Dodge]

No idea but this forum might help

http://boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=55

[TheBoss]

I think you mean this, Dodge

http://boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=56

[Neish]

Cheers will check it out

[SligoBrewer]

My parents have been asking me about getting sky installed back at home, but they only reallly want the channel 4 stations and some news channels so I,ve been told freeview would be better as 90% of the channels on sky/ digital they would not use

Can anyone advise on this. And does anyone know any companies that can supply freeview in Donegal area.?

Thanks in advance

Try the freesat. It's a subscription free satellite that one can purchase in any electrical store or lidl/aldi occasionally. I have one from lidl and it's fantastic.

[A face]

Try the freesat. It's a subscription free satellite that one can purchase in any electrical store or lidl/aldi occasionally. I have one from lidl and it's fantastic.

What channels do you have on it?

[monutdfc]

Was going to post about this myself - I'm fed-up with NTL (quality gets very ropy) and was going to switch to Sky, but am now attracted by Freeview Plus. I'll follow the links above, but I'm interested in other people's thoughts/experiences.

[noby]

Dodge's link was the correct one. Essentially you want a FTA receiver - be it Freeview or whatever. The ones that pop up in Lidl from time to time will do the job, or a satellite shop will sell you one. Either way it's a one-off payment with no subscription. I myself use an old sky dish and box.
It's something you could easily install yourself.

There's a list of the channels here (with all ones free marked with an F): http://www.lyngsat.com/28east.html

28East is the most common satellite(s) to tune in to, so you'll get all Channel 4, BBC, ITV etc. There are others though.

[monutdfc]

I haven't looked at the links above yet (boards.ie was down last night), but I have some questions which someone might be able to answer:
Does a Sky+ box include the decoder or are there 2 separate boxes?
If I get Sky for the minimum period (1 year or whatever) will I still get the freeview channels through the satellite dish? Would I have to purchase a new decoder, or will the Sky one still work (just for the free channels). Would I get RTE?
Can I then hook up a freeview+ box to the satellite?
Do I have to point the dish at a different satellite?

[noby]

I'm pretty certain the Sky+ box includes a decoder, but seeing as I don't give Sky any of my money I can't be sure.

If you sign up to Sky, and cancel your contract after 12 months you own the equipment (box and dish). You will continue to receive all the FTA (free to air) channels. No freeview box needed. No repositioning the satellite. Sky aren't giving you these channels - they're there for free. You will lose all the non-free channels, including RTE, but an ariel/rabbit ears should pick them up.
This is what I use. When friends were moving house, and leaving their sky box and dish behind, I took it. Straight forward to set up, and plenty of FTA channels, with more being added all the time (Channel 4 ones being the latest).

Freeview+ is just another PVR, as far as I can see. Again, you will take the channels from the same satellite.

[monutdfc]

Thanks Noby;
Will the Sky+ box work on the free channels without a Sky subscription does anyone know?

[noby]

That I don't know, but suspect no. Try searching for PVRs (satellite.ie might help), as it seems you ultimately want FTA channels with the capability of recording. I would skip any involvement with Sky if that's your aim.

[anto1208]

Tesco are selling this one www.sat4free.ie i seem to remember seeing a ad in the paper saying that you could buy this and install it for about 280 euro.

[noby]

A very informative website they have there.
Do you mean sat4free.ie?