Any good alternatives to Virgin TV? - Page 2

**Chris** · 30-09-2008, 10:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Callumpy

Ive only ever seen FreeSat in use once, in currys. Looks pretty cool and rather like sky, just sky has more HD channels.

It has more channels, full stop. The point is, not how many channels there are, but what's on them and are you prepared to pay for it? Clearly, the OP is no longer prepared to pay for subscription TV service, so seeing as the vast majority of HD content on Sky is premium, showing on subscription-only channels, they're not really relevant to his considerations.

All the non-premium HD channels will appear on Freesat soon enough. They are still in their launch phase and the full line-up isn't there. Although they do have ITV-HD, which Sky doesn't.

Callumpy · 30-09-2008, 16:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris

It has more channels, full stop. The point is, not how many channels there are, but what's on them and are you prepared to pay for it? Clearly, the OP is no longer prepared to pay for subscription TV service, so seeing as the vast majority of HD content on Sky is premium, showing on subscription-only channels, they're not really relevant to his considerations.

All the non-premium HD channels will appear on Freesat soon enough. They are still in their launch phase and the full line-up isn't there. Although they do have ITV-HD, which Sky doesn't.

cool cool

NO ONE · 30-09-2008, 17:39

next Year Thinking of Getting Sky Talk affer being On Bt for a time (thats worth Looking At Bouth Bt and Sky Talk bouth are Cheper then Vm ) affer that i may add Setanta to My Sky Sub

EvilRoySlade · 30-09-2008, 17:53

Hi guys. Thanks for all the replies. I'd never heard of Freesat before posting and have been looking into that. I need to get an aerial or dish installed anyway so Freesat seems tempting. The Humax HD box looks pleasant, might plump for that. Means splashing out a little but I'll have recouped the dough within a few months anyway. Can anyone tell me if the picture quality is inferior on Freesat? I know I don't watch much TV but when I do I don't fancy my eyes bleeding! Thanks again friends.

demented · 30-09-2008, 18:28

Freesat picture is fine. There are some bitrate differences on freeview/satellite of course.

HD will be increasing slowly. BBC HD will be 9hrs a day from April 2009 and ITV HD has plans to be a 5hr prime time service with other services at other times but the timetable for this is not known exactly, only that it'll be on freeview granada region in November next year.

**Chris** · 30-09-2008, 22:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by EvilRoySlade

Hi guys. Thanks for all the replies. I'd never heard of Freesat before posting and have been looking into that. I need to get an aerial or dish installed anyway so Freesat seems tempting. The Humax HD box looks pleasant, might plump for that. Means splashing out a little but I'll have recouped the dough within a few months anyway. Can anyone tell me if the picture quality is inferior on Freesat? I know I don't watch much TV but when I do I don't fancy my eyes bleeding! Thanks again friends.

The transmissions you pick up on a Freesat box are exactly the same ones you pick up on a Sky box. The only difference is in the way Freesat boxes handle interactive and EPG data. So if you've ever had Sky, or know someone that has it, you already have a good idea what the picture and sound quality will be like.

The only real variable is in the fact that Freesat boxes are produced by a number of different manufacturers, so there may be a few subtle differences in the way they render the audio and the video, however I believe the Humax range is a solid product so you should have no problems with it.

02-10-2008, 22:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris

Plus of course you can go and get HD kit for Freesat right now; you can't yet get HD over Freeview and won't be able to for a while yet.

Next Autumn apparently.

**Chris** · 04-10-2008, 17:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Enuff

Next Autumn apparently.

Indeed - that's a year away, I reckon that counts as a while yet.

And a new STB will be required in order to receive Freeview HD as well. That'll go down a treat with anyone who's just bought a brand new integrated HD TV that can only receive Freeview SD.