How To Set Up Sky Boxes?

[charley24]

I am having telewest installed next week, I have 2 sky boxes (one old style) one new style.

I have been told you can use these as freeview boxes - thought we could put in kids rooms so they can watch cbeebies.

Any idea what cables/connections we will need to do this?

Would love some advice !

love Charley a Newbie !

[grandmaster]

i think the the only way is to test.


Remove your sky card and see if you can get free to air channels.
I'm not sure if the sky box utilises an analougue input

[SMHarman]

FreeSat, not freeview. You cannot plug them into your roof aerial and expect them to decode the freeview signal, but some channels on the astra sat are free to air and still viewable to the box without a sky card, others are free, but require some kind of free sat card.
So the kids rooms need coax from the sat dish fed to them.

[atlantis]

As far as I know, you wont be able to get the main ITV channels (ITV1,,2, 3, CH4, CH5) as these are/were scambled, and the BBC used to distribute a viewing card to use in Sky boxes to let you view these free channels, but the cost meant the BBC gave up on the idea, so I believe (although I'm sure if I'm wrong, someone will correct me) that it will only be the BBC, plus a "limited" free to air channels on the sky boxes you have spare now.

[SMHarman]

I think the BBC now broadcast from a sat near the sky one, not the sky one, a correctly aligned dish picks both up, but this means the bbc is FTA and separate from Sky.

[atlantis]

I think the BBC now broadcast from a sat near the sky one, not the sky one, a correctly aligned dish picks both up, but this means the bbc is FTA and separate from Sky.

Looks like it's still on the Astra 2D, link here:

http://www.satcure.co.uk/tech/bbcitv.htm

[ian@huth]

As far as I know, you wont be able to get the main ITV channels (ITV1,,2, 3, CH4, CH5) as these are/were scambled, and the BBC used to distribute a viewing card to use in Sky boxes to let you view these free channels, but the cost meant the BBC gave up on the idea, so I believe (although I'm sure if I'm wrong, someone will correct me) that it will only be the BBC, plus a "limited" free to air channels on the sky boxes you have spare now.If you cancel your Sky subscriptions your existing Sky card allows you to view ITV, Ch 4 and Five and all the other channels that the Freesat £20 card does.

[atlantis]

If you cancel your Sky subscriptions your existing Sky card allows you to view ITV, Ch 4 and Five and all the other channels that the Freesat £20 card does.

That's very good news:)