Does Freesat work in ROI?

eth0_

I was going to get my parents a Freesat receiver (they already have sky digital but don't have a subscription on it anymore), they live close to Drogheda.

My Dad told me he went into a satellite shop in Drogheda last week to ask if Freesat worked in the Republic, and they said no, you'll only get a few channels.

Is this true? My gut feeling is that the satellite shop guy was lying to my Dad, hoping he'd take out a subscription to Sky...

If you can get all the Freesat channels in ROI, is it just a matter of plugging out your Sky digibox and plugging in the Freesat one, or do you need to re-align the dish?

Tony

eth0_ wrote: »

If you can get all the Freesat channels in ROI, is it just a matter of plugging out your Sky digibox and plugging in the Freesat one,

Yes thats correct, shame on the guy in the shop

the_god_swan

Heres a list of the channels ye would receive by doing just that; removing the sky box and plugging in a freesat receiver:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_channels_on_Freesat

eth0_

Thanks a mil guys, much appreciated.

eden_my_ass

No affiliation but I just bought this Humax FreeSat HD box, 148 euros delivered, ordered Friday lunchtime, arrived yesterday by nightline. Installed in seconds, used Buckingham Palace as my postcode and bobs your uncle, lots of free channels.

http://cgi.ebay.ie/Humax-Freesat-Foxsat-HD-BRAND-NEW_W0QQitemZ320320630368QQihZ011QQcategoryZ96970QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262

TheDriver

thats cheap price to be honest

leex

Got a Humax in Enniskillen Argos yesterday. No big deal - they got me to write name and address into a book for UK TV license purposes. Bought 2 X Bush SD boxes after that, they didn't take any info.

Tony

Fantastic price on that, nice one

eden_my_ass wrote: »

No affiliation but I just bought this Humax FreeSat HD box, 148 euros delivered, ordered Friday lunchtime, arrived yesterday by nightline. Installed in seconds, used Buckingham Palace as my postcode and bobs your uncle, lots of free channels.

http://cgi.ebay.ie/Humax-Freesat-Foxsat-HD-BRAND-NEW_W0QQitemZ320320630368QQihZ011QQcategoryZ96970QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262

viking

leex wrote: »

Got a Humax in Enniskillen Argos yesterday. No big deal - they got me to write name and address into a book for UK TV license purposes. Bought 2 X Bush SD boxes after that, they didn't take any info.

Was thinking of picking up one in the same Argos. I presume you used a "friends" UK address?

sesswhat

viking wrote: »

Was thinking of picking up one in the same Argos. I presume you used a "friends" UK address?

No need for UK address. Just tell them if you are living in ROI.

watty

They only want addresses in UK shops for TV licence purposes. They are legally obliged to collect that info. If it's for "export" the TV licence doesn't apply!

leex

viking wrote: »

Was thinking of picking up one in the same Argos. I presume you used a "friends" UK address?

No - I used my real southern address. I overheard the till operator ask a colleague what postal code she should enter into the system for ROI customers. I bought 3 boxes and no notice was taken.

muincav

eden_my_ass wrote: »

No affiliation but I just bought this Humax FreeSat HD box, 148 euros delivered, ordered Friday lunchtime, arrived yesterday by nightline. Installed in seconds, used Buckingham Palace as my postcode and bobs your uncle, lots of free channels.

http://cgi.ebay.ie/Humax-Freesat-Foxsat-HD-BRAND-NEW_W0QQitemZ320320630368QQihZ011QQcategoryZ96970QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262

Yes that is the price now with the VAT reduction in the North, but I would strongly advise anyone to wait a little while longer as the Freesat boxes both HD and SD will be coming down in price...my friend works in Argos and says that with the demand for the HD recorder, the price will drop quite a bit for the non-recording boxes soon....:D:D:D

Tony

If it drops any further there will be little point in making SD boxes

muincav wrote: »

Yes that is the price now with the VAT reduction in the North, but I would strongly advise anyone to wait a little while longer as the Freesat boxes both HD and SD will be coming down in price...my friend works in Argos and says that with the demand for the HD recorder, the price will drop quite a bit for the non-recording boxes soon....:D:D:D

muincav

Tony wrote: »

If it drops any further there will be little point in making SD boxes

I seem to remember somebody saying the same about LCD tv's and not making CRT anymore..and DVD recorders becoming so cheap there would be no need for Video recorders (remember, VHS,, BETAMAX and PHILIPS??) ...deja vu?

Most new tv's are HD ready anyway-and most people think that in itself will bring in HD pictures,,,,,

dixiefly

Lads, I bought a Humax box a month or so ago after hearing great reviews and I also thought my old Pace bo with UK free to air card was on the way out.

Firstly, the range of channels is not the same. You get more on the Pace box with the free to air card from the UK. Maybe channel five is now on it but at the time the various Five channels as well as some other channels and some games my kids played on the Pace box are not there.

Aso, the volume was much lower on the Humax. Maybe it was a faulty item but it made it very difficult to change between channels.

tmull

You guys with the Humax freesat box better hope it is a better box than the iCord that was released a year ago. Absolutly no support and proberly the poorest HD box on the market. TMULL

homer911

While there are still some lipsync issues with HD programmes on Freesat, the box itself is well reviewed by the people who have bought it

http://www.joinfreesat.co.uk/index.php/digital-boxes/humax-foxsat-hd

(I'll let you know how I get on)

leex

There is a volume option on the box so you can adjust this to match your other tuned in channels. I don't have any issue with mine anyway.

dixiefly wrote: »

Lads, I bought a Humax box a month or so ago after hearing great reviews and I also thought my old Pace bo with UK free to air card was on the way out.

Firstly, the range of channels is not the same. You get more on the Pace box with the free to air card from the UK. Maybe channel five is now on it but at the time the various Five channels as well as some other channels and some games my kids played on the Pace box are not there.

Aso, the volume was much lower on the Humax. Maybe it was a faulty item but it made it very difficult to change between channels.

Have had BBC HD on every night since I bought the box. (Still amazed with pic clarity). No obvious lip sync issues yet.

homer911 wrote: »

While there are still some lipsync issues with HD programmes on Freesat, the box itself is well reviewed by the people who have bought it

http://www.joinfreesat.co.uk/index.php/digital-boxes/humax-foxsat-hd

(I'll let you know how I get on)

Tony

dixiefly wrote: »

Firstly, the range of channels is not the same.

Thats true of any freesat box not just the humax

leex

Tony wrote: »

Thats true of any freesat box not just the humax

The extra channels can be tuned in and viewed in non freesat mode. I think in all fairness to the Alba group receivers these channels can appear in the main menu at end of list. I have 2 BUSH receivers at home still in their box - will try it tonight.

Martin_F

leex wrote: »

The extra channels can be tuned in and viewed in non freesat mode. I think in all fairness to the Alba group receivers these channels can appear in the main menu at end of list. I have 2 BUSH receivers at home still in their box - will try it tonight.

Yes - the alba boxes allow addition to the EPG at end of the list. Not so the Humax - which has it's awkward non freesat mode.

I have 2 bush and 1 Humax - pleased with both generally the Humax is more polished in it's user interface.

limklad

eden_my_ass wrote: »

No affiliation but I just bought this Humax FreeSat HD box, 148 euros delivered, ordered Friday lunchtime, arrived yesterday by nightline. Installed in seconds, used Buckingham Palace as my postcode and bobs your uncle, lots of free channels.

http://cgi.ebay.ie/Humax-Freesat-Foxsat-HD-BRAND-NEW_W0QQitemZ320320630368QQihZ011QQcategoryZ96970QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262

Out of curiosity what is Buckingham Palace postcode? I might use it too, and register another box to the queen.

leex

Martin_F wrote: »

Yes - the alba boxes allow addition to the EPG at end of the list. Not so the Humax - which has it's awkward non freesat mode.

I have 2 bush and 1 Humax - pleased with both generally the Humax is more polished in it's user interface.

Tried a Bush box tonight. EPG is grand given the price of the box. I can't seem to see the FTA channels at the end of EPG. Pressing the SWAP button on the remote brings them up in a seperate EPG. Much easier than the Humax.

eden_my_ass

limklad wrote: »

Out of curiosity what is Buckingham Palace postcode? I might use it too, and register another box to the queen.

SW1A 1AA , pity it wasn't actually uploaded, could get the tv licence inspector to call to her door

VERYinterested

I rigged up an old Sky box for the in-laws to watch Satellite without a Sky sub during the summer. Only snag is that I can't get it to stay on the UK EPG, have done all the tricks and got the UK EPG working, but once the power is disconnected the box reverts to the Irish EPG, if they want to see some channels they have to go into 'Other Channels' and now I'm getting a bit of brain damage about it. I posted before about this and wasn't sure what to do next. My sister lives in Belfast and is a Sky subscriber, I presume she could order a Freesat card for stg£20 and send it to me, will it have any implications for her viewing card, ie will they cancel her existing viewing card while a new one wings its way or are they two completely different things? When using this card then my in-laws will be able to see the UK EPG, alternatively is there something I can do with the Sky box, apart from the trick in interactive mode, to force it to always use the UK EPG?

Martin_F

leex wrote: »

Tried a Bush box tonight. EPG is grand given the price of the box. I can't seem to see the FTA channels at the end of EPG. Pressing the SWAP button on the remote brings them up in a seperate EPG. Much easier than the Humax.

Try going to channel 101 - and then use the down button. then you get the FTA channel numbers 3xxx - I expected them to also be accessible from 9xx and going up - so didn't try to suggest they appear at the start of the EPG. one man's end of EPG is another man's start of EPG. I've not tried the Swap button for that.

I've only ever long term tuned Sky News at 3000 - so it's quite handy to have it just below BBC1 - much easier than the Humax...

Have you also selected 'Show Non Freesat Svcs' in the setup menu ?