TV Aerial question

martinturner · 19 Sep 2012 at 14:51

I currently wish to cancel my contract with Sky HD. I have no aerial installed. I have a HD dish installed with the standard two F type connectors which go into the back of the Sky box. Is it possible to use the Sky dish as a standard tv/freeview aerial if I was to buy a F type Female to Coax Male connector such as the one here http://shop.satelliteonline.co.uk/f-type-female-to-coax-male-convertor-363-p.asp

Or, is the signal completely different and is just not going to work.

I don't really want Freesat as already have a hd freeview box just wondering if I could save the aerial installation costs.

Thanks

memyselfandi · 19 Sep 2012 at 15:04

no

(if you want to use the dish you'll need to go freesat, if you just want freeview then you'll need an aerial)

phil-k · 19 Sep 2012 at 15:16

get ready for months of phone calls and letters trying to get you back to Sky, it took me a year of complaining to end them

Yaayuh! · 19 Sep 2012 at 15:56

memyselfandi said:
no

(if you want to use the dish you'll need to go freesat, if you just want freeview then you'll need an aerial)

This.

martinturner · 20 Sep 2012 at 11:22

Thanks for the replies.

As a side topic; is it possible to keep my Sky Broadband and lose the tv element? I tried to do this a year ago and they said no, but then gave me everything for free for 6 months. I then forgot about it (which they expect you to do) and then so am back paying for the package each month. I don't really watch tv so just a waste of money for me.

4Qman · 20 Sep 2012 at 11:26

'Why stay with sky broadband?

They are poor in comparison to other providers.

martinturner · 20 Sep 2012 at 13:59

4Qman said:
'Why stay with sky broadband?

They are poor in comparison to other providers.

I assume you speak from personal experience? I have had no connection issues for the whole 4 years I have been with them if anything they have been the best provider I have had in a decade. I have not dealt with their customer service, but have not needed to. Plus, the whole hassle of calling up waiting to get a MAC code and then starting again coupled with the inconvenience of a day or so handover - well unless someone else offers something better for a lot less money its not really worth it? Feel free to change my mind.

unite · 20 Sep 2012 at 22:57

Sky now advertise you can have their broadband and phone without the TV so I don't see why you couldn't do it. We arewith Virgin for internet and phone and we have Sky for TV. We were going to go with SKY there for phone and internet but Virgin reduced their cost to £26 per month for unlimited phone and unlimited net at 20mb.

Your original question has already been answered in as much as yes you need to either use freesat or install an aerial. Other thing to consider is that if you cancel you sky contract the box will still work to pick the free to view channels i.e. BBC, ITV, Channel 5 / 5 etc.

spoffle · 20 Sep 2012 at 23:04

You could just keep the dish up with the skybox plugged in and just watch all the free channels, which is quite a few already. I've been doing this for a few years now, even get a few HD channels too.

russ9898 · 22 Sep 2012 at 15:14

To receive Freeview you will need an aerial. I'd imagine you would be looking around the £100 mark to have one installed by a pro depending where about in the country you are and size of aerial you require.

stevejigga · 22 Sep 2012 at 15:54

as above im a sky installer if you canel just keep the box plugged in you get all freeview channels on that plus the free hd ones to no point in wasting money on a tv aerial to get the same thing. unless you wanting it in more rooms.