Comments on: The big Freeview re-tune — more digital dregs?

By: Has the Sun set on new Labour? – Scottish Roundup

Has the Sun set on new Labour? – Scottish Roundup — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 12:33:46 +0000

[...] Duncangives us a perspective on freeview channels and the big re-tune. [...]

By: last year's girl

last year's girl — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 21:25:03 +0000

I think my BT Vision box is playing up due to the switchover, i haven’t been able to pull off a retune yet. But, to be honest, I only watch about three programmes a week – no Channel 5 is no great loss to me!

By: Duncan Stephen

Duncan Stephen — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 12:23:39 +0000

Thanks for the comment, Andrew BOD. I think Freesat is definitely an option to consider, although due to my love of motorsport when I get the chance I think I will take Sky so that I can get Eurosport.

By: Andrew BOD

Andrew BOD — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 00:37:17 +0000

Duncan

I refuse to pay copious amounts of money to get Sky – I have sampled before – when I don’t watch enough TV to merit that amount of money. So when I moved into my new house this year, I got Freesat installed. I bought a few SD boxes (£50 each) for a few rooms and an HD box for the main TV. Got a dish and wiring installed which was a fairly biggish outlay, but pay no more monthly charges.

Freesat channels are fairly similar to Freeview, without any Virgin or Sky channels, who obviously refuse to participate in a scheme that threatens their stranglehold. Film Four, the Zone channels, all the usual stuff. I can also get BBC HD and ITV HD on my main box, where I can often watch Euro football. Interestingly, you can get a Freesat ‘auto’ tune, excluding most of the garbage channels, or you can manually tune in about 400 channels – most of them dreadful. However, this is a safer option for the kids.

I’ve had Freesat for 6 months now and would thoroughly recommend it if you don’t watch loads of TV.

By: Duncan Stephen

Duncan Stephen — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 21:56:34 +0000

Thanks for the feedback, TheBeekeeper. I’m glad you like it.

By: TheBeekeeper

TheBeekeeper — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 21:54:13 +0000

Why is it that so few people can understand this?

Duncan, please don’t ever take work with a mainstream broadcaster. They will brainwash this stuff out of you. You also clearly enjoy doing this – if you get paid for it, you will find it a lot less fun.

The Beekeeper

By: Longrider

Longrider — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 09:48:44 +0000

My parents have had this misery when the switchover occurred. Thinking it would be all okay, we discovered that while the box will pick up the channels, the Guide Plus for recording relies on an analogue signal to work – and as a consequence, they cannot record anything. As there is no firmware upgrade, they have to junk a perfectly good box and buy a new one.

Not best pleased…

And, yes, most of it is trash.