Free Sat

[Anonymous]

As i understand it you need 2 cables if you're buying the freesat pvr, it acts like sky+ and means you can record 2 channels at the same time, if you have a twin or quad lnb ( the camera shaped thing pointing at the dish) then you can run another cable and you're sorted, if you're just buying a basic hd box then i think a single cable will be fine.

i could be wrong though.

 

[daveh75]

yep single feed for a non-pvr stb and a duel feed for the pvr. obviously if you only have a single port lnb you need to upgrade to a duel or quad lnb and run the extra cables

 

[Clare Newsome]

professorhat:boopolo:May take the movies off it soon (buy some Blurays with the savings) as we only watch 3 or 4 a week (not all premium)
Have to say, I can understand having Sky for sport, but not movies. For much less, you can get an unlimited rental from Lovefilm - any Blu-Ray movies you want. Admittedly, you have to wait 3 days for a new one (send the last one off = 1 day, 1 day's processing time, 1 day to receive the new one via 1st class post). But that's still potentially 10 new HD movies per month (9 in February)...

For me, it's about choice of HD movies. I have a Lovefilm subscription, but that only gives me one HD movie at a time. If I get a Blu-ray comedy delivered when i'm in the mood for an action movie, Sky gives me many more options. In fact since they increased the number of HD movie channels recently, i'm debating whether Lovefilm is worth it as well - especially as the new-release Blu-rays seem increasingly hard to get hold of as more people get BD players....

Doubtless i'll carry on with all of them - and buying more Blu-rays - and digging the REALLY big jumpers out of the cupboard to cut down on heating bills to compensate! And then there's the cost of Leicester Square Odeon tickets for the Bond movie next week... Pricey business, this movie-loving thang!

 

[professorhat]

That's fair enough then, Clare. Maybe I'm just bitter because the freeholders won't let us put satellite dishes on our building...

 

[daveh75]

do you live in a purpose built block of flats or something. coz there maybe a way round that.

 

[professorhat]

No, it's a an old lodge house which has been converted into flats.

 

[daveh75]

oh fair enough, would the freeholders not even allow a communal dish or is it just that they dont want lots of dishes all over the building. if they'd let you have a communal system have a look at this,

 

[Alsone]

professorhat:That's fair enough then, Clare. Maybe I'm just bitter because the freeholders won't let us put satellite dishes on our building...

Interesting. Sorry to sideline this but do you rent or is it a case of you bought but are just a leaseholder?

 

[Alsone]

daveh75:oh fair enough, would the freeholders not even allow a communal dish or is it just that they dont want lots of dishes all over the building. if they'd let you have a communal system have a look at this,

Another solution for a dish that might persuade them if its visual impact (here shown on a floor stand, not on wall):

http://www.satellitesuperstore.com/clearmenu.htm

Please note: I am neither recommending nor not recommending the company I linked. I have had no dealings with them. I simply showing you one retailer who stocks them.

 

[daveh75]

i was gonna suggest a pole mounted dish in the grounds as another option

 

[professorhat]

Bought but I'm a leaseholder. Haven't actually brought it up with them as yet, I just remember it being a line in my contract and so just forgot about getting Sky. To be honest, I'd probably want it for Freesat rather than Sky - I just know there's so much rubbish on Sky I'd never watch - the football would be the only thing I'd really be interested in and it costs a small fortune each month to get all the sports channels as I remember!

 

[daveh75]

i know what your sayin about sky. its the same reason i stopped subscribing. dont no how many flats there are where you are, but with that sky solution so long as at least four people subscribe to sky they will fit the system gratis i believe. once its in there'd be nothing to stop you connecting up a freesat box.

 

[professorhat]

Thanks matey, I'll look into that.

 

[Alsone]

professorhat:Bought but I'm a leaseholder. Haven't actually brought it up with them as yet, I just remember it being a line in my contract and so just forgot about getting Sky. To be honest, I'd probably want it for Freesat rather than Sky - I just know there's so much rubbish on Sky I'd never watch - the football would be the only thing I'd really be interested in and it costs a small fortune each month to get all the sports channels as I remember!

You do know that you can force them to sell you the Freehold don't you? (They can't refuse, its against the law and the courts can force a sale and impose penalities for a refusal where the application meets the criteria for sale.):

The Leasehold Reform Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 introduced the ability to enforce the sale of the Freehold.

You do need to club together though with the neighbours and perhaps form a management company, the rules are here: http://www.lease-advice.org/cegsframe.htm

Some advice and example workings of collective costs (to be shared amongst all the flats) here (the landlords can't just charge what they want, although they might like you to think so). If it can't be agreed, a Leasehold tribunal will set the amount.: http://www.lease-advice.org/cevaframe.htm

It might seem extreme for a satelite dish, but I mention this only because quite often people have been wishing they could get the freehold anyway but didn't know they could actually do it.

It goes without saying, that I accept no liability for any inaccurate info contained in the links above, you should always consult a specialist solicitor for advice on something like this.

 

[Alsone]

daveh75:i was gonna suggest a pole mounted dish in the grounds as another option

I think thats a great suggestion. One large communcal ground mounted dish, perhaps in a corner behind a bush where it can't be seen from the flats or the road. That might overcome the Freeholders objections as nothing on the building and nothing visible from the road.

I also forgot to mention the new Selfsat Antennaes if you're in the South. Might cause less problems still as they're small and can be supplied to match the building with special stickers:

Bare Antennae:

(Stickered Dish on right)

Again from Satellite Superstore.
Just a few more options.http://www.satellitesuperstore.com/images/selfsat2.jpg

 

[Big Aura]

My dish is on the roof in a very obscure place - no-one can see it, unless they happen to be up there or doing a fly-by.

Also, if the rear of the property is southeast facing, and it won't be visible from the road, the freeholder is unlikely to ever know about it, and worse case scenario -they just ask you to take it down.

 

[Cliff1]

Just joined & posted this in more detail somewhere else.

How does HDCP fit into the recording side of this.

 

[Alsone]

Cliff1:

Just joined & posted this in more detail somewhere else.

How does HDCP fit into the recording side of this.

Not sure what you mean Cliff. The type of dish you have has nothing to do with HDCP.

 

[Cliff1]

Alsone:Cliff1:

Just joined & posted this in more detail somewhere else.

How does HDCP fit into the recording side of this.

Not sure what you mean Cliff. The type of dish you have has nothing to do with HDCP.

Hi Alsone

Sorry my post was off on a tangent,i realise the dish has nothing to do with HDCP.Suppose i shouldn't have posted off topic.

If you or anyone else can assist,it would be appreciated.I am thinking of getting Freesat & everything i've read gives the impression that HDCP is pretty foolproof in preventing the recording of HD TV broadbcasts.I believe it is on HD dvds which i understand,copyright protection has been around a long time,but TV recording seems something new.

Maybe it isn't yet activated in the UK,if i have understood correctly what i've read,if a TV/DVD PLAYER/RECORDER has hdmi sockets then HDCP protection is available.

My impression is that recording HDTV will not be possible once this is activated,from posts i've read on here,only found this site a few days ago,people are recording HDTV at the moment,so have i completely misunderstood what i've been reading.

My reason for asking is that i might go for the Humax Foxsat with the twin tuners & hard disc for recording.£300 for a recorder that might or might not function.

I did 'phone Freesat & when i mentioned that i had a HD dvd/hard disc recorder,i was told that i probably wouldn't be able to record HD to the DVD disc but 'might' be able to record to the hard disc,which made sense ,not portable on the hard disc,can't be passed on to someone else.So what got me thinking was this 'phone conversation,what i've read & posts i've seen here indicating that at the moment people are recording HD or is that just to a hard disc ?.

Hope this makes sense,apologies for hijacking the thread.

Please don't make me look a complete idiot.