Freesat Cost

[admin_exported]

Hi all. This is my first post but I have taken the advice from this forum to purchase a new TV. Now we have our new Panasonic LCD we now want to view some HD content.

We are interested in Freesat and not SKY. we have not got SKY and don't want it either. We are interested in purchasing the Humax Foxsat HDR but everytime I look at it I can't seem to justify the price. The non recordable device is now available for £125 (approx. £200 with the installation) but the HDR is over £400. I realise that some cost is down to Freesat being a non subscription service but as most of the channels are available on a £20 freeview box (or integrated already into my TV) - why is it costing £400 (inc installation) to be able to record BBC HD ( I know there is ITV HD as well but can you record this as it is a red button service?) An actual 320GB HD is only about £60 (retail!) and the dish and cables only cost a few quid so what is going on? Is there something I have missed or is this price down to a lack of boxes around and the price will plummet. I see there is a all singing all dancing Blu-Ray Freesat thingy coming out soon but that will no doubt be expensive too!

Thanks guys for any help and sorry to sound so negative because I don't intend to be - I just want to watch and record the Masters golf in HD next week but the piggy bank is lacking in £400 of funds.

Cheers,

Olly

 

[matengawhat]

olly - you're not going to like this response but giving it anyway

Sky HD box £49 with free installation - take out the contract through the link on quidco or giveortake and they give you £120 cash back - cheapest sky HD package is £26 per month from memory

12x26+49= 361 plus your £120 cash back makes it £241 - you can pay on a month by month basis and cancel after 12 months - there is no other cheaper way to do it.

 

[D.J.KRIME]

£400 for a Freesat HD PVR!! hardly VFM for 2 HD channels one of which hardly has anything in HD and the other constantly showing repeats and not on all day.

Another vote for SKY here I am sorry to say.

 

[Anonymous]

Don't apologise guys. The only reason I am/was against SKY because there was too many channels I wouldn't watch on there to justify the monthly payment but the deal mentioned sounds really good and SKY does have some good HD content. I may be for turning!!!

As a matter of interest, what happens after 12 months? Can the SKY HD box be used to recieve BBC HD and I suppose Channel 4 HD for free as you would with a foxsat?

Thanks again. I really appreciate the insight. Are there any FREESAT lovers here to counter the arguments already made?

Olly

 

[matengawhat]

yeah pretty much that after 12 months you can cancel all the content and i believe still receive the free hd channels - can't get itv hd with sky at present - there is a lot of rubbish on sky but if your are wanting it cheap sky one and uk gold plus a few others make it worth while - i only had it installed on Saturday after refusing to buy in to sky but with the cash back mad e it a no brainer really - think i also get £30 of M&S vouchers as well but that offer finished at the weekend.

 

[daveh75]

matengawhat:yeah pretty much that after 12 months you can cancel all the content and i believe still receive the free hd channels -.But it does cease being a pvr once you stop subscribing......The record function only works with subscription.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the heads up Daveh75. I knew there must be a catch. I wanted the record function as our old DVD recorder has packed up.

Hmm I am leaning back to the foxsat hdr - shame I was about to sign on the dotted line with that SKY deal.

 

[daveh75]

FWIW, I've had the HUMAX HDR since it's launch and i would agree at the best part of £300 is a bit pricey and the HD content is still limited but you have to take into account that the box itself isn't subsidised by a monthly subscription and that goes for the content also,although i expect there will be more in the future.You cant expect a premium service without subscription.

Also what the Sky devotee's have failed to mention is that although yes at the moment the Sky HD box + 12 month's subscription(minimum package) less the quidco cash back cost's less than the Humax HDR + dish installation, they dont take into account that it's going to cost you £312 a year minimum in subscription's each and every year you decide to keep Sky HD, by the by i had Sky HD on it's launch and cancelled after a few month's because to me at least it wasn't value for money either.

One last thing if you do go the freesat route and want to save a bit of cash, dont take the Freesat installation service from the retailer which is about £110 depending on the retailer, Get a local independent Aerial/satellite installer in they'll charge half that!

 

[Anonymous]

I concur with everything daveh75 says. I've also had the HDR from it's launch and haven't regretted it. I have a limited income so need to keep my regular outgoings to a minimum. If I had Sky and all the extra channels I still wouldn't have time to view any more than I do at present, and Freesat provides me with more than enough. I agree that there isn't much HD content, but I believe the BBC Trust controls the amount of BBC HD broadcasting and it's unlikely to increase in the near future. I don't worry too much about that as the HD broadcasts really eat up disc space and you are prevented from copying them to another Hard Drive. You can only do that with SD broadcasts. I have an external 650 gig Hard Drive permanently connected and transfer to that the programmes I like to view more than once.

I've seen some complaints on these forums about the lack of a sports channel, but the BBC provides a multiscreen sports service via the Red Button. It's a little limited, but I've enjoyed the coverage of Darts, Snooker and some Tennis that way, so Freesat isn't a complete sports desert.

Also, any SD broadcast you record can be transferred to a USB device so that you can watch the programmes via a Laptop computer for instance. I record some Radio programmes and listen via the laptop in the bedroom.

All in all I'm very satisfied, and other than the initial outlay the Foxsat HDR has cost me nothing to use.

 

[matengawhat]

Only thing i would add further is that for the first 12 months the sky deal is the best in terms of both price and content - in 12 months times freesat may be worth having and then just switch if it offers a benificial service and cancel sky

if someone can confirm if you cancel sky can you use the dish for freesat without having it moved?

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks again guys for all your help.

I have sent a mass of emails around to local engineers to see if I can get a bargain install of freesat. If not I will have a chat to SKY. In this present climate who knows what they may offer - it is always worth asking!

Cheers, Olly

 

[Anonymous]

matengawhat:Only thing i would add further is that for the first 12 months the sky deal is the best in terms of both price and content - in 12 months times freesat may be worth having and then just switch if it offers a benificial service and cancel sky

if someone can confirm if you cancel sky can you use the dish for freesat without having it moved?

I can confirm that. When you watch the Freesat channels you are watching exactly the same channels as the free ones on Sky. The only difference is the programme guide you use to navigate there.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi all. I have a Foxsat Pvr and it is very good,but the problem is with Freesat and the programmes they show,Two HD channels and some not all freeview channels,the total outlay was quite high and i must be honest a waist of money. After looking at the BBC HD channel i have contacted Sky for a HD box.

 

[bladeslap]

For me, the Humax Foxsat HDR/Installation suits my viewing preferences and patterns perfectly.

The initial cost is considerable and I considered the Sky 'for-one-year' option but decided on the one off faff free method...how's that for alliteration!

SD performance on FreeSat, particularly BBC, is remarkable. My wife can't tell the difference from HD. Perhaps that's down to the Sony40W4500?

 

[Alsone]

matengawhat:olly - you're not going to like this response but giving it anyway Sky HD box £49 with free installation - take out the contract through the link on quidco or giveortake and they give you £120 cash back - cheapest sky HD package is £26 per month from memory 12x26+49= 361 plus your £120 cash back makes it £241 - you can pay on a month by month basis and cancel after 12 months - there is no other cheaper way to do it.

You forget to mention the fact that you can no longer record after you cancel the Sky subscription so it's not a cheap way to do it because after 12 months he has no PVR!!!!

You can actually get the Humax PVR for £271: http://www.joinfreesat.co.uk/index.php/digital-boxes/humax-foxsat-hdr

I've never seen it more than £399 from authorised dealers.

As to why the box is so expensive comapred to Sky, Sky are subsidising theirs because they know they'll get their money back through your subscription charges.

Thats also why they turn the "+" (recording function) off if you leave subscription, is there to keep you subscribing as without it you only have a non recording receiver. You can expect to pay £456 (12 x £38) for you're 2nd year on Sky HD. So don't make the mistake of thinking its a cheap option!

BTW Yes you can use a Sky dish to receive Freesat as they're both on 28.2E. For the HDR you need a twin feed (twin or quad LNB + 2 cables), for the Foxsat receiver a single feed. If you only have a single but need a twin, you simply change the LNB and cable.

 

[Alsone]

J J:Hi all. I have a Foxsat Pvr and it is very good,but the problem is with Freesat and the programmes they show,Two HD channels and some not all freeview channels,the total outlay was quite high and i must be honest a waist of money. After looking at the BBC HD channel i have contacted Sky for a HD box.

JJ BBC HD has just gone over to 9 hours per day and they're currently looking at the schedule to improve the content.

FIVE US, FIVER and DAVE ( the only major Freeview channels not there) are reported to be waiting to join as is 4 HD and possibly a FIVE HD channel.

CNN have just joined and Sky News have been allocated a Freesat slot.

So in a short time it looks as if Freesat will have all the Freeview channels + possibly 2 more HD channels.

Your choice to leave but personally like DenP I'm delighted with my HDR. I'm also very happy with the Freesat service but would welcome more HD content.

 

[matengawhat]

Alsone:
matengawhat:olly - you're not going to like this response but giving it anyway Sky HD box £49 with free installation - take out the contract through the link on quidco or giveortake and they give you £120 cash back - cheapest sky HD package is £26 per month from memory 12x26+49= 361 plus your £120 cash back makes it £241 - you can pay on a month by month basis and cancel after 12 months - there is no other cheaper way to do it.

You forget to mention the fact that you can no longer record after you cancel the Sky subscription so it's not a cheap way to do it because after 12 months he has no PVR!!!!

You can actually get the Humax PVR for £271: http://www.joinfreesat.co.uk/index.php/digital-boxes/humax-foxsat-hdr

I've never seen it more than £399 from authorised dealers.

As to why the box is so expensive comapred to Sky, Sky are subsidising theirs because they know they'll get their money back through your subscription charges.

Thats also why they turn the "+" (recording function) off if you leave subscription, is there to keep you subscribing as without it you only have a non recording receiver. You can expect to pay £456 (12 x £38) for you're 2nd year on Sky HD. So don't make the mistake of thinking its a cheap option!

BTW Yes you can use a Sky dish to receive Freesat as they're both on 28.2E. For the HDR you need a twin feed (twin or quad LNB + 2 cables), for the Foxsat receiver a single feed. If you only have a single but need a twin, you simply change the LNB and cable.

the original poster mentioned that mone was tight and he didn't want to pay the initial outlay

don't know where you get the 12x£38 from for the second year sub - poss 12x£26 - and that is if sky doesn't drop the £10 per month for the hd feed - hopefully the better freesat gets that sky might drop that fee but who knows what could happen in 12months - i just know wouldn't shell out upfront £400 for a service that promisses loads but delivers little

also at the end of the 12months as far as i am aware he couls sell his sky hd box on ebay

also in 12 months the freesatpvr could be cheaper/bigger ect

for the person that said his wife can't tell diff between bbc sd and hd its worlds apart although to be honest watch most of mine on a projector.

 

[Anonymous]

Wow! My post has been buzzing without me.

Thought I would just let you all know my decisions. I was going to go the SKY route and then sell the HD box after a year and keep the installation as suggested above. However, on the day I posted, my DVD recorder starts to give trouble. Therefore, as I was also considering a blu ray player at some point, I have decided to wait a month until the new panasonic freesat blu ray recorders come out - probably not going to buy one but the foxsat hdr will no doubt come down in price and by then, I would have worked out how to install the dish and cables myself (he laughs!) and will save my self enough dosh for a Blu Ray player off eBay - job done, very satisfied - wimbledon in hd and love film subscription with blu ray.

Cheers, Olly

 

[zientific]

Hi Olly,

Like you last year I weighed up the options in obtaining some HD content having purchased a new LCD TV. After alot of deliberation I went the humax freesat reciever route, installing my own dish and cable. This was quite easy and if you have any DIY knowledge should be of no problem to you. I did purchase a cheap satellite finder from MAPLINS.

 

[Alsone]

HomerJ24:
I have decided to wait a month until the new panasonic freesat blu ray recorders come out - probably not going to buy one but the foxsat hdr will no doubt come down in price and by then, I would have worked out how to install the dish and cables myself (he laughs!) and will save my self enough dosh for a Blu Ray player off eBay - job done, very satisfied - wimbledon in hd and love film subscription with blu ray.

Cheers, Olly

Just to let you know, the reported estimated launch price to the admin of JoinFreesat direct from Panasonic was £1,000. Thats quite a step up from the £300 Humax. In fact you could buy a Humax and a good £200 BR for 1/2 that for both.

Not trying to sway you either way, just pointing out that you're paying a lot for a BR recording function that will probably be unable to record HD anyway because of DRM (digital rights management).

BTW Bobcat the Humax rep on Digital Spy said some while ago the HDR is unlikely to come down in price. Freesat boxes recently;y have been increasing in price as the pound has fallen against the Far Eastern Currencies. The Foxsat Receivers gone up by nearly £20!

The lowest price the HDR has been so far was £254 last week in an offer at Homebase. Best chance is to look for coupons and offers. Anything around £270 is very good. Below that, snatch their hand off!