Freesat

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Hi all

Just joined this forum after lurking for a few weeks.

I'm after a plasma & have more or less decided on a 37PX80 but have decided to wait until Freesat has been launched. May wait a bit longer for Panasonics built-in Freesat plasma

Anyway, just seen the following @ www.joinfreesat.co.uk

'John Lewis, one of the UK’s largest online and high street retail chains have told us exclusively this morning that the launch date for freesat in their stores and online will be the 6th May 2008.

They’ve also advised us that they will be selling the HD receiver for a price of £149, plus optional £100 installation. No news on whether this will be a Grundig (alba) or Humax box yet.

In a shock turn up for the books, it would seem that John Lewis and their partners will be working with Sky to roll out the new service, as freesat do not have their own installation service agreed yet.'

So Sky is helping its competitor...

I

 

[Anonymous]

About time we had some news on Freesat

 

[Andrew Everard]

But a bit duff it's come from John Lewis and not the Freesat people themselves. That, and the lack of an established installer network, doesn't bode well, does it?

 

[Clare Newsome]

There's a smidge more info in our story here, including in the comments.... I'm still trying to track down comment from ITV, whose HD information website hasn't been updated since last year.

 

[Anonymous]

Cant wait to pick up a FreeSat Panasonic TV.

From what I hear they are hard at work on the product, but will still be another month or so before its in the shops 🙁

 

[Clare Newsome]

Yep, as we reported back in February (here), Panasonic weren't expecting to get Freesat sets into shops until the summer. Sets are ready to go, they just needed final software etc sign-off....

 

[Anonymous]

🙂 Its on its way, My brother is involved in the development of it, says its going well.

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="phatant"]
🙂 Its on its way, My brother is involved in the development of it, says its going well.
[/quote]

Thats what I'm waiting for, one less box & one less remote 🙂

 

[Anonymous]

I am interested in Freesat as am tired of how weather conditions affect Freeview.

However, I really like my Humax PVR as it has twin tuners and I can pause live TV.

Will Freesat boxes just be receivers?

 

[Anonymous]

Clare/Andrew Hi, Do you guys have a Test Lined up for the new Free Sat Tuners? If so will Sony or Panasonic be Selling Top Boxes . Not a Fan of Grundig or Alba i"m Afraid although Humax seem Okay What say you Guys? Thanks Mocha

 

[Clare Newsome]

We'll be testing whatever Freesat kit we can get our hands on! Think the major manufacturers are more likely to build Freesat receivers into TVs and/or DVD recorders than set-top boxes, where the value has typically gone out of the market. Think they'll also wait to see how popular the take-up is....

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="Scotsgirl"]I am interested in Freesat as am tired of how weather conditions affect Freeview.

However, I really like my Humax PVR as it has twin tuners and I can pause live TV.

Will Freesat boxes just be receivers?[/quote]

Then you will be pleased to hear that Humax are developing a 320gb twin-tuner Freesat HD PVR.

 

[Anonymous]

Freesat Launch Details

'You patient folks over in the UK have waited a long time for FreeSat to become a reality, and it seems as if that wait will come to an end this Friday. According to an anonymous source across the pond, his store has received a memo stating that the service will go live on April 25th.'

I can't see any truth in this as there has been no publicity or advertisements......

 

[professorhat]

"and even though they're expecting a rush of orders from day one"

Why? Very few people know anything about it!

 

[John Duncan]

[quote user="Clare Newsome"]
There's a smidge more info in our story here, including in the comments.... I'm still trying to track down comment from ITV, whose HD information website hasn't been updated since last year.

[/quote]

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="Eddiewood"][quote user="Scotsgirl"]I am interested in Freesat as am tired of how weather conditions affect Freeview.

However, I really like my Humax PVR as it has twin tuners and I can pause live TV.

Will Freesat boxes just be receivers?[/quote]

Then you will be pleased to hear that Humax are developing a 320gb twin-tuner Freesat HD PVR.[/quote]

That is great news. Thanks!

 

[timwileman]

will freesat offer all the freeview channels?.................... will existing PVRs be able to operate with freesat............and to be honest is there any reason to get freesat, i cant see any...........as usual sky will either cripple them or take them over...........i think its money making scheme by the folks running it............just my opinion

 

[laserman16]

[quote user="professorhat"]
"and even though they're expecting a rush of orders from day one"

Why? Very few people know anything about it!
[/quote]
You can go into electrical retailers and they no nothing about it either,let alone consumers. No mainline advertising at all. Very strange.

 

[John Duncan]

I think you'll find that the mainstream broadcasters will only push it when they know they can actually start broadcasting.

 

[John Duncan]

[quote user="timwileman"]Is there any reason to get freesat[/quote]

Free HD. Plain and simple.

 

[laserman16]

Yeah that might be a good point. Trouble is as we've said though not many people have even heard about it.

 

[John Duncan]

Just to answer a couple more questions - the selection of channels is pretty much the same as freeview, with a couple of HD channels thrown in (it's a joint venture between BBC and ITV, so make of that what you will). And it's not-for-profit.

 

[timwileman]

[quote user="JohnDuncan"][quote user="timwileman"]Is there any reason to get freesat[/quote]

Free HD. Plain and simple.[/quote]

its not free......

you have to have a TV, a TV licence and then pay for a Dish, a box and an istallation in fact after paying all that you get freeview plus around 2 or 3 HD channels i would guess.................................................its just not worth it until the service is way better......but my guess is that the business will fail before that happens.....................leaving consumers who paid all that money nothing and the fat cats at the top a huge performace bonus.........................................you know its going to happen

 

[John Duncan]

[quote user="timwileman"][quote user="JohnDuncan"][quote user="timwileman"]Is there any reason to get freesat[/quote]

Free HD. Plain and simple.[/quote]

its not free......

you have to have a TV, a TV licence and then pay for a Dish, a box and an istallation in fact after paying all that you get freeview plus around 2 or 3 HD channels i would guess.................................................its just not worth it until the service is way better......but my guess is that the business will fail before that happens.....................leaving consumers who paid all that money nothing and the fat cats at the top a huge performace bonus.........................................you know its going to happen[/quote]

Do you not have a TV or TV Licence already?

 

[timwileman]

[quote user="JohnDuncan"][quote user="timwileman"][quote user="JohnDuncan"][quote user="timwileman"]Is there any reason to get freesat[/quote]

Free HD. Plain and simple.[/quote]

its not free......

you have to have a TV, a TV licence and then pay for a Dish, a box and an istallation in fact after paying all that you get freeview plus around 2 or 3 HD channels i would guess.................................................its just not worth it until the service is way better......but my guess is that the business will fail before that happens.....................leaving consumers who paid all that money nothing and the fat cats at the top a huge performace bonus.........................................you know its going to happen[/quote]

Do you not have a TV or TV Licence already?

[/quote]

i keep telling the wife.........its not really a tv.......its too small to be a 'real tv' .............i need a much bigger screen.............but its not worked so far!