Switching from Mysky to Freeview

Forums › Freeview (DVB-T/DVB-S) › Switching from Mysky to Freeview

Peejayess

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#177856 16-Aug-2015 16:26

Hi Guys

I'm a bit of a non -geek so please bear with me and my query.

We have decided to cancel our Sky account - mainly because of the cost and the value that we get - we don't live in an area that has terrestrial freeview so will need a decoder and this is our problem, we are very happy with the operation of our present Mysky box -very easy for us oldies to understand. We record quite a few programs and will need a replacement hopefully as easy to use as the Mysky box.

Do you have any suggestions?

1 | 2

260 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1367517 16-Aug-2015 17:07

The good news is that SKY and Freeview are broadcast from the same satellite so your SKY dish is pointed in the right direction for Freeview satellite and no equipment swap needs to be made up on the dish.

You Sky box and any Freeview box should be plug compatable with the wall socket that comes from your dish.

The site below has information about Freeview and links to compatable decoders and PVR's.

http://www.freeviewnz.tv/

The programme guide on Freeview is not as slick as the SKY one but servicable all the same once you get used to it.

You will need to make sure that your TV and the output from your Freeview box are plug compatable. A HDMI connection is recommended as it incorporates both sound and vision in the same plug.

Obsequious hypocrite

JimmyH

2886 posts

Uber Geek

#1367577 16-Aug-2015 18:57

There are a couple of different satellite boxes around, but the choices are slightly more limited than for terrestrial decoders.

I haven't had much to do with satellite decoders, but have heard OK things about the Dish unit that is twin tuner and with a 500GB hard drive in it, which should behave similar to the MySky you are used to (book recordings, watch one channel while recording another etc). I got a Dish single tuner unit for an elderly relative, and they can drive it just fine.

Whatever you get should connect to your TV in the same way as the MySky you are replacing does. It should just be a case of connecting the cable into the TV the MySky was using, connecting the existing satellite lead to the decoder and then plugging it all in to the power.

If you are really worried about the setup then some retailers (I know Noel Leeming does) have a service where, for a fee, they will deliver the unit, connect it and then walk you through how to use it.

Jase2985

13457 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#1367614 16-Aug-2015 20:49

http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=83&topicid=175512

get one of those :)

SheriffNZ

671 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1367668 16-Aug-2015 22:24

You could do what I've just done and dropped down to the package where you only get the free view channels. It's $18 per month. Today is my last day with Sport etc. it also gives you the opportunity to upgrade you there be an event you wish to watch, ie, the RWC.

grant_k

3539 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1367671 16-Aug-2015 22:54

SheriffNZ: You could do what I've just done and dropped down to the package where you only get the free view channels. It's $18 per month. Today is my last day with Sport etc. it also gives you the opportunity to upgrade you there be an event you wish to watch, ie, the RWC.

Better to use Fanpass for events such as RWC and pay $0 per month for Freeview. The Dish TV PVR linked to above would pay for itself in 2 years and you would be on a win from that point on. MySky is actually pretty antiquated compared to other offerings in the market.

littleheaven

2130 posts

Uber Geek

#1367919 17-Aug-2015 14:16

I'm assuming you'd need to pay an extra $10 to get HD with the Sky option? If the satellite Freeview comes as HD for free, I'd rate that a better option.

Geek girl. Freelance copywriter and editor at Unmistakable.co.nz.

grant_k

3539 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1368011 17-Aug-2015 15:41

littleheaven: I'm assuming you'd need to pay an extra $10 to get HD with the Sky option? If the satellite Freeview comes as HD for free, I'd rate that a better option.

Sky don't offer HD with the $18 freeview-only plan. Neither do Freeview offer HD on satellite.

So there is no upside to sticking with Sky unless you want to fork out extra for the Sky Basic sub @ $49 odd per month. That will give you HD on TV1/2/3 so long as you have MySky HDi @ $15 extra per month, unless you already paid for it upfront on one of the grandfathered plans.

Equinox IT

Cloud spending continues to surge globally, but most organisations haven’t made the changes necessary to maximise the value and cost-efficiency benefits of their cloud investments. Download the whitepaper From Overspend to Advantage now.

littleheaven

2130 posts

Uber Geek

#1368080 17-Aug-2015 16:39

grant_k:
littleheaven: I'm assuming you'd need to pay an extra $10 to get HD with the Sky option? If the satellite Freeview comes as HD for free, I'd rate that a better option.

Sky don't offer HD with the $18 freeview-only plan. Neither do Freeview offer HD on satellite.

So there is no upside to sticking with Sky unless you want to fork out extra for the Sky Basic sub @ $49 odd per month. That will give you HD on TV1/2/3 so long as you have MySky HDi @ $15 extra per month, unless you already paid for it upfront on one of the grandfathered plans.

That's why my Sky was so jolly expensive - by the time I'd forked out for basic + HDI plus HD ticket, it was $72 something per month. I cancelled my sub, bought the top Panasonic PVR, and it'll pay for itself within the year. Even with my Netflix sub factored in I still break even.

Geek girl. Freelance copywriter and editor at Unmistakable.co.nz.

Peejayess

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#1368146 17-Aug-2015 18:54

Thanks Guys - Some very interesting stuff there.

Just another wee query on things that have come up - does the Dish PVR box hook into our wifi and would it allow us to watch movies etc without hooking up the laptop - or what is the purpose of it?

tdgeek

29743 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1368151 17-Aug-2015 19:09

grant_k:
littleheaven: I'm assuming you'd need to pay an extra $10 to get HD with the Sky option? If the satellite Freeview comes as HD for free, I'd rate that a better option.

Sky don't offer HD with the $18 freeview-only plan. Neither do Freeview offer HD on satellite.

So there is no upside to sticking with Sky unless you want to fork out extra for the Sky Basic sub @ $49 odd per month. That will give you HD on TV1/2/3 so long as you have MySky HDi @ $15 extra per month, unless you already paid for it upfront on one of the grandfathered plans.

I'm sure if you paid for it, $600 rings a bell, that its still not yours. Its a way tisane money f you will be a long term customer

grant_k

3539 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1368156 17-Aug-2015 19:29

tdgeek:
grant_k:
littleheaven: I'm assuming you'd need to pay an extra $10 to get HD with the Sky option? If the satellite Freeview comes as HD for free, I'd rate that a better option.

Sky don't offer HD with the $18 freeview-only plan. Neither do Freeview offer HD on satellite.

So there is no upside to sticking with Sky unless you want to fork out extra for the Sky Basic sub @ $49 odd per month. That will give you HD on TV1/2/3 so long as you have MySky HDi @ $15 extra per month, unless you already paid for it upfront on one of the grandfathered plans.

I'm sure if you paid for it, $600 rings a bell, that its still not yours. Its a way tisane money f you will be a long term customer

Yes you're right it was $600 that we paid for MySky back in 2005 when they first came out. During 10 years we recouped that amount 3 times over by not having to pay the $15 per month. At the end of it I wasn't sorry to hand it back as it was an outdated piece of junk. For the last 4 years it sat in the cupboard while we used our own decoder (Vu+ Duo). A far better piece of kit but it meant that we were paying $50 per month to rent the Sky Smart Card. Just not worth it any more...

grant_k

3539 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1368161 17-Aug-2015 19:38

Peejayess: Thanks Guys - Some very interesting stuff there.

Just another wee query on things that have come up - does the Dish PVR box hook into our wifi and would it allow us to watch movies etc without hooking up the laptop - or what is the purpose of it?

My personal experience is that the Media Players in PVRs are pretty crappy compared to a PC. The Dish PVR connects to your satellite dish and lets you watch or record broadcasts. No doubt it also has an internet connection of some sort which may let you watch Video on Demand from the local broadcasters. However that's of very limited value compared to what's available via a PC with unblocking software like UnoTelly.

joshhill96

1512 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

#1368195 17-Aug-2015 21:18

grant_k:
Peejayess: Thanks Guys - Some very interesting stuff there.

Just another wee query on things that have come up - does the Dish PVR box hook into our wifi and would it allow us to watch movies etc without hooking up the laptop - or what is the purpose of it?

My personal experience is that the Media Players in PVRs are pretty crappy compared to a PC. The Dish PVR connects to your satellite dish and lets you watch or record broadcasts. No doubt it also has an internet connection of some sort which may let you watch Video on Demand from the local broadcasters. However that's of very limited value compared to what's available via a PC with unblocking software like UnoTelly.

The S8200 is due for a firmware update soon which will allow OnDemand Apps to play from the unit, we are also working on improving the Media Sharing via DLNA so that any device can cast content over the local network. It also allows you to mirror a channel onto any HTML streaming software such as VLC etc... so you can watch anywhere you want in your household/ local network

Formerly worked at iStore NZ (Rest in Peace), Sky Network Television, Freeview, Apple, Spark New Zealand Trading Limited, DISH TV Technologies.

Travel Geek: Brazil, Chile, New Caledonia, United States, Fiji, Vanuatu, Australia, Cook Islands

JimmyH

2886 posts

Uber Geek

#1368223 17-Aug-2015 21:26

joshhill96:
grant_k:
Peejayess: Thanks Guys - Some very interesting stuff there.

Just another wee query on things that have come up - does the Dish PVR box hook into our wifi and would it allow us to watch movies etc without hooking up the laptop - or what is the purpose of it?

My personal experience is that the Media Players in PVRs are pretty crappy compared to a PC. The Dish PVR connects to your satellite dish and lets you watch or record broadcasts. No doubt it also has an internet connection of some sort which may let you watch Video on Demand from the local broadcasters. However that's of very limited value compared to what's available via a PC with unblocking software like UnoTelly.

The S8200 is due for a firmware update soon which will allow OnDemand Apps to play from the unit, we are also working on improving the Media Sharing via DLNA so that any device can cast content over the local network. It also allows you to mirror a channel onto any HTML streaming software such as VLC etc... so you can watch anywhere you want in your household/ local network

Will this include DLNA streaming of recorded content from the s8200 over a LAN?

jamesrobert

90 posts

Master Geek

#1368720 18-Aug-2015 16:26

If you have paid upfront for the MySky (as I have), $18.70 a month is well worth it. You don't own the MySky so if it craps out, you get a new one at no cost. There is no extra HD fee for TVNZ and TV3 channels. An added bonus is 2 free Sky channels every month (some OK, some not).
Highly recommended, the MySky is still arguably the best PVR.

1 | 2