Advice please - alternate set up after saying good bye to Sky

Forums › Freeview (DVB-T/DVB-S) › Advice please - alternate set up after saying good bye to Sky

lazza58

22 posts

Geek

#213806 13-Apr-2017 10:43

We're doing it! Sky is going! I'd really appreciate any advice to do with what set up I need to take it's place. I've got a Samsung smart TV, 100Mb internet speed, a cabinet with some space, and no real idea where to go next.

I want to be able to do everything the sky box can do, plus be able to move recordings off the recording device if I want to. More interested in a quality device rather than anything cheap and nasty. Cheap and quality is always good though.

Thanks for any help you can give me.

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#1763692 13-Apr-2017 11:39

You might be better to describe what "do everything the sky box can do" features you're talking about.

Recordings
Pause Live TV
On Demand
Pay per view
ESPN
Rugby
Movies
....etc

Previously known as psycik

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kingdragonfly

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#1763704 13-Apr-2017 12:01

A pricey solution, but handy, is turning an old PC with Windows 10 PC into a home theatre PC, HTPC.

It's especially nice when cruising the web.

In case you don't know the "terrestrial" UHF antenna is high definition, HD.

http://www.freeviewnz.tv/support/?id=1131

I personally like this tuner, because it can record 4 channels at once (definitely an overkill)

http://shop.tbsdtv.com/tbs6205-dvbt2tc-quad-tv-tuner-pcie-card-p-122.html

And I love this keyboard

http://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/wireless-touch-keyboard-k400r

shk292

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#1763733 13-Apr-2017 12:16

We replaced our sky setup with a Panasonic HDD recorder / DVD recorder. That was about 4 years ago, it's been a great device and we watch a good proportion of our TV from recorded freeview.

Also worth using a geo-unblocking service so you can get BBC iPlayer. Then add Netflix and you're all set

Rikkitic

Awrrr
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#1763764 13-Apr-2017 12:49

I have always used a browser-based pc with HDMI to the TV. With URL shortcuts and an irc device in a usb port, I have full control via my Harmony One remote and AutoHotKey menus. I can also play any videos off a usb drive or file-share from my main computer. These days I mainly control it from my notebook with AnyDesk, which works flawlessly. Nothing comes close to this for flexibility.

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

B1GGLZ

1961 posts

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#1763766 13-Apr-2017 12:51

Are you in a UHF area or Satellite only?

chevrolux

4962 posts

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Inactive user

#1763770 13-Apr-2017 12:52

NAS + Kodi client would be my go to. Whack a HDhomeRun on your aerial and away you go.

Really depends how much tinkering you want to do to make it all work.

dafman

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#1763773 13-Apr-2017 12:57

Youtube, Netflix and a Chromecast.

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vexxxboy

4245 posts

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#1763826 13-Apr-2017 14:13

not a sports fan i guess

Common sense is not as common as you think.

lazza58

22 posts

Geek

#1763841 13-Apr-2017 14:28

Sports is the only reason we've got Sky. But it's significantly cheaper to get rid of it, subscribe online to the sports I want to watch and get Netflix and Lightbox. It's dumb to keep paying $100 per month to get 80 channels of crap and a few I want to look at.

lazza58

22 posts

Geek

#1763849 13-Apr-2017 14:37

Hi B1GGLZ Looks like I'm inside UHF

B1GGLZ

1961 posts

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#1763896 13-Apr-2017 15:30

lazza58:

Hi B1GGLZ Looks like I'm inside UHF

OK. So am I. Dumped Sky last year and now got a HTPC. Also have a Panasonic Recorder and recently I got a K1 Plus Android Media Box from Banggood ($98) which has in-built Sat and UHF Tuners. I rarely use the K1 as the HTPC does everything I need plus the Panny records any Freeview programs I want. Recorded files are easily transferred to my main PC for editing out the Ads.

Been without Sky for over 6 months now and haven't missed it. Found the Cricket OK for free on streaming websites.

muppet

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#1763902 13-Apr-2017 15:35

We bought a Panasonic DMR-HWT260. Click that for the review I wrote.

It's pretty good, apart from the black screen issue which I hope they will fix oneday with a firmware update.

Apsattv

2390 posts

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#1764126 14-Apr-2017 03:43

You might have some fun with something cheap like this?

http://www.geekbuying.com/item/KIPLUS-S2-T2-Amlogic-S905-Quad-Core--64Bit-TV-Box-Android-5-1-1-1G-8G-2-4G-WiFi-LAN-HDMI2-0-3D-DLNA-AirPlay-Miracast-Netflix-363250.html

lazza58

22 posts

Geek

#1764304 14-Apr-2017 13:42

Thank you all folks for your contributions. I'm grateful, and there are definitely some things here I'm going to follow up on. I'm now realising that my level of expertise is actually novicese. Serious question - where do you go or who do you see to learn about all this stuff? Thanks again

mattwnz

20164 posts

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#1764305 14-Apr-2017 13:49

I would have suggested a Tivo...but... Maybe one of the panasonic PVRs?

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