What are the SKY HD box viewing options

thewaver

If I buy a second hand sky HD box could I do any of the following:
(I already have a dish with a dual LNB in place)

1 - Watch the SD/HD FTA channels (ITV, BBC etc) without a sky card ?
2 - As 1 above but with a sky FTV card and no monthly subscription ?
3 - Use the sky epg for recording and serial links withot a sky card ?
4 - As 3 above but with a sky FTV card and no monthly subscription ?

I dont want to pay for a freesat PVR as they are £300, I can get a sky HD box much much cheaper.

Thank you in advance for your advice.

Cheers....

PaulR

BBC1/2, ITV1/2/3/4 in SD, BBC in HD (but NOT ITV HD) plus another useless HD channel that I forget. NOT C4 in SD or HD, although you will get C4 SD if you use a working card to "set" the receiver. Not Five.

As 1 plus C4 SD, Five and $ly 3.

Not without a Card from $ly AND paying them £10 per month. They may choose to drop the monthly charge when true Freesat PVRs become available but this is by no means guaranteed.

See 3

But how long will it take before the £10 per month ends up costing more than a single cost for a Freesat PVR? Also, don't forget that if you do go down the $ly route that if you stop paying the £10 per month then any recordings that you've made become unavailable if they were encrypted. Not sure about the recordings of true FTA channels though.

Don't forget also that ITV HD is not available at all on a $ly HD receiver as it's a Freesat Red Button option.

C4 HD is currently only available on the $ly HD receiver if you have at least the minimum $ly subscription (£16 per month???), this will give you othe HD channels as well. It's not currently on the Freeast platform but undoubtedly eventually will be.

PaulR As I get older I find myself thinking about the hereafter - I go into a room and then wonder what I'm here after.

Robbo

Channel 4 HD does not require a subscription, any working Sky card will do.


EDIT, not sure about in the Sky HD box though, an ex subs card works fine on my TM for ch 4 HD.


Yes, the 'useless' channel is Luxe TV HD, the pictures look nice though on a large 1080i compatible TV.