# what to replace Sky HD system with?



## Glossmax (May 9, 2007)

Ok techy people help me out.
I currently have a Sky HD, good plasma TV, DVD recorder, 5.1 AMP and PS3 setup as my home entertainment system.
It all works well (apart from the 1001 controllers) and meets my needs.
One big snag, I am fed up paying Sky there outrageous fees. The extra £10 for HD content being particularly painful.

I've wanted to get away from sky for a while now, but as far as I could see there where no real alternatives. I now feel with freesat and internet content there could now be the possibility of breaking away from Sky, but is the hardware out there to do it?
What I need, Footy (setanta sports), good upto date movies, the ability to follow the big series like LOST, Battlestar Galactica etc (all on Sky 1 ), maybe download them? 

The simplest device seems to be a Freesat PVR although I can't find one with HDMI output (i.e. HD support) and twin tuners.
2nd idea is building a multimedia PC setup. Which would give me access to the internet and streaming etc. I've got some PC building knowledge and tried something like this in the past, but found the software and compatibility to be an issue. 

So any other ideas or advice on what to use, what works for you, what doesn't. Software/hardware I would need etc, etc. Anyway round using the Sky kit to do another job or is it still software locked.
Could be a bit of a project, but don't mind that.
All opinions welcome!


----------



## _daveR (Jun 3, 2008)

Unfortunately there isn't anyone who makes a PVR with HD outputs! It's something I want to get too so keep on top of whats out there. 

The best PVR's are from Humax or Topfield but neither have HDMI outs. Both make Freeview boxes with HDMI outs but not with PVR capability, I guess it's only a matter of time before they do though.


----------



## [email protected] (May 30, 2006)

_daveR said:


> Unfortunately there isn't anyone who makes a PVR with HD outputs! It's something I want to get too so keep on top of whats out there.
> 
> The best PVR's are from Humax or Topfield but neither have HDMI outs. Both make Freeview boxes with HDMI outs but not with PVR capability, I guess it's only a matter of time before they do though.


not strictly true mate...

this months Stuff magazine gives the bluffers guide on freesat



stuff magazine said:


> 80 free to air channels (increasing to 150 by 2009 and including HD) thanks to a tie in between the been and ITV. Just a one-off installation and kit charge.
> standard def receiver from £45
> HD reciever from £120.


Humax Foxsat HD receiver £150 - HS set-top box with one HDMI connector.
www.humaxdigital.com


----------



## _daveR (Jun 3, 2008)

Just had a look and they have this http://www.humaxdigital.com/global/products/icordhd.asp which seems to fit the bill.

My problem is that I don't have a dish nor want to get one fitted really.

Sounds like that is the box you need then Glossmax


----------



## leon20v (Jul 7, 2007)

if you wanted the expence you could go for a Panasonic DMR-EX75, its a dvd recorder, 160gb hdd recorder, freeview tuner and has a HDMi socket as well.. it only has one tunner though so its a little limited


----------



## isherdholi (Sep 18, 2007)

big pimp said:


> not strictly true mate...
> 
> this months Stuff magazine gives the bluffers guide on freesat
> 
> ...


Yes, but this is a DVB-S box, as opposed to DVB-T.


----------



## swordjo (Sep 17, 2006)

I heard that Sky were dropping the £10 charge for the HD channels.


----------



## Glossmax (May 9, 2007)

_daveR said:


> Just had a look and they have this http://www.humaxdigital.com/global/products/icordhd.asp which seems to fit the bill.
> 
> My problem is that I don't have a dish nor want to get one fitted really.
> 
> Sounds like that is the box you need then Glossmax


looks like a good spec.
The 576i output catches my eye as I also have a Video processor which does a very good job of turning a SD signal into a HD one and doing proper Deinterlacing .
The USB output could be very useful, possibly a 2nd Hard drive option.

Keep it coming :thumb:


----------



## Glossmax (May 9, 2007)

Like this one too:
http://www.humaxdigital.com/global/products/HDCI-2000.asp

what options do I have for films if I go the Freesat decoder route?


----------



## _daveR (Jun 3, 2008)

Glossmax said:


> Like this one too:
> http://www.humaxdigital.com/global/products/HDCI-2000.asp
> 
> what options do I have for films if I go the Freesat decoder route?


None, just Film4 I think.


----------



## DubbedUP (Oct 2, 2007)

What about freesat?

I thought that this was HD...

I am looking at cancelling my £70 a month I pay to all the channels I subscribe to...

Not getting my moneys worth out of it...


----------



## mteam (Dec 8, 2007)

Have a look on here http://forum.team-mediaportal.com/
if your interested in building a media pc


----------



## _daveR (Jun 3, 2008)

Dubbedup said:


> What about freesat?
> 
> I thought that this was HD...
> 
> ...


Freesat just gives you BBC HD and ITV HD channels. I guess there will be more with time though as the infrastructure has the bandwidth to support them where as the terrestial system doesn't.


----------



## MrP (Mar 27, 2007)

your only real choice is virgin media, and unless your in a cabled area, your stuffed.

personally, ring sky up and see what they will offer you to stay


----------



## Glossmax (May 9, 2007)

MrP said:


> your only real choice is virgin media, and unless your in a cabled area, your stuffed.
> 
> personally, ring sky up and see what they will offer you to stay


Heard poor things about Virgin media services. Especially there set top box is poo.


----------



## Glossmax (May 9, 2007)

mteam said:


> Have a look on here http://forum.team-mediaportal.com/
> if your interested in building a media pc


Do you use this system yourself?
How do you rate it?


----------



## SiGainey (Jan 29, 2006)

swordjo said:


> I heard that Sky were dropping the £10 charge for the HD channels.


Where did you hear this from? A reliable source? When will it take affect?


----------



## _daveR (Jun 3, 2008)

Glossmax said:


> Heard poor things about Virgin media services. Especially there set top box is poo.


An ex colleague and good friend is working on the testing of the Virgin systems at the moment. They've been trying to get me to do some work for them too.

Let's just say that even with the £60 a day over my current rate it wasn't enough to persuade me to go and work there. It's a bit of a shambles by all accounts!


----------



## DubbedUP (Oct 2, 2007)

Had a look at Freesat and it looks pretty poor coverage wise...


----------



## MrP (Mar 27, 2007)

depends,

we have the XL package, and sky sports and we have no real problems. we have a network hanging off a virgin cable modem and aside from the occasional reset of the box we dont have any complaints.

its the usual thing of your milage may vary



Glossmax said:


> Heard poor things about Virgin media services. Especially there set top box is poo.


----------



## mteam (Dec 8, 2007)

Glossmax said:


> Do you use this system yourself?
> How do you rate it?


Didn't use this for my main tv viewing just experimented with it
I only used this with one tv card so could only record what i was watching took a bit to set it up at first but worked well enough didn't have any failed recordings like i do with sky+

It was early version i was using so don't know what the newer version is like

If i was going to build a media pc i would definately give a go :thumb:


----------



## Chris_R (Feb 3, 2008)

SiGainey said:


> Where did you hear this from? A reliable source? When will it take affect?


If its anything like the length of time the rumour of Sky dropping the Sky+ charges it will be many years. It launched in 2001, was only made proper free 2007 and the rumours started not long after its launch.


----------



## Glossmax (May 9, 2007)

Has anyone got more information on setting up a computer based system, working examples, specs, limits, hardware used etc.
I've got quite a lot of spare computer bit, inc Shuttle PC that it might be worth a try.
Cheers


----------

