Digital Switch Over Help Please!!!

lillypond · 28-12-2011, 16:26

Good Afternoon to you all,

Hope you all had a good Christmas!!

I was hoping some of you could help me my mother is currently viewing TV through a virgin media box, when i moved out in Oct we cancelled the Virgin so she is only receiving a few channels, we were hoping to get her a free-view box as in our area the switch-over happens in March.

The problem we have with that is that there is an outdoor aerial but i am not sure where the cable from that into the house is, without getting up on the roof to have a look.

So my question is would a freeview/freesat box work using the virgin cables that are all ready in the virgin box at the moment?

Sorry if this is a really stupid question.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

x

muppetman11 · 28-12-2011, 16:32

In a nutshell no. The VM cabling is only good for cable TV or a VM BB connection.

lillypond · 28-12-2011, 16:39

So do you suggest i sort the roof aerial out then? there is a sky dish on the side of the house from about 2 years ago?

chris123 · 28-12-2011, 16:44

best to try a freesat box. the aerial will have to be checked and in good order for it to give good reception on freeview. if the sat dish is in the correct alignment it should be fine for freesat. boxes are available from many high street electrical stores.

lillypond · 28-12-2011, 16:45

Many Thanks for your replies, would i be able to just plug the wires from the sky aerial into the back of the freesat box? x

nashville · 28-12-2011, 16:59

I have Freesat in 2 of my rooms & the aerial people had to come out twice as the wind was so high it moved the aerial. I have had it in just under 1 year. It is actually gone again today. After 1 year I have to pay Â£50 to get them out each time. i am going back to Virgin.

Superblade7 · 28-12-2011, 18:17

lillypond,

If you already have the Virgin Media connections in your mother's house, does she get her phoneline through VM? If so, have you considered just getting her a basic TV & Phone bundle, something like - http://shop.virginmedia.com/digital-...ze-m-plus.html

Regards

Superblade7

muppetman11 · 28-12-2011, 18:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by nashville

I have Freesat in 2 of my rooms & the aerial people had to come out twice as the wind was so high it moved the aerial. I have had it in just under 1 year. It is actually gone again today. After 1 year I have to pay Â£50 to get them out each time. i am going back to Virgin.

You've told us this in every post you've made. My satellite dish has been up 9 years with no issues.

LexDiamond · 28-12-2011, 18:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by lillypond

Many Thanks for your replies, would i be able to just plug the wires from the sky aerial into the back of the freesat box? x

Yes that is all you need to do.

If you want recording functions then you will need to make sure there are two wires from coming in from the Sky dish (although a couple of freesat recorders can record with just one input but have limitations).

nashville · 28-12-2011, 18:37

We already have the basic VM in one room. Thank God or we would have no TV at all. I know that I stated this before. But I really thought everythg was Ok till the strong winds came back today. Will reconsider another package from Virgin. Sorry to complain, I,m just MAD>

28-12-2011, 18:41

Have you ever asked the people who realign it to reinforce it so you don't end up watching Hans & Hanz every time there is wind?

muppetman11 · 28-12-2011, 18:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by nashville

We already have the basic VM in one room. Thank God or we would have no TV at all. I know that I stated this before. But I really thought everythg was Ok till the strong winds came back today. Will reconsider another package from Virgin. Sorry to complain, I,m just MAD>

There is no need to apologise but whoever installed your dish should be retrained as they obviously aren't upto the job.

nashville · 28-12-2011, 19:01

Thanks Friends.

Kymmy · 28-12-2011, 19:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by muppetman11

There is no need to apologise but whoever installed your dish should be retrained as they obviously aren't upto the job.

I agree there, if a sat dish moves then it's not been fitted correctly.

dave6x · 28-12-2011, 20:55

If she only wants to view TV and not record then you could get a secondhand SKY box and put a FreeSatFromSKY card in it. Following is a quote from http://www.sky.com/shop/freesat/home/faq/

I already have Sky digital satellite equipment - what else do I need?
All you need to gain access to the free channels available on the digital satellite platform is a Freesat from Sky viewing card, which costs just Â£25. If you’d like to access the interactive services available, you’ll also need a working phone line. To purchase a viewing card please phone Sky on 08448 244 400.

I've been using one for years on a secondhand SKY dish (which I installed and it hasn't moved!). I do also have a Freeview PVR box.

There are plenty of Free-to-Air channels available on SKY without a FreeSatFromSKY card, but you need the card to set the region and to a few extra channels that are not Free to View without it!