Loading ...Sorry for the lack of updates, but not much is being ‘leaked’ by the BBC or ITV at this time. We have however noticed a discussion taking place on Digital Spy which has some information worth sharing, although it might just be pure speculation, but certainly generates a good talking point!
According to the information supplied, the retailers for the freesat product will be:
Phase 1 - Argos, DSG (Curry’s), Comet, John Lewis
Phase 2 - CIH Euronics, M & S, Tesco
Phase 3 - non-Euronics independents in 2009
From previous reports we beleive Phase 1 will cover 6 months from launch, followed by a further 6 months for Phase 2, then a free-for-all in Phase 3. We have been told of retailers trying to obtain the rights to sell that BBC are not yet considering ‘general’ retailers, just those already hand selected!
The target prices, which were discussed in a recent meeting suggest:
Freesat non-HD (box only) £35
Freesat HD (box only) £99
Freesat HD PVR (box only) £149
Note the absense of a non-HD PVR? As suspected its unlikely they will make one, expecting those wanting to record to pay up for the HD version.
Should you require installation, its hoped to cost around £50, which when you do the sums, is a great deal for a full setup, no matter which digital receiver you pick. We had concerns that the prices would not compete with existing Sky deals, but fortunatly it looks like if they meet these targets, they will, good news.
March 18th, 2008 at 12:13 am
this is likely to make sky drop there prices especially with the HD box which in my view is overpriced
April 11th, 2008 at 6:03 pm
[...] May 5th…If its ready!May launch for freesatExpected viewers increases from 2,000,000 to 8,000,000Prices and availabilityMines bigger than yours!freesat to launch end of march…or will it?freesat receiver manufacturers [...]
April 16th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
This morning (16th April) I had a call form SKY - I am not a customer user.
The offer is £30 installation and £99 for the SKY HD PVR.
The price is attractive. I hope Freesat suppliers can match it.
Barry
April 17th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
I don’t think freesat suppliers will need to match it, as they are selling subscription-free TV. If you have the most basic Sky package with HD you’ll still be spending £312 a year on top of your box!
April 18th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
£150 ‘Freesat from Sky’ one-off payment, everything included, no contract or extras - can upgrade to subscription Sky if you want, which is not bad if you want Broadband. I think I saw this on the digital UK site, or something like that - it listed all the ways to get digital TV. On there it just had Freesat from Sky, or Sky as the two ways to get things via satalite. I will now seek out other Freesat providers as I have read about Tesco’s and the like.
April 20th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Problem with Freesat from Sky is there is no HD at the moment for free so you can’t compare the Sky and BBC Freesat packages on that basis.
They are also 2 seperate entities with entirely different programming.
Sky Freesat has been around for years.
BBC Freesat is a brand new service using state of the art transmission methods which use new highly efficient codecs (essentially this promises a top quality picture although the proof is in the pudding as they say), Dolby Surround Sound and HD programming as standard.
Thats also why you can’t receive BBC Freesat on a Sky Box - the Sky box doesn’t support the new compression methods (as I understand it).
June 20th, 2008 at 9:21 am
I simply can’t believe how long its taking the big manufacturers to come up with a FreeSat PVR. The number of people waiting for this is incredible.
Everyone wants the Sky + features without being forced to pay over the odds. The very second there is a FreeSat+ type box I will buy one. Until then, I will keep paying Sky, as will everyone else.
June 20th, 2008 at 10:54 pm
As it shows on this page (and in mail-shots from Dixons), the installation is still around £80 - but I suppose that includes the dish and LNB. I think I will wait until the £80 at least gets you a dual LNB. I read somehwhere that a FREESAT HD PVR needs a QUAD LNB. Any one any idea why a dual willl not do?? Cheers TD.
June 20th, 2008 at 11:08 pm
Tony - main reason is that dual LNB’s are not cost effective as Quad’s have always been prefered and are standard for what Sky use. Nothing to stop you getting a Quad LNB on the £80 installation, just bride the installer on arrival with tea and biscuits.
June 29th, 2008 at 8:00 am
Admin - seems a bit extreme, having to marry the installer just to get a Quad LNB….or did you mean bribe…;-)
So much for living in a free market economy - the phased launch of kit is deliberately keeping prices higher than they need to be in the knowledge early adopters will pay through the nose for the kit!
I’m hoping when Tesco’s get involved we’ll see the prices drop - I’m waiting for a reasonably priced HD PVR to appear, shame they didn’t get their act together in time for Euro 2008 as I think they missed a real good sales opportunity there. For now I’m making do with Blue Ray films to show off my HD Sony 40″! Don’t get me started on overpriced cost of those either!
July 16th, 2008 at 4:25 pm
it is still unbelievable that nearly 3 months after the launch of HD on Freesat there are still no PVR’s available. Humax’s timetable is still early 2009! We can only hope that Panasonic/Sony etc will get one out soon.
What a marketing disaster.
July 19th, 2008 at 7:01 pm
FreeSat
I have just taken delivery of my FreeSAT Media Server ! Wow - it records BBC HD - and my 2TB version will record about 300 HRS worth (in HD)- that’s enough for the WHOLE 300hrs of planned BBC HD Olympics !!
It’s not just a multi-channel FreeSAT PVR - it’s a Home Server too !! Not cheap, but then I don’t like cheap - the mutilple HD STBs, means that I can have lots of fun, all around the house - TV, Music, Pictures, Online Videos etc …..
This is the ulitmate media appliance !!!
October 16th, 2008 at 10:30 pm
Hi, can someone please help. I`m getting freesat installed next week, just the sd for now. Planning on getting a pvr as soon as available so does anybody know if what i`m getting installed next week (£80 from comet) is suitable for using a pvr in future or will i have to get the installer back again. Basically, what do i need, ie: dual, quad?, & does anybody know what i`ll get.
October 17th, 2008 at 7:28 am
Martin - You will get a single LNB with single cable. Ideally what you need is a quad LNB with two cables. Best thing to do is ask the installer to fit this at the time, you may need to pay him a little back hander, say £10-£20, but it will be cheaper than having someone come back at full cost again.
November 3rd, 2008 at 4:30 pm
All this talk about twin LNB’s and single lines goes right over my head. i will probably get the humax hd pvr and have a standard sky dish already set up. Can someone tell me in a way an idiot can understand, if i need anything special to get set up or will it just plug in to my existing cable.
November 26th, 2008 at 7:30 pm
Shaun, twin LNBs etc.. don’t be blinded by science, it’s easy really! An LNB receives one TV channel at a time. If you only ever watch one channel, a single LNB is fine. If you want to watch one channel and record another, you will need one LNB for each channel, also known as a twin LNB. A quad LNB can receive 4 channels at once, this would be useful to have a sky+ box and a freesat box that records. So with two boxes you can record a channel on each box while watching another, useful for two different rooms for example. You can even get an Octuple LNB!
December 2nd, 2008 at 7:56 pm
I am thinking of dumping Sky+HD and taking on FREESAT. I have been told that it will cost me £10 per month for the HD facility and an additional £10 per month to use the listing and recording facility of the Sky+ HD box. How can Sky charge £10 for HD when it is in effect free with FREESAT? Does anyone know if this information is correct?
December 14th, 2008 at 7:17 pm
I have seen an Octo LNB on ebay. They are going for about £7-£8 plus £5 for P&P. I am a little worried that these seem too cheap! I have read the guys feedback and that all seems to be in order etc.
All I want to do is use my existing Sky (SD) in the living room, the cable in Freesat to the 3 rooms upstairs. Possibly having HD in one of the rooms with the option of a PVR.
Is this possible from the one Sky dish?
Thanks