The Free Satellite Television FAQ
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Due to the ITV situation there is a lot of interest and confusion over what channels are free on digital satellite and what equipment you need to receive them. I'm sure I'm not the only one getting sore fingers typing the same responses to the same questions, so I thought I'd put together a FAQ. If there's anything missing/wrong, let me know and I'll change it.
Q1. Are the free channels on satellite the same ones you get on Freeview?
Q2. What is the difference between FTA and FTV?
Q3. What channels are FTV, and what channels are FTA?
Q4. What does this mean, and why should I care?
Q5. Can I hide the pay channels on the EPG on the Sky Digibox?
Q6. Can I change which region of the BBC I have on channel 101 and 102 on the Sky Digibox?
Q7. Can I use interactive services on a FTA receiver?
Q8. Where do I get a viewing card for the FTV channels?
Q9. How long will the Sky viewing card last?
Q10. I already have an old Sky viewing card - will it allow me to watch the FTV channels?
Q11. My FTV card doesn't work. What's wrong with it?
Q12. Do I need to connect the box to a phone line to get the free channels?
Q13. Will my FTV card work in a different box?
Q14. If I cancel my Sky subscription will I get any channels at all?
Q15. Can I get MTV, Eurosport, Bloomberg, CNBC, DW-TV, TV5 for free too?
Q16. Can I use a FTV card in a FTA box?
Q17. What channels will I get with a FTA receiver?
Q1. Are the free channels on satellite the same ones you get on Freeview?
A. No. Some channels on Freeview are pay-channels on satellite. The following channels are free through your aerial with Freeview, but pay-tv on satellite:
- Sky Travel
- UKTV History
- UKTV Bright Ideas
- ftn
- TMF
- The Hits
- Sky Sports News
Free satellite TV does have other channels that are not available on Freeview, such as CNN and Extreme Sports.
Freeview has ABC1 which is not currently available on digital satellite.
Q2. What is the difference between FTA and FTV?
A. FTV = Free To View. It's free but you need a card to watch this channel.
FTA = Free To Air. It's free to watch this channel. No need for a card.
To watch FTV channels you must have a Sky Digibox and a card.
To watch FTA channels you can use any digital satellite box.
Q3. What channels are FTV, and what channels are FTA?
A. ITV1, ITV2, Channel 4 and five are FTV.
The rest of the free channels are FTA.
Q4. What does this mean, and why should I care?
A. You can watch FTA channels with any box. You could use a Sky Digibox, or you could buy a very cheap FTA only box. The FTA boxes are commonly on sale in continental supermarkets and electronic shops. The FTA boxes are normally a lot cheaper than the Sky boxes (as low as £60), and allow you to change the channel line up and hide pay channels you don't get.
To watch the FTV channels you have to have a Sky Digibox, as only the Sky Digiboxes have the software behind the card slot to decode the channels.
Q5. Can I hide the pay channels on the EPG on the Sky Digibox?
A. No. Sky controls the channel line up. If you want to hide channels you don't pay for you need to get a FTA box.
Q6. Can I change which region of the BBC I have on channel 101 and 102 on the Sky Digibox?
A. No. Sky controls the channel line up. If you want to change the channel numbering you need to get a FTA box.
Q7. Can I use interactive services on a FTA receiver?
A. No. The interactive services on Sky use a proprietry piece of software called OpenTV. This can only be run on a Sky Digibox. This means you will not get the onscreen "press red" overlays on a FTA receiver.
Q8. Where do I get a viewing card for the FTV channels?
A. To get a card to decode ITV1, ITV2, Channel 4 and five visit http://www.freesatfromsky.com/
Q9. How long will the Sky viewing card last?
A. The card should last until Sky decide they want to change the cards for their subscribers. When the cards are changed there is likely to be an additional charge for FTV only viewers.
Q10. I already have an old Sky viewing card - will it allow me to watch the FTV channels?
A. Try it and see. If it is a new style card (dark blue with a picture of a yellow house) then the chances are it will work. To summarise-
- a UK ex-subscription card should decrypt the FTV channels
- a Republic of Ireland ex-subscription card will not decrypt the FTV channels
- a light blue Sky Digital card without the picture of the house will not decrypt the FTV channels
Q11. My FTV card doesn't work. What's wrong with it?
A. If it was working in the past, and it's a dark blue card with the picture of the yellow house, it may have missed an update. Leave the card in the box overnight and it should re-activate it.
If it has never been used you'll have to activate the card. Follow the instructions that came with the card.
If the card is light blue in colour and has the sky digital logo, it is an old style card and will not work.
Q12. Do I need to connect the box to a phone line to get the free channels?
A. No.
Q13. Will my FTV card work in a different box?
A. Yes.
Q14. If I cancel my Sky subscription will I get any channels at all?
A. Yes. You'll get all the FTA channels and, providing you keep your card, you will receive the FTV channels too.
Q15. Can I get MTV, Eurosport, Bloomberg, CNBC, DW-TV, TV5 for free too?
A. Although these channels are pay-tv channels on Sky, they are free on other satellites.
If you have a satellite dish at the moment, the chances are it's pointing at 28.2°E. There are many other satellites broadcasting free TV channels, but you need to move your dish to see these other satellites. Other popular satellite positions are 19.2°E and 13°E.
It is possible to receive more than one satellite location on a single dish, but this is really outwith the scope of this FAQ. It involves a slightly larger dish (80cm being the norm in the UK) and more than one LNB connected to the dish. For this kind of solution the Sky Digibox is normally not good enough. You'd need a proper FTA receiver.
If you need more information on this then ask in the forum, or have a look in the Yellow Pages for a local independent satellite installer.
Q16. Can I use a FTV card in a FTA box?
A. Unless the box is a Sky Digibox, the FTV card will not work.
Some FTA receivers have CAM slots to allow you to upgrade to pay-tv. Continental broadcasters provide CAMs to allow you to use their cards in your box; Sky have so far refused to produce a CAM.
The only way to watch the UK FTV channels is in a Sky Digibox.
Q17. What channels will I get with a FTA receiver?
A. There are a large number of FTA channels, and new ones are being added on a regular basis. The following list is far from comprehensive, and is only a guide to some of the more popular channels available at no charge.
On a Sky Digibox with a viewing card you will get the channels listed below plus ITV1, ITV2, Channel4 and five. For a full up to date list, lyngsat lists all the FTA channels as a creme colour on this page: http://www.lyngsat.com/28east.html
General entertainment:
BBC1, BBC2, BBC3, BBC4, ITV3, Travel Channel, L!VE TV, Nation 217
News:
BBC News 24, BBC Parliament, Sky News UK, Sky News Ireland, CNN, ITV News, Euronews, Al Jazeera
Music:
Chart Show TV, The Vault, B4, Classic FM TV, Channel U, Soundtrack Channel, Performance
Childrens:
CBBC, CBeebies, Pop, Tiny Pop
Sport:
Motors TV, Extreme Sports, The Wrestling Channel
Shopping:
QVC, bid-up tv, price-drop tv, Ideal World, Simply Shopping
Radio:
BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio 4 DAB, BBC Radio 4 MW, BBC Radio 5Live, BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Ulster, BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Radio Cymru, BBC Radio nan Gaidheal, BBC World Service, BBC Asian Network, BBC 6 Music, BBC 7, BBC 1Xtra, Radio Caroline, RTÉ Radio 1 MW, RTÉ Radio 1 FM, RTÉ Radio 2 FM, Raidió na Gaeltachta, Lyric FM, Classic FM UK, Virgin Radio, Capital Gold 1548, XFM 104.9, Real Radio, The Storm, Galaxy 105, Kerrang!, Kiss 100
Q1. Are the free channels on satellite the same ones you get on Freeview?
Q2. What is the difference between FTA and FTV?
Q3. What channels are FTV, and what channels are FTA?
Q4. What does this mean, and why should I care?
Q5. Can I hide the pay channels on the EPG on the Sky Digibox?
Q6. Can I change which region of the BBC I have on channel 101 and 102 on the Sky Digibox?
Q7. Can I use interactive services on a FTA receiver?
Q8. Where do I get a viewing card for the FTV channels?
Q9. How long will the Sky viewing card last?
Q10. I already have an old Sky viewing card - will it allow me to watch the FTV channels?
Q11. My FTV card doesn't work. What's wrong with it?
Q12. Do I need to connect the box to a phone line to get the free channels?
Q13. Will my FTV card work in a different box?
Q14. If I cancel my Sky subscription will I get any channels at all?
Q15. Can I get MTV, Eurosport, Bloomberg, CNBC, DW-TV, TV5 for free too?
Q16. Can I use a FTV card in a FTA box?
Q17. What channels will I get with a FTA receiver?
Q1. Are the free channels on satellite the same ones you get on Freeview?
A. No. Some channels on Freeview are pay-channels on satellite. The following channels are free through your aerial with Freeview, but pay-tv on satellite:
- Sky Travel
- UKTV History
- UKTV Bright Ideas
- ftn
- TMF
- The Hits
- Sky Sports News
Free satellite TV does have other channels that are not available on Freeview, such as CNN and Extreme Sports.
Freeview has ABC1 which is not currently available on digital satellite.
Q2. What is the difference between FTA and FTV?
A. FTV = Free To View. It's free but you need a card to watch this channel.
FTA = Free To Air. It's free to watch this channel. No need for a card.
To watch FTV channels you must have a Sky Digibox and a card.
To watch FTA channels you can use any digital satellite box.
Q3. What channels are FTV, and what channels are FTA?
A. ITV1, ITV2, Channel 4 and five are FTV.
The rest of the free channels are FTA.
Q4. What does this mean, and why should I care?
A. You can watch FTA channels with any box. You could use a Sky Digibox, or you could buy a very cheap FTA only box. The FTA boxes are commonly on sale in continental supermarkets and electronic shops. The FTA boxes are normally a lot cheaper than the Sky boxes (as low as £60), and allow you to change the channel line up and hide pay channels you don't get.
To watch the FTV channels you have to have a Sky Digibox, as only the Sky Digiboxes have the software behind the card slot to decode the channels.
Q5. Can I hide the pay channels on the EPG on the Sky Digibox?
A. No. Sky controls the channel line up. If you want to hide channels you don't pay for you need to get a FTA box.
Q6. Can I change which region of the BBC I have on channel 101 and 102 on the Sky Digibox?
A. No. Sky controls the channel line up. If you want to change the channel numbering you need to get a FTA box.
Q7. Can I use interactive services on a FTA receiver?
A. No. The interactive services on Sky use a proprietry piece of software called OpenTV. This can only be run on a Sky Digibox. This means you will not get the onscreen "press red" overlays on a FTA receiver.
Q8. Where do I get a viewing card for the FTV channels?
A. To get a card to decode ITV1, ITV2, Channel 4 and five visit http://www.freesatfromsky.com/
Q9. How long will the Sky viewing card last?
A. The card should last until Sky decide they want to change the cards for their subscribers. When the cards are changed there is likely to be an additional charge for FTV only viewers.
Q10. I already have an old Sky viewing card - will it allow me to watch the FTV channels?
A. Try it and see. If it is a new style card (dark blue with a picture of a yellow house) then the chances are it will work. To summarise-
- a UK ex-subscription card should decrypt the FTV channels
- a Republic of Ireland ex-subscription card will not decrypt the FTV channels
- a light blue Sky Digital card without the picture of the house will not decrypt the FTV channels
Q11. My FTV card doesn't work. What's wrong with it?
A. If it was working in the past, and it's a dark blue card with the picture of the yellow house, it may have missed an update. Leave the card in the box overnight and it should re-activate it.
If it has never been used you'll have to activate the card. Follow the instructions that came with the card.
If the card is light blue in colour and has the sky digital logo, it is an old style card and will not work.
Q12. Do I need to connect the box to a phone line to get the free channels?
A. No.
Q13. Will my FTV card work in a different box?
A. Yes.
Q14. If I cancel my Sky subscription will I get any channels at all?
A. Yes. You'll get all the FTA channels and, providing you keep your card, you will receive the FTV channels too.
Q15. Can I get MTV, Eurosport, Bloomberg, CNBC, DW-TV, TV5 for free too?
A. Although these channels are pay-tv channels on Sky, they are free on other satellites.
If you have a satellite dish at the moment, the chances are it's pointing at 28.2°E. There are many other satellites broadcasting free TV channels, but you need to move your dish to see these other satellites. Other popular satellite positions are 19.2°E and 13°E.
It is possible to receive more than one satellite location on a single dish, but this is really outwith the scope of this FAQ. It involves a slightly larger dish (80cm being the norm in the UK) and more than one LNB connected to the dish. For this kind of solution the Sky Digibox is normally not good enough. You'd need a proper FTA receiver.
If you need more information on this then ask in the forum, or have a look in the Yellow Pages for a local independent satellite installer.
Q16. Can I use a FTV card in a FTA box?
A. Unless the box is a Sky Digibox, the FTV card will not work.
Some FTA receivers have CAM slots to allow you to upgrade to pay-tv. Continental broadcasters provide CAMs to allow you to use their cards in your box; Sky have so far refused to produce a CAM.
The only way to watch the UK FTV channels is in a Sky Digibox.
Q17. What channels will I get with a FTA receiver?
A. There are a large number of FTA channels, and new ones are being added on a regular basis. The following list is far from comprehensive, and is only a guide to some of the more popular channels available at no charge.
On a Sky Digibox with a viewing card you will get the channels listed below plus ITV1, ITV2, Channel4 and five. For a full up to date list, lyngsat lists all the FTA channels as a creme colour on this page: http://www.lyngsat.com/28east.html
General entertainment:
BBC1, BBC2, BBC3, BBC4, ITV3, Travel Channel, L!VE TV, Nation 217
News:
BBC News 24, BBC Parliament, Sky News UK, Sky News Ireland, CNN, ITV News, Euronews, Al Jazeera
Music:
Chart Show TV, The Vault, B4, Classic FM TV, Channel U, Soundtrack Channel, Performance
Childrens:
CBBC, CBeebies, Pop, Tiny Pop
Sport:
Motors TV, Extreme Sports, The Wrestling Channel
Shopping:
QVC, bid-up tv, price-drop tv, Ideal World, Simply Shopping
Radio:
BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio 4 DAB, BBC Radio 4 MW, BBC Radio 5Live, BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Ulster, BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Radio Cymru, BBC Radio nan Gaidheal, BBC World Service, BBC Asian Network, BBC 6 Music, BBC 7, BBC 1Xtra, Radio Caroline, RTÉ Radio 1 MW, RTÉ Radio 1 FM, RTÉ Radio 2 FM, Raidió na Gaeltachta, Lyric FM, Classic FM UK, Virgin Radio, Capital Gold 1548, XFM 104.9, Real Radio, The Storm, Galaxy 105, Kerrang!, Kiss 100
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Comments
Q18
Why doesnt Sky get rid of the rubbish channels such as Friendly TV, You Tv & Hollywood TV?
They cant. The regulations covering the Sky EPG mean that there is an open access policy - Sky have to accept any channel that can pay the epg fees, and provide the relvant broadcasting licences. It has to be this way, or Sky could use their epg system to keep rival broadcasters off the platform.
Q19 How do I get the Irish channels?
With a UK subscription, you dont. They are blocked to mainland cards. You HAVE to have an Irish subscription to get them - there are no ftv cards in Ireland.
In contrast, for FTA programmes from other satellites, a cheap FTA receiver is better because the Sky Digibox can store no more than 50 "other" channels (usually a lot less) and it's a pain to go through the menus each time you want to change channel.
No but you can "Add Channels" and put all the main regions onto the "Other Channels" menu. You need to know the frequency details of the region you are interested in. Details can be found here
I've read you FAQ on Freesat and I've found it very useful.
I'd appreciate if you could help me...
I live in South-East Ireland and I'm interested in getting Sky Digital. Sky's channel line-up for Ireland doesn't include ITV1 & Channel 4. Therefore, I want to ALSO get an FTV card to receive ITV1 & C4, and use it in the subscription Digibox.
Your FAQ says that "there are no ftv cards in Ireland". Does that mean if I get an FTV card from the UK that it will not work in the Ireland-subscription-Digibox (because Sky only allows UK customers to get the FTV channels)?
If the UK FTV card WILL work in an Ireland-subscription-Digibox, is it possible to get a Digibox with two card slots (i.e. both subscription card and FTV card can be permanently in use at the same time)? Or will I need to switch between cards all the time?
Thanks!
Andy_C
Only boxes with 1 card slot available - so either you need 2 boxes, or swap the cards over.
FTV cards are 20-25quid if you have a uk address available- see posts above for details.
Thanks for the info.
Do you know if Sky has blocked the use of FTV cards in Digiboxes in Ireland?
Andy_C
Not speaking for Mr A Sat (a true expert, IMHO), but I doubt it. FTV cards should work in Eire, because don't pair cards to boxes for current FTV channels.
I'm not sure what the situation is with ITV1 & C4, but for some legal reason they are blocked and hence not available on Sky Digital in Ireland. I am thinking that the same thing might happen with Sky's Freesat.
Also, the shop that is going to supply and fit Sky Digital tells me that I need a second Digibox for FTV. Maybe they are trying to rip me off - or maybe the subscription Digibox will reject the FTV card?
Any further input welcome!
Thanks,
Andy_C
If there is a true freesat (eg if ITV1 and ITV2 go FTA) then you'll be able to access them through the "other channels" menu.
No - they are not available to European viewers They broadcast on satellites that do not cover this side of the Atlantic. Most of the best programming is already available on UK pay channels anyway.
Q21 Are there any special codes to give me free Sky??
No. Anyway , all discussion of ways to avoid paying for subscription tv services is strictly forbidden on the DS forums. Such discussions may lead to your posting rights being removed, and will certainly get the thread locked out by the forum moderators.
Q22 Sky Sports is too expensive, can I get any free coverage of Premiership football on Sky?
No. You dont want to pay, you do without
Q23 Are there any channels operating off the epg I can tune in.?
Yes, but unless you are interested in testcards there currently isnt a lot of extra programming. All the current test news is posted every Monday & Thursday by DS user "Radio Ruderham" Look for the threads entitled "Sky Channels etc... Week # xx" in the main satellite section for the latest news of what is testing.
How do I know this? I just did it downstairs on my melted Amstrad DRX100 for my sister.
Has anyone else used this method successfully?
What info is needed if you phone up to to active a Freesat card?.
No. The dish needs to have clear line of sight onto the satellite (which is why its normally wall mounted. Normal roofing materials absorb the signal. You can get special roofing materials that are transparent to satellite frequencies, but having your part of your roof redone is rather an extreme way to get satellite tv.. Should you happen to have a skylight pointing south eastish you might be lucky, but you need to experiment.
if you cant have a dish on the wall, you can mount them on the floor - for example on a patio. As long as the dish has a clear sight of the correct satellite it will be fine.
Or look at one of the disguised dish solutions such as the digiglobe.
problems i.e. phoning sky or subscribing.
the box is about 8 months old, and for sale on ebay germany
b) can I get free ppv using it?
a) Using the numbers on the remote, key in SERVICES 4 0 1 SELECT . Be careful what you change if you start fiddling - you could stop your receiver working! Dont change anything unless you know exactly what you are doing.
b) No. Go and read Q21 as well.
Q26 When I have the sky box connected by rf I have poor reception on one or more terrestrial channels. Why?
Chances are that the sky digibox is using the same rf channel as one of your local transmissions. (The box default is ch 68). Change it using the engineering menu (see Q25) As soon as you change it you will lose your picture if you are only tuned in using the aerial connection so be prepared to retune your tv!
Q27 Ive seen sales on ebay offering the chance to get free pay per view movies. Do they work?
Does it sound too good to be true?? If so it is. - No the ebay scams dont work so dont waste your money. Now go and read Q21!
Q28 Ive got a satellite card in my computer can I get the Sky channels on it.??
Some of them - you will be able to watch the free to air channels on it, but you wont get any of the pay services.
Yes, although you need to be careful with any cards sourced on ebay as many of them are deactivated as soon as you have left your +ve feedback! Chances are they will be the wrong ITV region as well.
You wont be able to use the sky+ recording feature unless you pay the additional subscription, so it will just be an expensive digibox.
If you are in the uk, spend 20 quid on an official card from Sky - web address is further up the thread somewhere.
Nothing - PC doesnt work on fta channels, and there is nothing you can do about it apart from keeping an eye on what they are watching.
There are a few channels you will struggle with using the mini-dish, but they aren't really worth watching unless you are Czech or Slovak.
It is always wise to have a slightly bigger dish than the one Sky supplies, but not absolutely necessary.
You'll definitely get the FTA channels (providing you have a big enough dish), and maybe get the FTV channels if your card has been activated.
My "other channels" keep getting wiped by my sky box!!
A29:
Even though the software allows you to store up to 50 channels, it's best to keep it 40 or less. Reason? Er... anyone?
The digibox forgets the channels when its pointed at Astra2