Using a Sky box for Freesat

[Lord Tyrion]

I have an old freesat box which I use in my bedroom. I would like to upgrade to a hd version. It has been suggested that you can use an unused sky HD box or Sky multiroom hd box as a freesat box, no subscription to sky. I have looked a little online and that seems to be the case but I would like to double check. Has anyone done this? Any issues or is it as straightforward as just plugging it in, wire as well of course.

 

[Rooter]

you can indeed, but you must have a viewing card. you dont need to pay though, just call sky with the viewing card number and match it to the box.

 

[Kellfire]

Going to hijack this thread with a vaguely related question.

I have multiroom but only the HD box in my spare room, no recording capabilities. If I buy an HD box from ebay, as long as the room has two connections from the dish, can I can record a different program than I'm watching in this room, too?

 

[Lord Tyrion]

you can indeed, but you must have a viewing card. you dont need to pay though, just call sky with the viewing card number and match it to the box.

Do you mean the new box will need a viewing card from Sky or do I ring Sky with the viewing card from my downstairs box, give them that and they add this new box to it, without the sky subscription as I'll not be paying?

 

[Rooter]

Do you mean the new box will need a viewing card from Sky or do I ring Sky with the viewing card from my downstairs box, give them that and they add this new box to it, without the sky subscription as I'll not be paying?

the new box will need a card in it. You will not be able to record with it without a paid subscription though.

 

[Rooter]

Going to hijack this thread with a vaguely related question.

I have multiroom but only the HD box in my spare room, no recording capabilities. If I buy an HD box from ebay, as long as the room has two connections from the dish, can I can record a different program than I'm watching in this room, too?

yes. just take your old viewing card out of the old box, stick it in the new box and hook it all up. Then follow instructions here: https://www.sky.com/help/articles/sky-viewing-card

 

[Lord Tyrion]

the new box will need a card in it. You will not be able to record with it without a paid subscription though.

Thanks, that is fine. No interest in recording on it. I just want to use it to watch programmes. I could just get a freesat box but there is a possibility of getting a lightly used sky multiroom box for not much so I thought it worth checking out.

 

[Rooter]

Thanks, that is fine. No interest in recording on it. I just want to use it to watch programmes. I could just get a freesat box but there is a possibility of getting a lightly used sky multiroom box for not much so I thought it worth checking out.

yeh and you will get the free to air HD stuff, like BBC and ITV etc. so happy days!