# Sky free channels



## hughowen

Hi, 
I am currently thinking of getting rid of my Sky Ireland subscription and moving to Terrestial signal for a while. I am wondering when I tell Sky to cancel my subscription what channels I will be left with to watch on the Skybox as freetoair channels. 
I know that I won't get RTE, Network2 etc., but will I be able to receive the BBC and some of the Discovery channels? 
Does anyone have a list of the channels I can get in Ireland free from Skybox without subscription?


Thanks Hugh


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## jhegarty

BBC 1, 2 ,3 , 4 , CBBIES (sp?) , BBC News 24 
ITV 1 ,2 ,3 & 4
Channel 4 
More 4
E4
Film 4
Sky News

and heaps of crud....


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## jackswift

Heres a list and link

[broken link removed]


                                 Free to Air Satellite TV Channels (ENG)            
*Basic   Channels:* 
                        BBC1            BBC2           
                        BBC3           BBC4           
                        UTV           STV           
                        ITV           ITV2 & +1            
                        ITV3 
          Channel 4 
          E4           ITV4
            More4
            .           
*News Channels: * 
                        Sky News            BBC News 24            
                        CNN           Euronews            
                        Aljazeera           Bloomberg           
                        France 24            DD News            
*Kids   Channels:* 
                        CBBC            CBeebies            
                        POP & +1            TINY POP & +!            
                        CITV           POP GIRL            
*Film:* 
                        True Movies            True Movies 2           
                        Movies4men           Actionmax           
                        Movies4men2           FILM 4 +1            
                        Zone Horror           Film 24            
*Music:* 
                        Chart Show            The Vault           
                        B4           Classic FM TV           
                        Channel U           Fizz           
                        Musicians Channel           Performance Channel           
                        Flaunt           Minx           
                        Bliss           Scuzz           
                        Chart Show TV            Rock World TV            
*Sport:* 
                        On TV            Golf Channel           
                        Channel 425           TWC            
                        Sport Nation                       
*Miscellaneous:* 
                        Men and Motors            Zone Thriller            
                        Zone Romantica            Zone Reality X            
                        Zone Reality & +1            Life TV            
                        YOU TV           Travel TV           
                        Hollywood TV           Majestic TV            
                        Bonanza            London TV           
                        Real Estate TV           Wine TV           
                        Information TV           Passion TV           
                        Raj TV           Baby Channel           
                        Rapture TV           Propeller           
                        Ben           OBE           
                        Fashion TV            
*AND MANY MORE...........* 
*Radio   Channels:* 
                        RTE 1            RTE 2           
                        RTE Europe           RTE RNAG           
                        BBC Radio 1           BBC Radio 2           
                        BBC Radio 4           BBC Radio 5           
                        BBC 5 L           Sport X           
                        BBC7                       
*AND MANY MORE...........*


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## hughowen

Thanks a million for those replies, greatly appreciated.

Hugh


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## bigjoe_dub

if you did cancel and had a sky + box can you still record the channels you  can get using the sky + box?


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## silvermints

hughowen said:


> Does anyone have a list of the channels I can get in Ireland free from Skybox without subscription


 
To find what channels you'll have without subscription simply remove your Sky card and whats left is your lot.

You may wish to put the UK epg on your box. This will allow you to have BBC 3 and 4, the ITV's and channel 4 on your epg. You can also add 50 channels to your favourites list and go through them using the blue button. This will save you trawling through channels you can't view.

To change to UK epg, with your card in go to sky news and press the red button. While in the interactive screen remove the card and press back up. This will give you the UK epg. To return to the Irish epg put your card back in.

Happy, sky subscription free, viewing.


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## Olympian

If you are post the minimum contract period is it as simple as cancelling the subscription to get the above channels?

Do you need a different receiver or will the Sky equipment work?


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## jhegarty

bigjoe_dub said:


> if you did cancel and had a sky + box can you still record the channels you  can get using the sky + box?



No



Olympian said:


> If you are post the minimum contract period is it as simple as cancelling the subscription to get the above channels?
> 
> Do you need a different receiver or will the Sky equipment work?



Just your initial 12 month contract


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## silvermints

Olympian said:


> If you are post the minimum contract period is it as simple as cancelling the subscription to get the above channels?
> 
> Do you need a different receiver or will the Sky equipment work?


 
When you cancel your subscription your skybox basically becomes a FTA box and will pick up the channels listed. No need for any further equipment.


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## micamaca

Hi there, was just reading this thread with interest.  Was debating whether to go back to Sky.  We had it a few years ago, I think we got rid of it before we moved house but we kept the dish and the box and remote.  So they are circa 2005.  

Could we use the old satellite dish and sky box to receive FTA?  

Would they be too old to receive half the stations?  Does the satellite need to point in the same direction...I think it's south-east...?

What would be added benefits of paying for Sky, considering I don't need the Sky recorder thingy or Sky Sports or Movies... Would the new satellite and box be better at receiving stations on FTA?

thanks for any advice, mica


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## silvermints

> Could we use the old satellite dish and sky box to receive FTA?


 
Yes



> Would they be too old to receive half the stations? Does the satellite need to point in the same direction...I think it's south-east...?


 
Provided your equipment is ok it will pick up the same FTA channels as a new one.Your dish will need to be properly alligned.



> What would be added benefits of paying for Sky, considering I don't need the Sky recorder thingy or Sky Sports or Movies... Would the new satellite and box be better at receiving stations on FTA?


 
If your happy with just the FTA channels (main ones mentioned elsewhere in this thread) you dont need a sky subscription. However you will need to subscribe to watch sports and movies.


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## micamaca

Cheers thanks Silvermints. Good to know.


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## Slim

Don't forget to give SKY at least 30 days notice of the intention to quit. Otherwise they will keep charging. Learnt from experience. Slim


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## Frank

quitting sky isn't that easy you need to be ready to talk to at leat 2 people who will go through a big song and dance before they finally accept this treachery.

Took me about 15 minutes to cancel when I moved out of my old place. 

You would sware I was takeing the food out of the guys mouth. 

Just say no to sky. don't wrangled into a holding contract or any of that sh1te either.


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## zztop

Similar experience here.They want to be your friend and
will not let you go.You pay for the privilege of talking to
these scottish people wh oonly care about losing a 
customer for Rupert.Blood pressure time


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## silvermints

Easiest way to unsubscribe from sky is to cancel your debit and on the same day write to sky to inform them. Any outstanding fee can be settled by cheque. I always use this method and not only for sky.


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## Perplexed

I find this hard to believe. Do you mean I've been paying for Sky for the last 8 yrs and I didn't need to ?

Must check it out !


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## lyonsa3

will the same work for upc/chorus? when I cancel do I need to return the boxes or do I get to keep them?


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## jhegarty

lyonsa3 said:


> will the same work for upc/chorus? when I cancel do I need to return the boxes or do I get to keep them?




nothing is free on UPC/Chorus...


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## Perplexed

If I take out my card I get no channels at all.

What am I doing wrong ?


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## jhegarty

Perplexed said:


> If I take out my card I get no channels at all.
> 
> What am I doing wrong ?




can you get bbc 1 ?


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## tosullivan

when you are setting up the dish, I did it last weekend.  Just mounted it and pointed it roughly towards the sun at 11am

I had someone at the TV watching the Signal strength and when I got it as best I could I started tilting upwards a few degrees and got all the fta channels.  it was a lot easier than I expected and all without the need of a sat finder


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## Perplexed

Tried again & it does seem to work. I get BBC & a lot of the English channels but lose out on Documentaries  plus all of the Irish channels. 

Unfortunately most of what we watch in my house are the ones that you lose.

I saw somewhere that if you buy the new FTA box that you can use it with your Sky dish. Can you then get all the Sky channels ? I'm sort of addicted to my interactive news where I can flick to what I want !


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## jhegarty

Perplexed said:


> Tried again. I do get BBC & a lot of the English channels but lose out on Documentaries  plus all of the Irish channels.
> 
> am I doing something wrong or this to be expected ?




that's correct, the irish and documentaries all need a card...


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## Perplexed

Thanks a million. 
If the recession bites a bit more I might be happy to settle for less stations and at least I know I have the option.


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## LindaL

Just a follow-up to Perplexed's original question:
When I remove the card from the Skybox I can still get, say, BBC 1 NI and Channel 4 etc. in the usual way.

But CBeebies, which we access via the "Other Channels" option under Services, is no longer accessible - when I click on "Other Channels" I get the "Please insert your Sky viewing card" screen.

Is there a channel number for CBeebies (and the other "Other Channels")?  Or how do we get around this?


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## silvermints

LindaL said:


> Just a follow-up to Perplexed's original question:
> When I remove the card from the Skybox I can still get, say, BBC 1 NI and Channel 4 etc. in the usual way.
> 
> But CBeebies, which we access via the "Other Channels" option under Services, is no longer accessible - when I click on "Other Channels" I get the "Please insert your Sky viewing card" screen.
> 
> Is there a channel number for CBeebies (and the other "Other Channels")? Or how do we get around this?


 
If you intend to use the box without a card long term its handier if you put the UK epg on it. CBeebies etc will then appear on the epg.


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## LindaL

Thank you silvermints.


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## silvermints

LindaL said:


> Thank you silvermints.


 
You're welcome. If my memory serves me correctly your problem with other channels is a parental control issue. I think if you have it enabled you cant get other channels with the card out. I'm open to correction on this.


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## Jock04

zztop said:


> Similar experience here.They want to be your friend and
> will not let you go.*You pay for the privilege of talking to*
> *these scottish people *wh oonly care about losing a
> customer for Rupert.Blood pressure time


 

 and rightly so


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## Conshine

I take it that if in a years time I wish to re-subscribe, the installation fee's etc are not necessary right? Just a matter of getting the card re-enabled or something I guess?


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## jhegarty

Conshine said:


> I take it that if in a years time I wish to re-subscribe, the installation fee's etc are not necessary right? Just a matter of getting the card re-enabled or something I guess?




No install fee for a new sub unless you need a new box and dish.


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## cunninghams

Last month I got Channel 4 and Channel 5 (channel 6335) on the FTA through my sky box-However its been painful in that I can only seem to get them by pressing "Services" and then "Other Channels". I'd like them under "Entertainment" like the BBCs, ITCs, etc...can anybody help me with this??


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## jhegarty

cunninghams said:


> Last month I got Channel 4 and Channel 5 (channel 6335) on the FTA through my sky box-However its been painful in that I can only seem to get them by pressing "Services" and then "Other Channels". I'd like them under "Entertainment" like the BBCs, ITCs, etc...can anybody help me with this??




Do you have an irish sky card, or just using it for FTA ?


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## redstar

cunninghams said:


> Last month I got Channel 4 and Channel 5 (channel 6335) on the FTA through my sky box-However its been painful in that I can only seem to get them by pressing "Services" and then "Other Channels". I'd like them under "Entertainment" like the BBCs, ITCs, etc...can anybody help me with this??



Can't be done. Those free channels are not available to go onto the Electronic Programming Guide (EPG) with Irish Sky boxes.
May work with a Freesat box though.


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## cunninghams

jhegarty said:


> Do you have an irish sky card, or just using it for FTA ?


Just using it for FTA. I have an old sky card I dont use. What do you suggest to do if i try wirth the sky card?


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## jhegarty

cunninghams said:


> Just using it for FTA. I have an old sky card I dont use. What do you suggest to do if i try wirth the sky card?




Put in the card upside down (so the chip is on the wrong side). Turn box off for 15 minutes and turn on again.

Come back if that doesn't work.


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## HighFlier

Perplexed,

You are not scrolling down far enough.

The first three or four pages are not available.

BBC 1 is the first channel available. Also check Sky News.


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## cunninghams

upside down.....really?? ok, thanks Ill give it a go and let you know how get on


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## jhegarty

cunninghams said:


> upside down.....really?? ok, thanks Ill give it a go and let you know how get on




Yes, the box should default to UK EPG for a faulty card. You can't get more faulty than upside down.


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