[mythtv-users] Freeview channels on UK Sky Dish. FTA vs FTV? CAM required?

[Robert Longbottom]

Stroller wrote:
> On 15 Dec 2006, at 20:23, Stuart Auchterlonie wrote:
>   
>> On Fri, Dec 15, 2006 at 07:31:15PM +0000, Stroller wrote:
>>
>>     
>>> My understanding is that the BBC channels are "free to air" (FTA) and
>>> unencrypted and that these can be accessed using a Hauppage Nova-s
>>> DVB-S PCI card and Sky dish. I think that's what this chap <http://
>>> tinyurl.com/yza9yt> is doing.
>>>       
>> Have a look at http://www.lyngsat.com/packages/skyuk.html
>>     
> (your updated link)
>
> Could I ask for just a little help translating this, please?
>
> Am I right in thinking that all the free-to-air channels are those  
> with a pale-yellow background colour?
> (<td bgcolor="#ffffd0">)
>
>   
I think thats right.  There is kind of a key at the bottom of the page
but I too have spent hours staring at it trying to work out what is
available and what isn't... :-/
> Because this covers all the BBCs, all the ITVs and a bunch of other  
> rubbish. Film 4 is a free-to-air channel? I remember when it started  
> up it was the one channel I considered paying a subscription for!!
>
>   
Yes, Film4 is available FTA (so is Film4+1) - I currently get them from
Astra 1D using my set-top box (though not through Mythtv yet, that is
this weekends task ;-) )
> And that the table makes no distinction between subscription & free- 
> to-view channels? Both are listed as encrypted with a pale-brick  
> background colour?
> (<td bgcolor="#ffd0a0">)
> This covers all the Sky channels, sports, filth & some other rubbish.
>
>   
I think that the FTV channels are marked as encrypted - eg look at "E4
UK" - it has a peachy background and is marked as "videoguard".  You can
get E4 free on Freeview in the UK (i.e. DVB-T), but it doesn't seem to
be free on DVB-S, which is annoying for those of us who can't get
DVB-T.  I can't get this through my settop box - though presumably you
could if you bought the £20 card from Sky and had something to put it in.

> I had the impression there were only a handful of free-to-air  
> channels, and substantially more free-to-view channels. This is  
> supported by the previous post I referred to:
>     Here in the UK, there are about 25 True TFA channels broadcasted
>     over satellite, however with a one off payment (of about L19.00),
>     one can buy a card which allows access to about 200 channels, with
>     no subscription.   <http://tinyurl.com/uus39>
>
> Cheers,
>
> Stroller.
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> mythtv-users mailing list
> mythtv-users at mythtv.org
> http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users
>