Freesat - What is it and how do I receive it?
Freesat is a free to receive satellite Television service that has more channels than the current free to air Freeview service. It has about 140 channels, including the usual radio stations, but also has High Definition (HD) broadcasts as well. Currently it airs both BBC HD and ITV HD channels, but the schedules for these services are very limited, but will be airing more content in the future.
To receive the Freesat service you will need a new set-top box, and you can either get one to receive only the Standard Definition (SD) broadcasts (around 50) or a HD receiver (from around 120) to watch all the new HD channels. Some of the new TV's being produced are now being shipped with in-built Freesat decoders, such as the Panasonic Viera, which means you can receive the service without the extra set-top box. If you want to record the Freesat programmes then you will need to purchase a set-top box with a hard disk and again these are available in SD and HD variations, depending on the type of broadcasts that you want to record, with the HD recorders being more expensive.
To receive the service you will also need a satellite dish. You can use an existing Sky dish or have a new dish installed for about 90. If you want to receive the Freesat service in more than one room, then you will need to get an LNB (receiver in the middle of the dish) with multiple outputs, these are freely available from most suppliers. If you already have an old sky dish that was working, then the installation is as simple as plugging the cable from the dish into the new Freesat receiver and connecting it to your TV set. You can now receive all the channels available on the Freesat service.
Also announced for the Freesat service is the ability to watch the BBC's iPlayer on your TV. Later this year all the Freesat set-top boxes will have the BBC iPlayer integrated into them, enabling you to watch the video-on-demand service without using a computer. The service will be streamed over the internet and into the Freesat receivers through their built-in Ethernet ports, instead of being broadcast over the satellite signal as all the other standard channels use.
To find more information visit http://freesat.co.uk
To receive the Freesat service you will need a new set-top box, and you can either get one to receive only the Standard Definition (SD) broadcasts (around 50) or a HD receiver (from around 120) to watch all the new HD channels. Some of the new TV's being produced are now being shipped with in-built Freesat decoders, such as the Panasonic Viera, which means you can receive the service without the extra set-top box. If you want to record the Freesat programmes then you will need to purchase a set-top box with a hard disk and again these are available in SD and HD variations, depending on the type of broadcasts that you want to record, with the HD recorders being more expensive.
To receive the service you will also need a satellite dish. You can use an existing Sky dish or have a new dish installed for about 90. If you want to receive the Freesat service in more than one room, then you will need to get an LNB (receiver in the middle of the dish) with multiple outputs, these are freely available from most suppliers. If you already have an old sky dish that was working, then the installation is as simple as plugging the cable from the dish into the new Freesat receiver and connecting it to your TV set. You can now receive all the channels available on the Freesat service.
Also announced for the Freesat service is the ability to watch the BBC's iPlayer on your TV. Later this year all the Freesat set-top boxes will have the BBC iPlayer integrated into them, enabling you to watch the video-on-demand service without using a computer. The service will be streamed over the internet and into the Freesat receivers through their built-in Ethernet ports, instead of being broadcast over the satellite signal as all the other standard channels use.
To find more information visit http://freesat.co.uk
